Full Transcript for Marton <> Vince

operational duties and our creative content management moving forward in the future. 00:02:38.781 --> 00:02:51.774 In terms of operational management, our colleague Iván Pap will join Vince Földiák on the board; he was already serving as Partizán's operations manager, handling all of our financial and administrative tasks. 00:02:51.774 --> 00:03:05.652 It speaks volumes about his work that even during the Orbán era, the tax authority came every single year to thoroughly audit and investigate our expenses and legal compliance without finding any issues. 00:03:05.652 --> 00:03:19.530 We always managed to pass through this strict filter successfully, and they concluded their investigations every time without making a single negative finding or penalty against us, which is a great relief. 00:03:19.530 --> 00:03:31.040 That is their job, and it is great they did it; we hope they keep doing so, and perhaps audit others who, for various reasons, have somehow managed to avoid being investigated by them up to this point. 00:03:31.040 --> 00:03:43.851 So, the main point is that with the addition of Iván, we will now have a three-member board of trustees overseeing the foundation, which will help us manage everything in a much more balanced way. 00:03:43.851 --> 00:03:57.313 Alongside this board, an editorial committee will take charge of content management for Partizán, and this specific team is going to be led by our new editor-in-chief, Vince Földiák, starting from today. 00:03:57.313 --> 00:04:11.095 In his new role as the editor-in-chief, Vince's daily work and leadership duties will be supported and facilitated by a highly capable team of four dedicated deputy editors-in-chief working alongside him. 00:04:11.095 --> 00:04:22.978 But I will ask him to elaborate on this, as this collaborative structure is actually his own innovation designed to ensure that the production of our high-quality content on Partizán continues seamlessly. 00:04:22.978 --> 00:04:36.430 So without further ado, let me turn things over to him now. Welcome to the show, it is absolutely wonderful to have you here with us today, hello Vince, and thank you so much for stepping into this role! 00:04:36.430 --> 00:04:46.874 Hello, and thank you so much, Marci! I would also like to warmly welcome everyone who is watching us today, and say hello to all of our dedicated viewers who have tuned in to hear this exciting update. 00:04:46.874 --> 00:04:57.925 Yes, we created a new structure when Marci told us he wanted to focus on a different type of work within Partizán, moving away from management to do much more hands-on creative work, which will be incredibly valuable. 00:04:57.925 --> 00:05:09.808 This means much more valuable content will be featured on Partizán, as Marci is going to have far more time to dedicate exclusively to creative production, and this is something that we are all really... 00:05:09.808 --> 00:05:21.308 I am looking forward to seeing your new projects. Beyond that,

our task was to establish a new leadership structure for our editorial office, consolidating the various duties that were previously shared. 00:05:21.308 --> 00:05:35.091 This will be run by a five-member committee, including myself and three deputy editors-in-chief. Two of them, handling content, are Szurdi and Krisztián Puskás, who have both been with us for a very long time. 00:05:35.091 --> 00:05:47.668 We also have an operational deputy editor, Zsenán Milán, who has played a vital role in our leadership over the past years, along with a highly experienced professional production manager helping our team. 00:05:47.668 --> 00:05:58.666 Bence Kupik will lead production, and with this five-person team, we aim to build a version of Partizán that stays true to its core strength of delivering the deep, impactful content our audience expects. 00:05:58.666 --> 00:06:10.870 We want to approach key issues from fresh angles, aiming for completeness. We aim to move beyond the usual perspectives, offering insights that truly add value to the topics defining our everyday lives. 00:06:10.870 --> 00:06:22.735 I want to move on to a slightly more complex question, and later discuss our future plans, which will interest both long-time and new viewers alike, but first let us focus a bit more on this leadership change. 00:06:22.735 --> 00:06:36.378 There is a well-known cliché that sometimes the leader creates the situation, and other times the situation creates the leader, and it is fascinating to see how that dynamic plays out in real-world scenarios. 00:06:36.378 --> 00:06:47.568 In our case, the situation arose because I decided to step down from this editor-in-chief position, creating a need for us to establish a new way forward and find someone capable of leading the team. 00:06:47.568 --> 00:06:58.385 An elected committee set the framework for choosing a successor. You applied with the team you just mentioned, and the entire organization voted with a large majority for you to take over and lead Partizán. 00:06:58.385 --> 00:07:08.924 And what I am most curious to know, which is something I also asked you when you first submitted your application, is what exactly motivated you to want to take on the role of editor-in-chief here? 00:07:08.924 --> 00:07:20.189 There is a professional aspect in media that I observed during my time as editor-in-chief. Managing a media outlet involves a unique set of challenges that are quite different from standard creative work. 00:07:20.189 --> 00:07:32.446 I believe that taking on a highly demanding, administrative managerial role can really drain your energy and limit your capacity to work as a creative and hands-on content creator in the long run. 00:07:32.446 --> 00:07:42.793 When talking to other editors, we always agree that managing a team is vastly different from researching your own stories, where you only have to worry about your own material and personal deadlines. 00:07:42.793 --> 00:07:54.026 So, I obviously wanted to regain that creative freedom for myself, which is why I made this decision to transition back to producing content directly rather than overseeing the entire organization. 00:07:54.026 --> 00:08:05.195 I am incredibly grateful to you for taking on this heavy burden, but why would anyone willingly choose to do this? What makes you feel that taking on all this stress and responsibility is truly worth it? 00:08:05.195 --> 00:08:19.383 Why it's worth doing is basically because I believe Partizán is made of such great people. We have a strong brand, a loyal audience, a community of volunteers, supporters, and so many dedicated followers who truly love us. 00:08:19.383 --> 00:08:32.931 On the other hand, there are the people working here, our institutional memory, knowledge, and experience. So many valuable assets have gathered in Partizán, which is why I felt it was worth taking on this role. 00:08:32.931 --> 00:08:43.738 After the elections, I also thought a lot about the new challenges facing the media, and how we could steer Partizán in a direction that aligns better with my content preferences. I felt these two paths could meet here. 00:08:43.738 --> 00:08:55.291 With the changes happening in public life across the country, a window of opportunity is opening up to guide Partizán towards delivering the absolute highest possible value and contribution to the Hungarian media market. 