Hungary's State TV Goes Dark After Government Overhaul, Apologizes for Years of Lies

Hungary's state television channel M1 temporarily suspended its news broadcast on July 7, 2026, following a government-led overhaul aimed at restoring independence and credibility to public media. The blackout screen displayed an apology acknowledging years of misinformation, stating, "Public broadcasting cannot lie. We apologize for having done so for so many years." This move came shortly after the new government under Prime Minister Péter Medgyessy replaced the management of state television and radio.

Under the previous administration of Viktor Orbán, Hungary's free press had been heavily controlled through stringent laws, turning public media into a propaganda tool. Medgyessy hailed the suspension as a historic day, declaring the end of propaganda broadcasts in Hungarian public media. He said, "They lied at night, they lied during the day, they lied on every channel. Now it is over." The government emphasized that the public broadcasting service is undergoing a transformation to become independent and trustworthy in the future. Viewers were urged to stay tuned for updates as the changes take effect.