Hungary’s New Government Halts State TV News, Apologizes for Years of Propaganda

Hungary’s central state television channel M1 temporarily suspended its news broadcasts on Tuesday as part of a sweeping government initiative to reform public media into "independent and reliable" outlets. The broadcast was replaced by a black screen displaying the message: "Public media cannot lie. We apologize for having done so for many years." This move follows the election of Prime Minister Peter Medgyessy, whose party ousted the nationalist Fidesz party after 16 years in power.

Medgyessy, who took office in April, has pledged to end the propaganda that characterized media under his predecessor, Viktor Orbán. He has already dismissed editors at state media outlets and ordered a comprehensive and immediate review of public media operations and funding. Medgyessy described the suspension as a "historic day," marking the end of propaganda broadcasts on public media, noting that the state radio station Kossuth also ceased transmissions.

Before the elections, Medgyessy attracted large crowds, with over 100,000 people rallying in Budapest demanding a change of government. While maintaining a conservative stance on family issues similar to Orbán’s, Medgyessy promised to combat corruption linked to the former prime minister. He also declared intentions to sever Hungary’s ties with Russia and strengthen relations with the European Union to unlock frozen EU aid funds.