Uncategorized – Central Médiacsoport hivatalos weboldala

From January 1, 2026, Daniella Pácsonyi will take up the position of Sales Director at Central Media Group. The aim of the transition is to ensure even closer coordination between the sales and content departments and to further strengthen the quality and efficiency of advertising partnerships.

Róbert Vági, Deputy CEO of Central Media Group, emphasized:

“The position of Sales Director is one of the most important strategic roles at Central, as it directly affects how we can most effectively support our partners’ business goals. Central has steadily increased its advertising revenue in recent years and has become a key player in both traditional and programmatic sales. I have worked with Daniella for a long time, so I am well aware of the strategic approach and commitment with which she is able to strengthen both advertiser satisfaction and business performance. She started her career on the content side, so she understands exactly how to connect quality content, brand building, and business performance—an approach that is one of Central’s greatest competitive advantages in the Hungarian media market.”

With the promotion of Daniella Pácsonyi, Central further strengthens its integrated, content-driven sales strategy.

“The rapidly changing media and advertising market requires a more conscious and effective sales strategy, in which brand building and customer satisfaction play a key role. In my previous positions, I learned the importance of brand values and high-quality, unique content—these are the foundations that make Central Media Group indispensable to both users and customers in the long term. I am convinced that as an independent media company, we can only remain successful if we pay special attention to the quality of customer service in addition to the reader experience,” said Daniella Pácsonyi.

The Central Content business unit will continue to operate under the leadership of Daniella Pácsonyi, ensuring that content and commercial solutions serve the needs of advertisers in an integrated manner, based on a unified strategy.

As part of the organizational changes, from January 1, 2026, the Krémmánia and Refresher brands will come under the leadership of Ádám Kovács, who will take over the management of these two products in addition to Nosalty and Akciós-Újság.

Zsuzsa Roczkó, Head of Corporate Communications, will now report directly to Deputy CEO Róbert Vági.

With the reorganisation, the Creative and Communications Directorate will be dissolved.

Pácsonyi Daniella – Sales Director

Kovács Ádám – Krémmánia, Nosalty, Refresher, Akciós-Újság

Vági Róbert – Deputy CEO

Starting January 1, 2026, a new editor-in-chief will take the reins at National Geographic magazine: Péter Lugosi will take over from Tamás Vitray Jr., who is retiring after more than a decade in the role. The magazine’s outgoing editor-in-chief will continue to play an active role in editing the magazine’s special issues. The former editor-in-chief will continue to play an active role in editing the magazine’s special issues.

The future product development of National Geographic magazine will take on new momentum: closer integration of digital and print content, as well as the refreshment of the brand’s local presence, will ensure that readers and advertising partners can experience the brand’s values at an even higher level, based on a unified editorial concept. The goal is to create a content and visual experience that inspires, informs, and conveys value.

Péter Lugosi, the new editor-in-chief, is currently a contributor to 24.hu, where he writes about public life, science, and environmental issues. His writings regularly deal with current social issues, scientific discoveries, and international events. He also works as an online editor for National Geographic Hungary, where he writes and edits articles on nature photography, environmental topics, and scientific news.

I remember it clearly: I was in elementary school when I spotted a yellow-framed magazine on my father's desk with the Flores Man on the cover. National Geographic has been part of my life ever since, and for almost ten years now, I have been connected to the magazine not only as a reader, but also as a journalist and, more recently, as an online editor. For me, it is more than a brand; I view it with personal dedication. As editor-in-chief, my main goal is to ensure that the Hungarian edition retains the depth and value that has captivated generations, even in a world of fast-paced content. Good stories still have power today, and I believe that National Geographic can continue to be an educational magazine that offers a lifelong reading experience.

