A Talk Show in Hungary and the Question of "proper distance"

In his article "A Talk Show in Hungary and the Question of 'proper distance'" Lajos Császi discusses the phenomenon of the talk show in its specific post-communist Hungarian context. During the past few years, Hungarian commercial television programs have been the target of frequent ideological attacks. At the same time, they have become increasingly popular among audiences. In my study I focus on the "Mónika" talk show, one of the most popular programs. Analyzing this new media phenomenon, I attempt to combine the political-economic and the socio-cultural perspectives of tabloid media, which are often opposed to each other. I ask how viewers in a post-communist society acquire new skills to manage the multiple challenges of commercial media and to learn to create what Silverstone calls "the proper distance." Lajos Császi, "A Talk Show in Hungary and the Question of 'proper distance'" page 2 of 11 CLCWeb: Comparative Literature and Culture 11.4 (2009):