Polish reform of public-service broadcasting should avoid politicized solutions, OSCE representative warns
VIENNA, 3 June 2008 - Miklos Haraszti, the OSCE Representative on Freedom of the Media, said today that a rushed reform of the financing of Polish public-service broadcasting could menace its independence, and called for a de-politicized reform process.
"What could be at stake here is the survival of public-service broadcasting in Poland," said Haraszti. "The Polish Senate must make sure that if revenues are eliminated, they are replaced with another form of adequate funding."
The Senate plans to discuss the amendments to the Licence Fees Act on 4 and 5 June. If accepted, the amendments would reduce the licence fee revenue by exempting from payment certain social categories, such as people unfit to work, old-age pensioners, people on social benefits, those living below the poverty line, unemployed, or those entitled to pre-retirement benefits. However, the amendment does not propose anything to replace this loss of funding.
"The reform is unquestionably needed after years of being battled by competition from commercial channels, and on the eve of the arrival of a multitude of digital channels. Public-service broadcasting needs to be reinforced," said Haraszti.
He added that one viable way out of the crisis was a reform that would de-commercialize certain public channels, making them purely remit-oriented, while re-financing them through commercial broadcasters who will gain the public-service broadcasters' advertising share in the process.
The fee system can also be replaced by more automated methods of payment that exempt those who can not pay taxes.
"However, any reform must be conducive to financial and editorial independence of public-service broadcasting. For that purpose, the debate must be well planned, it must involve all stakeholders, and be free of any political context. By no means should the reform be aimed at replacing one politically biased editorial line with another. Such a mistake would undermine the guarantees of a truly independent public-service broadcaster in the service of Poland's democracy," said Haraszti.