by Noy Yehoyada Comment Closed




Following Péter Magyar’s election, Hungarian broadcaster MTVA apologized for past propaganda, sparking hopes for a Eurovision 2027 return.

The political and social revolution led by Hungary’s new Prime Minister, Péter Magyar, is stepping up and directly reaching the public television network. The main channel of Hungarian state television, M1, displayed a black screen with continuous text confessing to the public that they had been lied to throughout the rule of former Prime Minister Viktor Orbán. The dramatic blackout was executed shortly after Magyar’s new government replaced the management of state television and radio.




The Historic Screen Blackout

In an official and extraordinary message that appeared on the darkened screens, it was written: “Public media cannot lie. We apologize, that for many years we did so anyway! Public media is now undergoing a transformation, so that in the future it will be independent and reliable. The news service is temporarily suspended. Stay with us!”

Prime Minister Magyar was quick to celebrate the historic moment on social media, writing: “A historic day. Today, propaganda broadcasting on Hungary’s public media has finally come to an end. They lied by night. They lied by day. They lied on every channel. It’s over now.”

A New and Transparent Era

Magyar, who secured a historic victory in the general elections and ousted Orbán after 16 consecutive years in power, now enjoys a majority of more than two-thirds in the Hungarian parliament. This majority allows him to lead deep constitutional changes and reverse measures considered anti-democratic. Among other things, a new reform was passed mandating the dissolution of the existing public media entities, MTVA and Duna Médiaszolgáltató, which were established in 2011 under Orbán’s government and faced severe criticism for abnormal governmental interference.

In their place, two new organizations will be established: Magyar Rádió és Televízió and Magyar Távirati Iroda, while the current leadership will step down and new senior officials will be selected through open and transparent tenders instead of direct political appointments. In addition, an independent public council will be established to oversee broadcasts without any government intervention.

As reported less than a week ago, the massive cleanup of the Hungarian national broadcaster MTVA brings particularly optimistic news. Hungary officially withdrew from the Eurovision Song Contest after Eurovision 2019, with reports indicating the decision was made directly by Orbán’s conservative government, which sought to distance itself from the contest due to an anti-LGBTQ+ agenda.

In interviews Magyar conducted immediately following his victory on Kossuth Radio and M1, he announced that as part of a broad move aimed at restoring press freedom to Hungary, he intends to suspend news broadcasts on state media. “Every Hungarian deserves public media that broadcasts the truth… We will need some time to pass a new media law, establish a new media authority, and formulate professional conditions so that state media does what it is actually supposed to do.”

A Hungarian Comeback in 2027?

In a special interview Magyar gave last May, he was asked directly about Hungary’s possible return to the competition stage and answered with surprising honesty: “To tell you the truth, it is not up to the Prime Minister of Hungary. It is not my decision whether Hungary will participate in this contest again. I have received many letters and requests from the younger generation asking to dedicate Hungary to the contest. Therefore, I will instruct the Minister of Culture or the Secretary of State for Culture to thoroughly examine our options, and I will get back to you and the younger generations with an answer. I hope so. There is no objection on my part, and there is no logic in not participating in such a contest.”

These encouraging words, combined with the dramatic screen blackout, indicate that the path to a historic Hungarian comeback at Eurovision 2027 is closer than ever.



Hungary in Eurovision

Hungary last participated in Eurovision in 2019, represented by singer Joci Pápai with his song “Az én apám“. Hungary did not qualify for the final, the first time this had happened since 2009, and subsequently withdrew from Eurovision 2020, which was ultimately canceled.