WARSAW, Aug 16 (Reuters) – Polish information channel TVN24 has received a Dutch broadcasting licence that allows you to permit it to stay on air in Poland beneathneath European Union guidelines if its neighborhood licence isn’t always renewed, its discern company, U.S. media institution Discovery (DISCA.O), stated on Monday.
Poland’s maximum famous information channel’s licence expires on Sept. 26 however it isn’t always clean whether or not it will likely be granted an extension after the Polish decrease residence of parliament ultimate week exceeded a invoice that might make stronger a ban on companies from out of doors the European Economic Area controlling Polish broadcasters.
That invoice will now visit the higher residence, the Senate.
“We have… carried out for, and been granted, a Dutch licence beneathneath EU regulation,” stated Kasia Kieli, President for Discovery in EMEA, stated in a statement.
“In the occasion the (Polish) National Broadcasting Council does now no longer renew the TVN24 licence…the Dutch license will permit us, according with Polish and EU regulation, to keep broadcasting TVN24.”
Discovery stated on Thursday it had notified the Polish authorities that it’d take felony motion beneathneath the bilateral funding treaty among america and Poland, branding Poland’s failure to resume TVN24’s licence and the vote in parliament as “discriminatory”
U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken has stated Washington is “deeply troubled” with the aid of using passage of the invoice, which pursuits to save you businesses from out of doors the European Economic Area contolling media businesses in Poland via motors primarily based totally withinside the area.
Discovery owns 100% of TVN24 via Netherlands-primarily based totally Polish Television Holding to get round a ban on non-European companies proudly owning greater than 49% of Polish media businesses.
“This licence does now no longer in any manner clear up the scenario we’ve with the brand new regulation exceeded withinside the authorities. The destiny of TVN and freedom of press in Poland continues to be at risk,” Kieli stated.
“The rule of regulation and loose media underpin any democracy, and we are able to keep to strongly guard TVN’s position because the country’s main unbiased information provider.”
A authorities spokesman did now no longer right away reply to a request for comment.
