I think the equation has many unknowns; the problems that arise cannot be attributed to a single cause. On the one hand, there is Covid, the disappearance of paper and printing costs, rising wages (which are increasingly difficult to manage from an employer's point of view), and of course the consequences of these: good journalists are becoming difficult to pay, so magazines are employing increasingly cheaper labor, ergo, the quality of articles is declining. On the other hand (it's a vicious circle), print magazines are on the decline, everyone has turned to online media, but it has half the prestige, meaning that many journalists do not want to publish online, or only want to publish online, on the other hand, the Hungarian market – and perhaps the global market as well – has become accustomed to online content being "free," making it even more difficult to manage the costs involved. Of course it's not free: there's working hours, invested money, development costs, maintenance costs, servers, colleagues, salaries. Why would anyone think that an online portal would cost less simply because it doesn't have to spend a pile of money at the printers every month? There are advertising costs, and on the revenue side, there is almost nothing left, except for the subscription system, which for some reason doesn't really work in Hungary either. It is no coincidence that those involved in wine media in Hungary today have either put their online platforms on hold, like BORIGO, or are struggling like pigs on ice, unless the company group behind them has interests in other areas and doesn't mind transferring hundreds of millions to the wine playground.

Another cancer afflicting the shrinking wine industry is the issue of credibility. It is unclear what kind of wine events the interest groups behind the magazines are interested in organizing and hosting, how they classify the wines that pass through their hands, how marketing costs incurred by wineries or other agreements made for business reasons distort the market. Of course, winemakers do not want to spend money; they make wine to sell it, not to pay for it, but it is also true that declining wine consumption and growing indifference are making everyone's situation increasingly difficult. It's a cliché, but it's still true: in the growing noise, one possible way out – if the budget allows – is to increase marketing costs in order to stand out from the crowd. Yes, but who is that person, what is that authentic workshop that is worth investing money and time in, that reaches the ever-shrinking segment of consumers, or even attracts new ones?

After all, we are all struggling with declining readership! This could be blamed on Covid again, but it's not worth it. Just as print media "broke down" first, online media is now in the same situation. Articles on wine are read by barely a thousand people on leading portals, a good wine video might reach five thousand views, and there is no way out in sight. How has consumer attitude changed? Are they only not consuming wine-related media content, or are they not consuming wine either? Are the two related, or is there no significant correlation between declining wine consumption and declining interest? For a decade, I have been saying, as a bittersweet solution, that we need to start an Instagram page where we can see women posing in lingerie, holding wine, bottles, and labels. I am sure that, at least in terms of wine, it would soon be among the most viewed pages, for which winemakers would be happy to pay. Yes, but do we really have to boost views at all costs? After all, it is possible to cheat, as there are countless examples of this! Even I, a technical anti-talent, know that it's just a question of money how many followers I'll have on Instagram, in the form of Saudi robots and Nigerian hackers, which I can then use to show off so that winemakers will spend their money with me. Unfortunately, I have come to the conclusion that changes in public opinion and taste (not only in the field of wine, but in general) will slowly but surely lead to the end of our business. I trust that winegrowers will find an answer to the Flavescence dorée, so that we won't end up with no wine to write about, but I also think that the way we have tried/are trying to communicate about wine is doomed. We are unable to reinvent ourselves. The thousandth interview with a winemaker, the hundredth tasting video, the millionth wine description is coming, and everyone is waiting for the miracle that will change everything, that people will start drinking wine again, that sales will skyrocket, as will advertising revenues. I have bad news: this is not going to happen.

Of course, I don't know the solution either. Perhaps, in an increasingly narrow space, we should aim for exclusivity and push printed magazines, build a subscriber base and preach about prestige, but it may also be necessary to sensationalize wine tasting, with busty blondes and big-eyed puppies in the foreground and wine in the background. If the latter is what the people choose—oh democracy!—then I'll pack up my tent right away, because I don't want to see the democratization of public taste leave its mark on wine as well. There's a famous graffiti saying, "Eat cow shit, ten billion flies can't be wrong!" Perhaps my approach is elitist, but I insist that the masses can indeed be wrong, even if I end up starving to death along with my principles. Wine is more than just an objectified female body that we try to sell!

In any case, sooner or later we will have to give an account of what we have achieved, what we have done wrong, and what the solution will be. In my mind, I have already considered complete withdrawal, a change of profile, and leaving the field altogether. Why write if no one reads it? Why shoot videos if no one pays for my work? Should I become a wine merchant? After all, fewer and fewer people are buying wine. Should I become a winemaker? Apart from the fact that it's a different profession, I can see how much they suffer from the weather, bureaucracy, and ultimately sales. I don't know how this will end, but I'm afraid it will hurt everyone...