At the beginning of the year, due to changes in public media, the National Broadcasting Council froze the payment of license fees. In February, the regulator decided to transfer the money to court deposits. Many companies appealed these actions, and only those companies whose appeal had been exhausted were able to count on these funds recently. These were: Radio Poznań (a portion of PLN 720,000), Radio Rzeszów (PLN 643,000), Radio Łódź (PLN 641,000), Radio Lublin (PLN 624,000), Radio Katowice (PLN 739,000) and Radio For You (PLN 694,000). The last payment was made on September 13. Therefore, among others, the following companies were left without funds: Polish Television and Polish Radio. The sole member of the National Broadcasting Council, Prof. Tadeusz Kowalski, proposed that the money be transferred to all companies. However, his motion on this matter was lost at the National Broadcasting Council meeting.
Flood changes National Broadcasting Council policy
Due to the floods in southern Poland over the weekend, news stations have started special editions. The news channel TVP Info covers the disaster 24 hours a day. This would not be possible without regional centers whose journalists work long hours a day. The schedule was changed by, among others: TVP3 Opole station. The dramatic events led to a significant increase in TVP Info’s audience. Nielsen data shows that on 14 and 15 September the station’s market share was 4.57%. (On 7-8 September it was only 1.06%).
The National Broadcasting Council has also changed its approach to public media. – In view of the disastrous effects of the floods that affected many Polish families, as well as the need to support public media, which are the main source of information, the National Broadcasting Council has decided to amend resolution no. 40/2024 regarding the use of revenues from licence fees to implement a public mission in 2024. The Council decided to accelerate the payment of the October tranche of subscription fee funds for 2024, intended primarily for regional centers. The Council also adopted a resolution to transfer the 2022 surplus to the media in an amount exceeding PLN 22 million, it announced in a press release.
Prof. Tadeusz Kowalski informs Wirtualnemedia.pl that this was the only decision the regulator made on Tuesday. Telewizja Polska can also count on this money from surplus and subscription fees, but with reservations. – 51 percent This amount will be received by Telewizja Polska, which was obliged to donate 70 percent. funds to regional television affiliates. The remaining 49 percent will receive Polish radio and regional public affairs stations. The National Broadcasting Council took this decision out of concern for the interests of customers affected or likely to be affected by a natural disaster occurring in the country – explains the regulator.
The National Broadcasting Council explains its decision below. – The role of public media is particularly important in crisis situations because they were created to provide citizens with information crucial to their safety. In times of threat, such as the current floods, public media are obliged to provide the necessary news about threats, government actions, emergency services and recommendations for the protection of health and life – explains the Council.
Another appeal regarding TV Republika
The regulator recalled the rights of citizens. – According to the Constitution of the Republic of Poland and the Press Act, every citizen has the right to information about the activities of public authorities and persons exercising public functions. The National Broadcasting Council stresses that equal access of all media to press conferences of government officials and crisis teams is necessary so that the widest possible group of citizens is informed about the actions taken that can contribute to saving lives and providing assistance. Knowledge about threats, current actions of emergency services and recommendations of crisis personnel enables people to take appropriate measures to protect themselves, their health and property – the National Broadcasting Council noted.
The National Broadcasting Council has once again commented on the refusal to allow TV Republika to participate in Prime Minister Donald Tusk’s conference. – The National Broadcasting Council once again calls on the authorities to provide all media outlets with equal access to information, especially in emergency situations. Blocking journalists’ access to information is unacceptable and illegal – we read in the position of the National Broadcasting Council.
