The media sector is regulated by the 1984 Polish Press Law and the 1992 Broadcasting Act, which have both been amended since then.
The media landscape comprises, in addition to the public radio and television broadcasters, a variety of private media outlets, encompassing a broad political spectrum, from socially liberal to ultraconservative. In sector of print media, the newspaper with the largest circulation is Gazeta Wyborcza, founded in 1989 ahead of parliamentary elections.
The media sector is regulated by the 1984 Polish Press Law and the 1992 Broadcasting Act, which have both been amended since then.
Online-only portals publishing a mix of news and entertainment content are among the country's most-visited websites (examples are: onet.pl; wp.pl; interia.pl; gazeta.pl). ==Legal framework== The Polish constitution of 1997 guarantees freedom of the press and prohibits both preventive censorship and licensing requirements for the press.
These attempts have been strengthened by the right-wing Law and Justice Party (PiS) government which, after winning the parliamentary elections in October 2015, partly replaced the management at the public television and radio broadcasters. ==Media polarisation== The Polish media environment is highly polarized.
Since 2015 elections, this polarization has become ever stronger.
The main domestic competitor is Agora, which owns Gazeta Wyborcza and a number of magazines, radio stations, internet platforms, a publishing house and additional ventures. Foreign ownership is very strong also in the regional media which are largely owned by the German Polska Press. ==Media freedom and pluralism== In recent years, according to Reporters Without Borders, in particular since the PiS went to power in 2015, media freedom in Poland has been significantly deteriorating.
Just weeks after winning the 2015 parliamentary elections, the PiS passed a media law which gave the government direct control over public broadcasting.
It is ranked 62 out of 180 countries in the 2020 World Press Freedom index by Reporters Without Borders, down from 18th in 2015. ===The case of the public television and radio broadcasters=== After winning parliamentary elections in October 2015, the PiS party replaced the management positions at the public television and radio broadcasters.
This effort was not limited to public broadcasters since the party leadership tried to control also private media outlets for instance by advancing a proposal to restrict reporters’ access to the parliament. In December 2015 the so-called "small media law" prepared by PiS was sent to the Polish parliament.
In 2016, the Poles on average watched television for over 4 hours and 20 minutes a day.
In the private sector there are over 200 commercial TV broadcasters: the two leading one are Polsat and TVN. In 2016, three-quarters of the Polish population had internet access.
In January 2016, the European Commission launched a procedure in order to impose the respect of the rule of law in the country. Reporters Without Borders in its 2019 assessment of Poland stated that the public media "have been transformed into government propaganda mouthpieces." Poland is rated "Partly Free" in Freedom House's 2017 "Freedom of the Press" report.
According to the Association of Journalists, 225 journalists left the public media during 2016, due to either layoffs or resignations.
In April 2016, a draft Law on National Media was presented to the Parliament.
The "bridge law" was approved in June 2016: the law stated that a newly established National Media Council have to be responsible for the appointment of the management and supervisory boards of the public media.
In January 2016, the European Commission launched a procedure in order to impose the respect of the rule of law in the country. Reporters Without Borders in its 2019 assessment of Poland stated that the public media "have been transformed into government propaganda mouthpieces." Poland is rated "Partly Free" in Freedom House's 2017 "Freedom of the Press" report.
In January 2016, the European Commission launched a procedure in order to impose the respect of the rule of law in the country. Reporters Without Borders in its 2019 assessment of Poland stated that the public media "have been transformed into government propaganda mouthpieces." Poland is rated "Partly Free" in Freedom House's 2017 "Freedom of the Press" report.
This bias is mirrored in the two major journalists's organizations that have different orientations: the Association of Polish Journalists (SDP), sympathetic toward the PiS government, and the Association of Journalists (TD), which is against the PiS's government. On 7 December 2020 state-owned petroleum refinery and distributor PKN Orlen acquired media and press company "Polska Press" controlling large number of regional media portals and several regional newspapers.
It is ranked 62 out of 180 countries in the 2020 World Press Freedom index by Reporters Without Borders, down from 18th in 2015. ===The case of the public television and radio broadcasters=== After winning parliamentary elections in October 2015, the PiS party replaced the management positions at the public television and radio broadcasters.
On April 8, 2021, a Polish court has suspended the purchase of Polska Press by PKN Orlen. ==Media ownership== Foreign companies hold a dominant position in the Polish media market.
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