Social demokratic publicists in the post-February exile (1948-1953)

This diploma thesis (Journalism of Social Democratic Exile after February 1948 /1948- 1953/) studies the history of social democratic party in exile between the years 1948 and 1953 with special focus on journalism, news service and propaganda. The thesis describes formation of party fractions and deals with how they defined themselves, communicated and presented themselves in the media. The thesis then goes on to analyse the newspaper format, production and financing thereof as well as the number of copies. It looks into broadcasting activities of social democrats and their plans related to the setup of illegal radio. Based on the cases of party secretary Vilím Blažej and Bohumil Laušman, the last party chairman prior to February 1948, the thesis analyses the question whether single groups within the party in the given time period tried by its journalistic activities to primarily influence events in Czechoslovakia or whether these efforts slowly faded due to rivalry between fractions and frustration over hopeless political situation and lack of audience in such an extent that media outputs were later on confined only to discussions within the party and to barely expressing political views