On the evening of May 3, 2002, television presenter Thomas Gottschalk was honored with the Media Prize for Language Culture at the Wiesbaden Kurhaus. He proved that he was right to receive this award at a reception in the town hall in the afternoon.

In response to Mayor Diehl's words of appreciation that every politician envied him for his talent in captivating an audience of millions, Gottschalk replied that not every politician could deliver such outstanding oratory as Diehl.

The presenter described Wiesbaden as a city in which life is raging. With a wink, he added that he only goes to Mainz to attend sacred events.

Following the ceremony, Gottschalk was relaxed and uncomplicated: Up close and personal, he gave numerous interviews and signed autographs.

At the end of the event, all critics were convinced that Thomas Gottschalk, as a likeable person and gifted speaker, was rightly chosen as the recipient of the Media Prize for Language Culture.