Poland’s government will examine whether Paramount Skydance can control TVN, one of the country’s most prominent broadcasters, following its acquisition of Warner Bros Discovery, which owns the Polish station.
The review follows the completion of a $110 billion merger on Tuesday, one of the largest deals in global media history. The transaction brings together major American assets including Paramount’s CBS and MTV networks with Warner’s HBO, CNN and Discovery Channel.
According to the state assets ministry, the acquisition requires notification under legislation passed in 2024 that protects companies designated as strategic from ownership changes deemed to threaten Polish national interests. TVN was added to that list in December alongside another large private broadcaster, Polsat.
The Polish Press Agency reported that the ministry now has 90 days to “conduct an administrative investigation into this matter to verify the impact of the transaction on security or public order in Poland”.
Government can block or approve new ownership
Under the procedure, state assets minister Wojciech Balczun can either approve the ownership change or prevent Paramount Skydance from controlling TVN. If the ministry blocks the takeover, it may order the sale of TVN’s shares.
“I assure you that it will be an entirely substantive and objective administrative procedure, carried out in fulfilment of a statutory obligation, and nothing more,” Balczun told broadcaster Kanał Zero on Tuesday.
The protective designation was introduced after reports emerged that Warner Bros Discovery was considering selling TVN and that a businessman linked to Hungary’s then-Prime Minister Viktor Orbán was seeking to purchase it. Orbán has been an ally of Poland’s conservative opposition Law and Justice (PiS) party.
Prime Minister Donald Tusk said at the time the measure aimed to protect the broadcaster from hostile foreign takeovers and prevent foreign interference in Poland’s media and elections.
TVN’s history and political sensitivity
TVN, founded in 1995, has been under American ownership since 2015 when US broadcaster Scripps acquired it. Discovery purchased Scripps in 2018. The station is known for taking a liberal editorial stance and has long been a target for Polish conservatives.
In 2021, the then-PiS government passed legislation that would have forced Warner Bros Discovery to sell its majority stake, but then-President Andrzej Duda vetoed the bill.
Some observers have expressed concern that Paramount could push TVN in a more conservative direction. The company has faced accusations of doing so with other outlets, particularly US broadcaster CBS. Paramount’s owner, David Ellison, is a Trump ally, as are PiS and Poland’s current president, Karol Nawrocki.
On Sunday, the Journalists’ Association, a Polish organisation representing media professionals, called on TVN’s management to establish an editorial independence council similar to those being created at CNN and CBS under the settlement deal that enabled the merger in the United States.
In July, Reporters Without Borders raised concerns about the potential impact on TVN’s editorial independence and called for guarantees protecting the channel as a condition of European Commission approval. However, the EU executive approved the deal in July following an antitrust review without imposing such conditions.
What this means for Poles in Poland
This review affects anyone in Poland who follows independent media and values editorial pluralism. TVN is one of the country’s most-watched private broadcasters, and changes to its ownership structure could influence the range of viewpoints available in Polish media.
The ministry has until early January 2027 to complete its assessment. During this period, Paramount Skydance must notify the state assets ministry of the change in control and await a decision on whether it can proceed.
For Poles living abroad who follow Polish media online or through satellite, any future changes to TVN’s editorial direction could affect the content and perspective of news from Poland. The government has said it will conduct the review objectively, but the outcome will determine whether one of Poland’s major independent broadcasters remains under its current ownership structure or faces enforced divestment.
