A parliamentary commission has approved the so-called ‘TVN Law’ that could result in Discovery being forced to exit the Polish market.
According to Wirtualne Media, the proposed change to the Broadcast Act will now be debated in parliament (Sejm) from August 11.
It adds that the parliamentary commission, following a stormy debate, voted 16 in favour and 12 against the proposed change, with one abstention.
The amendment prohibits the direct or indirect control over a TV or radio station in Poland by a company based outside the European Economic Area. This would prevent Discovery, which formally owns the national broadcaster TVN through Dutch-registered Polish Television Holding but is ultimately based in the US, from operating in Poland.
Marek Suski, a member of the Sejm representing the ruling Law and Justice (PiS) party, said: “We have a fairly aggressive attack on Poland, elements of the information-hybrid war, hacking into the accounts of ministers, announcing these stolen e-mails on foreign foreign-language portals. Fortunately, they do not have a large range, but it can’t be ruled out that countries hostile to Poland could buy a TV or radio station, portal or newspaper and spread untruths”.
