Media Representation of #MeToo in Hungary: A Case study

Abstract

It is widely accepted that #MeToo in Hungary has not fulfilled its promise, which is closely connected to the (negative) development of its central, symbolic media story about Lilla Sárosdi and László Marton. Building on the concepts of trial by media and public exposure and using the method of qualitative discourse analysis, this paper aims to explain why trial by media in the Marton László case seemed to lose its power, and how it happened that as the case developed over time Marton’s figure became constructed more and more as a victim instead of a perpetrator. The main factors behind the strengthening of the discourse criticizing trial by media are the distance between the players, various imbalances and the ‘competition of victims’ developing throughout the case. As a result, Sárosdi, the actual victim and Marton could not be constructed as ’unimpeachable victim and real perpetrator’ which would have been essential for the success of trial by media. Moreover – given the symbolic status of the Marton case –, its positive outcome would have been crucial for the perception of success of the whole Hungarian #MeToo movement, as well.