1987. Különkiadvány, 1987.10.01 / HU_BFL_XIV_47_2

2. Freedom of tbe Press Entrencbed in Laws

Tbe established order of communication and expression is one of tbe areas vhere the tension betveen tbe pover structure and society has become obvious.

In conjunction vith tbe ma66 média, tbe basic cause of tbe crisis is tbat the party still treats the press, rádió and television as direct tools of propaganda. Tbe Central Committee's Agitation and Propaganda Department (in part directly, and in part tbrougb the Government Information Office) determines vhicb neve média, vben and in vhat tone, may discuss topics considered to be of political importance. It prevents making public the debates preceding a decision, launcbes press campaigns fór tbe acceptance of decisions as accomplished facts, and permits the reporting of contrasting opinions at most as indications of tbe public mood. Tbe party does nőt tolerate criticism of official policy, nőt even in retrospect; and vhen the problem is already undeniable, it has to be attributed to mistakes in implementetion. Bad neve must be suppressed or presented in a more favorable light. The more the public become6 avaré of just bov serious the actual situation really is, the greater its indignation vitb tbe mass média: "The press is lying," "They take us fór idiots."

Tbe cultural, educational and professional journals, and tbe book publisbers have gradually left the armory of propaganda over the pást 20 years. Increasingly, the agencies that supervise the press are employing only bans against tbem, and these interdictions are less strict and more predictable than tbe taboos the mass média must observe. Conflicts arise here vhen a jouraal becomes tbe advocate or crystallization point of somé particular intellectual trend. Tbat brings party control intő tbe act, because it does nőt tolerate any division of tbe press on tbe basis of trends and debates.

The editor in chief is fired, publication is suspended or tbe journal is banned. Tbe increasing frequency of sucb interference and the political storms it raises indicate that this part of the press has outgrovn tbe framevork of the concessions granted it.

With the spectacular spreading of copying processes and equipment, the circulation of unlicensed publications has become uncontrollable, and samizdat is only a part of this buge volume of publications. It is being produced by persons vho defiantly challenge tbe State's right to require nevspaper and book publisbers to obtain a license beforeband. Official supervision of the press does nőt recognize this area, bút is unable to eradicate it. Hovever, tbe official persecution is creating constant tension around this spbere. This contributes to the criminalization of the political opposition grouped around samizdat; and it brands as members of tbe political opposition alsó the authors, producere and distributors of publications tbat in tbemselves are perhaps nőt even political.

All three areas of conflict require vell-advised regulation. The Press Lav (Lav No II of 1986) and its executory instructions have nőt contributed to the kind of regulation tbat is required:- The rangé of activities fór vhich licenses are required is too broad, and arbitrary action by the licensing authority is nőt curbed.

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