Poland

PMA calls on Poland’s Senate to reject the controversial media ownership bill, which poses a serious threat to media independence and pluralism.

With the suspension of TVN24’s licence and a draft media bill to ban non-European media ownership underway, media pluralism in Poland continues to be threatened.

Changes to the public broadcaster’s supervisory body sparks concern about the future of its independence.

A proposed tax on advertising revenue that could create long-lasting damage to media independence and pluralism in Poland is to be amended.

Growth in ownership by state-backed companies reignites concerns that government is tightening its control over the country’s media.

Media pluralism is necessary for democracy to function effectively. But clampdowns and suspensions, repressive laws and the expulsion of foreign media have placed pluralism under threat globally.

Poland’s public broadcaster Telewizja Polska (TVP) continues to face heavy criticism following the 2020 presidential election while the country’s government looks to restrict foreign media ownership.

From political interference to funding cuts, many independent public media organisations are facing both new and ongoing threats. Here we reflect on some of these challenges, many of which have been amplified by the COVID-19 crisis.

From pro-government election and coronavirus coverage to hate speech, there are serious concerns that the government’s ongoing interference will extinguish hopes for independent public media in Poland.

A debate about media freedom and the role of public media has been sparked in Poland after a public radio station removed a chart-topping anti-government song from its website.