The National Media Council to be liquidated. These are the plans of the Ministry of Culture

Marta Cienkowska, Minister of Culture and National Heritage, confirmed on Thursday that the draft of the new media law includes the liquidation of the National Media Council. As she explained, the competences of the body will be taken over by the National Broadcasting Council.

The proposed regulations assume that the National Broadcasting Council will be composed of nine members appointed for six years and – in accordance with the rotation principle – one third of the members will be replaced every two years. – Four members will be elected by the Sejm, two by the Senate, and three by the president. Additional requirements will be the support of industry non-governmental organizations. Each of these candidates will be subject to a public hearing with the participation of representatives of non-governmental organizations, trade unions and employers' organizations, said Cienkowska. She added that resolutions of the Sejm and Senate confirming the selection of candidates will require full justification.

The head of the Ministry of Culture and National Heritage announced that single-person management boards of media companies are proposed, appointed for five years by the apolitical National Broadcasting Council at the request of the competition committee. – Each candidate will have to present a draft framework concept for the functioning of the public radio and television broadcasting unit, as well as recommendations from non-governmental organizations – she explained.

Cienkowska emphasized that the National Media Council is planned to be liquidated. – Her duties will be taken over by the National Broadcasting Council – she explained.

When asked whether the term of office of the current National Broadcasting Council will expire after the act enters into force, the minister replied that she “cannot imagine any other scenario”.

Cienkowska: Candidates for bodies related to public media must be apolitical

The head of the Ministry of Culture emphasized that the priority in the proposed solutions is the independence of public media authorities.

– We need transparent competitions based on competence criteria. Each candidate who will be elected to bodies related to public media must, first of all, meet the requirements of apoliticality and expertise, she emphasized.

Apoliticality – explained Cienkowska – means “no affiliation to a political party for five years back from the moment of candidacy, no holding of office in a political party, and no candidacy in general elections for at least 10 years.” Expertise is defined as “distinguished knowledge and experience in the field of mass media, culture and media, at least five years of experience in creating or applying media or culture law, working in an entity that is a media service provider or press publisher.”

– These requirements will apply to all candidates, whether they are company management boards, program boards, supervisory boards or the National Broadcasting Council. Each of these processes will be fully public, she announced.

The Minister of Culture also spoke about the management boards of media companies, noting that a one-person board is planned, appointed for five years by the apolitical National Broadcasting Council at the request of the competition committee.

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