Hungary’s new President of Media Council and NMHH signals new direction for media and digital regulation

The Hungarian Parliament has elected Gábor Polyák as President of both the National Media and Infocommunications Authority (NMHH) and the Media Council, whose agenda represents a new direction for Hungarian media, telecommunications and digital regulation.

Polyák, a professor of media law and communications regulation, presented a programme spanning media governance, electronic communications, platform regulation, consumer protection, AI, cybersecurity and the implementation of key EU regulatory initiatives. Rather than focusing on institutional changes, his programme emphasised how a state regulator should exercise its existing powers through greater transparency, predictability and stakeholder engagement.

A recurring theme throughout Polyák’s programme is regulatory independence and accountability. Among the measures proposed are more detailed public reasoning of regulatory decisions, increased transparency regarding the authority's operations, publication of regulatory methodologies and stronger safeguards intended to reinforce impartial decision-making. The programme also emphasises structured consultation with industry participants and civil society organisations before major regulatory decisions are taken.

Media regulation features prominently in the published agenda. The programme advocates simplifying broadcasting licence tenders, reducing formalistic exclusion criteria in licensing procedures and making media market assessments more transparent. It also calls for more predictable content regulation, clearer regulatory guidance and greater scrutiny of media-ownership transparency and media-market concentration. These measures are designed to strengthen legal certainty and support a more transparent regulatory environment.

Another area of focus is the implementation of the European Media Freedom Act (EMFA). The programme proposes detailed measures on media ownership transparency, state advertising transparency obligations and the assessment of media pluralism. It also calls for the Hungarian regulator to be more active within European regulatory bodies and consultation processes, including greater participation in discussions concerning future EU media regulation.

The programme extends beyond traditional media regulation. In the telecommunications sector, it identifies the strategic priorities of network resilience, spectrum management, completion of delayed market reviews, consumer protection and preparation for technological transitions such as the gradual phase-out of legacy networks. Particular emphasis is placed on ensuring predictable regulatory conditions while supporting investment in next-generation communications infrastructure.

Digital regulation also occupies a central place in the programme. Proposed initiatives include a more active role in the implementation of the Digital Services Act (DSA), closer monitoring of online platforms, support for trusted flagger mechanisms and stronger cooperation with other Hungarian and European regulators involved in digital governance. The programme highlights the growing importance of AI, platform accountability and digital consumer protection as emerging regulatory priorities.

Several proposals focus on strengthening the authority's analytical and institutional capabilities. These include expanding data-driven regulatory tools, increasing the availability of public regulatory information, improving research cooperation with universities and developing enhanced expertise in areas such as AI governance, platform regulation, network security and future communications technologies.

While the practical impact of the new presidency will depend on future regulatory decisions and the implementation of the programme's objectives, the agenda provides an unusually detailed insight into the policy priorities of Hungary's new media and telecommunications regulator. For businesses operating in the media, telecommunications and digital sectors, the programme offers an early indication of the areas likely to receive increased regulatory attention during the coming years.

For more information on how the priorities outlined by Gábor Polyák may influence Hungary's media, telecommunications and digital regulatory landscape, contact your CMS client partner or the CMS experts who contributed to this article.