However, TVN will not have to pay PLN 550,000. PLN fine. The court overturned the decision of the National Broadcasting Council

The District Court in Warsaw overturned the decision of the National Broadcasting Council to impose PLN 550,000 on TVN. PLN fine for broadcasting the report “Franciszkańska 3”. In its justification, the court stated that the material was not an attack on the Catholic Church, and raising the issue of protection of minors is the foundation of democracy – TVN24 reported on Friday.

The District Court in Warsaw, in its judgment of March 27, fully overturned the decision of the then chairman of the National Broadcasting Council of March 4, 2024. Maciej Świrski then accused TVN SA of violating Art. 18 section 1 and 2 of the Broadcasting Act by broadcasting the report “Franciszkańska 3” and decided to impose a fine of PLN 550,000. zloty.

TVN24 reported on Friday that in the oral reasons for its justification, the court indicated that the broadcast “Bielmo. Franciszkańska 3” cannot be attributed to promoting attitudes that are contrary to the law or violate the Christian value system.

“The broadcast was not an attack on the Church. The Polish state has not conducted a thorough investigation into the phenomenon of pedophilia in the Catholic Church, and covering such socially important topics in journalistic materials as the protection of minors towards institutions of trust, such as churches and religious associations, is the foundation of democracy,” the information noted.

The judgment is invalid.

According to TVN24, the evidence collected in the case shows that the broadcast was prepared reliably and in accordance with the principles of journalistic diligence, based on interviews with numerous witnesses. “Even if there were irregularities in this respect, the Chairman of the National Broadcasting Council is not authorized to investigate these circumstances, and the provisions of the Broadcasting Act do not provide a legal basis for imposing a penalty on the broadcaster,” it was emphasized, adding that a separate procedure provided for in the provisions of the Civil Code serves to protect the personal rights of natural and legal persons.

The report “Bielmo. Franciszkańska 3” by Marcin Gutowski premiered on March 6, 2023. It presented the thesis that Karol Wojtyła, as the metropolitan of Krakow, covered up cases of pedophilia among the clergy.

In March 2024, the National Broadcasting Council reported that “after the broadcast of the report, the National Council received a record number of complaints in the history of the National Broadcasting Council.” It was reported that 6,058 occurrences were registered (e-mails, forms from the website, notifications via the ePUAP platform and letters sent by traditional mail). These speeches contained 39,000 613 signatures of citizens expressing their opposition to the content of the program. According to the National Broadcasting Council, “during the explanatory proceedings initiated by the National Broadcasting Council, experts confirmed that the material did not meet the criteria of reportage and the standards of journalistic ethics.”

It was noted that “the program was based on the materials of the Security Service of the Polish People's Republic (reports obtained by the Security Service) and other documentation collections were not checked.” “No in-depth research was conducted, no events were connected, and the entire narrative was adjusted to the previously stated thesis. Analysis of the material showed the presence of content in the program that was contrary to the law and social good, harming religious feelings, in this particular case of Catholics, and disinforming public opinion,” it was noted.

The Chairman of the National Broadcasting Council called on the broadcaster to stop breaking the law and decided to impose a financial penalty of PLN 550,000. zloty.

TVN appealed against Świrski's decision. As legal advisor Paulina Maślak-Stępnikowska, representing the station, told PAP in April 2024, the attitude of the National Broadcasting Council and its chairman is “institutional action and interference in freedom of speech.”

On July 28, 2025, Maciej Świrski was dismissed as the head of the National Broadcasting Council. Earlier, the Sejm voted in favor of holding him constitutionally accountable before the State Tribunal. An initial motion in this matter was submitted by a group of 185 MPs accusing Świrski of violations in three different areas: blocking approximately PLN 300 million from license fees for public radio and television, blocking licenses for private broadcasters (TVN, TVN 24, Radio TOK FM, Radio ZET), as well as failing to carry out statistical research on the viewership of television stations in Poland. The current chairman of the National Broadcasting Council is Agnieszka Glapiak. (PAP)

(we plan to continue the topic)

gj/ miś/ jpn/