Letter from Netherlands-Polish Chamber of Commerce to Chairman of the National Broadcasting Council

Warsaw, July 2, 2021
Mr. Witold Kołodziejski
Chairman of the National Broadcasting Council

 

Mr. Chairman,

 

On behalf of the Netherlands-Polish Chamber of Commerce in Warsaw, we would like to request your support for one of our member companies – Polish Television Holding B.V., the owner of the television station TVN.

 

We would like to particularly highlight the fact that the process of granting a broadcasting license for the channel TVN24 continues to extend. This delay results in uncertainty and the lack of a decision makes it impossible for the Dutch company to take important business steps. TVN24, as a 24/7 news channel, is a unique media outlet in Poland. This television station is independent and the guests they invite are representatives of all political environments. It serves as an important voice in the Polish political debate and it adheres to high standards of journalism. TVN24 is also committed to investigative journalism and it has many times, during subsequent terms of office of different government members, exposed scandals that shocked the public.

 

According to our knowledge, a situation where the National Broadcasting Council postpones in this manner, without providing a reason, the issuing of a re-broadcasting decision for an operating broadcaster, has never taken place in Poland before. The reason publicly raised by you is Article 35 of the National Broadcasting Act which regulates the scope of foreign ownership over a media entity. It ought to be emphasized that this provision does not apply to entities registered within the territory of the European Union, and that TVN S.A. belongs to a member of our chamber – Polish Television Holding BV. Said company is registered in Amsterdam and it is a Dutch tax-payer. Therefore, it meets the above criteria.

 

We would like to express our concern, on behalf of the community of Dutch business in Poland and abroad. The predictability and consistency of the provisions of law and their interpretation is an important element of the stable functioning of business.

 

Your decision-making regarding the broadcasting license for TVN24 is already being followed by global media and continues to be more and more closely watched by the international community. A potential loss by TVN24 of a license to broadcast in Poland would certainly render our work more difficult, as the mission of the Chamber is to promote Poland and support Dutch business in the investments made at the banks of the Vistula river.

 

Sincerely,

 

 

 

Source: Netherlands-Polish Chamber of Commerce