Uncategorized – Central Médiacsoport hivatalos weboldala

Dániel Bita, deputy editor-in-chief of 24.hu, was also awarded the Hungarian Press Prize, which was founded by the National Association of Hungarian Journalists (MÚOSZ) to recognise “journalists and creative communities of the highest quality”. József Nagy, chief editor of 24.hu, was awarded the Anna Földes Prize, the award for the best interview of the year, at the MÚOSZ event on Thursday, which celebrated 15 March, Hungarian Press Day.

The Hungarian Press Prize is awarded to those “who, while working as journalists in the Hungarian press, have created a work(s) that has earned the respect of the profession and the public in the previous year, and that demonstrates outstanding competence, professionalism and sense of social responsibility”. József Nagy and Ibolya F. Vitéz were among the 24.hu staff members who have previously received this award. Now, along with Balázs Kaufmann of 444 and Györgyi Szöllősi of ATV, Dániel Bita has been awarded the prize.

The award for the best-written interview of the year, named after the former legendary journalist Anna Földes, was given to József Nagy. In addition to the Hungarian Press Award, the 24.hu chief editor has previously won the Quality Journalism Award and the Katalin Bossányi Memorial Award, and in recent months he has received the first-ever Balázs Szentkirályi Award and the Media for the Family Award. This time he was awarded for his three-part interview with János Betlen, published on 24.hu in the autumn.

With more than 4.7 million unique visitors, Central maintained its second place among domestic Media Owners in February. Moreover, its market share has now exceeded 25% of the total page views generated by the four largest Hungarian publishers.

Let’s look at the details!

24.hu – The leading news portal has been holding its #1 position in its segment for 12 consecutive months and is the only one among its main competitors to have increased its page views by nearly 7% compared to last year.
nlc.hu – Compared to February 2024, it saw a 7% year-on-year increase in unique users, securing its spot in the TOP 3 women’s online sites in February 2025.
Nosalty.hu – The #1 gastro platform, growing its unique visitors by 18% and page views by 23% year-on-year.
Startlap.hu – The long-standing news aggregator, launched a quarter of a century ago, achieved outstanding growth: unique users rose by 45%, while page views increased by 18% in a year.
Akcios-Ujsag.hu – The rising star of retail promotions also delivered impressive numbers, increasing its unique visitors by more than 67% and generating 32% more page views compared to February 2024.

This continuous growth and strong market presence create excellent advertising and collaboration opportunities for Central’s partners.

Source: DKT eGemius, based on the number of real users and page views, February 2024 vs. February 2025.

In the annual cosmetics showdown, competitors from the facial, body & fragrance, hair care and make-up segments competed to see which would emerge victorious as the favourite new product of the year.

"With a database of 150,000 products and more than 1.2 million authentic consumer reviews, Krémmánia's mission is to be an effective guide to making informed cosmetics choices. This was the aim of the editorial team when the Krémmánia Favourite Award was founded, and as is our tradition, we closed the year 2024 with a ranking of the most popular cosmetic novelties. We are proud that the list has been prepared objectively, based solely on our readers' ratings and opinions. Once again, this year's winners are products that have truly earned the accolade and that we heartily recommend to our readers."

Évi Bauer

Editor-in-Chief, Krémmánia

The platform, which brings together opinion leaders from the beauty and cosmetics sector, has selected the best-rated and most reviewed beauty product innovations from products uploaded by users between 1 September 2023 and 1 December 2024. A total of 20 beauty products were awarded the Cream Mania Favourite award, which can be used in online and offline communication for a year. The list of the Krémmánia Favourite products can be found online.

In the next phase of its digital transformation, Central Médiacsoport, one of Hungary’s largest independent media companies, will introduce a new structure and leadership for its IT and product development departments starting in March. Endre Fáklya will take on the role of Chief Data, Analytics and Technology Officer, leading the company’s data-driven transformation. At the same time, Hrvoje Dorešić will enhance product management processes as Head of Digital Product and Development.

The latest step in Central Media Group’s comprehensive organisational development—supported by international consultancy Financial Times Strategies—focuses on rethinking the IT side of its digital transformation and improving the efficiency of the supporting areas responsible for product management.

