Finance
Hungary's Magyar Says to Suspend State Media Broadcast, Pass New Media Law
Published by Global Banking & Finance Review®
Posted on April 15, 2026
2 min readLast updated: April 15, 2026
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Hungary’s incoming Prime Minister Péter Magyar, whose Tisza party secured a landslide two‑thirds parliamentary supermajority on April 12, plans to suspend state media broadcasts, enact a new media law, establish a media authority and restore press freedom.
Hungary's Magyar promises to suspend state media broadcasts, ensure press freedom
Magyar's Post-Election Media Reforms and Press Freedom Initiatives
By Krisztina Than and Anita Komuves
Magyar's Commitment to Media Reform
BUDAPEST, April 15 (Reuters) - Hungary's election winner Peter Magyar said on Wednesday his government will suspend state media broadcasts, pass a new media law and ensure press freedom after his cabinet takes power.
Vision for Public Service Media
"Every Hungarian deserves a public service media that broadcasts the truth," Magyar said on Kossuth state radio, where outgoing Prime Minister Viktor Orban had been a weekly guest for the past 16 years while opposition politicians rarely got invited.
Plans for Legislative and Structural Changes
"We will need a little time to pass a new media law, a new media authority and setting up the professional conditions for state media actually do what it is meant to do," Magyar added.
Background: Political Shift and Media Landscape
Magyar's TISZA (Respect and Freedom) party won a landslide victory in Sunday's election, ending Orban's 16-year rule.
Criticism of Orban's Media Policies
Critics say public media served as a government mouthpiece under Orban and accused him of presiding over the undermining of independent media as allies of his Fidesz party took control of private outlets - charges he denied.
Implications for Hungary's Democracy
Orban's landslide defeat handed Magyar a strong majority in Hungary's 199-seat legislature, opening the door for an overhaul of a system that critics in the European Union said subverted democratic norms.
(Reporting by Krisztina Than and Anita Komuves; Editing by Sonali Paul and Andrew Heavens)
Key Takeaways
- •Tisza’s April 12 election victory ended Viktor Orbán’s 16‑year rule and gave Magyar a supermajority to enact sweeping reforms (en.wikipedia.org)
- •Magyar vows to suspend state media broadcasts and pass new media legislation with a fresh media authority to ensure truthful public service broadcasting (apnews.com)
- •Under Orbán, media freedom eroded dramatically via consolidation under pro‑government control, legal pressure and propaganda—Magyar aims to reverse this trend (hrw.org)
References
Frequently Asked Questions about Hungary's Magyar says to suspend state media broadcast, pass new media law
1What action will Hungary's new government take regarding state media?
The new government plans to suspend state media broadcasts after taking office.
2What reforms will the Hungarian government implement in the media sector?
They intend to pass a new media law, establish a new media authority, and ensure press freedom.
3Why does Peter Magyar believe reforms are necessary for state media?
He states that every Hungarian deserves a public service media that broadcasts the truth.