00:08:55.291 --> 00:09:06.791 So, that is basically why I took this on. I realize I bypassed the very first question of why I actually want to do this job, but these reasons are really the core of my motivation for taking over the leadership role. 00:09:06.791 --> 00:09:19.253 I wouldn't say I specifically seek efficiency, but the responsibilities of the editor-in-chief position genuinely interest me. I find it useful, and it gives both me and the team a much larger space to start experimenting. 00:09:19.253 --> 00:09:31.542 Trying out new formats and content holds immense potential, and through this, we want to contribute significantly to enriching the country's public life. There are so many exciting creative avenues we can now explore. 00:09:31.542 --> 00:09:45.037 Well, I think that is an absolutely wonderful challenge. I am very curious to see how you, as the new content director, will shape Partizán's entire program structure and transform our internal organizational workflows. 00:09:45.037 --> 00:09:57.849 I was ten minutes late to today's shoot again, so I guess I will see what penalties I face and what this means for my future here. I have always been criminally bad at punctuality, among several other things, to be honest. 00:09:57.849 --> 00:10:10.138 But what I wanted to say is that there is a fantastic newsletter from three years ago that you included in this morning's letter. We linked it in the description so everyone can read this powerful mission statement. 00:10:10.138 --> 00:10:24.849 That is what I loved most about today's newsletter; it

contains a mission statement, which is quite rare in Hungarian media. It's unusual for someone to state so openly what traditions they value and their intellectual roots. 00:10:24.849 --> 00:10:36.168 I mean, where they draw their inspiration from, and what criteria they weigh when deciding on content priorities. Let's start by laying the historical groundwork for all of this, to give our listeners some context. 00:10:36.168 --> 00:10:49.396 Even long before Slejm, we were already making videos. That was the 'Plus One' channel, which actually still exists on YouTube today, although no new content has been uploaded to it in over a decade and a half now. 00:10:49.396 --> 00:11:02.847 Then came Slejm, which you joined very early on, and you have basically been here ever since, through the transition to Partizán. What does making videos and working with moving images and media actually mean to you? 00:11:02.847 --> 00:11:14.486 First of all, whether it is written or visual, I am always primarily interested in storytelling. The moving image format is wonderful, though I am also very drawn to writing and do not really favor one over the other. 00:11:14.486 --> 00:11:27.159 The video format can probably reach a much wider audience. On one hand, it reaches more people, and on the other hand, it can be much richer because it works with a significantly larger set of creative tools. 00:11:27.159 --> 00:11:39.640 Starting from the set we sit in, the lighting, the cameras, and so on. Everything has meaning in a video, making the process of working with moving images far more complex and diverse than other forms of content. 00:11:39.640 --> 00:11:53.145 But the main goal is exactly the same as in writing: storytelling. I believe that storytelling itself, which goes back thousands of years, is one of our most fundamental tools for expressing and communicating ideas. 00:11:53.145 --> 00:12:04.506 Reading and creating stories helps us interpret and understand the world. We make sense of everything through stories, and we can only achieve political change if we build a narrative that is relatable and exciting. 00:12:04.506 --> 00:12:18.705 Now, the primary role of the media isn't to directly trigger political change. But regardless of that, I have personally always produced content to somehow contribute to progress and shape public discourse and debates. 00:12:18.705 --> 00:12:29.704 My goal is to influence how we think about issues and handle our common affairs. The main objective has always been to achieve some form of change through this, even if it is just introducing a new perspective. 00:12:29.704 --> 00:12:42.463 We might bring attention to a story people previously ignored. This is why video storytelling is such a powerful tool; it takes dry, niche subjects that rarely get attention and makes them engaging for a broad audience. 00:12:42.463 --> 00:12:55.830 By putting them into a well-edited narrative video, we can spark the political interest of many citizens. This, in turn, can foster active political participation, which is essential for a healthy society. 00:12:55.830 --> 00:13:07.287 This engagement is the fundamental tool needed if we want to live in a country populated by truly empowered citizens. It encourages people to raise their voices and take responsibility for their own communities. 00:13:07.287 --> 00:13:19.074 Empowered citizens are those who believe they have the power to shape their own and their community's environment in a direction that best meets their actual needs, absolute necessities, and deepest aspirations. 00:13:19.074 --> 00:13:32.249 Could you tell us more about your concept of politics? It might confuse some people, as you mention driving political change but also say it is not the media's job, especially since politics and party politics are synonyms here. 00:13:32.249 --> 00:13:45.242 So, what is your definition of politics that is distinct from party politics, yet still serves as a kind of compass or guiding thread for you as you take on this major responsibility within the organization? 00:13:45.242 --> 00:13:57.201 Yes, I understand politics in a very broad sense. Practically everything that affects our shared public life and concerns the entire community is political. It is about how we decide to live together. 00:13:57.201 --> 00:14:08.850 Whether it is a small community or a large one, dealing with what taxes we pay, how we participate in the institutional system, what kind of schools we have, what kind of hospitals we have, and so on. 00:14:08.850 --> 00:14:20.446 These are fundamental things, and you can go much deeper into this. Essentially, practically everything we organize collectively in order to make our shared life better usually belongs to the realm of politics. 00:14:20.446 --> 00:14:33.013 We often call this policy-making, for instance, but I think people usually associate a much narrower, more technical concept with that term. In my opinion, the question of what education we want is not policy. 00:14:33.013 --> 00:14:45.164 Of course, there is a policy side to it—how we regulate it, how we establish schools—but what kind of school we want is a deeply political issue. It is much more of a political question than who is in power. 00:14:45.164 --> 00:14:56.493 And I see this whole party and power politics sphere merely as a tool to achieve real political goals, which, in my case, means actually working towards achieving a much more equal and fair society. 00:14:56.493 --> 00:15:11.204 You name three important journalistic traditions in this country, established by writers and journalists: Lajos Kossuth, Károly Eötvös, and Endre Ady. What is it that connects these three figures, do you think? 00:15:11.204 --> 00:15:22.714 What is it about them that serves as an inspiration in the Hungary of 2026 for anyone who is currently thinking about pursuing a career in serious opinion journalism or writing in general? 00:15:22.714 --> 00:15:34.875 I think

