The Polish government, under Prime Minister Donald Tusk, is taking decisive action to prevent the acquisition of Poland's major television stations by Russian entities. This move follows concerns about Russia's attempts to influence European democracies and manipulate political processes.
The planned directive, set for adoption this week, will introduce stricter regulations for ownership changes in key media outlets. This will require government approval before any sale or transfer of ownership can be finalized.
One of the primary targets of this measure is TVN, a prominent television station owned by Warner Bros Discovery, which is reportedly up for sale. Another significant station, Polsat, a commercial broadcaster currently embroiled in a family dispute concerning its ownership by billionaire Zygmunt Solorz, will also be included in the list of strategic businesses requiring government oversight.
“We want to protect our countries and the European Union against interference into the electoral processes or attempts at taking over or interfering with the work of our media,” Tusk stated to reporters. This underlines the government's commitment to safeguarding Poland's media landscape from external threats.