budapest unite state say monday would fund rural media outlets hungary help train equip journalists defense independent media see subject grow pressure intimidation hungarian prime minister viktor orban increase media control legal change regulatory step takeovers outlets business sector associate move alarm western partner approach elections due april 2018 widely expect win comfortably trend especially strong rural hungary government-controlled public media handful outlets friendly rule fidesz party news source people get 700,000 u.s. program focus department state ... seek partner unite state government help educate journalists aspire journalists practise trade state department official say statement email reuters unite state publicly privately express concern status free press hungary multiple occasion official say hungary commit uphold standards government immediate comment program offer technical financial assistance media outlets well increase local international exposure small grant tool use fund may 2018. washington deny entry top officials government corruption charge 2014 orban ruffle feather attack u.s.-chartered central european university issue yet resolve u.s. bureau democracy human right labor launch program top u.s. diplomat budapest cite erosion media freedoms still independent opposition media outlets able practise journalism broad editorial freedom charg affaires david kostelancik say last month journalism conference good thing however number dwindle face challenge advertise market pro-government outlets face pressure intimidation ... result few few hungarians expose robust debate discussion important fact fundamental representative democracy foreign ministry state secretary levente magyar react comment say government would continue reject statements affect hungarian internal affairs base misrepresentation strong possible term organisation security cooperation europe intergovernmental human right media freedom watchdog say media pluralism decline hungary u.s. launch media fund hungary aid press freedom