Poland’s National Broadcasting Council (KRRiT) has cancelled on January 10 its own decision to fine the US-owned media group TVN PLN1.48mn (€350,000) for covering protests against government plans to limit media access to the parliament in December 2016.
The decision comes after the fine, slapped on the company in mid-December, caused widespread controversy in the international media and drew criticism from the US Department of State.
KRRiT did not provide explanation for its decision to revoke the fine. The body said, however, that there was an urgent need to work out new “self-regulatory rules” for the media in Poland in order to counter “brutalisation of public life in Poland” and “fake news”.
KRRiT, which is dominated by PiS nominees, fined TVN for the coverage of the events – by TVN’s news channel TVN24 – which it said violated Poland’s media law by “promoting illegal activities and encouraging behaviour that threatens security".
The media company said a report, based on which KRRiT decided on the fine, was manipulated. For example, it failed to mention that TVN24 gave extensive airtime to PiS representatives throughout the crisis, TVN charged.
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