– said Péter Lugosi

As editor-in-chief, Tamás Vitray Jr. represented the international brand, which has been present in Hungary for more than two decades, with creativity and professionalism. He is credited with a number of outstanding initiatives, such as the conception and realization of the 2023 retrospective exhibition, which attracted nearly 50,000 visitors to the National Museum as a co-exhibitor of World Press Photo. In addition, he launched the highly successful Dinosaur exhibition, which attracted thousands of readers, with the most outstanding works being presented at the Müpa. In his work as editor-in-chief, he paid particular attention to ensuring that Hungarian content was featured alongside American content, thereby strengthening local relevance. His work has been recognized with numerous “Best Edit” awards. With his innovative content solutions, he actively supported the development and effectiveness of advertising collaborations.

The editorial team and the publisher would like to take this opportunity to thank Tamás Vitray Jr. for his outstanding work over the past few years and wish Péter Lugosi every success in his new role.

Today marks another sad milestone in the history of Hungarian media: the latest media market transaction further narrows the local public sphere. For Central Media Group, it is clear that the credibility and social role of the media can only be ensured by preserving its independence.

The role of the press is not to serve, but to inform – responsibly, objectively, and with respect for citizens, readers, advertisers, and media workers. A free, diverse, and transparent media system is the foundation of a democratic society. Public trust can only remain strong where both editorial offices and owners are committed to impartiality, professionalism, and credibility.

For Central Media Group, the free press is not just an editorial issue but also an owner’s responsibility. We are convinced that free market competition is not only an economic matter but also serves democracy and the right to access information.

However, current developments show that independent voices are increasingly being forced out, and the concentration of the media market threatens everything the free press stands for.

Central Media Group remains committed to reliable information, editorial autonomy, and transparency, and stands up for the importance of independent voices, critical thinking, and diverse opinions in the Hungarian public sphere.

This is not just a corporate statement; it is a declaration of our commitment to a democratic society.

Central Médiacsoport Zrt.
Budapest, October 31, 2025.

Angela Merkel’s memoir, “Freedom”, was presented in Budapest on Wednesday evening. The former chancellor, who led Germany for 16 years, also spoke about how she was able to succeed as a woman in national and international politics, and revealed that she likes to test people.

Angela Merkel’s memoir, Freedom, was presented by Animus Books, and the discussion was led by Rebeka Bánszegi, a journalist for 24.hu. The former German chancellor was responsible for governing Germany for sixteen years, shaping German, European, and international politics with her actions and opinions. In her memoirs, she looks back on her life, which she spent in two German states: in the GDR until 1990 and in reunified Germany since 1990.

“When you are federal chancellor for 16 years, you provide plenty of material. Many people wrote about me, saying ‘I don’t understand why she acted that way’, ‘why did she do that’, ‘what was her motivation’. Obviously, I couldn’t deal with that during my time in office. But when I left office, I also thought about what my intentions were, what drove me, and how I see things from my own perspective. I didn’t want others to interpret me. Not out of fear. I simply felt the need for people to understand why I did what I did,” Angela Merkel said at the book launch event in Budapest.

In Freedom, Angela Merkel writes about her daily life as chancellor, as well as the dramatic days and nights when she had to make important decisions in Berlin, Brussels, and elsewhere. She describes the long process of change in international cooperation and reveals the pressure politicians are under as they seek solutions to complex problems in today’s globalized world. She takes us behind the scenes of international politics and shows us the importance of personal conversation and where the boundaries lie.

In her memoir, Angela Merkel sheds light on the circumstances of political action in an era of increasing confrontation. Her recollections offer a unique insight into the inner workings of the government and are also an important statement in favor of freedom.

The full transcript of the book launch discussion can be found at the following link: https://24.hu/kulfold/2025/10/02/angela-merkel-interju-szabadsag/

Further information about the book: https://www.hellokonyvek.hu/szabadsag-visszaemlekezesek-1954-2021-angela-merkel

Photographer: Animus Könyvek/ Fóthi Levente

Akciós-Újság.hu has been a stable player in the local digital leaflet platform market for nearly 10 years, and with its market-leading traffic and time spent on the site, it has become one of the most important starting points for shoppers looking to discover promotions and offers.

Thanks to the update of Akciós-Újság.hu, both users and partners will find a much cleaner and more straightforward page structure. The new font, color scheme, and logo create a modern, unified look, while the prominent search bar at the top of the page ensures faster and easier access to content. In addition to a wide range of promotional newspapers, readers can enjoy daily updated articles on educational and entertaining topics, making the platform even more attractive.

