Reconstructing Polish Press Freedom: The Quest for New Models of Free Expression Among Polish Journalists (original) (raw)
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This book examines the professional activity of public television journalists in Poland operating in the still unstable system of a postcommunist state, to demonstrate how the media can work in the public interest to strengthen democracy. Drawing on in-depth interviews with Telewizja Polska (TVP) journalists, the author shows how public television in Poland has become highly politicised and commercialised, and must defend against constant attacks on its autonomy. She draws parallels with the media systems in Hungary and the Czech Republic to analyse potential legal solutions and to highlight how Poland's journalists are subject to influences from the political class as well as from the market-a situation brought about by flawed legislation, the absence of a political culture, an inefficient internal regulating process and lack of suitable training for the journalists themselves. Adding an important perspective on recently developed media systems, this book will be an important resource for scholars and students of journalism, media studies, media industries, politics and media history. Agnieszka Węglińska is an associate professor in the Department of Journalism and Communication, the Faculty of Applied Studies at the University of Lower Silesia, Poland. Her research concentrates on public service media and transformation of media systems in Europe.
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One day later, the Act took effect. An immediate replacement of the Polish TV and Polish Radio Boards and Supervisory Boards members followed. The principle which formed the basis of the regulatory philosophy of this system and has been in force since the early 1990s was also questioned, i.e. that the government's authority over public media is exercised by an authority other than that directly subordinate to the government or a part of it. What has happened in Poland with respect to the public media proves the media's position vis a vis the authorities and the politics typical for the Central and Eastern Europe where the deeply rooted traditional media philosophy has still been in force in line with the well-established behavioural patterns connected with the post-authoritarian culture; the degree varying from country to country. Ironically, the latter facilitates the development, in Central and Eastern Europe, of the phenomenon named "Italianisation of the media". 1 The notion occurred in 1980s as a result of the then developed model of the Italian media. Let's recall its characteristic features: • Strong state control of the media • Close relations between the media and the ruling party
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Over two decades have passed by since Poland took the course of democratic changes. In the early 1990s the press sector was re-established as a consequence of de-monopolization and has been taken over by foreigners. The electronic media sector has been restricted for 15 years and foreign companies could only have one third of the ownership. The complexity of Polish media system reflects the long way from communism and governmental media towards free democratized market with some remnants of the previous era. It is hard to predict when it will be shaped in a brand new way and if it is generally possible.
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