Hungary's New Government Suspends State TV News, Apologizes for Years of Propaganda

Hungary's newly formed government, led by Prime Minister Peter Medgyessy, has replaced the management of the state television network and temporarily suspended its main news broadcasts. The central channel, M1, displayed a black screen with a message apologizing for years of misinformation, stating that public broadcasting had lied for a long time and is now undergoing changes to become independent and trustworthy. The message read: "Public broadcasting cannot lie. We apologize for having done so for many years despite everything. Public broadcasting is now changing so that in the future it will be independent and reliable. News editions are temporarily suspended. Stay with us."

Prime Minister Medgyessy posted on his X account that this marks a historic day, declaring an end to propaganda in Hungary's public media. He emphasized that the previous broadcasts lied constantly across all channels, but now that era is over. The government’s directive to overhaul the state media aims to restore credibility and transparency in public broadcasting.

This move reflects a significant shift in Hungary’s media landscape following the change in government, signaling a break from prior practices of state-controlled messaging and propaganda. The suspension of news broadcasts is temporary as the state media undergoes comprehensive reforms under the new administration.