Hír TV

Hír TV is a Hungarian television news channel and one of the country's earliest dedicated news broadcasters. It began regular transmission on 2 January 2003 after a period of test broadcasting that started the previous month. The station was established as a 24-hour-oriented news and current-affairs service, distributing its programming through cable operators and combining hourly bulletins with political interviews, investigative reporting, public-affairs discussion, business coverage, culture, sport, and international news. The channel's early identity was strongly associated with Hungary's conservative and Fidesz-aligned media environment. Its first chief executive was Gábor Borókai, who had served as spokesman for Viktor Orbán's first government, while its first editor-in-chief was Imre Dlusztus, formerly associated with the regional newspaper Délmagyarország. The station's ownership and personnel links helped establish a political reputation that remained an important part of its public identity, even as its editorial line later changed substantially. Hír TV became particularly prominent during the anti-government protests of September 2006. It was the only Hungarian television channel to provide continuous live coverage of the demonstrations, including the assault on the headquarters of Magyar Televízió. Footage distributed by Hír TV was subsequently carried or referenced by major international news organizations. The coverage significantly increased the channel's visibility, but the national broadcasting regulator later concluded that the station had breached requirements concerning objective and factual information and respect for Hungary's constitutional order. Hír TV received a fine of one million Hungarian forints. During the following years, the station expanded its schedule and strengthened its role as a news and opinion platform. It introduced breakfast television, political debate, consumer-protection, investigative, foreign-affairs, business, and newspaper-review programmes. In 2007 it joined with the newspaper Magyar Nemzet to launch Lánchíd Rádió, creating a broader conservative media network around the interests of businessman Lajos Simicska. A major editorial transformation followed the breakdown in 2015 of the formerly close political relationship between Simicska and Prime Minister Orbán. Several senior editors resigned from Simicska's media outlets, some Hír TV presenters moved to the state broadcaster's newly expanded M1 news service, and Hír TV adopted a more critical position toward the government. The station also changed its logo and programme structure. During this period, it sought to present a wider range of left- and right-leaning voices, although its political orientation remained a subject of public debate. After Fidesz's 2018 parliamentary election victory and the financial collapse of several Simicska-owned media properties, Hír TV was sold to Zsolt Nyerges, Simicska's former business partner. The station was subsequently brought into the Central European Press and Media Foundation, commonly known as KESMA. Its editorial position moved back toward support for the Fidesz-KDNP government. Personnel associated with the channel's earlier conservative period returned, while many journalists hired during the 2015 opposition-oriented phase left or were dismissed. On 1 April 2019, Hír TV merged with the pro-government news channel Echo TV. The surviving service retained the Hír TV name, but much of its programming, staff, technical infrastructure, and visual identity came from Echo TV. The channel continues to broadcast Hungarian news and current-affairs programming, including regular bulletins, interviews, political debate, investigative formats, international coverage, business news, and selected BBC programmes with Hungarian-language treatment. Its present identity is therefore shaped by both its history as Hungary's first dedicated news channel and its place within the centralized KESMA media portfolio.

Hír TV was registered on 26 November 2002 and began test broadcasting on 2 December of that year. Regular transmission started on 2 January 2003, making it the first dedicated television news channel established in Hungary. Its launch leadership included chief executive Gábor Borókai, a former spokesman for Viktor Orbán's first government, and editor-in-chief Imre Dlusztus, formerly editor-in-chief of the Szeged-based newspaper Délmagyarország. The station developed as a cable-distributed news service with hourly bulletins, longer evening editions, political interviews, investigative journalism, public-affairs discussions, business reporting, cultural coverage, sports, and international programmes. Its ownership and staff connections led observers to characterize it as sympathetic to Fidesz and Hungary's conservative political camp. In March 2007, Hír TV and Magyar Nemzet launched Lánchíd Rádió, broadening the associated media network. Later that year, the television station refreshed its logo and introduced or expanded programmes covering breakfast news, political debate, newspaper commentary, consumer issues, and current affairs. Hír TV's most consequential early episode came during the anti-government protests of 2006. It broadcast continuous live coverage when protesters attempted to occupy the headquarters of Magyar Televízió in Budapest. The channel's footage was distributed widely by other Hungarian broadcasters and international news organizations, giving Hír TV an unusually prominent role in the domestic and overseas reporting of the unrest. The regulator ORTT subsequently determined that aspects of the coverage breached legal standards for objective and factual information and respect for the constitutional order. The station was fined one million Hungarian forints. The channel's political line changed sharply after the public rupture in 2015 between Lajos Simicska, its owner, and Viktor Orbán. Senior personnel left Simicska's media companies, several Hír TV presenters joined the public broadcaster's M1 news operation, and Hír TV relaunched its visual identity and programming. It became more critical of the government and opened its programmes to a broader range of political and intellectual viewpoints. The station also faced reported pressure on cable operators, while its audience performance improved during the period described in the reference material. Following Fidesz's 2018 election victory, Simicska's media holdings experienced severe financial difficulties. Hír TV was sold in late July 2018 to Zsolt Nyerges and subsequently entered the Central European Press and Media Foundation, or KESMA. Its editorial direction then moved back toward the government's position. Several former conservative presenters returned, while personnel associated with the previous editorial period were removed or departed. The service finally merged with Echo TV on 1 April 2019. Although the Hír TV name survived, the merged operation inherited much of Echo TV's programming, workforce, equipment, and visual presentation. Hír TV continues as a Hungarian news and current-affairs broadcaster within the KESMA media ecosystem.

