President Pal Schmitt signed the media law, which was published in the Hungarian Gazette on Friday.

    Parliament passed the legislation on media service and mass communication as part of an all new media package on December 21, with a two-thirds majority of the governing Fidesz-Christian Democratic alliance.

    It regulates the powers of the new media authority, the rights and responsibilities of players on the media market and terms of sanctions applicable for print, electronic and internet providers in breach of the law's rules.

    Most of the legislation's provisions will come into effect on January 1.

    The opposition Socialist and radical nationalist Jobbik parties said they would challenge the law at the Constitutional Court.

    Green party Politics Can Be Different announced on Friday that it also intended to challenge the law at the top court.

    Under the media bill, the new supervisory authority (NMHH) will have the authority to apply sanctions such as imposing fines for papers or broadcasters that break the law. Newspapers could face fines of up to 25 million forints (EUR 90,000) and news websites 10 million, whereas TV and radio stations could be fined between 50 million and 200 million forints for infractions.

    The law has faced strong criticism in the foreign press and by several international organisations and governments.