FUNERAL

Judit Kopper

MTV Budapest

In 1990, following the country's first democratic elections, Elemer Hankiss became head of the Hungarian Television. He replaces of the old hierarchical structures with production offices such like FRIZ. These new offices belonged to the state-television but nonetheless enjoyed an unusual degree of independence. Within three years, several hundred programme, primarily about art and culture, had been created in the newly founded FRIZ studio. FRIZ succeeded in attracting young video makers who never had contact with television before (including many painters, musicians and film students). Long-term programming series including Video world, Media mix, Culture Person, Adam's Son/Eva's daughter, and others. In a variety of festival prizes, FRIZ also received the prize of the Budapest Film Show for the best creative collective.

In 1993 Elmer Hankiss was suspended after trying to defend the independence of Hungarian Television against attempts of the government (and/or political parties) to assert tighter control. Directional positions and production offices were dissolved and in summer FRIZ lost its ability to produce its program. At present Hungarian Television has no chairman - new laws on the media have not been introduced - and programs are continuously removed from the air. In the view to this situation a wide variety of cultural figures are increasingly withdrawing broadcasting rights for their works from television.

The media war is underway.

Examples of FRIZ productions:

FUNERAL

by Andras Solyom, H, 1992, 7 Min.

Bang Bang goes the socialistic burial rhythm. The soviet burial cut (dis)mounts the greatest DADA, sepulchural performance-ceremony that ever was. In the heave-and-hoe and banging-the drum rhythm of the furious, poetic performance of Akos Szilagy, Lenin and other commands, generals and secretaries-of state are carried to their last resting place - amidst burying robots and internment machines. And who dies too late another frustrated (funeral directing) artist? Was the real Socialism DADA?

MEDIA WARS

a compilation by Judit Kooper, H. 1993/94

The role of television in the political transformations in Eastern Europe (Rumania, Hungary, Russia). A current compilation of "evidence".