News consumption in Hungary - statistics & facts
Media and press consumption habits have shifted from traditional channels towards the digital space, with news portals and social media platforms becoming Hungarians’ leading sources of information. This change, however, came with its challenges as social media accelerated the spread of fake news and misinformation.
Hungarians' news consumption habits have moved from channels to digital platforms, particularly news portals and social media. In 2023, index.hu and 24.hu were the top news portals, while Facebook was the primary social media platform used for accessing news. However, Hungarians trusted the validity of news found on social media the least, while public television, radio stations, and news platforms were the most trusted sources.
Facebook has become a primary news source
While news websites have been a main source of information for many, social media has also earned its place among the leading online news outlets. In 2024, index.hu and 24.hu were the leading news portals in Hungary, accessed weekly by 29 and 25 percent of internet users, respectively. During the same year, Facebook was the dominant social media platform used for news consumption, reaching almost half of the country’s online population. At the same time, every fourth Hungarian internet user watched YouTube to inform themselves about current events.Hungarians do not trust news on social media
As social media has become one of the leading news sources, the extensive volume of unfiltered online content puts people at risk of falling victim to misinformation. Hungarians have considerably less trust in the validity of information found on social networks than in other news channels. In 2023, public television and radio stations, as well as news platforms, including blogs or podcasts, were Hungarians’ most-trusted news sources. The majority of the people, however, did not trust social media influencers and YouTube to deliver reliable information. The weekly newspaper HVG became Hungary’s most trusted news media brand in 2024, followed by the television broadcaster RTL. When asked about the responsible actors for spreading fake news and misinformation, most Hungarians blamed media outlets, the government, and political parties.Hungarians' news consumption habits have moved from channels to digital platforms, particularly news portals and social media. In 2023, index.hu and 24.hu were the top news portals, while Facebook was the primary social media platform used for accessing news. However, Hungarians trusted the validity of news found on social media the least, while public television, radio stations, and news platforms were the most trusted sources.
