Independent media outlets in Poland suspended news coverage Wednesday to protest a planned new advertising tax which they view as an attempt by the right-wing government to undermine press freedoms, AFP reports. The campaign is called ‘Media Without Choice’.

There are 45 major media companies that joined the protest, which is due to last 24 hours.

Gazeta Wyborcza, the country’s leading newspaper, called the advertising tax, “a powerful blow to free media.” In place of the usual news items on its webpage was a black screen and a warning that if advertising tax is passed, it could lead reader to one day lose access to their independent news.

TVN, owned by the U.S. company Discovery, also joined the protest. Its all-news station TVN24 only showed a black screen and the words: “Your favorite programming was supposed to be here.”

The government says it plans a new advertising tax in order to raise money after state finances have been badly strained by the pandemic.

Government spokesman Piotr Mueller said on state TVP Tuesday that the planned tax from advertising is destined for health and culture purposes and argued it exists in many European countries.


CEETV is publishing the Open letter of the media companies below:

“Open letter to the Government of the Republic of Poland and Political Leaders

We would like to address the announced new additional burden on the media operating on the Polish market, misleadingly called the “contribution”, introduced under the pretext of Covid-19.

It is simply a tribute, hitting Polish viewers, listeners, readers and internet users, as well as Polish productions, culture, entertainment, sports and media.

Its introduction will mean:

1) the weakening or even closure of a section of the media operating in Poland, which will significantly limit society’s ability to choose the content it is interested in,

2) limiting opportunities for financing quality and local content. Their production currently supports hundreds of thousands of employees and their families, and provides most Poles with access to information, entertainment and sporting events largely free of charge,

3) the deepening of the unequal treatment of businesses operating on the Polish media market, in a situation where the state media receive PLN 2.000.000.000 annually from the pocket of each Pole, while private media are to be charged with an additional tribute of PLN 1.000.000.000,

4) the de facto favoring of companies that do not invest in the creation of Polish, local content at the expense of businesses that invest the most in Poland. According to estimates, companies referred to by the government as “global digital giants” will pay only about PLN 50,000,000–100,000,000 for the tribute, compared to the PLN 800.000.000 paid by other locally active media.

The asymmetrical and selective burden imposed on businesses is also scandalous. In addition, it is unacceptable in a state governed by the rule of law to attempt to change licensing conditions during their period of validity.

As the media operating in Poland for many years, we do not shrink from our duties and social responsibility. Every year we pay an increasing number of taxes, levies and fees to the state budget (CIT, VAT, emission, copyright, licenses, frequencies, booking decisions, VOD fees, etc.). We also support the weakest groups in our society with our own charitable activities. We support Poles, as well as the government, in the fight against the pandemic, both in terms of information and by allocating resources worth hundreds of millions of złoty.

Therefore, we strongly oppose the use of the pandemic as a pretext to introduce yet another new, exceptionally heavy burden on the media a burden that will be permanent and will survive the Covid-19 pandemic.”

Signatories:

Agora, AMS, Bonnier Business, Burda Media Polska, CANAL+, Edipresse Polska, Eleven Sports Network, Gremi Media, Grupa Eurozet, Grupa Interia.pl, Grupa Radiowa Agory, Grupa RMF, Grupa Wirtualna Polska, Grupa ZPR, Helios, Infor Biznes, Kino Polska TV, naTemat.pl, OKO.press, Polityka, Polska Press Grupa, Ringier Axel Springer Polska, Superstacja, Telewizja Polsat, Telewizja Puls, TVN, Tygodnik Powszechny, Wydawnictwo Bauer, Zakopiańskie Towarzystwo Gospodarcze - Tygodnik Podhalański