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Renowned Actor Proudly Refuses Gov't Award, Renowned Journalists Not So Much
As in most other countries, patriotic holidays in Hungary are usually the occasion for the handing out of prestigious awards by politicians to prominent members of the public. Unlike in some other countries, though, an increasingly common tradition in Hungary involves the recipient of an award refusing to accept it, if the politician tasked with giving it out is not to their liking. This year's award for the best such "you can take your medal and shove it" refusal on or around last weekend's March 15th holiday goes to well-known actor Péter Blaskó (above, second from left) who declined to accept the very prestigious Kossuth Prize (which comes with a nice cash bonus), saying that if he had shaken hands with master of ceremonies (and Prime Minister) Ferenc Gyurcsány "I could not stroke the face of my children or the hand of my wife anymore." Whatever your position on Hungarian politics may be, you have to admit it's a great line; I just wish it was one some of my colleagues in the local media had copy/pasted when deciding to accept similarly "prestigious" awards for journalism from Gyurcsány (top left) and Budapest Mayor Gábor Demszky, the guy looking typically pleased with himself second from right.
Before I embark on any further Blaskóesque bombast, let me first admit that yes, obviously I am a bit jealous that, unlike bigdaddy foreign correspondent/author Adam LeBor (far, uh, right), who was tossed a "Csengery Antal" award by the mayor, I've never gotten any official recognition for all the scribbling I've done in this and other Hungary-centered publications. And I know how important such prizes can be for people trying to scratch a living out of the mean fields of modern journalism, which makes me wary of laying into the hacks who gave in to temptation. Still, had I gotten the call telling me to show up at such-and-such a time to collect my gong, I honestly would have either not showed up, or showed up and made a skunk of myself by telling the mayor and/or PM, and all the journalists sucking up to them, to get stuffed. Here's why:
First, in general terms, the correct relationship between a journalist covering public affairs and a politician is like that between an environmentalist and, say, the boss of an oil or coal-mining company. It doesn't matter how forward-looking or relatively honest the politician/oil and coal CEO is; it's still the job of the journalist or environmentalist to pester him with unpleasant questions and to otherwise be an insufferable pain in his ass. So when the same politician/oil magnate gives you a medal, or even just agrees to be the guy in the suit handing out the prizes, you know you're probably doing something wrong. I would have thought this was obvious, but apparently it isn't.
And it gets worse, because Gyurcsány and Demszky (in video above, passing out the goodies to his favorite poodles) aren't just the guys in the suit handing out the awards on behalf of some independent press association. Instead, they were both giving them on behalf of the political institutions they control (the Budapest city government in Demsky's case, and the ruling Socialist party in Gyurcsi's). If this doesn't give you the creeps, just substitute "Dick Cheney" for "Ferenc Gyurcsány" or "Gábor Demsky."
But actually that's not really fair to Cheney, because, despite his reputation as a war-profiteering tyrant, he's a model of clean and responsible leadership compared to these two - okay, I'm just going to say it - corrupt, incompetent and otherwise miserable fuckers.
Since Gyurcsány's awfulness seems to get all the headlines, I'll instead focus my fire on Demszky. And all I will say is, after his 18 drunken years of mismanagement - which have turned Budapest from the "Paris of the East" to the Chisinau of the West - it's no surprise that he has begun handing out awards even to the most politically obedient members of the local hack-pack, lest they finally unmask him for the dismal failure he is.
On the other hand, there is another reason journos may be unwilling to tell hizhonor's story like it really is: when they do, he sues. That's right: the same mayor who hands out awards to journalists for supposedly doing a good job covering the city routinely files lawsuits against those who do too good of a job.
As someone once said, "the pen is mightier than the sword." But after this revolting example of journalistic disgrace, I'd frankly prefer a nice sharp sword.
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SITE FEEDLet's not forget that Adam LeBor was one of those singled out during the press purges under the previous Fidesz regime. In 2001 the 'Kontroll Csoport' (Control group) wrote an article in Magyar Nemzet listing all foreign journalists that were on their 'black list' for reflecting the reputation of Hungary in a bad light. LeBor was guilty of this crime against the nation on 10 counts.
That said, I agree with your position on the awards, but here in Hungary is it possible to acknowledge someone's skills, contributions or talents without becoming embroiled in a political tug-of-war? I fear not.
