Hungary has the lowest news trust in Reuters’ 2026 report

Reuters Institute’s Digital News Report 2026 says trust in news fell again in Hungary, where just 17% of respondents said they generally trust the news. That puts Hungary last among 48 countries and underscores growing reliance on social media and online platforms for news. Why it matters: - Hungary now ranks last among 48 countries in trust in news, underscoring a deep credibility problem for the country’s media environment. - The 17% trust level is the lowest in Hungary since 2016 and sits far below the 37% global average. - The findings suggest shifting audience behavior is happening alongside falling confidence in several major outlets. What happened: - Reuters Institute for the Study of Journalism released its Digital News Report 2026. - The report says 17% of Hungarian respondents generally trust the news, down 5 percentage points from a year earlier. - Szakács Judit of the CEU Demokrácia Intézet prepared the Hungary chapter. - Reuters Institute based the 2026 report on data from 48 countries. The details: - Independent news brands still draw the strongest trust in Hungary. - RTL had the highest trust score at 49%. - HVG followed at 44%. - Telex registered 41% trust. - 24.hu and 444.hu each had 38% trust. - MTV had 21% trust and 56% of respondents said they do not trust it. - TV2 had 21% trust. - Origo had 21% trust. - Magyar Nemzet had 22% trust. - HírTV had 23% trust. - Index had 26% trust and 44% of respondents said they do not trust the site. Between the lines: - The trust gap between independent outlets and pro-government media remains wide. - Several Fidesz-aligned or state-linked brands lost trust over the past year. - Origo fell from 25% to 21% trust. - MTV fell from 23% to 21% trust. - TV2 fell from 23% to 21% trust. - Magyar Nemzet fell from 25% to 22% trust. - HírTV fell from 26% to 23% trust. - The share of respondents who do not trust MTV rose from 53% to 56% in one year. - Index also saw a notable drop, from 31% trust in 2025 to 26% in 2026. - The report says Hungary’s 2026 parliamentary election campaign heavily shaped the media landscape, with political actors using social media platforms and AI-based communication tools extensively. What’s next: - Online and social platforms are likely to remain central to news consumption in Hungary. - 83% of respondents already use online news sources weekly. - Social media use for news rose from 54% in 2025 to 62% in 2026. - The Reuters Institute report and the Hungary chapter are available on the Reuters Institute website. The bottom line: - Hungary’s news market is entering 2026 with record-low public trust and growing dependence on digital and social channels.