HUOwnership & classification
Founded: 2013
Ownership
444.hu is a Hungarian online news portal launched in April 2013, published by Magyar Jeti Zrt. It was co-founded by editor-in-chief Peter Uj (who is also a part-owner) and Gabor Kardos, who has run Magyar Jeti as CEO since the start. Magyar Jeti also publishes the science site qubit.hu and the fact-checking site lakmusz.hu, and remains in private domestic hands independent of the state and the governing party.
Funding
Financed by a mix of advertising, reader/subscription revenue and philanthropic grants (e.g. from Civitates), having shifted from a mainly advertising model toward predominantly reader funding to survive Hungary's pressured market.
Affiliation & stance
Left-leaning, government-critical and one of Hungary's prominent independent outlets; no party, church or state ownership. Privately owned and editorially autonomous, so it is INDEPENDENT, in line with the site's current guess.
Editorial lean
- Our estimate
- Left
- Measured from coverage
- Centerbased on 550
82/100
Factual
73/100
Objective
783
Articles
783
reports
Top stories
Most covered right now
U.S. and Iran agree to cease attacks and return to talks
World Cup round-up: Messi breaks scoring record, Algeria survive, but Jordan are eliminated
Seven reasons I fear for England against Mexico
UN: Israel continues to commit genocide by targeting children in Gaza
2026 World Cup: Czech Republic lose to South Africa
United States starts the World Cup with a goal to Paraguay in front of its fans
Brazil could not cope with Morocco, Scotland won the World Cup after 36 years
Canada rescue agonising draw against Bosnia and Herzegovina in World Cup debut 2026
Ján Hajdu, who was questioned as a suspect in the gold convoy case, has been appointed by Viktor Orbán as the security director of Fidesz.
Recent coverage
"I am so sad", wrote the president of MMA to Krasznahorka, who refused the National Artist award.
The article discusses a public response by Turi Attila, President of the Hungarian Academy of Arts (MMA), to László Krasznahorkai’s refusal to accept the National Artist award. Krasznahorkai, an acclaimed writer and Nobel Prize laureate, declined the honor, prompting Turi to issue a public letter. In his response, Turi expresses sorrow over the rejection, emphasizing the importance of collaboration and dialogue between differing perspectives in Hungarian culture. He criticizes the notion that problems stem solely from 'the other side' and advocates for building the future on shared values and cooperation. Turi highlights the National Artist award as a symbol of national cultural excellence, distinct from MMA membership, and suggests that accepting the award would signify overcoming weaknesses and working towards the common good.
An American gets the maximum amount of recovery time at Wimbledon.
The article discusses the scheduling of the first-round doubles match at Wimbledon involving American tennis player Serena Williams and her sister Venus Williams against the Argentine-Colombian pair Solana Sierra and Camila Osorio. The match was initially scheduled for Thursday and Friday but has been postponed due to Serena's injury during her singles match. Tournament organizer Andy Murray (likely a misstatement, as Andy Murray is a British player, and the correct name might be someone like Ashley Barker or another official) stated they are giving Serena as much time as possible to recover. They ruled out postponing the match to later dates unless necessary for safety or tournament flow. The match is expected to take place on a larger court to accommodate the large crowd attracted by Serena and Venus, who are major stars. Serena returned to professional tennis after four years, but she lost her first singles match and injured her knee. She did not attend a press conference afterward due to health reasons and expressed her commitment to participating in the doubles event. Serena and Venus have won six doubles titles together, including a title in 2016.
Ukraine reports two dead after night attacks by Russia, with the death toll in Kiev rising to 30.
At least two people were killed and eight injured in Russian air strikes on the Sumy region and Kryvyj Rih in Ukraine during the night of Thursday to Friday, according to Ukrainian authorities. This follows a large-scale Russian attack on Kyiv earlier in the week which killed at least 30 people and injured around 100 others. In response to the attacks, Ukraine conducted missile strikes on Belgorod in Russia, causing a fire at an energy facility and killing one woman, according to Russian media. The overnight strike on the city of Romny in the Sumy region hit a residential building, killing two women and injuring a man, reported regional administrator Oleh Hryhorov via Telegram. Another seven people were injured in a missile strike on Kryvyj Rih, according to military city administrator Oleksandr Vilkul. In Kyiv, teams discovered three more dead bodies during the night, bringing the total number of victims to 30, according to Reuters citing Ukrainian health authorities. Kyiv's military administrator Tymur Tkačenko stated that the attack injured 99 people. Moscow claimed the extensive attack was a response to Ukrainian strikes on Russian energy infrastructure, including those carried
Peter Marki-Zay: "As long as John Lazarus is not in prison, there will be no regime change either"
Márki-Zay Péter, a Magyarországi Polgármesteri Kamarával kapcsolatos politikai párt vezetője, kritikusan véleményez a kormány terveiről, amelyek célja a polgármesterek fizetésének csökkentése és a korrupció elleni küzdelem. Ő hangsúlyozza, hogy a főbb hatalmi ágak közötti konfliktusok fontosabbak, mint a pénzügyi kérdések. Márki-Zay szerint a Tisza (az állampolgári elnök) előrehozott önkormányzati választást szeretne, de ezt a jelenlegi kormányzati kötelezettségekkel össze kell hangolni. Emellett figyelmeztet, hogy a Tisza újabb egypártrendszerhez kísérletet tesz, ami a Fidesz ideológiai irányultságát is meghaladná. Végül hangsúlyozza, hogy a rendszerváltás csak akkor valósulhat meg, ha a legfőbb bűnözők (pl. Lázár János) letartóztatása történik.
