The Telefon Hírmondó telephone news service begins in Budapest

Background. The Telefon Hírmondó was a telephone newspaper in Budapest, Hungary, beginning in 1893. It provided news and entertainment to subscribers over telephone lines. The service was founded by Tivadar Puskás, an engineer who had worked with Thomas Edison. Puskás patented a telephone switchboard in 1892 that allowed simultaneous transmission to multiple locations, describing it as a new method for organizing a telephone newspaper.

Regulatory Context. Contemporary press laws did not apply to telephone newspapers, causing government concern about the potential for rapid dissemination of strategic information. Puskás requested formal authorization from the Hungarian Minister of Trade in March 1893. After his death, the service was sold to István Popper, who accepted governmental conditions in September 1894, including requirements for pre-approved content and regular reporting to authorities.

Operations. Initially, subscribers used existing telephones to call a central office for hourly updates. The service later constructed its own one-way telephone network to provide continuous service. Operations moved to 22 Kerepesi street in October 1894. The service followed print newspaper practices for news collection but lacked editorials. It exchanged reports with city newspapers and received courtesies similar to those extended to print publications.