it's basically exactly what I was talking about, that all three of them fundamentally... Lajos Kossuth is the most prominent, while Károly Ötvös is in the middle of this spectrum in this field. 00:15:34.875 --> 00:15:46.983 Ötvös was also a member of parliament, but he is primarily famous for his literary and human rights advocacy work. Let me say a few words about him, as not everyone is necessarily familiar with him. 00:15:46.983 --> 00:15:58.397 What has most prominently entered the country's historical discourse is that in the famous Tiszaeszlár trial, he defended the wrongfully accused Jews who had been accused of murdering a young girl. 00:15:58.397 --> 00:16:08.563 They were accused of sacrificing a child for their own religious rituals; this was essentially Hungary's symbolic, antisemitic show trial, and he stood up to defend them courageously at that time. 00:16:08.563 --> 00:16:19.839 And he was also one of the key figures of nineteenth-century national liberalism, who spoke out on public issues. So he had a strong political stance, alongside a very prominent literary career. 00:16:19.839 --> 00:16:34.599 As for Endre Ady, everyone knows him much better, as he is primarily remembered as a poet, but he also had highly significant journalistic work, and indeed, his entire poetry was fueled by deep political vision. 00:16:34.599 --> 00:16:46.152 Basically, Lajos Kossuth is also known primarily as a politician, but he started out as a journalist and publicist, and wrote a great deal throughout his life, expressing his strong political views. 00:16:46.152 --> 00:16:57.340 For all three of them, these two things—politics and journalism, media, persuasion, and mediation—intersect. That is why I mentioned them, because it is crucial to realize that whatever we say or write... 00:16:57.340 --> 00:17:09.171 Whatever we say, however we speak, we cannot completely separate ourselves from our own political goals and visions. Whether unconsciously or, ideally, consciously, we always influence those who listen to us. 00:17:09.171 --> 00:17:20.446 These three figures are role models for me because they consciously produced a body of work aligned with a clear political goal, successfully shaping public discourse to make the country a better place. 00:17:20.446 --> 00:17:33.151 It is not in your text, but you felt it was important for us to place a portrait of Gáspár Miklós Tamás here in the DSZ. What is it in his work that is important to you, or could serve as an inspiration? 00:17:33.151 --> 00:17:43.221 What in his life and work can inspire us here at the very beginning of the second quarter of the twenty-first century, as we navigate through these increasingly complex and polarized political times? 00:17:43.221 --> 00:17:55.190 I don't want to repeat myself, but it is basically the same thing. What is the difference, then, between Károly Ötvös and Gáspár Miklós Tamás in terms of their view of politics and the public sphere? 00:17:55.190 --> 00:18:06.561 Yes, Gáspár Miklós Tamás... actually, this is a shortened version of my editor-in-chief application essay, and in that paragraph, I think I wrote that he translated the Ötvös-Kossuth-Ady tradition... 00:18:06.561 --> 00:18:18.808 ...into a twenty-first-century left-wing language. But then, for Robi's sake, I ended up leaving it out of this final text, although looking back at it now, maybe I really shouldn't have done that. 00:18:18.808 --> 00:18:31.108 Basically, yes, so for me it is important for the exact same reason. To loop back, he too had an incredibly strong political vision, whether as an anarchist, a liberal, or later on as a committed leftist. 00:18:31.108 --> 00:18:41.690 And apart from a brief detour into party politics, he tried to work towards this vision primarily through his extensive journalistic and academic work, which remains highly influential even today. 00:18:41.690 --> 00:18:53.702 Furthermore, his political views are much closer to mine than, say, those of Endre Ady. Basically, after the disillusionment of the left following the collapse of the so-called socialist systems... 00:18:53.702 --> 00:19:05.351 ...he tried to translate into a twenty-first-century language that fundamental leftist belief system which, to put it very simply, considers the main goal of politics to be the equalization of society. 00:19:05.351 --> 00:19:17.598 For me, he was an exceptionally important figure in Hungarian public life because he represented this consistently. Even after his political turn, once he began identifying as a leftist and a communist... 00:19:17.598 --> 00:19:27.903 ...he consistently championed a system of beliefs that helped many of us think more freely, with solid intellectual backing and imagination, about what our most pressing political questions are today. 00:19:27.903 --> 00:19:39.829 And he showed us how we can act in a way where we do not just cling to empty clichés, but instead build on a deep theoretical background that can truly ground all of our ideas and political actions. 00:19:39.829 --> 00:19:53.152 This question often arises in the minds of our viewers: do these ideas and figures have any real significance in the Hungary of 2026, beyond being in history books or being memorized by high school students for their exams? 00:19:53.152 --> 00:20:04.705 A large part of the country still lives in the spirit of the regime change, while another part is going through a period of mourning, realizing they must bid farewell to the last sixteen years, which they held so dear. 00:20:04.705 --> 00:20:16.354 What is the significance of everything we have discussed so far, at a time when the audience is primarily curious about how the Tisza Party will govern and how Péter Magyar will deliver on all of his promises? 00:20:16.354 --> 00:20:28.835 Will parliament become a theater or a venue for genuine representative debates and struggles? How would you connect these two aspects so that anyone who feels distant

