Through an unprecedented outpouring of support, viewers have raised the production costs for the remaining eleven episodes of Hazajáró (The Homecomer), the show’s creators announced in a Facebook post. As they wrote, Hazajáró stepped off the TV screen and became a real, living community, and they would like to express their heartfelt thanks to everyone for their generous support, encouraging messages, and outpouring of love.
Hazajáró—the most popular program showcasing the history and communities of Hungarians in the Carpathian Basin—was not spared by the TISZA government’s controversial takeover of the public media. On July 21, the series’ producers announced that the Hungarian public service broadcaster, MTVA, “did not wish to renew or otherwise maintain” the contract for the local history and tourism magazine program without providing a reason, nor did it renew the contract for the producers’ other series, Kárpát-medence (Carpathian Basin), which specifically showcased the lives and survival of Hungarian communities living in the separated territories.
The series, which launched in 2011, was originally scheduled to conclude at the end of 2026 with 440 episodes,
Magyar Nemzet reported.
So far, 429 episodes of the series have been produced and aired, meaning only eleven episodes remain for the entire project to be completed.
The producers emphasized that they never expressed any partisan political views in the episodes;
nevertheless, they believe that the public media executives temporarily appointed by the TISZA government have concluded that there is no need for either Hazajáró or the apolitical, pan-national spirit it represents.
Fact
Fifteen years ago, the Hazajáró team set out to travel the length and breadth of the Carpathian Basin to showcase its natural and cultural treasures, historical landmarks, and the daily lives of the Hungarian people living there. In the process, the television program has evolved into a vibrant community connecting Hungarians in the Carpathian Basin with Hungarians around the world.
Related article
The Timeline of a Public Broadcast Appointment in the New Hungarian Dictatorship
Instead of much needed reforms, the taxpayer-funded media is experiencing the whims of a new cynical elite.Continue reading
Via Magyar Nemzet, Facebook; Featured photo: Facebook/Hazajáró
