The BBC is officially returning with a Hungarian-language news service more than 20 years after shutting down its previous Hungarian broadcasts.

The broadcaster announced that its new experimental digital platform, BBC News Magyarul, will launch on 16 June, offering news, analysis and social media content in Hungarian. A parallel Romanian-language service, BBC News România, will follow a week later on 23 June.

According to the announcement, the new Hungarian-language service will initially be available through its website, as well as Facebook and Instagram pages. YouTube and TikTok channels are also planned, although these will launch later.

The BBC said the move is part of its mission to reach more audiences worldwide with “trusted and impartial news” at a time of increasing disinformation and growing pressure on press freedom.

Focus on social media and AI-assisted translations

The new service will cover major global and regional developments relevant to audiences in Hungary, Romania, Moldova and the wider Central and Eastern European region.

According to Media1, topics will include:

  • international and European current affairs,
  • health,
  • science and technology,
  • climate,
  • and the cost-of-living crisis.

The BBC noted that the content will be tailored for easy discovery on social media platforms, reflecting changing news consumption habits among younger audiences.

Both the Hungarian and Romanian editorial teams will also use AI-assisted translation technologies to make BBC global content available in local languages. However, the corporation stressed that all AI-supported content will remain under human editorial supervision and will be clearly labelled.

Alongside translated materials, the teams will produce their own reports and analysis.

BBC cites shrinking press freedom and disinformation

Fiona Crack, acting global director of BBC News, said independent journalism had become more important than ever.

She stated that in an era marked by shrinking press freedom, rising disinformation and global uncertainty, trusted and impartial reporting plays a critical role.

The BBC also highlighted the success of its recently launched Polish-language service, which reportedly reached more than 800,000 people weekly in its latest quarter.

BBC aims to reach younger audiences and women

Kateryna Khinkulova, who will oversee both the Hungarian and Romanian-language services, said the editorial offering was designed to deliver high-quality journalism on issues most relevant to audiences in the region.

She added that the BBC hopes to reach younger audiences and women in particular with the new language services.

The Hungarian-language BBC service has a long history. BBC radio broadcasts in Hungarian first began in 1939, while later online services operated until 2005, when several Eastern European language services were shut down.

With the launch of BBC News Magyarul and BBC News România, the BBC World Service will expand its global offering to 45 languages, including English.

Daily News Hungary also reported on the news about the service’s relaunch when it first surfaced: BBC relaunches Hungarian-language news after nearly 20 years