• 2019

  Echo TV merger

  [1]Hír TVen.wikipedia.org

  The Echo TV operation was merged into Hír TV, with Hír TV retained as the surviving brand.

• 2018

  Change of ownership

  [1]Hír TVen.wikipedia.org

  Hír TV was sold to Zsolt Nyerges and later became part of KESMA.

• 2015

  Editorial relaunch

  [1]Hír TVen.wikipedia.org

  After the Simicska–Orbán conflict, the channel changed its logo, programming, personnel mix, and editorial orientation.

• 2007

  Launch of Lánchíd Rádió partnership

  [1]Hír TVen.wikipedia.org

  Hír TV and Magyar Nemzet launched Lánchíd Rádió and expanded their linked media activities.

• 2006

  Continuous coverage of anti-government protests

  [1]Hír TVen.wikipedia.org

  Hír TV became the main Hungarian television source for continuous live coverage of the September protests.

• 2003

  Regular broadcasting begins

  [1]Hír TVen.wikipedia.org

  The channel began regular television broadcasting on 2 January.

• 2002

  Channel registration and test transmission

  [1]Hír TVen.wikipedia.org

  Hír TV was registered in November and began test broadcasting in December.

A Hungarian television news and current-affairs service with a strongly political profile. Its editorial positioning was broadly conservative and Fidesz-sympathetic before 2015, became markedly more critical of the government between 2015 and 2018, and returned to a pro-government orientation after its acquisition and subsequent merger with Echo TV under the KESMA media structure.

• News television · 2003

  Hír TV television channel

  The core Hír TV service is a Hungarian news and current-affairs television channel. Its schedule combines short hourly bulletins and longer news editions with political interviews, investigative reports, debates, business coverage, foreign-affairs analysis, consumer topics, culture, lifestyle, and sport. The channel also interrupts scheduled programming for breaking news.

• News programme

  Híradó22

  Híradó22 is the channel's principal evening news edition, providing a more comprehensive roundup of domestic and international events than the shorter hourly bulletins.

• Investigative programme

  Célpont

  Célpont is an investigative journalism format focused on alleged misconduct, corruption, suspicious conduct, and activities involving people or institutions in positions of power.

• Breakfast programme · 2007

  Reggeli Járat

  Reggeli Járat is a weekday breakfast programme combining interviews with politicians, discussions of public affairs, and conversations about cultural and social issues.

• Current-affairs programme

  Magyarország élőben

  Magyarország élőben is a political and public-affairs programme covering domestic politics, foreign affairs, social issues, sport, and culture through interviews and analysis.

• Licensed international programming

  BBC programme block

  Hír TV has broadcast selected BBC factual and news programmes, including Reporters, HARDtalk, Our World, and The Travel Show, with Hungarian-language treatment supplied by the channel.

• 2006

  Regulatory finding over protest coverage

  Following Hír TV's extensive live reporting of the 2006 protests and the assault on the public broadcaster's headquarters, Hungary's broadcasting regulator concluded that the channel had breached statutory requirements for objective and factual information and respect for the constitutional order. It imposed a one-million-forint fine.

  Source

Read more

• 2019

  Merger with Echo TVM&A

  Background

  Both Hír TV and Echo TV operated as pro-government news services within the broader KESMA media environment.

  Action taken

  The two channels were combined on 1 April, with Hír TV retained as the surviving name.

  Aftermath

  Most of Echo TV's programming, staff, equipment, and visual identity were transferred into the continuing Hír TV service.

  Source

• 2018

  Sale to Zsolt Nyerges and transfer into KESMAM&A

  Background

  Financial problems affected several media companies associated with Lajos Simicska after his political break with Orbán.

  Action taken

  Hír TV was sold to Zsolt Nyerges and subsequently subsumed into the Central European Press and Media Foundation.

  Aftermath

  The station returned to a pro-government editorial orientation and later merged with Echo TV.

  Source

• 2015

  Editorial repositioning after ownership conflictStrategy

  Background

  The relationship between owner Lajos Simicska and Prime Minister Viktor Orbán deteriorated, producing resignations and staff movement across Simicska's media properties.

  Action taken

  Hír TV changed its logo and programme structure and adopted a more government-critical editorial stance with a broader range of political viewpoints.

  Aftermath

  The channel remained politically prominent, but its new direction was later reversed after the 2018 ownership change.

  Source

1. 1Hír TVen.wikipedia.org
2. 2Hír TV official websitehirtv.hu