Népszava Publishes Final Print Edition — Orbán-Era Media Structures Claim Last Casualty

Hungary's oldest continuously published newspaper, Népszava, printed its final physical edition on May 28 after Mediaworks — the Orbán-era media conglomerate that controlled its distribution network — terminated its printing and distribution contract. The paper, founded in 1873, had survived through the communist era but fell victim to the unwinding economic pressures created by Hungary's captured media landscape. Mediaworks controls a significant portion of Hungary's regional press distribution infrastructure following KESMA-era consolidation. The closure illustrates that while the political transition under Magyar is underway, legacy damage from the Orbán media capture — which concentrated 80%+ of the media market under government-aligned foundations — continues to produce casualties even as the new government works to reverse it. The Magyar government is conducting a broader review of KESMA and state advertising policy.