TVP Channels Will Occupy Mandatory First Positions on the Remote Control. This is What the PiS Government Wants
On December 9, the government bill – Provisions introducing the Electronic Communications Act was submitted to the Sejm, and on December 13, it was sent for the first reading.
It assumes that Telewizja Polska channels covered by the must-carry/must-offer rule must be placed at the top of the TV operators’ channel lists (from 1 to 5). In addition, operators will have to provide mandatory access not only to TVP 1, TVP 2, and TVP 3 but also to TVP Info and TVP Kultura. The must-carry/must-offer rule will no longer apply to TVN, Polsat, TV 4, and TV Puls.
After the changes, by way of regulation, the National Broadcasting Council will be able to extend the must carry/must offer principle to other channels that consider the public interest.
The justification for the draft indicates that the proposed changes are related to “the urgent need to act for the information and cyber security of the State in the face of significant disinformation threats.”