I think LeBor deserved the award even though his journalism largely just picks at the bones left once everyone has had a chance to gorge themselves on the real meat of the issues. But that is all that foreign newspapers can cope with. He, at least, didn't give an appallingly fauning and flattering non-critical interview with a former spy, just to get published in Time (or was it Newsweek?)
That said Péter Blaskó's stance was pathetic and that quote will in retrospect be remembered more for how it defined the times we live in and the devisions rife in Hungary than for the point he was trying to make.
Why is it all the media artists, writers and actors in Hungary are even worse than the politicians? Just because you have a voice doesn't mean anyone's listening.
Re Blasko: Interestingly enough, right after the brouhaha over the award, my husband shows me a CD he has. It's a radio play called Igazságos Kádár János, by Vilmos Csaplár. The two main actors are Péter Blaskó and Péter Vallai. So, it was O.K. to play Kádár János, and accept money and recognition for that, but not O.K. to accept the Kossuth díj, which is not awarded by the prime minister, but by the Republic of Hungary. Let's not forget, that by rejecting the Kossuth dij, he rejected the Republic of Hungary, not the Socialists and/or Ferenc Gyurcsány. Also, let's also not forget, that in the 80's, Blaskó was a recipient of something called the Socialista Kulturáért Érdemérem, or something like that, which is recognition for his role in advancing Socialist culture. Hypocrites, all of them.
Not to come in and defend Blaskó here since I don't know enough about him, but I just wanted to add some information about how under communism, Kádár was one of the few heads of state in the Eastern Bloc who would allow himself to be satirized--provided you didn't go too far or mention '56--and the title could be ironic. Then again, it might not be.
Back then, there were the three T's, ""Tiltott, Tűrt, & Támogatott," or "Banned, Tolerated and Supported," and among those who were supported was a playwright by the name of István Csurka, who of course went on into politics post-regime change, and we know what happened there. Just hoping to add some perspective, or at the very least confuse people.
Vándorló: Glad you brought up the "Kontroll Csoport," which led to wails of indignation from liberals here and abroad. Frankly, I am more comfortable with a government "blacklist" of journalists it doesn't like than handing out bogus medals to people who, let's be honest, are simply political poodles, or pals. Again, if a political journalist is doing their job, they should not be on polite speaking terms with the people they cover, at least in a country like Hungary, where the state itself is essentially just one big criminal conspiracy. This medal-giving shit is just a blacklist in reverse; at least the Fidesz fucks had the balls to be honest about their attempts to cowtow the press.
erik,
You should know that the media is not allowed to criticize the government in Hungary. Any reporter who breaks this rule get fired. Additionally TV stations are alligned directly with the various parties. A funny thing is ATV is run by born again christians but is alligned with the socialists. Who would have thunk it?
Fidesz "cowtowing" the press was simply a stunt for the masses. The Hungarian press has been bought a long time ago.
What would be useful is a media outlet in Hungarian that truly investigates and reports on government corruption and the horrible governing that goes along with it.
Well, at least journalist are not killed every year here. Yesterday 2 journalist working for the state controlled Channel One were killed in Moscow.
Better to (not) get an award or get on the "blacklist". Everything is relative.
ATV, last I saw with my own eyes, is chaired by a non-practicing Hungarian Jew who has many connections within SZDSZ as well as MSZP, and they are now a "pay for play" channel, hence the dumb Born Again money that they rake in. From what I am told, ATV was where all the socialists had to migrate to when Fidesz was in power. When they were kicked out, they all went back on the regular channels. I've found that the media kowtows to whichever parties that are in power, hence the true lack of critical coverage generated by TV news, which like in other places, is the only one that matters to the average Joszefs. Where are the true muckrakers here that have some courage? There's almost no Hungarian content at Wikileaks. Lord knows that there is enough embarrassing official Hungarian documentation to fill up several gigs.
Viking,
Why don't we just compare the openness of the media in Hungary to North Korea to make it look even rosier? But you seem to forget the savage beating an investigative reporter looking into past petrol scams took last year in Hungary.
Erik, thanks for your thoughtful - really - comments on the Csengery Antall award. I always remember the line by the great (if very dodgy on the race question) American journalist HL Mencken, who said that the relationship between the journalist and the politician should mirror that between the dog and the lampost.
