Culture is short of money

A pro-government commentator does not understand why left-wing newspapers which criticise the public service media are getting expensive advertisements from the Media Council, while cultural institutions are short of money.

Hungary still has its theatres, its exhibitions and concerts, but there are no new Hungarian movies – writes Miklós Apáti in a sketch of Hungarian cultural life in Magyar Hírlap.

The pro-government newspaper complains that Hungarian culture receives less and less public subsidy and less and less attention from both sides of the political spectrum. With the exception of public Radio and Television which are being frequently criticised by left wing newspapers.

The Hungarian public service media are in the middle of major restructuring, during which 550 employees were dismissed this summer and 450 more will be sacked in a second wave later this year. (See BudaPost July 12.) The left wing media detected the scent of political motives behind the dismissals. (See BudaPost July 9.)

Under these conditions, the writer is at a loss to explain why the Public Media Council places expensive half-page advertisements in opposition newspapers which incessantly criticise the changes underway in the public media.

Tags: culture