Two Hungarian state broadcasting channels, considered close to Viktor Orbán, have ceased transmission as part of the new government's efforts to dismantle the nationalist leader's long-standing influence over the media, Hungarian Prime Minister Péter Magyar said on Tuesday, AFP reports.

Control over the media was one of the key elements of Orbán’s 16-year rule, during which he transformed the Central European country into what he himself proclaimed an “illiberal” democracy.

“A historic day. Today, propaganda broadcasting on state media platforms is coming to an end,” Magyar wrote on Facebook.

Both state media outlets — Kossuth Radio and the M1 television channel — had stopped broadcasting by Tuesday evening. A message appeared on M1’s screen:

“State media must not lie. We apologize for having done so for so long.”

The message also said: “State media will now be reformed to become independent and trustworthy. Our news program is currently suspended. Stay with us.”

Kossuth Radio’s frequencies were airing a music program featuring classical works by composer Bartók.

The websites of M1 — Hungary’s main state television channel — and Kossuth Radio were also unavailable.

According to a statement by the state media group MTVA, M1 will resume broadcasting in the evening, though without news programs.

Magyar’s Tisza party won a sweeping victory in the April election, campaigning on a promise of “regime change” and a complete break with the Orbán era. The party secured two-thirds of the seats in parliament.

In addition to the state media, the new government has also begun taking action against private publications and television channels owned by businessmen linked to Orbán.

TV2, the largest private television channel, has already seen personnel changes following Magyar’s victory: the main news anchors were replaced, and the head of the news division left his post.