“Silencing of Journalists” and “Intimidating the Editorial Staff.” Grand Press Foundation President Defends TVN24
Weronika Mirowska, President of the Grand Press Foundation and organizer of, among others, the prestigious annual Grand Press competition for the best Polish journalists, published a statement in defense of Piotr Świerczek’s report called Siła kłamstwa on TVN 24. On 30 December, the National Broadcasting Council initiated an investigation regarding the report, and its Chairman, Maciej Świrski, wants to have the station fined for broadcasting the report.
The full content of the statement is presented below.
“While upholding freedom of expression in Poland, as well as the quality and reliability of Polish journalism, the Grand Press Foundation expresses its deep concern with the initiation of an ex officio investigation by the Chairman of the National Broadcasting Council Maciej Świrski into Piotr Świerczek’s report called Siła kłamstwa aired during Czarno na białym program on TVN 24.
The Grand Press award-winning report is the result of months of work by a journalist who, with his determination and tenacity in seeking the truth, proves what reliable journalism should look like.
Another attempt by Polish state institutions to silence journalists of free media and intimidate editors so that they do not address issues that are inconvenient for the government is unacceptable.
It is the duty of journalists and the media to inform the public reliably, investigate abuse by the authorities and disclose information concealed from the public. No authority has the right to influence the content of journalistic materials or expect the publication of materials favorable to it.
Standing up to the party propaganda that the Polish authorities have been pursuing for seven years, I strongly call on the National Broadcasting Council to fulfill its task, which is, inter alia, “to promote free development of citizens’ views and the formation of public opinion” regardless of the personal political preferences of the Chairman and the majority of the Council members.
I call on the Polish free media and international journalistic organizations to jointly defend the independence of journalists, and I demand that the National Broadcasting Council immediately stops repressing TVN and TVN 24 editorial offices.”