Magyar Távirati Iroda

MTI (Magyar Távirati Iroda, literally "Hungarian Telegraphic Office") is a Hungarian news agency. One of the oldest news agencies in the world, it was founded in 1880.^[1]

Commemorative medal issued on the 125th anniversary of the founding of MTI.

MTI was owned by MTI Rt., founded by the Parliament.^[2] The members of the Owners' Advisory Body are elected by the National Assembly of Hungary on four-year terms.^[2] It is a marketleader, and is considered by some sources to be a 'balanced and reliable source'.^[2] Still, it finds it difficult to raise subscriptions as most major Hungarian newspapers are foreign-owned.^[2] It must turn to the government for capital to overcome its technology deficit.^[2]

According to a UNESCO report it faces competition both from independent and specialist news agencies (e.g. English-language on-line news sites, including the Budapest Business Journal, The Budapest Sun, websites of various television and radio stations), and from domestic Hungarian news services established by Reuters and AFP.^[2]

On 1 July 2015, Magyar Távirati Iroda as well as the three other public media organizations managed by the MTVA were merged into a single organization called Duna Média. This organization is the legal successor to Magyar Távirati Iroda.^[3][4][5]