MEPs call for ethics inquiry into FIFA president Gianni Infantino over Trump award
Tizenhárom ország összesen 50 európai parlamenti képviselője felhívta a FIFA etikai bizottságát, hogy indítson vizsgálatot Gianni Infantino FIFA-elnök ellen, mivel az 2024-ben bevezette a FIFA-békedíjat, és rögtön odaítélte Donald Trumpnak. A képviselők egy levélben kifejtették támogatásukat a brit Fairsquare emberi jogi csoport decemberi panaszaival kapcsolatban, amely után azóta nem történt nyilvános fejlemény az ügyben. A Fairsquare szerint a FIFA etikai kódex előírja, hogy az elnök politikailag semleges legyen. A képviselők szerint a békedíj bevezetéséről és odaítéléséről szóló döntéseket a FIFA tanácsa, vezetősége vagy Infantino maga hozta meg. A képviselők úgy vélik, hogy ez a kezdeményezés lehetőséget ad a FIFA-nak, hogy bizonyítsa elkötelezettségét a politikai semlegesség, átláthatóság és elszámoltathatóság iránt. Infantino 2024 decemberében, a USA–Kanada–Mexikó futball-világbajnokság csoportkörének sorsolásán tüntette ki Trumpot a FIFA-békedíjjal, ami akkoriban teljesen ismeretlen volt.
The European Commission refused to allow NMHH to take direct action against RTL
The European Commission ruled against the Hungarian National Media and Communications Authority (NMHH), blocking its attempt to directly sanction the Luxembourg-based media company CLT-UFA SA (owner of RTL). The NMHH had initiated legal proceedings to penalize CLT-UFA for alleged violations related to specific TV episodes and a streaming platform, aiming to impose fines and require content warnings. However, the Commission determined that Hungary’s proposed measures did not meet EU law requirements, specifically regarding the conditions for direct sanctions against foreign media entities. The case highlights broader tensions over national regulatory powers versus EU-level oversight, particularly concerning media regulation and cross-border broadcasting rights.
Fires are hampering traffic on several highways
A Telex egy hírportál, amely tájékoztatást ad a hazai közlekedési helyzetéről. Az M7-es autópálya Somogy vármegyei szakaszán, Fonyód külterületén nagy területen ég a tarló, ami veszélyezteti a közlekedést. A tűzről délután 3 óra körül érkezett bejelentés, és öt település tűzoltója dolgozik az oltásán. Az Útinform 16:40-kor jelentette, hogy a Fonyód/Lengyeltóti csomópontban a határ felé vezető oldalon nem lehet lehajtani az autópályáról, valamint az erős füst miatt a látótávolság korlátozott. A nyaralók első hulláma a Balaton irányába indult, így Érd és Székesfehérvár között szakaszosan torlódik a kocsisor. Az M0-as autópályán is erős füst zavarta a közlekedést a 17-es és 20-as kilométerek között, ahol Szigetszentmiklós térségében ég a tarló.
Up to 30 million Iranians may attend Ali Khamenei's funeral
The article discusses the funeral of Ali Khamenei, the former Supreme Leader of Iran, which is being held over six days across multiple cities in Iran. The event is described as the largest ceremony in Iran's Islamic Republic since its establishment in 1979. The funeral processions began on Thursday, starting with an exhibition of Khamenei's coffin in Tehran, followed by its transfer to the Mosalla Mosque in Tehran where it was kept for three days. On Friday, Iranian political, judicial, and military leaders paid their respects, including high-ranking figures like Mohsen Rezaee and Masoud Pezeskian. Foreign dignitaries from countries such as Iraq, Pakistan, Armenia, and Tajikistan also attended, while Western politicians were notably absent due to Iran's claim that European nations supported the 'wrong side' during the Iran-Iraq War. The article notes that up to 30 million Iranians could participate in the funeral, raising concerns about crowd control, as past large-scale mourning events have led to chaos. The current leader, Mojtaba Khamenei, is expected to avoid participating due to injuries sustained in an American attack, with his condition remaining unclear.
