Influencers Usher in a New Era for #metoo
4/18/202650 min
Prime Minister Viktor Orban lost in Hungary’s national elections, bringing his 16-year tenure to a close. On the week’s On the Media, what it will take for Hungary to rebuild a robust independent press after years of crackdowns. Plus, how two social media stars publicized sexual assault allegations against a California congressman.
[01:00] Brooke speaks with Melanie Mason, POLITICO’s California Bureau Chief, to trace the “whisper network,” involving an education policy influencer with over 1.4 million followers, that exposed California Rep. Eric Swalwell’s history of sexual assault and resulted in his resignation from Congress and exit from the California gubernatorial race. Plus, what this reckoning reveals about the legacy of #MeToo.
[18:33] Host Brooke Gladstone sat down with Ivan Nagy, a political journalist and Delacorte Fellow at the Columbia Journalism Review from Hungary, days before the Hungarian election to discuss covering the lead-up, and the lasting damage inflicted on the press by Viktor Orban that will inevitably carry over into the next administration.
[34:50] Brooke calls up Ivan Nagy again after Hungary’s election last weekend to discuss what it was like on the ground in the aftermath of Peter Magyar’s historic win over Viktor Orban, and what the new Prime Minister could mean for the media.
Further reading / watching:
- “‘If Someone Lit Up a Match, the Place Would Explode,’” by Ivan L. Nagy
- “The whisper network that caught up to Eric Swalwell,” by Melanie Mason and Jeremy White
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Clips
Transcript preview
First 90 secondsIvan Nagy· Guest0:00
You're being compared to Viktor Orbán. You can only be great for the press.
Brooke Gladstone· Host0:03
Hungary's newly elected Prime Minister Peter Magyar says he wants to overhaul state media and support a free press, and changes are already underway.
Ivan Nagy· Guest0:13
Those independent outlets that had survived the 16 years of Orbánism will continue to be the main source of information for much of the country. The other ones, those ones who are on government payroll, will have a very tough time building their reputation back.
Brooke Gladstone· Host0:29
From WNYC in New York, this is On The Media. I'm Brooke Gladstone. Also on this week's show, a political career cut short.
Speaker 2· Soundbite0:37
Multiple women have accused Swalwell of sexual misconduct and assault.
Speaker 3· Soundbite0:41
Breaking news coming just 20 minutes ago. Eric Swalwell announcing he's suspending his run for California's governor.
Brooke Gladstone· Host0:47
Set in motion by a whisper campaign and a couple of influencers.
Melanie Mason· Guest0:51
The story comes out, and they all just burst into tears.
Brooke Gladstone· Host0:54
It's all coming up after this. From WNYC in New York, this is On The Media. Micah Loewinger's out this week. I'm Brooke Gladstone. Two weeks ago, Eric Swalwell was a Democratic congressional representative, a cable news darling, and one of the top candidates running to be the next governor of California. But then...
Speaker 2· Soundbite1:20
Multiple women have accused Swalwell of sexual misconduct and assault.
Speaker 5· Soundbite1:24
This Capitol Hill staffer is coming forward for the first time on camera to talk about