2024-12-16 21:37 update: 2024-12-16, 21:41
Photo PAP/Albert Zawada
The government should safeguard the media from hostile influences, but must steer clear of using such protections for the sake of internal domestic policy, the US Department of State has told PAP.
In a statement sent to PAP regarding the Polish government's plans to place the private broadcasters TVN and Polsat on the list of the country's strategic companies, the press office of the US Department of State says that disinformation campaigns led by foreign hostile entities require that the country's media remain free of such interference.
According to the statement, governments, societies and private businesses must maintain continuous vigilance. However, measures used to combat foreign interference must not be used as an instrument of domestic policy, the State Department warned.
Media pluralism is a foundation of democracy and Poland, as a country in the first line of Europe's and NATO's defence against foreign hostile influence, must ensure independence of its media, the statement read.
The comment by the US Department of State is the first reaction from Washington regarding Poland's plans to add TVN and Polsat to the list of strategic companies. The move is aimed to protect the broadcasters against possible hostile takeovers by foreign entities. The decision was announced last week, following the news of the potential sale of TVN to a company associated with Hungary's Prime Minister Victor Orban, who maintains close ties with Russian President Vladimir Putin.
Warner Bros. Discovery, which owns TVN, has not responded to repeat questions from PAP on that matter. (PAP)
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