Interview with the cabaret artists Max Uthoff and Claus von Wagner
Extended roles: Supply Satiriker Journalism and Journalists Satire? This impression has at least the two cabaret artists from the ZDF broadcast the institution. Max Uthoff and Claus von Wagner have articulated in two broadcasts of the institution in front of a million audience a media criticism, which would hardly have been pending in their idiosyncratic nature. On YouTube was on the two videos of the satire program over 150.000 times accessed.
Screenshot from the broadcast of 23.9.2014 About Media and Propaganda. Image: ZDF
In the interview with Telepolis, the two cabaret artists illustrate where their criticism comes from presenting journalism and how they think about that two journalists approach their satirical examination legally. The interview was guided before fault in reporting in the reporting in the ARD blog with spiral words.
That journalists and satirists sometimes a bit "excited" Relationship" to each other, is at least since the unforgettable appearance of the US moderator Jon Stewart in the political talk show "Crossfire" known. It was in October 2004, as Stewart in the broadcast "Crossfire" was taken because of the satirician in his legends "Daily show" repeatedly criticized the journalism of the coarse media in his country. With one of the highlights of the many attained occurrence, the two moderators confronted Stewart with an interview he had guided with the US politician John Kerry. They criticized Stewart for his contortless questions he said Kerry and wanted him so clarify that he did not even sell the journalistic gloss achievements, as he needed her again and again. Stewart countered meaningfully with the statement that something might want to run wrong if professional journalists compare with him, so a satirist, compare.
This small trip to the year 2004 shows that the conflict between leading media and its "Observer" not new. He finds Landerubergendend, and that for a long time instead.
A high point in this struggle for the interpretation sovereignty between coarse media and part of its recipients is currently to be observed in Germany with regard to reporting on the crisis in Ukraine. Max Uthoff and Claus von Wagner have picked up exactly this phenomenon in their show. Through its satirical representations, it has succeeded in making the conflict between leading media and its recipient visible. It is clearly in its contributions: leading media and recipients are not only separated by different political views. Parts of the coarse media seem to act almost in a separate meaning world that features themselves to those of the recipients by basic perception grids. This basic constellation offers plenty of space for satire.
In her last broadcast from last Tuesday, they have ied themselves in a battle level and dealing with a general mobile cancellation. A few days ago you were allowed (or. the lawsuit of the institution) drove a fight in court. It may be that as satiricians just pretty much "turbulent" Lift times?
Max Uthoff: I was a lawyer and am extra on cabaret, so I no longer have to court – and now that! How do you think about the negotiation? Max Uthoff: Everyone has the right to emphasize in a constitutional state of his view of things. And we are pleased that Josef Joffe and Jochen Bittner the topic "Journalistic independence" have brought to the public with such a reprint.
Claus von Wagner: Otherwise, we expect the decision of the court. The Time Author Jochen Bittner, who has obtained an interim borrowing against one of her entrusts, has reported in the Telepolis forum. He writes that he or she. The institution offered to speak in a public framework of the representations in the program. He writes: "You have rejected that, with reference to a lack of time, rejected. Then I had two weeks time to submit an application for interim injunction – which I have reluctantly done." Why did not address the discussion offer?
Claus von Wagner: We talked to each other. When we have listed, how to continue this conversation, we surprised us the underranity.
Max Uthoff: I’m always so cramped in interviews when I am sued at the same time. In their current program, they delivered a pointed media criticism, the audience applauded loud. How do you explain this enthusiastic reaction of the audience?
Max Uthoff: Yes. And on the Internet, the clip finds rapid distribution. The number seems to have in the viewers something to have. There is probably a diffused discomfort that the leading media often tried to demonstrate the burger in important political ies a limited worldview.
Claus von Wagner: The journalists trace that something gives them something: the difference across topics. But that could actually be something like a liberation. Why not simply back to the competent information collecting and preparation, so as to allow readers to find their own thinking!? This does not mean the opinion pages. Please be so subjective that it is crashed!
Max Uthoff: The readers will not have fallen in the long run, either ignored or denounced in criticism or deviating opinions. One must imagine that: the ARD program council, ie an official panel of the transmitter, in which selected Burger observe the reporting, so these official observers must have all the seriousness as an agent’s Putin’s crops because they criticize unilateral reporting to Ukraine ( Ukraine conflict: ARD program council confirmed audience critique). The ARD director sees himself attacked in his honor. What we were again at the soldier. The journalists seem to be lamented in protective trenches. With an honest discussion or. Self-criticism has nothing to do.
Claus von Wagner: Something important to me, where we are quoted in Russian television. In times of wary conflicts, the world decapsed in a frightening way in two bearings. There are sudden friends and enemies. According to the motto: "Who is not for us, is against us." As a placed as satirician, to suit his professional description it is likely to stretch, quickly between the fronts. That’s why it clearly clear here: if we are in the "Institution" Pronounce that many German media and journalists were able to inform much better than they currently do it – that does not mean that we are automatically saying, everything from other sources (Z.B. Russia) comes, reliable is. Or that we get the conclusion in Russia. In short: satire may paint black and white, journalists have the whole color palette. You should also use them. You can tell us how a cabaret will look at the political events of this world? Is there a one? "special" view?
Claus von Wagner: I do not think so. In any case, he is not more special than that of an interested reader.
Max Uthoff: We are on the media or. Incorporation instructs information. Maybe our Arger comes to the media landscape: because the information brokers do not make their job in many cases.
Claus von Wagner: Yes. Actually, the satirist should do satire and the journalists journalism. But at the moment we have the feeling, it is the other way around: There we should make journalism, and the news sometimes involuntarily satire satire. Is not that too much too sharpened? You can fix this on an example.
Max Uthoff: As in the daily topics, where an alleged rough demonstration of thousands of burgers for the unity of Ukraine was reported in the stadium of Donetsk. An amateur video on Youtube shows, on the other hand, an almost deserted stadium – except for saying 300 ordered fahnchenschwenker. Stop, a coarse consecration of journalists was also there and apparently tried to bring the impression of a mass event through skillful image clips. This satire managed it unrecognized to the German main news. Now they are both not only cabaret artists, but also burgers. When you slip out of the cabaret star roll, then as "normal human" on the media, to the political crises, look at the problems of this time, what do you think?
Max Uthoff: Now privately we believe in more calls, more austerity and more Aufenhandel – short, it should stay that way it is because it’s because: so bad is not that bad. But try to survive with these convictions as a cabaret artist… What should and must afford the political cabaret?
Claus von Wagner: First of all: Cabaret does not have to. It may not apparently do not all… Someone has said to be cabaret "Game with the acquired knowledge context of the viewer". Accordingly, as a satirician just had to play, which is already there. Place allusions that can make an informed audience. complete. But what, if you discover something, which is not or in our opinion is too little reported? What do you do then? What we try in the institution is therefore to stretch this narrow cabaret concept; a little to expand the knowledge context of the viewer. By conveying information in a fun. And then play with it.
Max Uthoff: That’s a great bit more exhausting. That’s why we fight for better journalism. Then our work becomes easier again. We are naturally lazy. If you think about your work as cabaret artists: there will be a further development and how could this look?
Claus von Wagner: After the institution no cabaret should be possible in Germany. Because it is no longer needed. We are working to make us overflow. I believe Tucholsky said.
Max Uthoff: That was Hildebrandt?
Claus von Wagner: Should we look?
Max Uthoff: I think I’m just lazy.