On 18 December, in its final session of the year, Poland’s parliament voted to overturn a Senate (the upper house of parliament) veto of a previously shelved and heavily contested media reform bill.

“The potential impact of this amendment is palpable, as it would affect Poland’s largest private television news channel, TVN24, known for its critical coverage,” Ribeiro said, “thus harming media pluralism in the country.” The Representative wrote to Polish President Duda, who must decide whether the bill will become a law.  Ribeiro urged him to consider the implications this law would have on media freedom in the country. “It is crucial that Poland’s legal framework safeguards editorial, political, and financial independence of the media,” she wrote.

The Representative wrote to the authorities in August this year, when the lower house of Parliament, the Sejm, approved the draft bill. “I have taken note of the many concerns raised by journalists, civil society, international media freedom organizations, and other OSCE participating States. Let me also recall that the OSCE participating States, in their Document of the Eleventh Meeting of the Ministerial Council, recognized that a “free and pluralistic media which enjoy maximum editorial independence from political and financial pressure have an important role to play in ensuring transparency [in public affairs],” she wrote.

The bill aims to limit foreign ownership of media companies through an amendment to Article 35 of the Broadcasting Act. This would bar companies that are majority-owned by entities from outside the EEA from owning more than a 49% stake in Polish media to be able to hold broadcasting licenses. It would also remove a clause stipulating that a broadcaster can be granted a licence if the headquarters of its direct shareholder is in the EEA.

The OSCE Representative on Freedom of the Media observes media developments in all 57 OSCE participating States. She provides early warning on violations of freedom of expression and media freedom and promotes full compliance with OSCE media freedom commitments. Learn more at www.osce.org/fom, Twitter: @OSCE_RFoM and on www.facebook.com/osce.rfom.