CHANGE? Hungary’s prime minister-elect vows to suspend ‘propaganda machine’ state media.

Péter Magyar, whose landslide election victory on Sunday brought an end to Viktor Orbán’s 16 years in power, detailed his plans for the suspension as he gave two tense interviews to public radio and television on Wednesday.

The appearances marked his first invitation to take part in state media in 18 months, Magyar said, in sharp contrast to Orbán’s regular appearances.

The incoming leader used the interviews to confront the outlets over their coverage, accusing them of spreading fear and lies and comparing their coverage to propaganda from North Korea and Nazi-era Germany. “Every Hungarian deserves a public service media that broadcasts the truth,” Magyar told Kossuth state radio.

He said his government would pass a new press law and create a media authority with the aim of allowing state media “to actually do what it is meant to do”.

Better just to abolish it.