The Media Freedom Rapid Response (MFRR) today called for more ambitious media reforms as it published its report, ‘Depoliticising Poland’s Media Landscape: Assessing the Progress of Media Reform in 2024’.
The report is based on the findings of a media freedom mission to Poland, conducted on 16-17 September, during which MFRR members met with various government and media stakeholders to discuss the challenges facing the media and the progress of reforms following the 2023 elections.
Key findings of the mission include:
- The media freedom situation in Poland has improved significantly, with greater independence for public media, a reduction in vexatious lawsuits, enhanced media pluralism, and an end to the misuse of state funds to influence media.
- While public media no longer serves as a propaganda tool, it is still neither fully objective nor reliably depoliticised. The government must take further steps to secure the future political and financial independence of public media.
- The broadcast regulator, KRRiT, remains highly politicised and continues to abuse its authority to impose fines on media outlets.
- Media pluralism, which faced serious threats in 2023, has improved due to the increased independence of the public broadcaster and PKN Orlen’s decision to sell Polska Press.
- Reforms are planned to ensure the fair and transparent distribution of state advertising, which was previously weaponised by successive governments to deny funds to critical media outlets.
- The threat posed by SLAPP cases has diminished significantly, at least when it comes to the lawsuits initiated by public officials. In addition, the Ministry of Justice’s plans to transpose the EU’s Anti-SLAPP Directive and decriminalise defamation are welcomed.
Despite this progress, the MFRR calls on the government to implement urgent and comprehensive reforms to:
- Secure the future of the public broadcaster in a rapidly evolving media landscape;
- Strengthen safeguards for the broadcaster’s independence;
- Reform media regulators to ensure impartiality;
- Protect media pluralism, sustainability, and editorial independence.
The MFRR also urges the government, as it aligns national legislation with the European Media Freedom Act (EMFA) and the Anti-SLAPP Directive, to exceed minimum EU standards. This would ensure that the risks of media capture are fully addressed and that the media is adequately protected from vexatious lawsuits.
Poland has the opportunity to become a leading example of successful media reform and freedom. If achieved, this would set a benchmark for other countries looking to reverse the effects of politically driven media capture and establish strong safeguards against its recurrence.
The Media Freedom Rapid Response mission was conducted in partnership with the European Centre for Press and Media Freedom (ECPMF), the International Press Institute (IPI), ARTICLE 19 Europe, the European Federation of Journalists (EFJ), and Free Press Unlimited (FPU).
