A group of Belarusians protested on Thursday night in front of the Prime Minister’s office against the changes introduced on Belsat television. They appealed to the head of the Foreign Ministry, among other things: about reducing the broadcasting time in the Belarusian language after TVP announced the addition of Russian and Ukrainian languages to this channel.
According to the protesters’ appeal addressed to the head of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Radosław Sikorski, Belsat Television “should cease to exist as a separate and independent television channel within the structure of TVP”.
The broadcasting time will be reduced three times (…). This effectively means the end of the only independent Belarusian-language television that has been operating for 17 years.
– stated in the document.
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Zianon Pazniak, a Belarusian opposition politician who spoke at the rally, expressed concern about Belsat’s operation under the rules set out by TVP. In his opinion, the money allocated by TVP to Belsat does not guarantee the channel’s operation at the current level.
Romaszewska on the role of Belsat
Former director of Belsat Television Agnieszka Romaszewska-Guz, speaking at the rally, noted that “supporting the Belarusian cause is in Poland’s interests.”
It was not one of the Polish channels of Telewizja Polska that promoted only Poland. It was a channel that believed that it was in Poland’s interest to support the Belarusian cause. When we expanded it to include the Russian side, the idea was the same: that a free Russia and Belarus are in Poland’s interest, but it would be better if Belarusians themselves fought for it.
– she added.
Michał Broniatowski, director of TVP World, which will include Belsat, who was present at the rally, stressed that while he holds the position of director, Belsat’s independence will not be taken away.
I would like to publicly assure you that as far as the independence of Belsat is concerned, which concerns you, as long as I run TVP World, none of this will happen.
he told the protesters.
Referring to protesters’ concerns about reducing broadcast time in the Belarusian language, Broniatowski said that talk about a threefold reduction in broadcast time is an “abuse.”
Until there are separate antennas for the Russian and Ukrainian languages, these three languages will be broadcast on one antenna. Belsat broadcasts approximately 12 hours a day in Belarusian. In total, 17 are broadcast, the rest is filled by Wot-tak in Russian and the Ukrainian government program. To say that the broadcasting time in the Belarusian language will be tripled is an exaggeration, because Belsat will certainly have 6, and probably 8 or 9 hours to broadcast per day.
– he pointed.
At the moment, Belsat’s status has not changed; it remains a separate antenna at Telewizja Polska. However, it will soon become part of a new hub for connecting newsrooms broadcasting abroad. We do not know when this will happen or what it will look like exactly, because Belsat was not consulted about it.
– Aleksy Dzikawicki, acting head of Belsat TV, told PAP on Thursday.
He stressed that “Belsat is largely funded by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.”
However, it always happens that we have to spend the ministry’s subsidy by the end of December and we only receive the next one in late spring or later. During this period, TVP gives us credit, for which we are grateful to the company. That is what is happening now. We have not yet received funds from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the television is also facing financial problems. So it gives us as much as it can, which unfortunately means that we have many delays when it comes to fees for contractors, including producers and foreign correspondents.
– he added.
Initiative of Belarusians
He noted that Thursday’s picket was an initiative of Belarusian circles.
I understand that Belarusians cannot help but be concerned about the closure of our websites a week ago, which are a source of information for hundreds of thousands of recipients at home and abroad. I will not explain why this happened, but it was probably the direct reason for organizing the picket.
– he pointed.
It is worth recalling that Belsat – the only Belarusian-language television in the world – thanks to many years of Polish support, is not only an independent source of information, but also an important center of nation-building, bringing together many outstanding Belarusian creators who were forced by the dictator to leave the country.
– he emphasized.
Each separate antenna within TVP generally has more autonomy than any editorial office or section, as it has its own structure, including its management. As I understand it, the new foreign broadcasting center will have a common management for at least five language editorial offices. The new structure should be included in the regulations of the newly created center, but unfortunately I do not know its assumptions.
– he informed.
Telewizja Polska announced on July 4 that it would incorporate foreign-language channels into an organizational structure under the provisional name Foreign Program Center. The new unit will be created on the basis of the existing channels – TVP World and Telewizja Belsat. The first will change its name, and the second will be divided into bands broadcasting 6 hours of the premiere program per day – in Belarusian (Belsat), Russian (Vot-tak) and Ukrainian (the name is being determined). The changes will come into effect on March 1, 2025.
gah/PAP
