Media freedom
EU Commission criticizes Poland’s broadcasting law
Satellite dishes are illuminated in blue at the headquarters of TVN, owned by US company Discovery, in Warsaw. Photo: Czarek Sokolowski / AP / dpa
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Poland applies restrictive criteria for the granting of broadcasting licenses. The EU Commission criticizes that this could further restrict media freedom.
According to the EU Commission, the media landscape in Poland is coming under increasing pressure.
The new broadcasting law could lead to forced changes in the ownership structure of media companies and pose a serious risk to media freedom and diversity, said a spokesman for the Brussels authority on Monday. “This can lead to a restriction of media freedom in Poland, where the media landscape is already suffering from increasing politicization.”
The Polish parliament passed the amendment to the broadcasting law on Friday. In the future, broadcasting licenses should only be granted to foreigners if they have their headquarters or residence in the European Economic Area. In addition, the licensee must not be dependent on someone who is headquartered or resident outside of it. According to critics, the law targets the private broadcaster TVN, which takes a critical line against the ruling party PiS. The decision now rests with President Andrzej Duda, who could stop the law by vetoing it.
Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki defended the amendment again on Monday. The reason for the change is that regulations have been formulated in more detail that have been circumvented so far. Similar ordinances with restrictions for foreign investors also exist in Germany, France and Austria, for example.