ABSTRACT
This chapter sums up the state of journalism and of media accountability institutions in Hungary 25 years after the regime transition. The overall picture is anything but positive: while previously many considered the democratic transformation and the establishment of the requisite institutional framework as obvious, today it is apparent that the development of an appropriate media system is a considerably more complex process. The professional background and institutional setting that underlies quality journalism is self-evident in many Western European countries but virtually non-existent in Hungary. Self-regulation is still in its infancy, there are no well-functioning professional representation organizations and there are no media ombudsmen. The journalistic culture differs considerably from that experienced in Western Europe, media owners are less inclined to focus on responsible behaviour, and the audience, too, has considerably lower expectations regarding media quality. The issue of quality journalism and journalistic credibility is not discussed in public; in fact, it hardly ever manifests itself, even in professional forums.
