The chief executive of Hungary’s public media fund has resigned amid plans by Prime Minister Péter Magyar’s government to overhaul the country’s public broadcasting system, marking a significant development in the future of state-funded media.

MTVA head steps down

Dániel Papp, chief executive of the Media Service Support and Asset Management Fund (MTVA), announced on Friday that he had requested the termination of his employment. According to an official statement, Papp cited the newly elected government’s intention to carry out a comprehensive restructuring of public media as the reason for his decision. The statement added that Papp will continue performing his duties during his notice period.

Reacting to the resignation, Prime Minister Péter Magyar welcomed the move in a Facebook post, saying that the “fabricating” head of MTVA had finally left his position, albeit later than expected. He also called on the leadership of Duna Médiaszolgáltató and other remaining figures associated with the previous administration to follow suit.

Media reform bill to be submitted

A day after Papp’s announcement, Magyar revealed that his government would submit a bill to Parliament next week aimed at the complete transformation of Hungary’s public media system. According to the prime minister, the objective of the legislation is to ensure balanced and impartial reporting. In his social media post, he cited the well-known journalistic principle: “The news is sacred, opinion is free.”

The proposed reform is part of a broader commitment made by the government following its election victory. Ministers have pledged a comprehensive review of public media operations, including financial management, executive decision-making and newsroom practices.

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Public broadcasting will change drastically

The issue has been at the centre of political debate in recent weeks. In late May, Magyar called for the immediate resignation of both Papp and Anita Altorjai, the head of Duna Médiaszolgáltató, after reports emerged alleging that public media employees had received editorial instructions during the election campaign concerning opposition policies.

Zoltán Tarr, the minister responsible for social relations and culture, said on Friday evening that he regretted the resignation had not occurred sooner. According to Telex, he described the period under Papp’s leadership as one of the darkest chapters in the history of Hungarian public media.

The government argues that public broadcasting, which is expected to operate with a budget of HUF 154.7 billion in 2026, must serve the public interest rather than any political party or power centre. The planned reforms are expected to become one of the most closely watched media policy initiatives of the new administration.

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