from this topic can see its relevance? 00:20:28.835 --> 00:20:41.689 This is not just an intellectual curiosity or a way of showing off your sophistication, but it is actually a crucial tool for you to perform your job as a journalist in a deeply meaningful and highly effective way. 00:20:41.689 --> 00:20:52.548 I think it is not only related, but it is the very foundation—not just of my journalistic work, but fundamentally of the kind of country we are going to live in under the leadership of a Tisza Party government. 00:20:52.548 --> 00:21:03.536 We can agree on a strong, core idea that the country wants change. But when it comes to the exact direction of this change, the country is much more diverse, and the prospective paths are far less clear to see. 00:21:03.536 --> 00:21:16.572 The direction in which the Tisza government will move and shape our country will ultimately be determined by ideas, principles, and political ideologies. And in this regard, I fundamentally believe that we... 00:21:16.572 --> 00:21:29.416 To return to the topic of education, which is a great example here, it is fundamentally an ideological question. Do we want to build an educational system that focuses on highlighting and cultivating talented students? 00:21:29.416 --> 00:21:42.772 Providing elite education to a few, or do we want to create a system that offers the most equal and inclusive education possible to the majority? This is a very serious ideological question that we cannot avoid. 00:21:42.772 --> 00:21:54.091 And in these specific matters, I do not think we have moved past the traditional left-right division at all. Equalizing education is a leftist vision, while elite talent cultivation is clearly a right-wing system. 00:21:54.091 --> 00:22:06.562 Both approaches have their relevance. Choosing between them is an ideological and political stance. The primary task of the media is to clarify that behind every policy decision, there are these deep ideological views. 00:22:06.562 --> 00:22:18.713 The media must make these underlying ideologies understandable, explaining what each side represents and what their decisions actually mean. Furthermore, I believe it is our responsibility as media professionals... 00:22:18.713 --> 00:22:30.906 to acknowledge our own ideological positions. I am fundamentally a left-wing thinker, and I want to argue why, in my opinion, a leftist education system would be better for the entire country than a right-wing one. 00:22:30.906 --> 00:22:43.612 How will this actually look in terms of content? What can the viewers expect? Which programs will remain, what kind of new shows will be introduced, and what will Partizan's overall video portfolio look like? 00:22:43.612 --> 00:22:55.069 Beyond video content, what other formats are you and your team currently considering to reach your audience? Are there any text-based, audio, or interactive formats that you are planning to launch soon? 00:22:55.069 --> 00:23:06.110 Our primary goal is

to fully establish our video portfolio. We have been actively working on this over the past few months, as these structural changes have gradually begun to crystallize for our platform. 00:23:06.110 --> 00:23:18.261 The fundamental change in Partizan's life will be that, in my opinion, there is now much less need to simply broadcast political events. During the campaign, it was crucial to see things unfold minute by minute. 00:23:18.261 --> 00:23:29.526 Every single minute of the campaign contributed to how the election would turn out. After the election, this same intensity of political communication remained, but we are beginning to see a shift in its nature. 00:23:29.526 --> 00:23:41.217 However, I see that the type of communication that often takes place in parliament is increasingly becoming detached from actual policy decisions and the substantive political work being done in the background. 00:23:41.217 --> 00:23:53.421 In my view, it is the duty of the media and Partizan to look behind the scenes of parliamentary party politics. We need to focus on how the Tisza government reshapes institutional systems and policy measures. 00:23:53.421 --> 00:24:05.390 We should prioritize these systemic changes over simply reporting on how Péter Magyar happens to be arguing with his latest Fidesz challenger. This shift represents the core change in our future content strategy. 00:24:05.390 --> 00:24:15.461 In addition to this, we want to pay much closer attention to how these top-down decisions affect the majority of society from a grassroots perspective. While we have always produced reportages and infotainment, 00:24:15.461 --> 00:24:27.900 we want to deliver a slice of reality, an interpretation, and a context to our viewers in a much more compact format. The proportion of these concise, focused contents will increase significantly in the future. 00:24:27.900 --> 00:24:39.731 Consequently, there will be fewer of those multi-hour, drawn-out studio discussions. At times, we feel that these extremely long formats somewhat test our viewers' patience, given their busy daily schedules. 00:24:39.731 --> 00:24:51.466 People can follow parliamentary events in many other places anyway. I believe we respect our viewers' time much more if we deliver all of that essential content in a much more condensed and accessible format. 00:24:51.466 --> 00:25:03.201 You have partially answered my next question, but I will still ask it in a slightly rephrased way because it is worth discussing. On one hand, we have a Prime Minister who works under constant media coverage. 00:25:03.201 --> 00:25:14.008 Practically everyone turns to him first for video content to see what is happening in Paks, what is going on in the rest of the country, and so on. His digital presence shapes how political news works. 00:25:14.008 --> 00:25:24.590 And there is a significant part of the Hungarian media that basically acts as a mere intermediary for this broadcast, which, by the way, was actually a partisan practice for a very long time as well. 00:25:24.590 --> 00:25:37.167 We constantly tried to nuance, counterpoint, or reinforce this issue using expert discussions or added journalistic commentary, depending on what was needed or what was justified at that moment. 00:25:37.167 --> 00:25:50.117 So, if I am reading you correctly, you also feel that we need to step back from this genre, or at least it would be highly beneficial to significantly reduce its overall proportion in our daily content. 00:25:50.117 --> 00:26:02.694 By the way, this shift in focus is already quite visible on Partizán, but alongside this, what is it that can truly make Partizán stand out in such a highly diverse and competitive YouTube landscape? 00:26:02.694 --> 00:26:15.964 Especially since new, extremely strong players are about to enter the market, at least in terms of their massive capital resources, financial backing, and highly advanced technological capabilities. 00:26:15.964 --> 00:26:29.565 It is quite obvious that the public media is currently evolving, and it could easily become a very significant player in the near future; I am not saying this will happen completely automatically. 00:26:29.565 --> 00:26:40.884 But they could definitely secure some very strong positions. Commercial television channels are also entering the space; for instance, RTL is now actively appearing on the YouTube platform as well. 00:26:40.884 --> 00:26:55.039 So it is clear that YouTube has always been an arena with many active, interesting, and valid players, but now this space is becoming even more incredibly diversified and competitive than before. 00:26:55.039 --> 00:27:11.403 So, in this rapidly changing arena, if YouTube continues to be our primary platform, what can the actual mission of Partizán be, and what unique value can we offer to our viewers to maintain trust? 00:27:11.403 --> 00:27:22.220 How do we ensure they continue to feel that it is absolutely worth voting their confidence in the P-logo, and that we remain their go-to source for reliable, independent journalism in the country? 00:27:22.220 --> 00:27:31.831 On one hand, starting from September, I want to launch a regular programming schedule that appears predictably and provides highly reliable reports on exactly what is happening across the country. 00:27:31.831 --> 00:27:43.608 So I want Partizán to be an anchor. If you only watch one of our videos a week, let it be one where you don't just hear about everything, but rather get informed about absolutely everything that matters. 00:27:43.608 --> 00:27:54.467 Seen from a relatively transparent, openly acknowledged ideological perspective that I just mentioned, these are the issues that truly matter in the country and affect the largest number of people. 00:27:54.467 --> 00:28:05.050 So we want to focus intensely on this task of filtering and weighting. I truly want Partizán to be the channel where you can receive the most concentrated updates on the

