A message apologising for having lied for years was broadcast on Hungary's main public television channel on Tuesday.
The government of Hungary’s new Prime Minister Péter Magyar has taken radical steps to detach state media from the propaganda machinery of the former administration. The publicly‑owned channel M1 and the oldest radio station Kossuth were halted mid‑afternoon, and their websites went offline as well.
On a black screen, a message appeared on M1’s TV set explaining that public media had lied for years and that the news programme would no longer be a vehicle for political messages. Instead the channel promised a new editorial framework in which “news will be independent and trustworthy.”
Sounding the same tone, Kossuth’s frequencies temporarily played the classical music station Bartok Radio. Its former focus on news, current affairs, sports and culture was suspended, with the intention to rebuild the station around a new editorial mandate.
Magyar later described the announcement as a historic turning point, declaring that propaganda on the state media would end. He added a headline statement: “They lied at night, they lied during the day, they lied on every wavelength. That is now over.”
The broadcaster’s parent organisation, MTVA, confirmed that the TV channel would restart without news programming, but would gradually introduce short bulletins alongside a fresh editorial team. The aim is to restore a perception of impartiality and reliability.
While DOM is largely supportive of the changes, opposition parties and civil‑society groups warn that political interference may still shape the media narrative. They call on the government to ensure a truly open information ecosystem as Hungary moves forward.
