Polish Government Tightens Control Over Polish Television

Classified Polnews

In response to the continued attempts at independent thinking by people at Poland's public television station TVP, Marcin Leskiewicz, a Polish news anchor, was terminated.

Marcin Leskiewicz

The staff at TVP has been leaking reports of micro management of news presentations. They claim that news that puts the Kaczynski government in a bad light is restricted from publication.

The reports also indicate that there is a widespread revolt in process at TVP See Polish Public Television In Turmoil As Reporters Revolt Against Control - Reports

According to reports, Leskiewicz has been quite vocal. He has not been willing to tone down his objections to the controls placed on journalists. http://www.gazetawyborcza.pl/1,76842,4319044.html TVP zwalnia prezentera "Wiadomosci" Leskiewicza

It is said that he was particularly not happy with the way coverage of the nurses strike was controlled.

And he did not hide his dissatisfaction. In one instance while delivering the news about the nurses strike in Warsaw, he cut communications from his director by rather ostentatiously pulling the earplug that TV announcers wear. He delivered the news his way without the interference or comments from his director.

It is also said that he did not agree with the way the information about how the suicide of SLD member Barbara Blida was being presented.

Head of TVP Andrzej Urbanksi, who replaced Wildstein (See Poland: The Government Moves To Control Polish Television ) who was too independent for Kaczynski, said that while Poland was a democracy, the rules of democracy did not apply in the workplace at TVP.

So Leskiewicz is history and more sanitized news is more likely at TVP.