most important information. 00:28:05.050 --> 00:28:16.891 On the other hand, the exact same applies to our report videos; we want to continue regularly broadcasting stories about how these major political changes impact a huge part of society on a daily basis. 00:28:16.891 --> 00:28:27.430 As I mentioned earlier, we want to show how political shifts affect the majority of the population, so we will be consistently releasing high-quality report videos to cover these crucial areas. 00:28:27.430 --> 00:28:39.729 Meanwhile, the third tradition, which I already outlined in my newsletter, is the sociographic Hungarian tradition of populist writers, and for me, the most important principle for reports is this. 00:28:39.729 --> 00:28:50.215 I wouldn't quite call this entire sociographic genre a 'Hungarikum', but it is a genre that is extremely characteristic of Hungary, one that does not really exist elsewhere in this very specific format. 00:28:50.215 --> 00:28:59.869 And do you mean film sociography in particular, meaning the audiovisual adaptation of all this, or taking this whole concept a step further through the medium of moving images, is that absolute? 00:28:59.869 --> 00:29:11.700 Absolutely. Whether we are talking about written or moving image formats, the core essence is recognizing that we can talk about systemic problems most credibly if we let people tell their own stories. 00:29:11.700 --> 00:29:21.450 We need to let the cleverly and diversely selected representatives of these struggles, who are actually living through these difficult situations, speak for themselves rather than narrating for them. 00:29:21.450 --> 00:29:33.003 These are the people who are directly in that situation. In our reports, we definitely want to head in this direction, as I believe having this kind of content regularly on Partizán is a major value. 00:29:33.003 --> 00:29:43.394 It represents a highly distinct value that I do not really see anywhere else on YouTube right now. Thirdly, we will also be releasing structured, compact, and highly informative video formats. 00:29:43.394 --> 00:29:54.115 For example, this summer we had 'Three Steps', which truly commits to analyzing specific public policies in detail, thereby providing a complete picture of what is happening in just 10 to 15 minutes. 00:29:54.115 --> 00:30:04.922 This format gives our viewers a comprehensive overview of the most crucial developments in Hungary. The fourth element we are planning to introduce is a permanent foreign policy program on our channel. 00:30:04.922 --> 00:30:16.016 The primary objective of this foreign policy show is precisely the same: to bring in highly distinguished values and entirely new perspectives, helping viewers grasp the global context easily. 00:30:16.016 --> 00:30:27.387 Through a single, concise summary video, they will be able to learn about what is truly important in the world, what significant events occurred globally, and exactly how we interpret those events. 00:30:27.387 --> 00:30:36.668 We have already released three pilot episodes of this show on the channel, and starting from this September, we would like to launch it as a regular, weekly fixture in our programming schedule. 00:30:36.668 --> 00:30:46.087 The fifth element where we truly want to stand out on YouTube is the same core thing that Partizán has always done, which has always been an incredibly important characteristic of our channel. 00:30:46.087 --> 00:30:57.928 Namely, providing highly innovative, distinguished, and premium added value compared to typical YouTube content, using tools borrowed directly from pop culture and the entertainment industry. 00:30:57.928 --> 00:31:10.121 This allows us to discuss serious societal issues that are otherwise highly important in our everyday lives. So basically, our career-spanning critical interviews and deep-dive conversations... 00:31:10.121 --> 00:31:20.469 ...will also be making a triumphant return to Partizán. I really want this to become highly regular over time, alongside reviving unique formats like the Friday Night Partizán General Assembly. 00:31:20.469 --> 00:31:31.222 This assembly was a particularly outstanding value of the Partizán community, and we have a strong intention to continue these formats. Although we don't have concrete, finalized plans for them yet... 00:31:31.222 --> 00:31:42.082 ...we definitely want to bring back these types of highly interactive shows in the near future. As for our next big hit, which is coming up very soon, I think it is best not to say too much about it. 00:31:42.082 --> 00:31:51.043 Let's not reveal that just yet, because our communication team is already working hard on it, and we definitely wouldn't want to accidentally spoil any of our upcoming big autumn announcements. 00:31:51.043 --> 00:31:59.673 So let's cut this short for now, but indeed, regarding pop culture and entertainment content, we will have numerous exciting announcements throughout the autumn, so please be patient with us. 00:31:59.673 --> 00:32:10.704 These details will all be revealed very soon. It is almost a shame we cannot share them right now, but you will find out shortly. What I also wanted to bring up here relates to our overall closure. 00:32:10.704 --> 00:32:23.036 Specifically, it ties directly into the deeper question of what kind of world we are currently living in, and what Hungary represents as a nation today. Let us explore this final theme together now. 00:32:23.036 --> 00:32:33.479 It really is the ultimate question of our generation, trying to understand the social and political dynamics of contemporary Hungary, and how we can navigate this complex reality moving forward. 00:32:33.479 --> 00:32:46.802 In order to find meaningful answers, we need to carefully analyze the underlying structures of power and media that shape our everyday perceptions of truth, justice, and community in this country. 00:32:46.802 --> 00:33:03.656 My basic premise is that Hungary

