Hungary’s new Prime Minister Péter Magyar has moved swiftly to dismantle what he characterises as the authoritarian media controls implemented by his predecessor, Viktor Orbán. Shortly after appointing new leadership to the country’s state radio and television broadcaster, news broadcasts abruptly ceased and were replaced with a stark message: “Public broadcasting is not permitted to lie. We apologise for doing so for years. We are now undergoing structural changes and the service is temporarily suspended.”
The dramatic intervention represents a significant escalation in Magyar’s campaign to restore what he describes as democratic standards to Hungarian institutions. Since taking office, the new Prime Minister has made media independence a central pillar of his reform agenda, arguing that Orbán’s government had weaponised state broadcasting to consolidate political power.
According to Magyar and his advisors, Orbán’s administration had effectively captured approximately 80 per cent of Hungary’s media landscape, transforming state broadcasters into propaganda outlets for the ruling government. This alleged control of the media had become a flashpoint in international criticism of Hungary’s democratic backsliding, with the European Union and international press freedom organisations repeatedly raising concerns about editorial independence and impartiality.
The temporary suspension of news services, while jarring, appears intended as a symbolic reset—a public acknowledgement of past failings and a declaration of intent to rebuild state media on more independent foundations. Magyar’s administration has signalled that restructuring will be substantial, though details of the new editorial framework remain unclear.
Source: Ynet — Original article in Hebrew.
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