Urbanski
Poland's Television To Remain Under Control Of Losing Polish Political Party
Warsaw, Poland 26 October, 2007 The head of Poland's Public Television, Andrzej Urbanski, appointed on a temporary basis in February 2007, will not be replaced as it was originally said he would. In a move that is said by some to give control of the news to outgoing Prime Minister Lech Kaczynski, he has said that he will remain in his position after the new Polish Government is installed.
Urbanski was appointed by Radio and TV Board that is currently controlled by the Law And Justice Party. He has announced that he will not resign. And he cannot be fired by the new government because his party has control of the Radio And TV Board. See in Polish http://www.zw.com.pl/zw2/index.jsp?place=Lead04&&news_cat_id=16&news_id=171939&layout=1&forum_id=47862&page=text" target="_blank">PiS-owska tarcza antydymisyjna w TVP and http://wiadomosci.gazeta.pl/Wiadomosci/1,80269,4610383.html PiS chroni Urbanskiego
Urbanski replaced his predecessor, Wildstein, who was generally viewed as independent and one who would not succumb to political pressure to show programs suggested by the Government. The Government Moves To Control Polish Television He was only to be in office a short time with a scheduled replacement date of April.
But he was kept in place and took control and made many changes that were criticised by insiders and outsiders. Polish Public Television In Turmoil As Reporters Revolt Against Control
During the election campaign, the Civic Platform objected to the Prime Minister's use of TVP for his campaign. And other party leaders such as Samoobrona's Andrzej Lepper and League of Polish Families Roman Giertych objected to not get enough coverage. See Poland's Prime Minister Used Polish TV For Political Propaganda
There were other claims of bias. For one, just before the elections Gazeta Wyborcza made a high profile accusation of bias when it said, "Manipulation chases manipulation. The perfidiousness of the joint operation carried out by the CBA law enforcement agency and the TVP public television consists in the fact that Ms Sawicka's guilt seems beyond doubt. http://www.gazetawyborcza.pl/1,82049,4589102.html Ladies And Gentlemen, Here's Dirt
After the election, however, it is Kaczynski who has been complaining.
Kaczynski and his supporters have been blaming a hostile media on their loss in the recent elections. Notably they have attacked an advertising campaign run by TVP that encouraged people to get out and vote. It told people to vote to "change Poland". Kaczynski, who has been behind a moral revolution to change Poland, claims it encouraged people to vote for the victorious Civic Platform.
OECD election monitors have added to the commentary.
An OECD press release revealed that the OSCE election monitors found that TVP election campaign coverage was biased. Urbanski has refused to comment on that. He said that he may make comment after the full report is issued.
The Civic Platform would like to eliminate the Radio and TV Board but it is required by the Polish Constitution . So other changes are being studied that will wrest control from Urbanski and his party handlers.
The battle is likely to be fought in the Parliament as well as in the media with Urbanski controlling how it is presented to the many people who watch state controlled television and not the private stations.
Whatever the end point, the result will have a profound effect on the future of Poland.
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