Poland controversial media bill relating to media ownership has created a tense situation between Poland and the United States of America.
There have been debates about the law since August 2021, when Poland’s lower chamber had passed the controversial media law. In December 2021, the government has returned to the law without any warning.
The ruling party has been accused of returning the law. Since the voting by the lawmakers for the bill was not scheduled. A committee discussed the bill on short notice, and the issue was added to the agenda and approved on Friday (17/12/21) and has been sent President Andrzej Duda to ratify.
This bill passing before Christmas is also viewed as a strategy of the ruling nationalist Law and Justice party (Pis). Since it was questioned that they would get enough votes to pass the law.
What is the controversial law?
The law will affect firms outside the European Economic Area (EEA) to get a license to operate a television or radio station in Poland. These strict rules on foreign control will ban all direct and indirect ownership. The passing of the bill has raised concerns about media freedom.
Polish Prime Minister Mateuz Morawiecki has defended the law. The ruling party has argued that there is a need for change to protect the broadcasting market and potential takeover by companies from Russia and China.
The ruling party has also said that foreign media has too much influence on Poland and affects public debates.
This is not the first time that changes have been made regarding media policy in Poland. It has been highlighted that media policy changes are made to aid the anti-democratic trends in Poland. it helps to strengthen the empower of populist leaders.
The Law and Justice government started changing the media policy right after coming into power in 2015. The Law and Justice government have policies that are not open to migrants and the LGBTQ+ community.
They also passed legislation that political leaders more control over the court, which was called out by EU lawsuits. Many local News Channel has stopped taking against the ruling party. Many governments led company has brought news outlets. Thus, the law’s passing is also seen as an attack on the TVN.
The United States of America is angry about the law
TVN Group is a Polish TV firm where US-based Discovery, Inc owns significant shares. TVN24 is the most-watched news channel in Poland. The news channel has been reporting against the ruling party. The Discovery firm is registered in the Netherland and owns more than 49 per cent of Polish media companies. The new law will affect their working.
The management of the media firm has said that this is an ‘attack in the free media’.
On Friday, President Duda said that ‘they will analyze the bill and appropriate decision will be taken’.
The United States of America is disappointed about the passing of the bill. State department spokesperson Ned Prince said in his statement that “the United States is deeply troubled by the passage today of a law that would undermine freedom of expression, weaken media freedom and erode foreign investors’ confidence in their property rights and contracts in Poland”.
The opposition to the new law
The European Commission has also raised concern about the new law, which is against the democratic values in Poland. Opposition lawmakers have accused how the committee was formed, which was ‘illegal and breached democratic standards.
Joanna Scheuring-Wielgus, deputy head of the committee, said that members were asked to attend 24 minutes beforehand; the rule is to inform three days in advance.
It was announced that the household power and gas bill would be increased in the next year.  Opposition lawmakers have also said that the sudden attention is given to the law is to divert away people attention from other domestic issues such as the high inflation and corruption allegations.Â
People had also critiqued the law and have protested in the past as well. Protestors say that is part of the authoritarian agenda.
The renewal of the broadcasting license of TVN’s main news channel has been delayed. This new media law highlights the government’s action in restricting news critical of the party and affecting media freedom.  Â