remains in a fundamental democratic crisis, primarily created by Fidesz, especially through its 2011 electoral law that completely wrecked the existing party structure, which was already deeply flawed. 00:33:03.656 --> 00:33:16.511 This left absolutely no room for new representative initiatives. Frankly, there was no party capable of entering parliament on its own strength, through a committed ideological platform and an appealing offer to voters. 00:33:16.511 --> 00:33:30.240 With the exception of Mi Hazánk, of course, while Tisza was fundamentally created as an electoral party, uniting many different political currents. This is more or less how Péter Magyar himself talks about it in this context. 00:33:30.240 --> 00:33:45.238 So now the big question is, what will they do with the mandate Tisza received, which is obviously outstanding, historic, extraordinary, and so on, to ease, change, or eventually resolve this democratic crisis? 00:33:45.238 --> 00:33:58.188 The next year and a half will be critical in seeing if we get an electoral law that not only fixes the problems Fidesz created in 2011, but also addresses the heavy legacy weighing on our society since the regime change. 00:33:58.188 --> 00:34:12.621 Will the opportunity to engage in politics also become democratized, making it easier for someone to start a political career even without social or financial capital? Combined with the media, it is a highly complex situation. 00:34:12.621 --> 00:34:28.910 The country is facing this complex situation while still lacking a meaningful opposition. Just like before 2026, until Tisza appeared, there was no real opposition to hold the government accountable and credibly represent public criticism. 00:34:28.910 --> 00:34:42.266 The opposition is in such a severe crisis, perhaps like never before. Since 2010, we have had a leader of whom we cannot even tell whether he actually wants to lead his party or not, let alone face what he has produced for the country. 00:34:42.266 --> 00:34:55.398 We are obviously talking about Viktor Orbán. He has become a sort of Schrödinger's cat: if you look at him one way, he is a politician; if you look another way, you cannot even tell if he ever wants to engage in politics again. 00:34:55.398 --> 00:35:08.684 So, I think we are in a situation that can only be described as a deep crisis, especially at a time when we can see the energy crisis raging and significant international movements occurring on the geopolitical stage. 00:35:08.684 --> 00:35:20.098 These point to very harsh geopolitical and international circumstances, where Hungary now has to figure out its own path and define what its next decade of the twenty-first century will be about for us. 00:35:20.098 --> 00:35:34.349 So, how can Partizán contribute to this process, and what can we offer to those who expect some kind of guidance from us, in the same way they have traditionally come to expect and rely on from Partizán? 00:35:34.349 --> 00:35:48.398 Personally, regarding the question of democracy and where a Tisza government would go, I am less interested in the party politics aspect. The crisis of party-political democracy in this country has much deeper roots. 00:35:48.398 --> 00:36:02.021 It is not primarily due to the constitutional system. While the Fidesz electoral law heavily contributed, I see that as a mere symptom. The real issue is whether people in local communities feel empowered and emancipated. 00:36:02.021 --> 00:36:13.158 Do we feel we have enough power to actively shape politics in our immediate environment and relationships? To me, a much more interesting question is how we connect with those specific communities. 00:36:13.158 --> 00:36:24.209 During the recent campaign, I focused mostly on these topics and filmed a six-part series with my colleague in Bihar and Zemplén, two of the country's poorest regions, which have a large Roma population. 00:36:24.209 --> 00:36:38.312 We wanted to see how a national campaign manifests in poor areas and Roma settlements. It was inspiring to see that the democratic belief in change, which fueled Tisza's rise, reached these communities despite all hardships. 00:36:38.312 --> 00:36:50.143 The exact same debates took place there as elsewhere in the country. Many of our interviewees were genuinely enthusiastic about the kind of change Péter Magyar and a Tisza government could bring to their lives. 00:36:50.143 --> 00:37:01.739 These communities were inactive for so long due to deep material vulnerability, which the Fidesz system exploited to build a suffocating client network. The momentum of Tisza was significant because it broke through this wall. 00:37:01.739 --> 00:37:14.412 However, it is a different question whether a new power will view people as actual citizens with rights, rather than just voters and clients, as Fidesz did, which stripped them of the belief that they can participate in politics. 00:37:14.412 --> 00:37:25.688 Will they do everything to translate the democratic spirit of the campaign into real power structures? Instead of building or inheriting Fidesz's client networks, they must dismantle them to create genuine democracy. 00:37:25.688 --> 00:37:36.868 They need to work to establish truly democratic conditions in the smallest villages and communities of the country. This effort is key to building a democracy in Hungary that is genuinely built from the ground up. 00:37:36.868 --> 00:37:47.451 If we reach a state where more of us believe we can shape our own future and country, it will naturally produce new political parties. The role of the media in this context is to expand people's imagination. 00:37:47.451 --> 00:37:58.760 We must argue that there is always an alternative; we never have to do things just because we always did. We can always make things better. We must maintain an openness to a kind of utopia we want to work toward. 00:37:58.760 --> 00:38:11.423 As a video medium, we primarily work with people and

faces. Many trust us with their image, which we edit and place in various contexts. This is a massive responsibility that we must handle with great care. 00:38:11.423 --> 00:38:22.560 For a media outlet to call itself progressive, the key is how it portrays people, how it treats their faces, what questions it asks, and whether we can present anyone appearing on our channel with true dignity. 00:38:22.560 --> 00:38:34.443 Even in difficult situations, we shouldn't evoke pity but show them as empowered individuals capable of change, as fully emancipated citizens who can contribute to making our country a more shared and inclusive place. 00:38:34.443 --> 00:38:47.479 As a final question—though I could have argued with you on several points, I will be disciplined and stick to our schedule. It occurred to me that we should occasionally open up editorial debates on these topics. 00:38:47.479 --> 00:39:00.238 It is a fascinating question whether processes can be built from below when they are blocked from above and constitutionally shut off. But let us not get into that now, as we must move to our final, crucial topic. 00:39:00.238 --> 00:39:12.389 This is not just a mandatory part of our discussion, but perhaps the most essential one. I would refer back to the newsletter from three years ago, which you wrote when Partizán launched its first tax campaign. 00:39:12.389 --> 00:39:23.483 At that time, twenty-one thousand one hundred and twenty-two people contributed—I still remember that exact number to this day, and it represents a massive milestone in how we built this channel's community. 