Poland’s broadcasting regulator has taken Russian television stations, including Kremlin mouthpiece RT, off the air following the invasion of Ukraine.
“Following the commencement of hostilities by the Russian Federation in Ukraine, [and] due to the security and defence of the Republic of Poland, the National Broadcasting Council (KRRiT) has adopted a resolution on removing the following channels: RT (Russia Today), RT Documentary, RTR Planeta, Sojuz TV, Rossija 24,” KRRiT spokeswoman Teresa Brykczyńska told Wirtualne Media.
Krajowa Rada Radiofonii i Telewizji podjęła uchwałę dot. wykreślenia z rejestru programów rozprowadzanych rosyjskich kanałów, w tym Russia Today.
— Janusz Cieszyński (@jciesz) February 24, 2022
What the decision means in practice, Brykczyńska explained, is that the channels cannot be broadcast on cable networks, satellite platforms or internet platforms in Poland.
Even before the KRRiT’s decision was made yesterday, Orange Polska – a branch of French telecoms corporation Orange – had already announced that, “due to the aggression against Ukraine, we are switching off all Russian TV channels”.
Orange, which is Poland’s largest mobile operator, had earlier in the day announced that it was lowering the price of calls to Ukraine by over 80% in order to “facilitate contacts between Ukrainians living in Poland and their families and relatives [back home]”. More than a million Ukrainians live in Poland, making them the country’s largest immigrant group.
Obniżamy ceny połączeń na Ukrainę o ponad 80 proc., To wsparcie znacząco ułatwi kontakty mieszkającym w Polsce Ukraińcom z ich rodzinami i bliskimi pozostającymi w kraju. Jesteśmy z Wami ❤️ https://t.co/k6aHkShlEu
— Wojtek Jabczyński (@RzecznikOrange) February 24, 2022
After the KRRiT’s announcement, other operators, including Canal+ and UPC Polska, confirmed that they would also be removing Russian stations from their platforms.
Under Poland’s broadcasting law, the KRRiT can remove from its register channels that have at least twice in the last 12 months broadcast content that promotes activities contrary to the law or Poland’s national interest, or attitudes and views contrary to morality and social good, notes TVP Info.
Yesterday, Latvia’s broadcasting regulator also announced the suspension of three Russian channels following the invasion of Ukraine.
Main image credit: Kremlin.ru (under CC BY 3.0)
Daniel Tilles is editor-in-chief of Notes from Poland. He has written on Polish affairs for a wide range of publications, including Foreign Policy, POLITICO Europe, EUobserver and Dziennik Gazeta Prawna.