Putin recognizes the oil map for the first time
Russian President Vladimir Putin acknowledged for the first time that Russia is building 'some oil reserves' during a meeting focused on energy issues. He emphasized the need to strengthen domestic oil production and increase output. Meanwhile, Ukrainian forces continued their attacks on Russian energy infrastructure, detonating an oil purification plant in the southern Krasnodar region, which produces around four million tons of crude oil annually. The Krasnodar region is one of Russia's largest oil-producing areas located near the Black Sea. On Tuesday, Ukrainian forces launched large-scale air strikes on Sevastopol, the largest city on Crimea, including attacks on oil facilities. In response, Russia, which annexed Crimea in 2014, has restricted fuel sales to the public to counteract the energy shortages. According to reports, these attacks have had no impact on the front line. During an interview with a Russian state television station, Putin described the Ukrainian attacks on Russian oil infrastructure as an attempt to destabilize Russian society. He stated that Ukraine's goal was to halt the deployment of Russian military units to improve their position in arms control talks.
Gambling Service presents how to beat the journalistic prank
The article discusses an investigative effort by the 444.hu editor to request detailed information from the Szerencsejáték Service Nonprofit Kft., an affiliate of the state lottery company. Following a government change, the editor sought clarification on financial support provided to the company between 2021 and April 30 of the current year, including payments to government-linked individuals. The company initially requested additional time to respond but eventually sent the documents one week before the new deadline. However, the response was described as containing excessive paperwork and being difficult to evaluate, with the editor suggesting it might be 'netto szemétség' (pure garbage). The piece highlights concerns over transparency and potential misuse of public funds.
There's been a breakout at the Capital Zoo.
Two newly arrived hulman langurs escaped temporarily from their designated area at the Budapest Zoo. The zoo stated that while the species is generally non-threatening and adapts well to human proximity, strict safety and animal protection protocols were followed due to their wild nature. The professional staff immediately implemented procedures to address the situation, leading to the evacuation of the affected building. The incident was resolved within 20 minutes without injuries, and the animals are now safely under supervision in an internal enclosure. The zoo plans to analyze the circumstances using reports and camera footage, and reinforced security measures may take up to a week to implement, delaying the langurs' public appearance until the end of next week.
According to the mayor of Debrecen, the government is actually responsible for Semcorp. He has nothing to apologize for.
During an interview on the ATV program 'Egyenes Beszéd', Debrecen Mayor László Papp addressed the Semcorp pollution incident, stating that the responsibility lies with the government rather than himself. He explained that he had last met with Semcorp representatives in March before the recent pollution event, and that the company was aware of environmental regulations. Papp argued that the government, which issued the necessary permits, should be held accountable, not him. He emphasized that the city council operates under parliamentary and governmental rules, and that the government has had authority since April 12 but has not enforced stricter measures despite campaign promises. Regarding the 13 billion forint state support, Papp stated that he only asked Semcorp to relocate production out of Debrecen, and that the decision on repayment should rest with the relevant authorities. The mayor denied having prior knowledge of the pollution levels, contradicting Prime Minister Magyar Péter’s claim, while also refuting suggestions that he had been informed earlier than the public.
Between 2022 and 2026, Szijjártó flew more than 50 times on private planes, spending nearly HUF 5 billion on his travels.
The article reports on the official spending of Foreign Minister Péter Szijjártó between 2022 and 2026, revealing that he used private jets 53 times during this period at a total cost of over 4.8 billion forints. The data was disclosed by Velkey György, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs' parliamentary state secretary, who shared the information on Facebook. According to the ministry’s records, in 2025 alone, Szijjártó’s private jet travel cost more than 2 billion forints. The report notes that his travels included destinations such as Washington, New York, Beijing, Turkmenistan, the Philippines, Belgrade, and Bucharest, with some trips even departing from Vienna using luxury jets. It also mentions that two flights were booked but not utilized, including one for a trip to Slovakia and another for visits to the Maldives and Lebanon.
Overlooked
Under-reported & one-sided
Origo got 550 million government ads in six months last year.
Magyar Péter: Viktor Orbán lied and tricked the numbers in the same way as Ferenc Gyurcsány
The coach of the Congolese national team looked surprised at the news of his father's death at the press conference
Again, publicly available plans related to building permits
Hajdu János, former TEK Director General, was questioned as a suspect in the gold convoy case
According to András Pikó and András Jámbor, public security in Budapest is deteriorating rapidly
The sight of young people going to the match in national jerseys has repaired the world wounded by KDNP MP Pride.
From Friday, the government will hold a three-day adjourned meeting.
