Hungary’s public news back on the air after Magyar vows reforms

BUDAPEST: Hungary's state TV resumed broadcasting its news bulletin on Thursday, marking the end of a suspension that had lasted since July. The return of the news service came as the new government of Peter Magyar began implementing reforms to restore public media's independence. Control of the media had been a central focus for Viktor Orban's previous government, which was criticized for its illiberal policies during its 16-year rule.

Orban, a nationalist, transformed Hungary into an illiberal democracy before losing the April election. Magyar, a pro-EU conservative, had pledged to overhaul public media as part of his election campaign. The main public TV channel, M1, had suspended all news programs on July 7, when the reforms began. M1 aired its first news bulletin at 6:00 local time on Thursday, Hungary's national day.

The 25-minute bulletin began with a report on Hungary's newly elected president, Andras Baka, who is a critic of Orban and a former head of the Supreme Court. The bulletin featured a balanced coverage, including opposition and critical voices, signaling a departure from the practices that occurred under the Orban regime. Journalists have previously expressed concerns about their roles under Orban and the need to restore public trust.

Kozmedia, the public media group, stated on Facebook that no individuals involved in editing the news bulletins during the Orban era were part of the current team. However, several employees told AFP that while some anchors and reporters had been dismissed, the overall staffing remained unchanged. On Wednesday, Telex also reported that many of the same editors and reporters who had produced propaganda under the previous regime were still in their positions, according to an internal email they received.

The current transition period is being overseen by an interim leadership appointed by the government. This group has initiated internal audits and restructuring measures. Earlier this month, management faced criticism when they appointed a new head of news programming who had previously worked for media outlets and companies owned by Orban's inner circle.

Following widespread disapproval, including from Magyar himself, the broadcaster reversed its decision the following day, leading to even more criticism regarding government interference.

Reforms to public media are anticipated to continue. A new chief executive is expected to be chosen through an open tender process before the end of October, with the goal of implementing recommendations resulting from ongoing professional and public consultations.