Ahead of elections, a new report explores how media capture and the widespread use of vexatious lawsuits have been used to create a hostile climate for independent journalism.
This statement was originally published on article19.org on 5 October 2023.
Mission Report on Media Capture and Vexatious Lawsuits in Poland by the Media Freedom Rapid Response
The report, compiled by ARTICLE 19 Europe and partners, explores how media capture and the widespread use of vexatious lawsuits have been used to create a hostile climate for independent journalism which weakens media’s ability to contribute to free and fair elections.
Key findings include:
- The public media have been fully converted into a propaganda arm of the ruling party.
- The National Broadcasting Council, KRRiT, has abused its licensing powers to create business uncertainty and is applying arbitrary financial penalties to impose fear and self-censorship in newsrooms.
- Media pluralism was compromised when, in 2021, the state-controlled oil company, PKN Orlen, took over the largest regional media company, Polska Press. The subsequent editorial purge and shift in editorial lines to favour the ruling party ahead of upcoming elections makes it one of the most flagrant examples of media capture in Europe.
- State advertising has been weaponised by the government to fund favourable media outlets and undermine independent journalism which exacerbated the financial pressure on media.
- Polish media are subjected to one of the largest number of vexatious lawsuits, or SLAPPs, in the European Union. Most are initiated by ruling party politicians, state companies, and public institutions and therefore financed by public money.
- While Polish media have proved resilient thanks to the presence of foreign owners, the hostile economic climate may force many to withdraw. Such a move is likely to have a devastating impact on media pluralism.
- The overwhelming majority of commentators met who met with the MRFF mission expressed deep concern that the country was at a crossroads and that 4 more years of the current policy would accelerate media capture and push Poland down the path to emulating the media environment in Hungary, Turkey, or Russia.
A Polish language translation of the report will be published shortly.
