News Portals, Including Soros's Blog, Enriched with Rolling Dollars

Magyar Jeti Zrt., which operates the left-wing portals 444.hu, known as Soros's mouthpiece, and Qubit.hu, has won in the tender for independent media support posted jointly by the US Embassy in Budapest, the Mertek Media Monitor NGO and the Hungarian Environmental Partnership Foundation (Okotars), in which the media company, headed by such names as Peter Uj and Gabor Kardos, will receive more than 16 million HUF (about €41 thousand). This is further proof of the magnitude of foreign money being pumped into Hungary's "dollar media" for the sole aim of serving foreign donors and their interests in exchange for funding. Here are the details.

Forrás: Pexels

A document accessible on the Mertek Media Monitor website reveals which media outlets will receive funding from the US Embassy in Budapest's media support tender announced last autumn.

According to Origo's information, 32 applications were received by the deadline, but 6 of them, not named, were excluded over formalities. 

Of a total of 26 valid applications, 15 have now been awarded grants totalling more than 115 million HUF (nearly 300 thousand euros)or 115 608 880 HUF to be precise.

The Magyar Jeti wins double

Based on the decision makers running the tender, 444.hu will receive nearly HUF 10.25 million (almost €26.4 thousand), while its sister newspaper Qubit will receive about HUF 6.45 million (about €16.6 thousand), so the two news outlets of Magyar Jeti Zrt. will have a total of HUF 16.7 million (about €43 thousand) to spend thanks to the media funding support of the US donors;

Others receiving large sums

The foundation that runs Tilos Radio will receive just over HUF 10 million (almost €26 thousad). The Debreciner, a local portal based in Debrecen, will receive HUF 9.99 million. The publisher Alhambra-Press Bt putting out Atlatszo and Magyar Hang, was also granted a similar amounts.

Liberty Press Kft, which operates the weekly newspaper Jelen, will receive HUF 9.5 million, while the Equal Opportunities and Sustainability Association, publisher of the local websites Borsod24, Szol24 and Szabolcs24, will receive HUF 9.3 million. The Magyar Narancs website is also among the lucky applicants receiving HUF 9.9 million.

However, Van Masik Zrt., which operates Telex.hu, is also being granted some of the funding. According to the data, the company received HUF 7.8 million (over €20 thousand), while Klubradio received HUF 5.1 million (over €13 thousand) from the US Embassy in Budapest. 

In addition, the pro-environment protection portal Greenfo received a HUF 5 million grant, while the local Szabad Pecs received HUF 4 million. Az elet meg minden (life and everything) podcast, run by Masfel Flekk Kft., was awarded HUF 3.4 million and the association running the Nyugat.hu portal will receive HUF 4.98 million.

Cover photo: Illustration (Photo: Pexels)