Amerikai Magyar Szó, 1989. január-június (43. évfolyam, 1-26. szám)
1989-06-15 / 24. szám
Thursday, June 15. 1989. AMERIKAI MAGYAR SZÓ 11. CHINA IN TURMOIL THE JOURNALISTIC PROFESSION: A MEDICAL VIEW "In terms of the nervous tension their occupation involves, journalists are ahead of all other professionals. Teachers come second. Meanwhile, the tension keeps rising, particularly in Hungary where such far-reaching change is occurring in the mass media and many newspapers and periodicals, unable to withstand the competition, are closing." For four years now, Katalin Gombosi has been head of the Journalists' Department at the Head Office of the Government Social Security Agency. She supervises all the 6,000 members of the Hungarian Journalists' Association, one-third of them working in provincial areas. Her office is in the Association building at a busy intersection of Népköztársaság Street in downtown Budapest. Three years ago the Association launched a program of health protection for journalists together with the Medical Institute of the Air Force in the city of Kecskemét. Since then, 500 journalists have undergone thorough checkups there, receiving exhaustive recommendations concerning their health and the necessary medical treatment. "We used Balaton , a special kind of apparatus to conduct a thorough psychiatric examination," Katalin Gombosi says. Conflicts on the job and in the family turned out to be behind the prevailing nervous and cardiovascular disorders among journalists. And, of course, there is the journalist's way of life—a hectic workday, irregular meals, frequent night shifts and the like. "All this gave us a general picture of the health of the people we are to supervise. We can now shape our work at the Hungarian Journalists' Association on a better-planned basis. "Aside from medical matters, we also tackle a wide range of various issues—monitoring and improvement of journalists' working and living conditions, defense of their interests, professional and social problems and the health and recreation of their families, with special attention to children. The Department reports on its activities both to the Head Office of the Social Security Agency and to the governing body of the Journalists' Association. "In Budapest, the Department takes care of some 10,000 families, services 20 to 25 patients a day, pays for about 25 sick leaves a month and arranges spa treatments for 30 to 40 patients. "One must note that the journalists working in the provincial areas receive the same medical treatment as in Budapest. All fhis has resulted in the fact that over the pást five years, an average of only two to three percent of journalists have been on sick leave—much less than the national average. "The many risk factors present in the profession prompt journalists to lose the sense of physical, psychological and social security. So in our field, health protection is not just a medical problem. We have submitted to the International Organization of Journalists the following proposals essential to health protection: "When hiring a journalist, a medical checkup be mandatory: with poor eyesight, scoliosis, other orthopedic problems or nervous disorders a journalist is unlikely to work successfully, maintaining high standards. I have demanded repeatedly that the Board of the Hungarian Journalists' Association impose such a rule—so far in vain; it is followed only at a few editorial offices. "Favorable conditions should be created for regular athletic activities; we should popularize and promote active forms of recreation. "We must ban smoking at editorial offices, especially in view of the fact that some smoke much more than the population in general. "We must promote rational nutritional habits and combat the consumption of liquor because journalists drink much more than the population in general. "There must always be a physician ön duty to hear complaints and take blood pressure. "In addition to general medical checkups, we also need specialist examinations—gynecological, oncological, AIDS tests, etc. "We need a special program to combat high blood pressure and motor disorders among journalists. "Many journalists die between 50 and 60. This fact alone proves that a special health protection program is in order for this profession. I like journalists for their natural decency, readiness to communicate with others and compassion. But they are very light-minded about their health; they never take medical advice about fheir diet, smoking or sports seriously. At the same time, most of them are neurotic, easily upset and often suffer from hypochondria." The Hungarian urbanization society awarded a Janos Hild commemorative plaque to Sárospatak, Eastern Hungary, for the cultivation! of the traditions of the town. In the library of] the one-time Reformed CoHege one of the mostl precious pieces! is the Vizsoly Bibiéi ! PLEASE GIVE THIS PAGE TO A FRIEND! As a result of Mikhail Gorbachov's openness policy, the Socialist States have begun to accept the concept of sharing power with organizations other than the Communist Party. We have seen this in the Soviet Union, Hungary and Poland. Sharing control does not mean giving it up, but China seems to think that it does. They have rejected this approach in a manner that has shocked the world. Perhaps it can be summed up by the doctor who looked at the carnage in his hospital and said: "my government has gone insane". (N.Y. Times 6/3/89.) Their statement that no one was killed in the square boggles the mind. The whole world is watching. The media recounts the slaughter and they act like it is a street demonstration. Unbelievable! We don't know what script they are using, but it makes Alice in Wonderland look real. One doesn't have to be an atomic scientist to know that Socialism has been seriously hurt by this episode. We grieve for the students and we worry what will happen next. China has had over 3000 years of history, but its leadership has forgotten what happened 40 years ago. They need a memory course. Editors: Bernard Kransdorf Jack Bobrow Playwright MIKLÓS VÁMOS NEW YORK, N.Y. "Double Talk" by Hungarian author and playwright Miklós Vámos premiered recently at the Actor's Outlet Theatre. The play which was well-received by the audience and critics, is a comedy about couples bored with their humdrum existence who make daring changes later mirrored in the animal world. Directed by Ken Lowstetter and Pamela. Billig, the brilliant cast featured Russell Stevens, Leslie Dalton, Deborah McCoy, William Charlton, Katerine Mills, and Jeanette Dobié. Miklós Vámos has published five novels, seven plays and seven other books, stories, and essays. In 1986, his play "Skyfall" was produced in Washington at the Source Theatre and was so successful that it won him a Fulbright scholarship to the Yale University School of Drama and an assignment as Adviser at the City University of New York. In addition to "Skyfall", he has written three other comedies that were produced in Hungary, as well as three film scripts, two of which won major awards. He has also served as Literary Consultant for the Objective Film Studio in Hungary and is now working on a screenplay for a new film by István Szabó, who directed the Oscar-winning "Mephisto". August 20i is a uniquely Hungarian celebration which combines the birthday of King St. Stephen, the founder of the state, the completion of harvesting and the baking of the new bread with a commemoration of the Constitution. The celebration in Budapest is an outstanding event.
