Instead of regular programming, M1 viewers saw a message on screen reading: "Public media cannot lie. We apologize for doing so for years. State media are currently undergoing reorganization so that in the future they can be independent and credible. The news service is being temporarily suspended. We ask for your patience".
Newly appointed interim MTVA president Andras Horvath arrived at the broadcaster's headquarters Tuesday along with a management team of his own choosing. According to media reports, several employees, including some in managerial positions, were called to the human resources department and suspended from their duties with immediate effect.
The holding's interim leadership was tasked with conducting a comprehensive review of public media operations, overseeing the process of organizational change, halting propaganda activities and reforming the news service so that Hungary's public media become a "credible, objective and independent institution", according to the news outlet Telex.
In a statement, MTVA said the interim leadership would oversee a transitional period, after which the institution's leadership would be selected through an open recruitment process preceded by expert and public consultations.
A poll by the Median Institute, published last week by the weekly HVG, found that 73% of decided voters support the ruling Tisza party of Prime Minister Peter Magyar, while Fidesz, the party of former Prime Minister Viktor Orban, has the support of 21% of decided voters.
The poll also examined Hungarians' views on the country's direction. A record 67% of respondents said things in Hungary are "heading in the right direction" — the highest figure recorded by Median since 2002, when 61% of the public rated the direction of change positively.
(jh)
Source: PAP