New opportunities are also opening up for advertisers: in addition to expanding advertising zones, they now offer menu button sponsorship, store highlights on the home page, and even product testing. In addition, users can receive a weekly newsletter twice a week with the latest offers and content.

"The revamp of our Akciós Újság is a major milestone for us – we are welcoming users with a fresher, cleaner, and more user-friendly interface. We are proud that our magazine content has achieved unprecedented visitor numbers, and we are confident that the new design will give even more users a reason to return to us regularly. The revamp also opens up new advertising and collaboration opportunities tailored to the retail market, enabling us to offer our partners an even more valuable platform.

Kovács Ádám - Head of digital brand

With the renewal of Akciós-Újság.hu, Central Media Group aims to further strengthen its position in the Hungarian retail market: with user-friendly solutions for customers and innovative and targeted advertising formats for commercial partners.

Akciós-Újság.hu, the online leaflets’ platform, has published a survey of nearly 5,000 people, revealing that price sensitivity remains the most dominant attitude in household spending, and online versions of leaflets advertising discounts are gaining ground. Ádám Kovács, Head of Digital Brand, will be responsible for managing Akciós-Újság.hu.

In the summer of 2023, Central Médiacsoport announced the acquisition of the Akciós-Újság.hu platform. The publication provides information about price changes in stores, current promotions and collects flyers of the largest department stores on its online platform, which has increased the number of unique users by more than 67% in the past year.

In order to meet user needs and map consumer trends, Akciós-Újság.hu launched a research on shopping habits. The non-representative survey was based on an online sample of more than 3,700 respondents and a face-to-face sample of nearly 1,000 respondents. “The aim of our research was to get to know the users of Akciós-Újság.hu, the largest Hungarian catalogue of discount newspapers, better. We conducted our research on two samples, both with a large number of items: we interviewed nearly 5,000 people at ten different department stores in seven cities and in the online space,” said Sándor Fábián, Head of the Analysis Group at Central Médiacsoport, summarising the research objective.

According to the results, consumers are most likely to visit Penny, Lidl, Spar and Interspar, as well as Aldi, to follow their promotions and to visit their stores most often. Just over half of respondents said that they choose a particular grocery store because of its proximity: 61% shop there because of the prices, 69% because of the current promotions.

Based on the responses received, it can be said that although Hungarian consumers remain highly price-sensitive, it is primarily personal experience that influences their purchasing decisions. 78% of respondents trust a product if they have had a positive experience with it before, but the discount price is also a major factor: 69% of respondents put discounted products in their shopping basket. Slightly more than half of respondents, 53%, like a product because it is the cheapest in its category. Only 13% of respondents said they live without financial worries, while 43% said they get by if they manage their salary and 23% just manage to balance their income and expenditure.

In the face-to-face sample, only 50% of those interviewed in shops said that promotions influence their choice of shop. For them, the proximity of the location is the deciding factor and they visit fewer places for a shopping trip, while online respondents are much more aware. On average, they explore 3.5 shops, motivated primarily by the search for the best deals. For both groups, it is the special offers on fruit, vegetables, meat and dairy products that are the most important.

Although the use of in-store mobile apps is on the rise, the discount newspaper is still the main source of information for shoppers, with 47% of respondents still purchasing a printed copy. However, a digitalisation process is underway and more and more people are keeping up: 23% of those surveyed in person know of an online special offers newspaper aggregator, and 48% use such a platform on a weekly basis.

From 1 June, Ádám Kovács will take over the product management of Akciós-Újság.hu, the market leader in its segment.

"The results of the survey clearly show that the majority of Hungarian shoppers are highly price-sensitive and make informed choices when shopping. Discount magazines continue to play a key role in informing consumers, especially now that two thirds of households are having to tighten their belts. Akciós-Újság.hu, which will be relaunched in the near future, aims to keep pace with digital developments to help shoppers compare prices and find the best deals even more effectively."

