One of Hungary’s largest media companies, Mediaworks Hungary Zrt., has embarked on a major restructuring of its operations, in a move that could mark one of the most significant shifts in the domestic media landscape in recent years. The company announced on Monday that, as part of a portfolio overhaul, it will suspend the operation of several print titles and online platforms.

Several media outlets to be closed

The conglomerate was established in a foundation-based structure following Fidesz’s 2018 election victory, when business circles close to the government transferred their publications into the fold free of charge, enabling the communications of Viktor Orbán’s administrations to be centrally coordinated over the past eight years.

According to a statement from Mediaworks, publication of the print edition of Bors will be suspended from 16 June, while from 1 July the print versions of Nógrád Megyei Hírlap, Heves Megyei Hírlap and 24 Óra (Komárom-Esztergom county) will cease altogether. The affected content, however, will remain available in digital form. It was also announced that the long-established daily Magyar Nemzet will be converted into a weekly, reflecting changing reader habits, the Hungarian news agency wrote.

Mediaworks further confirmed that it will shut down the websites Ripost.hu and Metropol.hu. Subscribers will be informed directly of the changes, offered alternative publications, or given the option of a refund for unused subscription fees. The company added that further details regarding its portfolio will be provided at a later date.

Digital shift and cost pressures

The decision aligns with broader international trends in the media industry, where declining print circulation and the rise of online consumption have prompted publishers to reallocate resources towards digital platforms. Mediaworks remains one of Hungary’s largest media groups, operating national dailies, regional newspapers, magazines and online news portals. By its own figures, its digital platforms reach some five million users each month, alongside several hundred thousand subscribers. In recent years, its output has largely reflected the communications line of the Orbán governments, much like the state broadcaster.

Among the titles affected are long-standing brands such as Bors and several county newspapers with histories stretching back more than a century. As such, the decision carries not only commercial but also media-historical significance.

What remains in the portfolio

Mediaworks continues to operate Hungary’s largest regional newspaper network. Its portfolio includes Magyar Nemzet, Kisalföld, Délmagyarország, Kelet-Magyarország and Hajdú-Bihari Napló, alongside numerous magazines and digital platforms. The latest move suggests the publisher may be shifting its focus towards a smaller number of stronger print and digital brands, although it has yet to clarify whether further closures or mergers are planned.

According to Blikk, redundancies began today, with the economic desk reportedly the first to be affected. One senior figure was allegedly dismissed without the opportunity to say farewell. At the same time, the paper reports that management is treating employees correctly: those affected will receive severance pay, compensation for unused leave, and paid leave until the end of August. Some may also be offered alternative roles within the group.

Have you read this one? Updated list of the wealthiest Hungarians revealed

How Mediaworks consolidated influence

The rise of Mediaworks illustrates the transformation of Hungary’s media market over the past decade. The company came into the hands of business interests close to the government in 2016, after its Austrian owner sold it to Opimus Press. The deal attracted considerable attention, coming shortly after Mediaworks suspended the publication of Népszabadság, then the country’s largest opposition-leaning daily. Analysts have frequently linked Opimus Press—and later the ownership structure of Mediaworks—to Lőrinc Mészáros and the wider economic network associated with Fidesz.

In the years that followed, Mediaworks became a central player in the consolidation of pro-government media. It acquired or integrated the vast majority of regional daily newspapers, along with several national titles and online outlets. When the Central European Press and Media Foundation (KESMA) was established in late 2018, hundreds of media outlets were brought under a single umbrella. Mediaworks emerged as one of the system’s core companies, absorbing several KESMA publishers in 2019. The government designated the creation of this media conglomerate as being of strategic national importance, thereby exempting it from standard competition scrutiny.

Critics argue that Mediaworks subsequently became the flagship of the Orbán government’s media apparatus: from regional titles to national newspapers, a unified editorial line has consistently supported government messaging and campaigns. Today, the company stands as one of KESMA’s principal media centres, reaching millions of readers through dozens of print and digital outlets. While the government portrays this restructuring of the media market as a legitimate business development, both domestic and international media organisations contend that the emergence of Mediaworks and KESMA has significantly increased pro-government influence over Hungary’s public sphere.

If you missed: Parliament to debate bills required for access to EU funding