Hungary state TV news returns after July suspension

Hungary's state TV aired its first news bulletin since July on Thursday, ending a suspension imposed while Prime Minister Peter Magyar's new government began reforms aimed at restoring public media independence.

The main public TV channel, M1, suspended all news programmes on July 7 as the reforms got under way. It broadcast a 25-minute news bulletin at 6:00 a.m. local time on Thursday, Hungary's national day.

The bulletin began with a report on Hungary's new president, Andras Baka, an Orban critic and former head of the Supreme Court, taking office on Wednesday.

Independent news site Telex said the bulletin had balanced coverage, including opposition and critical voices, in what it described as a break from practices during Viktor Orban's time in power.

Public media group Kozmedia said on Facebook that no one who previously worked on the news bulletins was involved in editing Thursday's edition. Several employees told AFP that while some anchors and reporters had been let go, staffing remained largely the same.

Telex reported on Wednesday, citing an email from an insider, that many of the same editors and reporters who had previously produced propaganda remained on staff.

The transition is being overseen by government-appointed interim leaders, who have launched internal audits and restructuring. A new chief executive is expected to be chosen through an open tender process before the end of October and to implement recommendations from ongoing professional and public consultations.