Strengthening Data-Driven Operations

As Chief Data, Analytics, and Technology Officer, Endre Fáklya will join the management team, overseeing the modernisation of the company’s data infrastructure, leading IT investments and projects, and further developing Business Intelligence and analytics capabilities.

With over two decades of international experience in data-driven transformation, Endre has held leadership roles at Frucor Suntory, the Financial Markets Authority of New Zealand, Shell, and Vodafone. His appointment coincides with the departure of Antti-Jussi Lumijärvi, who has overseen the company’s technology processes since October 2019.

"Central Media Group has reached a milestone in its digital transformation, where implementing a modern data infrastructure plays a crucial role. We are excited to welcome Endre Fáklya to the team. His extensive international experience will strengthen our data-driven operations, enhancing efficiency, customer experience, and competitive advantage. We also extend our gratitude to Antti-Jussi Lumijärvi for his contributions over the years and wish him all the best in his future endeavours."

Róbert Vági

Deputy CEO

A Unified Strategic Vision and More Efficient Resource Allocation: Renewed Product Management

From 1 April, Hrvoje Dorešić will take over as Head of Digital Product and Development, reporting directly to Petr Bednar. In this role, he will oversee product management processes and technology development, bringing together UX/UI, IT Development, and the Product Owners team.

With 15 years of experience in digital product management at leading media companies in Croatia, Hrvoje joins Central Media Group from his previous role as Head of Digital Products at RTL Hrvatska.

"Consolidating product management under one leadership will enable us to respond more quickly to market changes and deliver an even better user experience for our readers. Central is home to some of Hungary's most beloved media brands, including Nők Lapja, 24.hu, and Marie Claire. Our high-quality content reaches 4.7 million unique users, making it our strongest competitive advantage. We aim to become the market leader in all segments by optimising our product management processes to fully leverage this potential. I am delighted to have an experienced colleague like Hrvoje join us on this journey."

Petr Bednar

Chief Digital and Business Development Director

Marie Claire, part of the Central Media Group, is taking a pioneering step in the digital experience by becoming the first in Hungary to use the Swedish-developed adaptive streaming technology ‘SeenThis’ on marieclaire.hu. This innovative, user-responsive solution is revolutionising online content consumption, with significant benefits for both readers and advertisers.

Hungarian Marie Claire has always been at the forefront of pioneering digital solutions. It pioneered the use of artificial intelligence (AI) to produce front page content, pioneered the introduction of digital front page display for its advertisers, and is now taking another revolutionary step. For the first time in Hungary, it is using adaptive streaming technology.

The solution allows the brand to display the vertical video format, optimised for social media platforms, on the marieclaire.hu landing page and article pages, maximising video views, improving the reader experience and offering advertisers a new display option. MARIE CLAIRE STORIES will create a premium video advertising environment in a stand-alone format, allowing a proportion of advertising spending to be shifted from social media to the publisher’s digital platforms.

The new video format also offers several benefits for readers. The technology provides a faster and smoother content consumption experience while delivering a visually richer, higher-quality user experience. Mobile-friendly, dynamic vertical video content adds a new dimension of inspiration and navigation for readers, while advertisers can reach their target audiences more effectively. This move further strengthens Marie Claire’s leadership in digital innovation.

"Marie Claire's mission is to inspire and inform its readers in the most cutting-edge way. New technology allows us to deliver our premium quality content more dynamically and enjoyably. This gives our readers faster and smoother access to the topics that matter to them, whether it's fashion, culture or social issues. This innovation not only elevates the visual experience to a higher level but also allows us to make better use of our existing content."

Krisztina Tóth-Szántó

Editor-in-Chief

"Central Media Group has always been at the forefront of innovation and forward-thinking advertising solutions. Thanks to the Marie Claire family, we can offer our advertisers another solution that has not been available on the Hungarian market until now. We are confident that our new video format will be used by more and more of our advertising partners, who will be able to use our new platform, which reaches a premium user segment and provides a brand-safe content environment."

Zsuzsanna Éder

Head of Online Sales

In an interview with MediaFuture, Deputy CEO Róbert Vági spoke about Central Media Group’s strong print brands and innovative digital portfolio strategy, the online extensions of its weekly newspapers, the balance between entertaining and scientific content, and the rise of multimedia formats.

