Hungary’s TV Apology: Saying Goodbye to Orbán Propaganda

Sun Sep 06 2026 10:33:20 GMT+0000 (Coordinated Universal Time)

Scandalous news: Hungary’s public TV stops airing news to ditch years of propaganda after a 16‑year rule. New PM promises a clean, independent press.

Hungary’s main public TV channel has pulled the plug on its news broadcasts, while its state radio has gone silent, a decisive move by the new prime minister, Péter Magyar, to end the era of Viktor Orbán’s state‑controlled media. On Tuesday, M1’s black screen showed a white apology message: “Public media must not lie. We’ve lied for years.” The channel will return with a new format and a fresh editorial team, gradually adding bulletins. Kossuth radio traded its news blocks for music, and its official websites went down too. Orbán slammed the changes as oppression and urged people to tune in to his own “Hir” channel. The shift marks a historic breaking point in Hungary’s media landscape, signalling a promised regime change and a move toward truly independent journalism.

Hungary’s TV Apology: Saying Goodbye to Orbán Propaganda

The country’s main public TV channel, M1, paused its news that afternoon, while the long‑running state radio Kossuth was forced off the air. A bold black screen flashed a apology: “Public media must not lie. We’ve lied for years.” The message ended with, “Public media will now be reformed to be independent and trustworthy.”

Péter Magyar, the new prime minister who defeated Orbán’s 16‑year reign in April, called the move the end of propaganda broadcasts. He described it as a historic day and pledged to create a brand‑new broadcast authority that supports press freedom.

In the immediate fallout, the Kossuth radio station played Bartok Radio’s classical music instead of news, and its official website went offline. According to sources, M1 will re‑launch in a new format, adding a gradual series of bulletins alongside a newly elected editorial team.

Orbán’s response was swift and harsh. He slammed the overhaul as a “tyrannical” act by his rivals, telling followers to switch to the partisan Hir channel instead. He further vowed to “comfort” the regime with his own media campaign, echoing his historic mistrust of state‑run outlets.

Meanwhile, media outlets aligned with Fidesz, such as commercial TV2, are seeing top reporters and the news director leave the organization since Magyar’s victory.

For viewers, this marks a sharp shift: no more nightly or daytime propaganda on public media; what follows is a promise of a more trustworthy, independent news platform – a promise that will be tested in the coming weeks.