Hungary’s public broadcasters long associated with Viktor Orban abruptly went off air on Thursday, a dramatic move Prime Minister Peter Magyar said was aimed at dismantling the former nationalist leader’s entrenched influence over the media.
For much of Mr Orban’s 16-year tenure, tight control of information served as a central pillar of his power as he recast the central European country into what he openly described as an “illiberal” democracy.
Mr Magyar, who defeated Orban at the ballot box in April, made the restoration of independence at Hungary’s public broadcasters a headline pledge of his campaign.
Hungarian Prime Minister Peter Magyar (L) and former prime minister Viktor Orbán (R)
“A historic day. Today marks the end of propaganda broadcasts on public media platforms,” Mr Magyar wrote on Facebook.
“They lied at night, they lied during the day, they lied on every wavelength. That is now over,” he said.
By the afternoon, both Kossuth radio and M1, Hungary’s main public television channel, had stopped transmitting.
On M1, viewers were met with a black screen carrying the message: “Public media should not lie. We are sorry for doing it for so long.”
“Public media now will be reformed so it will be independent and trustworthy. Our news programme is currently suspended. Stay tuned!” it added.
A message on Hungary’s M1 TV station saying: ‘Public media should not lie. We are sorry for doing it for so long. Public media now will be reformed so it will be independent and trustworthy. Our news programme is currently suspended. Stay tuned!’
On Kossuth’s frequencies, AFP journalists reported hearing Bartok Radio, a classical music programme, instead of regular output.
The websites for both M1 and Kossuth were also down.
In a statement, Hungary’s state media umbrella group MTVA said M1 would return to air in the evening but without news programmes. It said news bulletins would be brought back gradually as a new editorial team is put in place.
MTVA added that other public service programmes would not be affected.
“Another example of Tisza tyranny!” Mr Orban posted on social media, urging viewers “interested in the truth” to switch instead to Hir TV, a channel linked to his Fidesz party.
Mr Magyar’s Tisza party swept April’s elections on a promise of “regime change” and a clean break with the Orban era, winning a two-thirds majority in parliament.
Since taking office, Mr Magyar’s government has moved quickly to loosen the former leader’s hold on the state, passing a raft of anti-corruption measures and amending the constitution in a way that effectively prevents Mr Orban from running again.
The new administration has also turned its attention beyond public broadcasting, focusing on private outlets owned by businessmen aligned with Mr Orban.
At TV2, the leading private broadcaster, the main news anchors have been replaced and the news director has been forced out since Mr Magyar’s election victory.