"The quality and readership of a newspaper are partly determined by the underlying technology, the user interface and the content. For us, all three pillars are fundamental. Data-driven technology development is a continuous process. We monitor and test new technologies, follow foreign examples and markets, and bring benchmarks and know-how from there. The figures for January already show that 24.hu achieved the strongest year-on-year growth among Hungarian news sites, and the change we launched last summer has paid off."

Róbert Vági

Deputy CEO, Central Media Group

In January, Central Media Group’s portfolio once again generated the second-highest traffic on the domestic online market holding its position on the second step of the imaginary Media Owners’ podium for five months.

Following strong results in December, Central Media Group’s digital portfolio started 2025 with an outstanding performance with more than 4.8 million Real Users, increasing its share continuously. Compared to January 2024, most publishers have seen a 7-16% decrease in Visits this year, while Central was the only one to achieve a 12% increase.

24.hu leads for 11 months

In the news media segment, 24.hu was the only site to increase its Real Users year-on-year, with a 4.6% increase in the first month of this year compared to January last year. But 24.hu performed well in other comparisons as well, as it surpassed the number of Visits by a quarter and Page Views by 32% in January 2025.

Startlap hits multi-year high

With nearly 2 million unique visitors, Startlap.hu, Hungary’s leading news aggregator, also had an outstanding month in January. The last time a similar result was achieved was in March 2021, which Startlap has now surpassed. The growth since the last quarter of 2024 confirms the editorial team’s efforts to redefine its content strategy.

Central's women's portfolio is the market leader, nlc ranks second among women's sites

Compared to September, the number of Real Users on nlc increased by almost 30%, making it the second most visited women’s site in January, ahead of kiskegyed.hu. In line with the new strategic direction of Central Media Group’s Women & Lifestyle portfolio, nlc is placing even greater emphasis on data-driven, reader-centric, innovative content, supported by Ági Fehér, Content Lead of the Digital Women & Lifestyle division. Central’s women’s digital portfolio is the market leader in both Visits and Page Views, and its share continued to grow in both analytics segments in January, outperforming all competitors.

HáziPatika is the choice for those looking for authentic health content

As the flu season intensifies, demand for accessible health and lifestyle content has skyrocketed, as evidenced by the results of the HáziPatika.com. The market-leading health site has increased its Real Users by nearly 23% since September, to more than two million by January this year. In the first month of 2025, HáziPatika had four times more Real Users users than rival EgészségKalauz, but it also overtook Webbeteg.hu with more than 800,000 Real Users.

Shoppers are looking for special offers: traffic on Akciós-Újság.hu increased by 50%

According to EY’s latest research, the proportion of people consciously hunting for promotions is highest among those under 27 (76%) and those with children (79%). In an inflationary environment, the extent of discounts has become so important that respondents typically compare several offers before deciding. This trend is also supported by traffic data from Akciós-Újság.hu, where the number of Real Users of the site, which aggregates flyers from the largest supermarkets, has increased by 50% in the first month of this year compared to January 2024.

*Source: DKT eGemius, based on the number of real users, January 2025

**Source: https://www.ey.com/hu_hu/newsroom/2024/12/ey-sajtokozlemeny-karacsonyi-felmeres

Ági Fehér will join Central Médiacsoport’s Women & Lifestyle portfolio team in February 2025, where she will start in a newly created position, Digital Women & Lifestyle Portfolio Content Lead. This new role is part of the Women & Lifestyle Portfolio’s new strategic direction to bring women’s digital products – including nlc, Home Apothecary and Kids Room – even closer to readers and serve customers’ needs with effective advertising solutions.

Ági Fehér’s main tasks include developing an effective content strategy for the portfolio, defining and implementing the development of the digital products involved and supporting their long-term growth objectives. Ági will work closely with the editors-in-chief to ensure the relevance of the content and the competitiveness of the brands. She will also be responsible for implementing relevant technological developments, such as artificial intelligence tools, to improve the efficiency of editorial processes.

"Central Media Group is strengthening its position in the Hungarian digital market. We are the only one of the top publishers that has been able to increase its turnover in the last period*. Ági joining us underlines our strong commitment to continue our mission to become the number one player in the Hungarian digital market. I am delighted that Ági will be joining us on this journey."

