Experts Warn Hungary's Recovery from Orbán Media Propaganda Could Take Years

Media experts are cautioning that restoring public trust in Hungarian journalism following years of Viktor Orbán's propaganda apparatus will require extensive time and effort. The cleansing of Hungary's media landscape from Orbán-era propaganda represents significant news for Central Europe and offers hope for Slovak media as well, according to specialists. Orbán, Hungary's longtime prime minister, has been criticized internationally for systematically undermining media independence during his tenure, with his government controlling much of the country's news outlets through friendly ownership and advertising boycotts of critical media. The assessment comes amid broader discussions about media freedom in the region, where Slovakia has also faced concerns about press independence and political influence over news organizations.