Hungarians believe that the media plays a key role in upholding cultural values

Hungarians value natural treasures, historical sites, and architectural heritage above all other cultural assets, as demonstrated by the study. Next up in the popularity ranking are folk customs, national holidays, folk art traditions, and musical and literary works. Contemporary culture and intellectual traditions, however, are valued less.

The survey also highlights that society lays significant responsibility on the media in terms of the transmission of cultural values. Respondents say that, besides providing information, the media also has a role to play in the cultural education and shaping the identity of younger generations.

While about a quarter of the adult population regularly consumes cultural content in the media, a much higher share believes it to be important for such content to be available on television, radio, and online platforms. This suggests that public support for cultural media content extends beyond its scope of actual consumers.

The primary motivation for consuming cultural content remains recreation and entertainment; however, a significant proportion of respondents also seek out such programmes and content for the purpose of personal development and expanding their knowledge. There is a particularly strong interest in learning about other cultures.

When it comes to cultural media content, popular genres continue to attract the most interest: films and music are by far the most favoured. Traditional cultural genres, such as theatre, visual arts or folk art, reach a much smaller audience.

One of the key findings of the study is that the share of people who consume cultural content increases in proportion to the level of educational attainment and the level within municipal hierarchy. In terms of age, this is also the case to the extent that the share of consumers of cultural content is significantly higher among those over 40 than in younger age groups. Just as with content consumption in general, typical generational differences also reflected in how cultural content is consumed: younger age groups primarily encounter cultural content through social media, while, for older generations, television remains the key platform for knowledge.

Viewers clearly associate public service channels with stronger cultural engagement, compared to commercial television channels. Among television programmes, documentaries and popular science programmes are considered the most credible and significant sources in terms of cultural consumption, while traditional cultural genres play a much smaller role.

In radio programming, musical content has a dominant role, but public-affairs and talk shows also serve an important cultural function.

The share of cultural topics covered in print and online media is typically lower; however, these media outlets also play a significant role in keeping the public regularly informed about cultural content and events.

The findings of the study show that there is a reciprocal and dynamic relationship between online and in-person cultural consumption, with experiences influencing online activity, thereby creating a system with feedback loops. Therefore, cultural consumption is becoming an increasingly hybrid experience, particularly among groups that are more digitally active.