Urbanski And Kaczynski
Poland: The Government Moves To Control Polish Television
Warsaw, Poland February 27, 2007. Poland's Government has replaced the Head of Polish Public Television reportedly because he aired criticism of the report on the liquidation of the Polish Military Intelligence Services.
Apparently the Government did not want a lot of publicity about the report. Wildstein not only gave it a lot of publicity, the programs about it were very critical. And the publicity created storms. See Polish Government Report on Poland's Military Intelligence Creates Storms
He is being replaced by a temporary who is taking the position because he is "the only man available". And that person is one of President Lech Kaczynski's most trusted associates, Andrzej Urbanski. See in Polish Wildstein: Niech Urbanski zdejmie kostium polityka
The departing Wildstein was generally viewed as independent and one who would not succumb to political pressure to show programs suggested by the Government.
Wildstein himself commented that he routinely received telephone calls from Government Coalition Parties Samoobrona and League of Polish families to show certain programs. And he did not.
Now that TVP will be controlled by a political insider, Wildstein wants Urbanski "to change the costume of politician to a costume of journalist".
According to opposition party Civic Platform, the decision shows political trading in TVP programming.
The replacement also shows a sense of urgency on the part of the Government. They are apparently worried about more bad coverage on some topic so they put in "the only man available right now" and moved Wildstein aside.
And he moved immediately. According to unofficial information he has already he has dismissed a Director of TVP3. See http://wiadomosci.gazeta.pl/wiadomosci/1,53600,3949350.html TVP: pierwsza dymisja we wladzach po odejsciu Wildsteina
Wildstein says that Kaczynski wants to return television to the days when it was not independent of the Government.
In April the Government will find a candidate to replace Urbanski.
Updated - The continuation of this story is at The Changes At Polish Television Criticised By Insiders And Outsiders
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