Penta joins the Czech media moguls
The Czech media are in such a financial situation that almost anything an advertiser wants to do can be done. If ČEZ wants to wrap a fake newspaper around MFD and make confused readers do a double take, no problem. The idea that Penta needs to buy a newspaper to do tie-ins for its pharmacies, betting agencies or bank is commercial nonsense. You don't pay €50m or more in a declining media market to get access to "free" commercial advertising that can be bought anywhere. Yet this is the No. 2 reason Marek Dospiva of Penta gave on Sat. in his newly acquired Deník for buying Vltava-Labe-Press. The No. 1 reason - a drum roll please - is to help contribute to the improvement of Czech society. This is curious, because one of the best ways to contribute to an improvement in society is to detach the commercial interests of the owners from the media they control. Dospiva is merely becoming another typical Czech media mogul.
Glossary of difficult words
to do a double take - to have a delayed reaction to something unexpected, immediately after one's first reaction;tie-in - a joint promotion;
drum roll - a rapid succession of beats sounded on a drum, often used to introduce an announcement or event;
to detach - to separate or uncouple.