00:39:23.483 --> 00:39:37.031 ...offered their one percent, which exceeded all our expectations at the time. On one hand, it's a huge relief because we can count on this money for next year, securing a significant portion of our budget. 00:39:37.031 --> 00:39:49.565 This is a relief that shouldn't be underestimated, but on the other hand, it represents the kind of commitment and confirmation that our mission has social validation, a supportive community, and real strength. 00:39:49.565 --> 00:40:00.286 It shows there is a real force behind us that genuinely wants this, and it's not just some passive thing where they simply say, oh yes, I subscribed, and then they just forget about us completely. 00:40:00.286 --> 00:40:13.471 So, you see, this is the kind of commitment that has released absolutely incredible energy within Partizán, driving us forward and giving everyone on the team a massive boost of motivation and strength. 00:40:13.471 --> 00:40:26.517 Your newsletter is the best historical record of this, because at that time, you were writing in a state of serious professional apathy, and this experience, seeing this crowd standing there and agreeing with us, 00:40:26.517 --> 00:40:38.208 seeing that they feel this project is truly worthy of their hard-earned tax money, literally launched you like a geyser right out of that deep, dark place of indifference, giving you a completely new perspective. 00:40:38.208 --> 00:40:52.737 Right out of that deep pit of apathy. I bring this up now because we are obviously in a situation where many people might ask, look, the change in government has happened, and the Tisza party is leading the country. 00:40:52.737 --> 00:41:03.864 With public media set to reform, they wonder why we still need so-called independent media at all. Why do we still need Partizán, and why should people continue to support us with their hard-earned money? 00:41:03.864 --> 00:41:15.087 We will definitely need to talk about this in more detail at some point. We have tried several times, but it is a complex issue of what kind of representative role the public has historically associated with the media. 00:41:15.087 --> 00:41:25.669 Now, what kind of representative role awaits the media, if any, and how do we argue our case to those who are carefully counting their tight budgets and deciding where to allocate their hard-earned money? 00:41:25.669 --> 00:41:35.878 Why does a Partizán subscription belong alongside Netflix, or fit into the monthly shopping basket when everything is getting more expensive and people really have to count every single coin they spend? 00:41:35.878 --> 00:41:48.689 So, why should anyone actually choose to invest their money in Partizán individually and on a regular monthly basis, especially in times like these when every single expense has to be carefully justified? 00:41:48.689 --> 00:42:02.184 Yes, the newsletter you referred to was born from experiencing that so many people stand behind us and support Partizán financially. This was right after our defeat in the twenty-two elections, which was hard. 00:42:02.184 --> 00:42:12.895 For about a year, we were completely lost, trying to find our path and failing to see a clear direction. It was a deeply apathetic period, but knowing we meant so much to so many people kept us going. 00:42:12.895 --> 00:42:23.200 That realization meant everything to us, and it was the core inspiration behind writing that newsletter, reflecting on the incredible support we received from our community during such a difficult transition. 00:42:23.200 --> 00:42:34.453 That is how it came to be, so I want to take this opportunity to thank everyone who supported us with their one percent back then, those who have done so since, and indeed all of our regular monthly supporters. 00:42:34.453 --> 00:42:48.982 Just for our viewers' information, it will only become clear around September fifteenth how many people have decided to support Partizán's work this year by dedicating their one percent tax contribution to us. 00:42:48.982 --> 00:42:59.703 Sorry for the interruption, I just wanted to make sure our audience has the exact timeline for when those crucial figures will be released, but please go ahead and continue with what you were saying. 00:42:59.703 --> 00:43:11.896 Yes, exactly, and I do not just thank you because you make our daily operations

possible, though standing by us financially is incredibly important. The most crucial part, which I also wrote in that newsletter, 00:43:11.896 --> 00:43:22.745 is the deeper meaning behind this support. When someone actually decides to dedicate their hard-earned resources to our cause, it creates a profound connection that goes far beyond a simple financial transaction. 00:43:22.745 --> 00:43:35.728 By dedicating financial resources to keep us running, you are joining a community. It might not be the most intimate circle, but it is a community nonetheless, and the collective strength it represents is huge. 00:43:35.728 --> 00:43:47.982 This collective power gives us an incredibly strong sense of faith and conviction, reminding us every single day that what we are doing is truly worthwhile and has a genuine impact on society as a whole. 00:43:47.982 --> 00:43:58.660 So, this is why I believe it is absolutely worth supporting Partizán, provided that you appreciate the content we produce and find some value in the various programs and discussions we bring to you. 00:43:58.660 --> 00:44:09.552 Media outlets funded by corporate money and advertising operate on a completely different model. It is a totally different relationship when someone supports a platform because of shared personal values. 00:44:09.552 --> 00:44:21.980 That is why it is so different from Netflix. With Netflix, you are just a customer buying a service, whereas with Partizán, you are not a consumer, but rather you become an active member of our community. 00:44:21.980 --> 00:44:33.490 The more people support us, the more they help shape our collective path, reinforcing our shared responsibility to focus on the issues that carry the absolute greatest social significance and public benefit. 00:44:33.490 --> 00:44:45.683 This support determines our approach and deepens our sense of duty to cover topics of high social importance. Looking ahead, I see an even greater, perhaps more crucial role for independent media in the future. 00:44:45.683 --> 00:44:57.609 We must ensure the Hungarian media market remains highly diverse even after a change in government, which is vital because under the previous regime, we operated under a very different set of circumstances. 00:44:57.609 --> 00:45:10.933 Under the previous system, we did a lot, and there were various outlets, but criticizing the regime and exposing its dark sides was a unifying goal. Now, we are entering an era with completely different objectives. 00:45:10.933 --> 00:45:21.984 Every media outlet is now starting to develop its own distinct profile, which is incredibly important because the fundamental job of the press is to closely monitor every single detail of what is happening. 00:45:21.984 --> 00:45:33.772 We must track the direction of reforms, analyzing what happens to tax policy, labor policy, and whether we will live in a more equal country. For me, this is perhaps the most critical question we face today. 00:45:33.772 -->

