Új Szó
Encyclopedia
Új Szó is a Hungarian language
only daily newspaper published in Bratislava
, Slovakia
. It also publishes a weekly Sunday supplement titled Vasárnap (Sunday, before 1990: Vasárnapi Új Szó).
(KSS) first printed on December 15, 1948, but quickly transformed into a daily newspaper which was first printed on May 1, 1949.
The banner of the newspaper was Workers of the world, unite!
at first, than after a governmental order, from May 21, 1951 was changed into "daily newspaper of the Communist Party of Slovakia
". The newspaper slowly melts from the hardline communist doctrine to the point where, during the Prague Spring
in 1968, denies cooperation with the ruling party. Later its control transfers from the media section of the party to directly to its central committee
.
Új Szó was a frontrunner of the defending of the minority rights of the Hungarians in Slovakia
as much as it could in different times. Being the newspaper of the communist party's central committee, always had some impact on the government's minority policies, but only after 1968 started acting as a "real" defender of minority rights and became the target of Slovak nationalists. Later in that year, on October 7, 1968 the newspaper launched a somewhat independent weekly weekend magazine under the name Vasárnapi Új Szó.
During the night of March 8–9, 1987 the headquarters of Új Szó, Csemadok
and some other Hungarian organizations' based in Bratislava
were attacked and damaged, but no one was injured.
On January 14, 1988 the then chief editor József Kiss was elected into the Central Committee
of the Communist Party, as such being the first ethnic Hungarian in that position. On December 18, 1989 Új Szó rehabilitate
d all of those associates whom were fired or excluded on political reasons.
On January 2, 1990 the banner changes into "Czechoslovakian Hungarian leftist newspaper" and on the next day, its publisher changes from the KSS
to the Pravda Publishing Company. (Pravda means truth
in Slovak) Three days later the weekly weekend magazine of Új Szó shortened its name from Vasárnapi Új Szó to Vasárnap. Later in that year the paper switches to Apollopress Publishing, then to Slovakopress, then to Vox Nova plc
(which is established by the then editorial guard of the newspaper) and again changes its banner to "independent newspaper". Its editors quickly joined the newly established Czechoslovakian Journalists Syndicate's Hungarian subsidiary. The banner has changed twice since, first in 1994 to "Slovakian Hungarian daily newspaper" ("szlovákiai magyar napilap") and in July 2008, when it left all subtitles.
51% of the publishing company Vox Nova was sold to Socpresse
in 1992 to gain financial stability for Új Szó. However Socpresse soon got into financial trouble on its own, and had to sell the (otherwise profitable) paper to Rheinische Allgemeine Verlag und Druckerei (publisher of Lidové noviny
, Rheinische Post
and various other newspapers) in 1996. They soon grow their ownership to 90% in Vox Nova, when, in 1999 sold it to Passauer Verlagsgruppe, which fused with Grande Presse in 2001 to form the current (as of June 2008) publishing company, Petit Press, and thus Új Szó became "sisters" with various regional and nationwide Slovak newspapers, most notably with SME
and The Slovak Spectator
.
Vasárnap being the weekend subsidiary of Új Szó had followed the same way until 2001, when the two became fully separated. (Until 2001 both newspapers had the same chief editor)
Meanwhile the online version of the newspaper had launched too, first at ujszo.sk, which is now redirecting to the current website, ujszo.com. Both the online and print version of the newspaper underwent a design refreshing in July 2008, and the banner of the online edition was replaced by the newspaper's which was also somewhat redesigned.
Hungarian language
Hungarian is a Uralic language, part of the Ugric group. With some 14 million speakers, it is one of the most widely spoken non-Indo-European languages in Europe....
only daily newspaper published in Bratislava
Bratislava
Bratislava is the capital of Slovakia and, with a population of about 431,000, also the country's largest city. Bratislava is in southwestern Slovakia on both banks of the Danube River. Bordering Austria and Hungary, it is the only national capital that borders two independent countries.Bratislava...