Ádám Kovács

Head of Digital Brand, Nosalty & Akciós-Újság.hu

In 2025, the National President of the Hungarian Medical Chamber awarded the MOK Media Award in the category of health education to the news portal HáziPatika.com.

“For many years, the news portal HáziPatika has played a decisive role in the dissemination of health information in Hungary. It provides regularly updated, authoritative content, explaining the characteristics of various diseases, modern therapeutic options and information on the use of medicines in a broadly understandable way. It places great emphasis on the promotion of healthy lifestyles, prevention and informed disease management.”

– said the award ceremony.

"Authenticity, precision and depth - these are not necessarily the easiest things for a journalist to live up to at the moment. That said, the staff at HousePatika is committed to the classic values of journalism and, with around a quarter of a million clicks a day, it is an important confirmation to us that the health profession appreciates this. Our aim is to be an easy bridge between the lay public and the medical profession - we thank both groups for their trust over twenty-five years."

Zita Kempf

Editor-in-Chief, HáziPatika.com

"In addition to readership, it is particularly important for a health portal to be accepted as credible by those in the sector, so that the profession can have confidence in its articles. I am very proud of the HousePatika team. I can see that they have an incredible dedication to producing content and that credibility is more important than anything else."

Ági Fehér

Portfolio Content Lead

For the first time in Hungary, readers of 24 Extra’s two subscription packages will have access to articles from one of the most famous independent international newspapers, The New York Times, as well as to gaming, gastronomy and other content.

The New York Times is a major player in the international public sphere. As one of America’s largest newspapers, it has set the public discourse since 1851 and has won more Pulitzer Prizes than any other organisation over the decades, with 145 Pulitzer Prizes. It covers US domestic and international news, opinion pieces, investigative reporting and criticism. With more than 11 million total subscribers, it is at the forefront of online publications in the United States.

24.hu’s premium content subscription product, 24 Extra, launched on 14 October 2024, aims to offer the highest quality content available in Hungary. As part of 24.hu’s partnership with The New York Times, readers of 24 Extra’s two different annual subscription packages can now enjoy the full range of The New York Times, including international reporting, gaming, food, podcast, tech/technical and sports content.

"Offering the highest quality content, 24 Extra is a step towards the traditional model of journalism: a balance between advertiser and reader revenue helps to achieve commercial success, which is a guarantee of independence. The trust of subscribers ensures the long term production of articles, images and videos that require the most effort and investment. And now we can make our offer more attractive, interesting and useful to these subscribers by offering them access to The New York Times."

Péter Pető

Editor-in-Chief, 24.hu

József Nagy, Miklós Gergely Nagy, and Péter Pető also answered questions from viewers, and then, as part of an audience meeting, they talked for several hours with those who remained on site after the show.

282 photographers, and 7,438 images entered the 43rd Hungarian Press Photo Competition, and the 24.hu photo section dominated this huge field: our photojournalists were recognized with 9 awards in 8 categories, and Márton Mohos was also awarded the MÚOSZ Grand Prize, while Bálint Szajki received the Márton Munkácsi Award for the best collection and the Zoltán Szalay Award for the best photojournalist under 30.

The 24.hu photo section thus received more than 20 percent of all prizes awarded at the country’s largest press photo competition, far ahead of all award-winning Hungarian editorial offices.

It is difficult to list in how many categories our colleagues won:

News and event photography – Márton Mohos
Photo report – Márton Mohos
Everyday life (series) – Bálint Szajki, Jennifer Varga
Art (series) – Bálint Szajki
Sports (series) – Márton Mohos
Nature and science (series) – Bálint Szajki
Society depiction, documentary photography (single) – Bálint Szajki
Street photography (series) – Norbert Farkas
MÚOSZ Grand Prize – Márton Mohos
Márton Munkácsi Award for the best collection – Bálint Szajki
Zoltán Szalay Award for the best performing photojournalist under 30 – Bálint Szajki

The awarded entries can be viewed in the 24.hu article .

We heartily congratulate our colleagues – Norbert Farkas, Márton Mohos, Bálint Szajki and Jennifer Varga – on their prestigious awards!