Petr Bednar

Chief Digital and Business Development Director

Ági Fehér brings with her more than 15 years of professional experience. During her career, she has held senior positions such as Editor-in-Chief of Femina.hu, Founding Editor-in-Chief of Retikül.hu and Redesigner of Sóbors.hu. In his work, he has focused on content strategy development, visitor data analysis, SEO optimisation and digital product innovation.

"The addition of Ági Fehér gives a new impetus to the Women & Lifestyle Portfolio. We believe that her expertise and commitment will further strengthen the position of nlc, House Apothecary and Children's Room in the market while bringing these products closer to our readers."

Tímea Lipták

Women's Digital and Magazine Business Unit Director

The arrival of Ági Fehér marks the beginning of a new era in the life of the Women & Lifestyle Portfolio, which will continue to be built on innovative content and reader-centricity. Another change is that from mid-January, Daniella Pácsonyi, Creative and Communications Director of Central Media Group and Head of the New Business division, will also join the media company’s management board. Central Media Group started working with Financial Times Strategies in June last year to streamline the media company’s operations. These changes are the next steps in this joint work.

The new podcast series by nlc and the Egyenlítő Foundation tells stories of successful women, offering practical advice and inspiring listeners to see not only male leaders as role models but also to encourage women to dream big. Edited by Edina Heal, the head of the foundation, the format invites listeners to career discussions that provide authentic experiences and guidance for those who want to achieve more in their lives.

Executives, artists, researchers, influencers, and entrepreneurs—these are the main protagonists of the podcast series “Inspiring Career Conversations with Successful Women,” launching on January 23. What they share in common is that they have repeatedly proven themselves in their respective fields. In the podcast, they openly discuss not only the recipes for their success but also their mistakes.

“Young people often have no idea how to start their careers, which is why it’s so important to make successful, inspiring women’s career paths visible. I hope this podcast series will motivate young people to dream big and believe in themselves. We consider it crucial for the series’ messages to reach as many people as possible, so I’m especially thrilled to collaborate with a highly popular online platform like nlc. I firmly believe that when women succeed, the whole of society benefits."

Edina Heal

Founder, Egyenlítő Foundation

“At nlc.hu, it is particularly important for us to create content that inspires, supports, and provides new perspectives for our readers. The Egyenlítő podcast serves exactly this purpose: showcasing real examples of how women achieve outstanding results as leaders and professionals. We hope this series not only motivates but also provides concrete assistance to listeners in building their own careers. We are delighted to collaborate with Edina Heal on this special project."

Andrea Kánya

Editor-in-Chief, nlc.hu

The podcast will cover topics such as career planning, leadership skill development, the importance of mentorship, workplace discrimination, female self-confidence, and burnout prevention.

The biweekly episodes will be available on nlc.hu, the Egyenlítő Foundation’s website, and the most popular podcast platforms (Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts).

Among Hungarian media and publishing companies, Central Médiacsoport brands dominate the Top 20 list of the most popular Hungarian Facebook pages. While 24.hu boasts the largest follower base among news sites, nlc leads the category of women’s platforms, and Nosalty ranks among the top five overall.

The research initiated by the National Media and Infocommunications Authority (NMHH) has reaffirmed that a credible brand cannot exist without a strong social media presence. On the list of Hungary’s most popular Facebook pages, the social platforms of Central Médiacsoport brands occupy prominent positions. Hungary’s beloved gastronomy magazine, Nosalty, ranked fifth, with over 1.22 million users currently following its content. Nosalty also won the title of the most active Hungarian Facebook page in the gastronomy category, finishing December 2024 as the market leader among domestic gastronomy websites.

In addition to Nosalty, two other Central Médiacsoport brands made it to the top tier of the most popular Facebook pages. Not only does 24.hu have the largest follower base among news sites, but its 11th-place ranking also underscores its prominent position overall. The site ranks second in the news category in terms of shared posts, total reactions, and comments. Since the NMHH study was conducted, 24.hu has surpassed the psychological milestone of 1 million followers and likes.

Central also leads in social content targeting women. Among women-focused online sites, nlc is the market leader, holding the 16th position on the overall list and playing a dominant role in Hungary’s social media landscape.

When it comes to Facebook page activity, Central Médiacsoport products set the pace. The ranking of the Top 20 most active pages is led by 24.hu, with over 127,000 posts, followed by Startlap in second place with nearly 110,000 posts.