, Slovakia
Slovakia
The Slovak Republic is a landlocked state in Central Europe. It has a population of over five million and an area of about . Slovakia is bordered by the Czech Republic and Austria to the west, Poland to the north, Ukraine to the east and Hungary to the south...
. It also publishes a weekly Sunday supplement titled Vasárnap (Sunday, before 1990: Vasárnapi Új Szó).
History
The Új Szó was established by a party order on December 1, 1948. It originally started as a weekly magazine of the Hungarian branch of the Communist Party of SlovakiaCommunist Party of Slovakia (1939)
The Communist Party of Slovakia was a communist party in Slovakia. It was formed in March 1939, when the Slovak Republic was created, as the Slovak branches of the Communist Party of Czechoslovakia were separated from the mother party...
(KSS) first printed on December 15, 1948, but quickly transformed into a daily newspaper which was first printed on May 1, 1949.
The banner of the newspaper was Workers of the world, unite!
Workers of the world, unite!
The political slogan Workers of the world, unite! is one of the most famous rallying cries of communism, found in The Communist Manifesto , by Karl Marx and Friedrich Engels...
at first, than after a governmental order, from May 21, 1951 was changed into "daily newspaper of the Communist Party of Slovakia
Communist Party of Slovakia (1939)
The Communist Party of Slovakia was a communist party in Slovakia. It was formed in March 1939, when the Slovak Republic was created, as the Slovak branches of the Communist Party of Czechoslovakia were separated from the mother party...
". The newspaper slowly melts from the hardline communist doctrine to the point where, during the Prague Spring
Prague Spring
The Prague Spring was a period of political liberalization in Czechoslovakia during the era of its domination by the Soviet Union after World War II...
in 1968, denies cooperation with the ruling party. Later its control transfers from the media section of the party to directly to its central committee
Central Committee
Central Committee was the common designation of a standing administrative body of communist parties, analogous to a board of directors, whether ruling or non-ruling in the twentieth century and of the surviving, mostly Trotskyist, states in the early twenty first. In such party organizations the...
.
Új Szó was a frontrunner of the defending of the minority rights of the Hungarians in Slovakia
Hungarians in Slovakia
Hungarians in Slovakia are the largest ethnic minority of the country, numbering 520,528 people or 9.7% of population . They are concentrated mostly in the southern part of the country, near the border with Hungary...
as much as it could in different times. Being the newspaper of the communist party's central committee, always had some impact on the government's minority policies, but only after 1968 started acting as a "real" defender of minority rights and became the target of Slovak nationalists. Later in that year, on October 7, 1968 the newspaper launched a somewhat independent weekly weekend magazine under the name Vasárnapi Új Szó.
During the night of March 8–9, 1987 the headquarters of Új Szó, Csemadok
CSEMADOK
CSEMADOK, also written Csemadok, is a cultural society of ethnic Hungarians in Slovakia.CSEMADOK was formed on March 5, 1949 in Bratislava as a part of the Czechoslovak National Front, an umbrella state-wide organization...
and some other Hungarian organizations' based in Bratislava
Bratislava
Bratislava is the capital of Slovakia and, with a population of about 431,000, also the country's largest city. Bratislava is in southwestern Slovakia on both banks of the Danube River. Bordering Austria and Hungary, it is the only national capital that borders two independent countries.Bratislava...
were attacked and damaged, but no one was injured.
On January 14, 1988 the then chief editor József Kiss was elected into the Central Committee
Central Committee
Central Committee was the common designation of a standing administrative body of communist parties, analogous to a board of directors, whether ruling or non-ruling in the twentieth century and of the surviving, mostly Trotskyist, states in the early twenty first. In such party organizations the...
of the Communist Party, as such being the first ethnic Hungarian in that position. On December 18, 1989 Új Szó rehabilitate
Political rehabilitation
Political rehabilitation is the process by which a member of a political organization or government who has fallen into disgrace, is restored to public life. It is usually applied to leaders or other prominent individuals who regain their prominence after a period in which they have no influence or...
d all of those associates whom were fired or excluded on political reasons.
