In case you missed it: Instead of participating in the Eurovision song contest, from 2020 Hungary’s ‘A Dal’ talent show will focus on supporting Hungarian artists directly.
You guessed it; this didn’t go well with left-liberal mainstream media.
They couldn’t stomach a factual, reasonable explanation; they needed something more. They needed something that makes for a good headline, something that draws clicks and sells papers. And these people – who call themselves “journalists” – usually don’t like to go the extra mile and look into actual details behind an argument. So, they reached for their bluntest weapon: fake news and some egregious Hungary-bashing.
Here are some of my personal favorites:
“Hungary pulls out of Eurovision amid rise in anti-LGBTQ+ rhetoric” (The Guardian), “Hungary withdraws from 'homosexual flotilla' Eurovision Song Contest” (The Telegraph). “Hungary's right-wing government withdraws country from 'too gay' Eurovision Song Contest” (The Daily Mail), “Hungary withdraws from ‘homosexual flotilla’ Eurovision Song Contest ‘because it’s too gay’” (Metro).
“Too gay.” Don’t let the many quotation marks fool you. Nobody said that. It’s the media quoting itself, it’s own biased, malicious speculation. But a bunch of them jumped on the band wagon without bothering to check the facts. The real answer lies elsewhere.
In a press release published a few weeks ago, the Hungarian State Television actually laid out the real reason behind its decision to leave the Eurovision song contest. And it’s something you won’t find in any mainstream media.
According to the statement, from 2020, MTVA, the umbrella organization behind Hungary’s state TV and radio, will reshuffle resources previously dedicated to the Eurovision song selection process in a way that directly supports the careers of rising, Hungarian pop artists. It’s not about LGBTQ+ or Eurovision being “too gay;” it’s about a much-needed shift in focus and a more reasonable utilization of funds channeled towards Hungary’s own, domestic talent.