Hungarian state media suspends news, cites need to end propaganda

Hungarian state television channel M1 and the news portal Hirado.hu have temporarily halted their informative programming, broadcasting a message that states, "Public services must not lie. We apologize for doing so for years! Public services are now transforming to be independent and credible in the future. Informative service is temporarily suspended. Stay with us!"

The suspension began Tuesday at 4 p.m. The state radio channel Kossuth is exclusively broadcasting music, and Bartok radio's program can be heard on Kossuth's frequency. M1 is scheduled to resume broadcasting in a new format at 7:56 p.m. on Tuesday, featuring films and no news.

According to the Hungarian News Agency MTI, a new, temporary leadership has taken over the Hungarian public service. Final leadership will be selected through a competition after the transitional period. This move is seen by some as a significant shift, with Hungarian Prime Minister Peter Magyar calling it a "historic moment" that ends propaganda. He had previously promised to stop party propaganda on state-funded public services if his party won the elections.

Channel M1, known for promoting Fidesz propaganda during Viktor Orbán's governments, has undergone changes. The temporary general director of MTVA, András P. Horváth, appointed last week, dismissed M1's channel director Zsolt Németh even before the full suspension. Several presenters were also dismissed, with one escorted out by security.