Hungary’s media reckoning: how Péter Magyar is tearing down Orbán’s propaganda empire
Hungary's new government under Prime Minister Péter Magyar has begun dismantling the state media apparatus that supported Viktor Orbán for 16 years. On Tuesday, the M1 news channel was taken off air for several hours, replaced by film classics and an apology message stating that public-service media must not lie. This follows the adoption of a new media law on 23 June 2026, which abolishes the Duna Médiaszolgáltató and the Media Service Support and Asset Management Fund (MTVA). The state news agency MTI has been separated as an independent entity. Lawyer András P. Horváth has been temporarily appointed to oversee the transition. The move fulfills a key election promise by Magyar's Tisza party to stop propaganda and transform public-service media into an independent and trustworthy institution.
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