00:45:44.866 We also discussed the state of democracy earlier, and I firmly believe that Partizán must focus its attention primarily on these fundamental issues, ensuring that we remain vigilant and highly analytical. 00:45:44.866 --> 00:45:57.635 We need to represent these core values and focus on issues that do not just interest the general public, but more importantly, those that directly affect the lives of the widest possible segments of society. 00:45:57.635 --> 00:46:08.217 I view this as a crucial watchdog role, which is the fundamental duty of the press, and honestly, I do not see other outlets on the current media market focusing on this specific aspect with the same intensity. 00:46:08.217 --> 00:46:21.263 Therefore, being able to operate as freely as possible and produce diverse content is essential, especially because we analyze the incoming government through a very specific and consistent set of values. 00:46:21.263 --> 00:46:34.619 This value-driven perspective on the Tisza administration and the national transition will be quite unique in Hungary. I am absolutely convinced that our country needs this independent oversight right now. 00:46:34.619 --> 00:46:44.508 We want to ensure that when we look back at this historic transition decades from now, we can view it as a genuine, meaningful step toward building a country where we all truly want to live and thrive. 00:46:44.508 --> 00:46:58.386 I would also like to add that our channel now has over seven hundred thousand subscribers, making it the single largest public affairs and news channel on the entire YouTube platform here in Hungary. 00:46:58.386 --> 00:47:10.550 If just three percent of those seven hundred thousand subscribers chose to support us with a small monthly donation, our operations would be incredibly secure, and we would be in an absolutely fantastic position. 00:47:10.550 --> 00:47:25.217 So yes, in the grand scheme of things, it is not a massive amount of money on a national scale, but for our team, it is absolutely vital to ensure we can keep broadcasting and stay present in the public sphere. 00:47:25.217 --> 00:47:35.938 This support allows us to carry out the essential journalistic duties and investigative projects that you, as our new editor-in-chief, have so clearly outlined for us just a few moments ago in our discussion. 00:47:35.938 --> 00:47:47.640 And with that final thought, we are going to wrap up our conversation for today, but before we go, I want to express my deepest gratitude to everyone who has tuned in and spent their valuable time with us. 00:47:47.640 --> 00:47:58.169 Thank you so much for this opportunity. I think this served as an excellent first introduction for anyone wanting to understand your perspective on the world, the media landscape, and Hungary's position in it. 00:47:58.169 --> 00:48:09.583 Our viewers certainly received plenty of material today, whether they want to analyze it with healthy skepticism, or engage with enthusiastic

interest, and we welcome all forms of constructive dialogue. 00:48:09.583 --> 00:48:21.734 I hope we successfully catered to both sides of our audience today. If we did not, then of course the question remains as to what other pressing issues or topics I should have brought up during my talk with Vince. 00:48:21.734 --> 00:48:33.063 Perhaps we can dive deeper into those outstanding questions and explore them thoroughly the next time we sit down together, ensuring that we leave no stone unturned for our highly engaged community. 00:48:33.063 --> 00:48:46.142 I just want to say once again that I am incredibly grateful to you for applying and taking on this role. While it definitely comes with significant challenges, it also brings a great deal of professional joy. 00:48:46.142 --> 00:48:58.996 I truly hope that the incredible team standing right beside you and the entire supporting organization will help you navigate these demands, offering their full dedication and creative energy along the way. 00:48:58.996 --> 00:49:13.792 Our team will fill this structural framework with deeply engaging content, driven by passion. I wish you, and indeed all of us, great strength, endless perseverance, and outstanding professional success. 00:49:13.792 --> 00:49:26.593 Thank you once again for joining us today, Vince, and for sharing your thoughts so openly. It has been an absolute pleasure having you on the program, and we are all very excited to see what the future holds. 00:49:26.593 --> 00:49:37.080 Thank you so much for having me here today, and for giving me the opportunity to share my views. I am truly looking forward to working with everyone on the team and embarking on this exciting journey. 00:49:37.080 --> 00:49:49.231 And to our wonderful audience, thank you so much for your attention. It was absolutely fantastic to welcome you back once again, and to spend this past hour sharing these meaningful discussions with you. 00:49:49.231 --> 00:50:03.889 In 45 minutes. That was Vince's introduction; starting September 1st, he is Partizán's editor-in-chief, but as I said, I'm certainly not disappearing. Instead, I'll be back with more and more new content. 00:50:03.889 --> 00:50:16.188 If you're wondering why it's worth subscribing, or more accurately, supporting Partizán, it's because you get to attend our exclusive events, like the major event we are hosting for our supporters in early September. 00:50:16.188 --> 00:50:29.501 We'll talk about future plans there, including things we only hinted at in this video. Unfortunately, registration for that is completely full, as it was fully booked within the very first 24 hours. 00:50:29.501 --> 00:50:41.332 We want to thank everyone who signed up immediately to join us; we're so glad! We are planning plenty of other exclusive events, including one about my new project, which launches on video on August 28th. 00:50:41.332 --> 00:50:53.728 We will also hold a preview screening, but as for where and for whom, well, we can only reveal that to our supporters. So it's truly worth joining us, even with the smallest contribution if you can manage. 00:50:53.728 --> 00:51:07.180 We strive to earn your support as best as we can, and we'll announce our upcoming plans to everyone, not just our supporters, I promise. But supporting us gives you unique access to our editorial operations. 00:51:07.180 --> 00:51:20.226 So if you're interested in Partizán, want a behind-the-scenes look, and want to feel that you are contributing to the survival and even the strengthening of Hungary's system-critical independent media, 00:51:20.226 --> 00:51:33.817 then you belong among our supporters. You can find the link in the description to join us. I want to say a huge thank you to everyone who has enabled our operations so far through your generous support. 00:51:33.817 --> 00:51:48.455 And also to those who might trust us now. Thanks, thanks, thanks! Thanks for watching. We say goodbye now, but we'll return soon. I wish you all the best, see you soon, and as I always say, until then, bye!