That said, I accepted the award from the city of Budapest, and was proud to do so. I have reported on this town for more than a decade, covering its architecture, tourism, food, fashion and nightlife and I was pleased to be recognised for it. Not everything we foreign correspondents write is about politics and the endless, tedious slanging match between left and right.
I would also add that I have written numerous articles that were extremely critical of Mr Demszky (mainly in the Budapest Sun) and his administration's failure to deal with urban blights such as dog-shit and graffiti. And we still can't walk from Margit Bridge to Erzsebet bridge along a decent footpath.
And hey, it's only a bronze medal. No money or other goods were involved apart from a glass of wine or four.
Bob,
"ATV is run by born again christians". Must be that God loves a Repentant Sinner (given that Gyurscany confessed his sins in front of 200 members, or so, strong congregation of the Church of MSZP). (Better put a warning in here for satire - it seems not to work with everyone otherwise... Vladimir is probably correct in his findings of ATV)
Yes, we are all waiting for the outcome of the Fidesz-classified investigation of the oil-bleach scandal. The total silence in this specific case that brings (probably) all political parties together (nice that they can be friends in "things that matters"), is the ultimate proof of the "independence of the Hungarian Media". So maybe you are right, we should compare Hungary to North Korea, the difference is just that we have more than one Party.
Adam: In general, you are correct to point out that foreign correspondents (or at least good ones) write about more than just politics. But since government is so deeply involved in everything in Hungary, there is unfortunately no area of coverage that is free from what you also rightly call the "the endless, tedious slanging match between left and right." More to the point, these awards are *all about* said slanging match, and, as the comments above demonstrate, do little more than perpetuate it.
I suppose what bums me out most about your taking this booby-prize is that I reckon you are the only one of the "honorees" for the Csengery and MSZP awards who isn't an obvious water-carrier for the powers-that-be.
In fact, I'll bet if there was a market for a book about how an uncritical press helped turn Demszky from an innocent, mop-topped liberal dissident into an inept, unaccountable and sticky-fingered Brezhnev-style machine pol, you'd be on it like a dog on a meaty bone, and do it so well you'd probably end up getting the Tamás Deutsch-Für award for community journalism, or whatever medal the little wretches in Fidesz's directorate of national mind control hand out to journos who monster *their* enemies. Which I also bet you'd decline - just like I suspect (hope) you would have turned down the ex-commies' equally creepy "freedom of the press" award.
But what really is the difference between this "award" and the ones handed out by the Socialists or (hypothetically) by Fidesz? Okay, there's the fig-leaf of it coming "from the city" rather than from Demszky and the SZDSZ. But if you or anyone else really believes that makes a difference, I've got a bridge I can sell you. And again, I find it hard to believe you wouldn't have had second thoughts - or even pulled a Blaszkó - if it was Tarlós (Demszky's most recent opponent) giving out the gongs, and the other hacks lined up all worked for Magyar Nemzet, Hír TV and Demokrata.
So the net-net is that this "award" actually dishonors you and your fine body of work (especially now that whenever anyone googles "Csengery Antal award" this article will come up first) and you should just buck up and post it back to Demszky with a polite note saying you're honored but not quite comfortable with the gesture - or (even better) chuck it into the river with all the other cheap medals handed out by previous discredited regimes trying to buy or pay people off. I will not, however, demand that you give back the wine you drank at the ceremony, which is on the house.
Wouldn't the Tamás Deutsch-Für award be for efforts to single-handedly stop the population decline?
Why does everyone get so upset about Kontrol Csoport. A bunch of losers who wouldn't know decent journalism if it pissed on them slag off foreign media. Who cares! Like the foreign press core’s gonna pack up and go home under the duress.
And its not politicians here who are stunting the Hungarian press. Its the press themselves. A bunch of more partisan, provincial and lazy newspapers I have never seen.
God that felt good!
hey, Bob
Index have been doing a decent amount of investigative journalism, and great one to boot, for which they deserve praise. In fact, I will go so far as to say they are the best at that. But surely, there a few so-called independent quality media outlets in Hungary like Figyelő, HVG and Inforádió...
Raging BS - good point; in fact, not only is Index doing what at times seems like pretty serious slash-and-burn reporting, the entire "holdudvar" is actually far more advanced in many ways than most/all online-only operations in the US. Not to mention the fact that (from what I know) they haven't gotten any awards from the commies/commie-cuddling liberals.