On January 2, 1990 the banner changes into "Czechoslovakian Hungarian leftist newspaper" and on the next day, its publisher changes from the KSS
Communist Party of Slovakia (1939)
The Communist Party of Slovakia was a communist party in Slovakia. It was formed in March 1939, when the Slovak Republic was created, as the Slovak branches of the Communist Party of Czechoslovakia were separated from the mother party...
to the Pravda Publishing Company. (Pravda means truth
Truth
Truth has a variety of meanings, such as the state of being in accord with fact or reality. It can also mean having fidelity to an original or to a standard or ideal. In a common usage, it also means constancy or sincerity in action or character...
in Slovak) Three days later the weekly weekend magazine of Új Szó shortened its name from Vasárnapi Új Szó to Vasárnap. Later in that year the paper switches to Apollopress Publishing, then to Slovakopress, then to Vox Nova plc
Public limited company
A public limited company is a limited liability company that sells shares to the public in United Kingdom company law, in the Republic of Ireland and Commonwealth jurisdictions....
(which is established by the then editorial guard of the newspaper) and again changes its banner to "independent newspaper". Its editors quickly joined the newly established Czechoslovakian Journalists Syndicate's Hungarian subsidiary. The banner has changed twice since, first in 1994 to "Slovakian Hungarian daily newspaper" ("szlovákiai magyar napilap") and in July 2008, when it left all subtitles.
51% of the publishing company Vox Nova was sold to Socpresse
Socpresse
Socpresse was a French corporation which controlled the conservative daily newspaper Le Figaro, the weekly magazine L'Express, 40% of the weekly Le Journal du Dimanche, Valeurs Actuelles, and the football club FC Nantes. The company was acquired by the Dassault in September 2006...
in 1992 to gain financial stability for Új Szó. However Socpresse soon got into financial trouble on its own, and had to sell the (otherwise profitable) paper to Rheinische Allgemeine Verlag und Druckerei (publisher of Lidové noviny
Lidové noviny
Lidové noviny is a daily newspaper published in the Czech Republic. It is the oldest Czech daily. Its profile is nowadays a national news daily covering political, economic, cultural and scientific affairs, mostly with a centre-right, conservative view...
, Rheinische Post
Rheinische Post
The Rheinische Post is a major German regional daily newspaper, published since 1946 by the Rheinische Post Verlagsgesellschaft mbH company....
and various other newspapers) in 1996. They soon grow their ownership to 90% in Vox Nova, when, in 1999 sold it to Passauer Verlagsgruppe, which fused with Grande Presse in 2001 to form the current (as of June 2008) publishing company, Petit Press, and thus Új Szó became "sisters" with various regional and nationwide Slovak newspapers, most notably with SME
SME (newspaper)
SME or Denník SME is the most widely read and very influential mainstream broadsheet in Slovakia.Its target group is very wide, but officially it focuses on readers in bigger cities and agglomerations. Its circulation in December 2006 was 76 590. It appears 6 times a week. It is issued by Petit...
and The Slovak Spectator
The Slovak Spectator
The Slovak Spectator is Slovakia's only English-language newspaper.It is published weekly by The Rock, s.r.o. publishing house and covers local news, culture and business...
.
Vasárnap being the weekend subsidiary of Új Szó had followed the same way until 2001, when the two became fully separated. (Until 2001 both newspapers had the same chief editor)
Meanwhile the online version of the newspaper had launched too, first at ujszo.sk, which is now redirecting to the current website, ujszo.com. Both the online and print version of the newspaper underwent a design refreshing in July 2008, and the banner of the online edition was replaced by the newspaper's which was also somewhat redesigned.
External links
- Archive of Új Szó online (2001–2007), epa.oszk.hu (Elektronikus Periodika Archívum) (HungarianHungarian languageHungarian is a Uralic language, part of the Ugric group. With some 14 million speakers, it is one of the most widely spoken non-Indo-European languages in Europe....
) - Chronology of the Hungarians in Slovakia (HungarianHungarian languageHungarian is a Uralic language, part of the Ugric group. With some 14 million speakers, it is one of the most widely spoken non-Indo-European languages in Europe....
) (English version) - Mercator Institute research on Hungarian language in Slovakia