Reporters Without Borders, an international organization defending media freedom, wrote on social media that the National Broadcasting Council called on the tax authorities to enforce a fine from TVN, despite filing an appeal. The organization expressed “concern about this dangerous practice for media finances.”
“The National Broadcasting Council called on the tax authorities to enforce a fine of EUR 127,000 from TVN despite submitting an appeal, which should have resulted in suspension. The Reporters Without Borders organization expresses its doubts and concerns about this dangerous practice for media finances,” we read in the Reporters' entry bez Granic posted on Saturday afternoon on the X platform.
TVN appeals, Świrski does not wait for the court
On Wednesday, the National Broadcasting Council announced that PLN 550,000 had been transferred to its account. PLN penalty recovered from TVN by the Tax Office in connection with the alleged violation of the Broadcasting Act by broadcasting the reportage “Bielmo. Franciszkańska 3” (“Black and white”), talking about sexual crimes in the Catholic Church and Karol's knowledge about it Wojtyła.
This happened despite the fact that the station appealed against the decision of the chairman of the National Broadcasting Council of March 6 to impose a penalty, which it announced publicly on April 12.
From the moment the penalty was imposed, the broadcaster emphasized that the chairman's decision was unfounded, violated media freedom and was an attempt to introduce censorship, and that it would appeal against it. “The financial penalty for TVN24 is another attempt to intimidate our and many other editorial offices. It poses a threat to the viewers' right to information. We will always defend journalists so that they can inform you about what is important,” said Michał Samul, Editor-in-Chief of TVN24, on the day the fine was imposed. and “Fakty” TVN.
Main photo source: Leszek Szymański/PAP