Reverting To Old Ways Never Works

Michael Hedges December 21, 2015 - Follow on Twitter

Control, having it or losing it, carries great symbolism. The art of communicating symbols is quite powerful. Broadcasters and publishers have practiced this art, sometimes for making money and sometimes for other reasons, for so long it seems innate. To their enduring frustration, politicians, especially the most authoritarian, confuse control with its symbols. Media people never walk backwards.

Poland’s Law and Justice (PiS) party leadership, from government ministers to members of parliament, have cast disparaging eyes on foreign investment. “As a matter of dominance in some markets, magazines and newspapers, German capital needs to be addressed,” said newly selected Sejm (lower house) culture and media committee chair Elzbieta Kruk, quoted by wirtualnemedia.pl (December 5). “This is a serious problem. They are more profitable (in Poland) than in their own markets (and) they care less about quality, causing tabloidization. Poles must realise the scope of the problem, the scope of German capital dominance in the media.”

Anti-trust measures should be stepped up, she added, to encourage foreign media owners to divest. “I hope it will happen differently. It may happen that they will simply withdraw from the market.” Ms Kruk is reported to be co-author of draft legislation with new Deputy Culture Minister Krzysztof Czabanski, expected in December and now delayed until January, that drastically reorganizes public broadcasters Polskie Radio and Telewizja Polska (TVP) as “cultural institutions” under the direction of the Culture Ministry. (See more about proposed changes in Polish public broadcasting here)

When the PiS last held sway in the Polish government Ms Kruk became, briefly, media regulator National Broadcasting Council (KRRiT) president. Another PiS proposal is replacing the KRRiT with a national media council, all members named by the Sejm, Senate (upper house) and presidency, all currently controlled by the PiS.

PiS stalwarts named recently to government ministries talk often about “re-Polanization” of banks, supermarkets and media outlets as a means returning to simpler times, the essential appeal of populists. “We would like to change the proportions of ownership in terms of the the local press,” said Deputy Prime Minister and Culture Minister Piotr Glinski to State news agency PAP (November 16). “Just as with the banking sector, media (outlets) can be bought from foreign owners, if there are such opportunities to build our own institutions of this type or expand existing ones. The current situation is pathological, skewed. But I don’t see how we can do it.” There are, of course, laws as well as a historical affinity in Poland for independent media. But laws and history can change.

“The Law and Justice party does not need the part of the media that tries to be objective or presents different views, “ said Dziennik Gazeta Prawna editor-in-chief Jadwiga Sztabinska to wirtualmedia.pl (December 15). “Unfortunately, it reminds me of the Communist regime, associations are fairly obvious to those who remember that period. That’s how it worked then, the media was at the service of the party.”

“We put our hope in the fact that Poland, as an EU member state, will continue to be guided by the principles of democracy and a free market economy.” said Axel Springer spokesperson Manuel Adolphsen, quoted by Deutsche Welle (November 29). “This also includes freedom of expression and press freedom as a fundamental value in Europe.” The Ringier Axel Springer joint venture publishes the best selling tabloid Fakt and the influential Newsweek Polska.

As domination by the Soviet Union lifted from Eastern Europe a quarter century ago investors entered seeking opportunities to rebuild frozen institutions. European Union (EU) accession in 2004 accelerated the flow. German, French and, to a lesser extent, US and British publishers and broadcasters brought knowledge, money and wherewithal, all in short supply, to Poland. Foreign investment in Poland, more broadly, is widely credited for the country skirting the 2008 recession. The populist/nationalist PiS gained support from the vocal minority of Poles not directly benefitting from the relative prosperity at hand.

This economic and social divide, often described as rural, traditional and old versus the elite, youthful and cosmopolitan, is everywhere evident, Europe not alone. Hungarians under prime minister Viktor Orban’s right-wing populist Fidesz party - and pushed further by far-right Jobbik party extremists - have witnessed a determined effort to squeeze foreign investors from several economic sectors. Since 2010 the Hungarian media sector has been battered; the well-regarded public broadcaster now a reliable government voice, foreign investment in private sector media, mostly, chased out or fled.

In a largely symbolic act, a rule change drafted by the Polish Treasury Ministry will likely stop paying for official notice postings, relying entirely on the ministry website. “Society and the media market have changed,” said Treasury Minister David Jackiewicz, quoted by conservative weekly news magazine Najwyzszy Czas (December 18). “Today, nobody looking for work buys newspaper advertisements. The same has happened in other areas of life.” All media sectors will be affected. The Treasury Ministry will save between PLN 6 and 8 million, roughly €1.5 to €2 million.

Recent Hungarian policies - from immigration and banking to media and freedom of expression - have long been supported PiS politicians. “We will have a Budapest in Warsaw,” proclaimed PiS chairman and former Polish prime minister Jaroslaw Kaczynski in 2011, rallying the faithful around Mr. Orban’s electoral support. The Hungarian government withdrew State advertising from private sector media outlets, often used to ensure political observance, earlier this year.

"I remember how chairman Kaczynski was mocked when he said that we'll have a Budapest in Poland," said deputy prime minister Glinski, quoted by Reuters (December 17). “And now? We do have that Budapest… in the right sense of the word.”

Whether or not it is the last word is yet to be determined. Thousands of demonstrators gathered across Poland - 20,000 in Warsaw reported Reuters (December 19) - to protest PiS attempts to pack the Constitutional Tribunal and other moves toward “illiberal democracy.” Last weekend 50,000 marched in Warsaw, reported AFP (December 19), some carrying signs emblazoned with “This is Warsaw, not Budapest.”

See also in ftm Knowledge

Media in Poland

Poland is the largest media market of the new EU Member States and the changes have often been surprising, sometimes radical and never ending. Publishers, broadcasters and new media are plentiful, talented and under constant stress. ftm has its eye on Poland. 80 pages PDF Includes Poland's neighbor Belarus, resources (August 2011)

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