Poland’s proposed media rules threaten press freedom

LAW AND JUSTICE (PiS), the party that rules Poland, dislikes critics. Soon after coming to power in 2015, it took control of TVP, the public television broadcaster, and purged its management. Since then, Poland has slipped from 18th place in a World Press Freedom Index compiled by Reporters Without Borders, a non-profit group, to 64th, its lowest-ever ranking. Now PiS has turned its attention to TVN, a television station owned by Discovery, an American media giant. A bill limiting foreign ownership of media companies adopted on August 11th by the Sejm, the lower chamber of parliament, could force Discovery to sell. Liberals fear that Poland’s independent media are in jeopardy.