Poles to protest bill that would silence US-owned TV network
Nationwide demonstrations are planned across Poland against a bill seen as an effort by the country’s nationalist ruling party to silence an independent, U.S.-owned television broadcaster that is often critical of the government
WARSAW, Poland — Nationwide demonstrations are planned Tuesday across Poland against a bill widely viewed as a effort by the country’s nationalist ruling party to silence an independent, U.S.-owned television broadcaster critical of the government.
At stake in the bill’s passage is Poland’s reputation for media freedom and as a place for foreign companies to do business. The proposal is already straining relations the United States, a key ally.
Technically, the bill would prevent non-European owners from having controlling stakes in Polish media companies.
In practice, it would push the U.S. company Discovery Inc. to sell its controlling stake in the broadcaster TVN, which operates many channels — most notably TVN24, an all-news station. TVN also has a flagship evening news program that is watched by millions daily.
The ruling party, Law and Justice, has long sought to nationalize the media, citing national security, and says the law would bring Poland into line with other European countries, including France and Germany, which limit foreign ownership in the media sector. It cites the risk of media being controlled by hostile powers like Russia and China.
Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki said Tuesday the law isn’t directed against anyone but seeks to protect Polish society. He alleged, for example, that foreign entities are trying to influence Poland’s public debate on COVID-19 vaccinations.
“It is through the media that other countries influence our social life,” he said at a news conference.
The bill was introduced last month. Whether it will pass remains unclear because a junior partner in the right-wing ruling coalition views the bill as an attack on pluralism.
The press freedom group Reporters Without Borders urged lawmakers to reject the legislation. It accused the right-wing ruling party of “targeting Poland’s leading independent TV broadcaster on the pretext of combating disinformation and defending national security,” saying it believes the true aim is to “to enable government allies to acquire TVN.”
Poland fell this year to 64th of 180 countries in the group’s World Press Freedom Index, its lowest ever. It was in 18th place in 2015, the year that the Law and Justice party took power.
TVN24 is the leading source of independent broadcast news for many Poles. The station celebrated the 20th anniversary of its launch on Monday.
Demonstrations in support of the TVN broadcaster are planned in 78 cities and towns Tuesday evening, the day before parliament is to debate the bill.
Discovery had already felt endangered as the National Broadcasting Council, a Polish state body, has so far failed to renew the broadcast license for TVN24, which expires in late September.
The bill’s fate is being watched as a key test of media freedom and democracy.
Critics fear it would be a large step bringing Poland closer to the media landscape in Hungary, where authoritarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán has gained near-total control over the media as private outlets have either folded or come under the control of his allies.
The ruling party has already turned tax-funded public TV into a party mouthpiece. Lately it has been seeking greater control over private media, with the state oil company buying a large private media group last year.
TVN represents the largest ever U.S. investment in Poland. The company was bought for $2 billion by another U.S. company, Scripps Networks Interactive, which was later acquired by Discovery.
Last week a bipartisan Congressional group expressed its increasing concern “about the ongoing attacks on the free press, independent judiciary and the rule of law in Poland.”
Former Polish foreign and defense ministers wrote an open letter to the Polish government last week expressing fears the proposed legislation could weaken ties with the U.S., which has troops stationed in Poland and sells Poland military equipment.
The ex-ministers called on the government to “stop hostile actions against American investors and to respect the basic values shared by the Western countries that are friendly to Poland — democracy, the rule of law and freedom of speech.”
Jean-Briac Perrette, president and CEO of Discovery International, called the planned vote on the bill concerning, warning that “an unpredictable regulatory framework should be very concerning for all potential investors in the market.”
The development comes as Discovery is set to merge next year into a mega-company with AT&T’s WarnerMedia.
