In brief
Hungary’s main public television channel, M1, and the state‑run Kossuth radio station have been temporarily halted as part of a sweeping reform to remove the influences of the former Orbán era. The new prime minister, Péter Magyar, announced the move as the end of propaganda broadcasts and vowed to establish an independent editorial team. The message shown on M1 apologized for years of lies and promised a trust‑worthy news service. Orbán condemned the decision as tyranny and urged followers to watch the party‑aligned Hir TV channel. The shift follows a broader effort to restore press freedom after Orbán’s 16‑year rule.
During a televised announcement on Tuesday afternoon, Hungary’s government halted news broadcasts on its flagship public TV channel, M1, and suspended the nationwide radio station, Kossuth. The official message that lit up the screen read: "Public media should not lie. We are sorry for doing it for so long" and added that news programmes would be temporarily suspended and gradually re‑introduced by a new editorial team.
Viktor Orbán, who was ousted after 16 years in power, had tightly controlled the state media apparatus for decades. The new prime minister, Péter Magyar, described the public‑media overhaul as a historic step that finally ends propaganda while guaranteeing independence and trustworthiness.
On the same day, Kossuth’s frequencies were switched to the classical music station Bartok Radio, while both M1 and Kossuth’s websites went offline. The decision is part of a broader campaign to establish a wholly new broadcast authority as promised during Magyar’s landslide victory.
Orbán reacted strongly on social media, calling the move an example of regime tyranny and urging his supporters to watch the Hir TV channel, which is affiliated with his Fidesz party. He also criticized the lack of a single “fair” source for new information, insisting that the state media had long lied to the public.
The reforms are still in early stages, but officials say M1 will return in a new format without traditional news programmes, with bulletins added gradually. The changes mark a major turning point for Hungary’s public broadcasting landscape and could reshape the country’s political communication in the years to come.
