Final Word from Tuesday, March 11, 2008
A regular feature of the Czech media is an exposé on this or that string-puller who has brought attention to himself. Recent targets have been Stanislav Gross and Jiří Weigl. Before that was mafia boss František Mrázek, whose name filled the pages after he had the dumb luck of being shot dead. Media expert Milan Šmíd said he's not impressed. If we're supposed to feel we're learning something about backstage politics and business, he said, let's see journalists dish up some inside dirt on Andrej Babiš, Pavel Tykač, Karel Komárek or other influential businessmen who are almost faceless in the media. Or let's see those paparazzi who can zoom in on any celebrity or politician produce a recent photo of Petr Kellner. Or give us a CV of Milan Janků that includes his links to Mrázek. Ah, but these people are influential enough to prevent the media from prying into their affairs, Šmíd said. So they're just delighted to see reporters chase dead or peripheral characters.[Czech Republic PPF ECM Agrofert KKCG journalism]
Glossary of difficult words
string-puller - someone who pulls strings, exercises influence behind the scenes;
Stanislav Gross - ex-prime minister, involved in a business scandal;
Jiří Weigl - Klaus's chancellor, involved in an election scandal;
dumb luck - something that happens unintentionally and without planning;
backstage - kept from public scrutiny, secret;
to dish up - to serve, present;
dirt - information about a person's activities or private life;
to zoom in on - to focus in on, magnify, target;
to pry - to enquire too closely into a person's private affairs;
peripheral - of secondary importance.