In April 2026, the le European Board for Media Services issued a significant opinion on the acquisition of Ringier Hungary, the publisher, among others, of the tabloid Blikk, by the Indamedia group. This case is particularly noteworthy because no national authority had assessed the impact of the transaction on media pluralism or editorial independence. This intervention is one of the first concrete applications of the new supervisory powers introduced under the European Media Freedom Act (EMFA).
Reasons’s for the Media Board’s intervention
Under the EMFA, mergers and acquisitions in the media sector must now be assessed in terms of their effects on media diversity, plurality of voices, and editorial independence, and not solely under competition law. This evaluation is separate and autonomous. Where national authorities fail to carry out such an assessment, the Media Board may intervene on its own initiative. This is precisely what happened in the Hungarian case.
The Blikk case in Hungary
In 2025, Indamedia – already the owner of the news portal Index.hu – announced its acquisition of Ringier Hungary, the publisher of Blikk, one of the country’s most widely read newspapers. The transaction was not reviewed by the Hungarian competition authority, and no specific national procedure relating to media pluralism was initiated. Several media freedom organisations subsequently alerted the Media Board, citing the already high level of concentration in the Hungarian media market, the significant influence of the media outlets involved, and the politically sensitive context ahead of the national elections.
The Media Board’s findings
In its opinion, the Media Board concluded that:
- the transaction would significantly increase concentration in the Hungarian media market;
- the new group would gain substantial influence over online news and the print press;
- the safeguards protecting editorial independence appear insufficient;
- the Hungarian context already presents serious risks to media pluralism.
The Media Board also expressed regret over the absence of a national assessment of media concentration.
Why should the Luxembourg media sector pay attention
This decision demonstrates that the EMFA fundamentally changes the European approach to media concentration:
- oversight is no longer based solely on competition law;
- media pluralism and editorial independence are becoming central considerations;
- the Media Board may now intervene where no national review has been carried out.
This case sends an important signal to media stakeholders in Luxembourg and elsewhere in the European Union as to how future media concentrations may be assessed.