Hungary to reform public media after long pro-Orban bias

"After all these years, a simple change in management may no longer be enough. We need to rethink the entire operation," said Szavuly, 46. She worked at state television for more than a decade until her contract was ended after she staged a hunger strike in protest.Earlier this month, freshly sworn-in Prime Minister Peter Magyar, whose party beat Orban's by a landslide in April, ordered a complete audit of the operation and financing of state media, which he has branded a "lie factory".Leaked documents, recordings and testimonies from former employees showed that editors pushed for one-sided coverage, praising the policies of Orban's government while demonising his rivals and foreign critics, including the EU.Since the election, the public broadcaster has already changed its tone, while top private broadcaster TV2 -- owned by Orban-allied businessmen -- saw its main news anchors replaced and news director pushed out.Turning neutralIn the week following the election, almost all news reports aired on public TV took on a neutral tone, according to an analysis from the liberal-leaning think tank Republikon Institute.It noted a sharp break from the pro-Orban bias observed in the past."Everyone has gone from harlots to taking their first sacraments," a senior reporter told AFP on condition of anonymity because he was not authorised to speak publicly.

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