Poland

[PL] The National Broadcasting Council Submits Its Report

IRIS 1998-10:1/29

Hanna Jedras

Dept. of European Integration and International Relations National Broadcasting Council of Poland

In March 1998 the National Broadcasting Council submitted an annual report on its operation as well as basic problems faced by the broadcasting sector to the Lower House of Parliament, the Senate and the President. The first part of the document - the Report - includes information on the decisions taken by the Council, the second - Information - describes the processes that were brought about by those decisions and presents the development of the media market in Poland and its prospects for the future.

The Report analyses the licensing policy pursued by the Council in 1997 and the completion of the second licensing process. It also discusses major problems the Council encounters while controlling broadcasters. It focuses on monitoring radio and TV programmes and, first of all, on the coverage of significant social and political events (constitutional and electoral campaigns, emergency situations).

The informative part of the NBC's report offers various data concerning Polish electronic media. Apart from an evaluation of the size and dynamics of this sector (ranked as number four in Europe in terms of its size and rate of transformation ) it highlights issues connected with media convergence and European integration, especially in view of the harmonisation of Polish media legislation with that of the European Union. The informative part also touches upon problems such as economic operating conditions for radio and TV stations, development of information society, and the future of digital of broadcasting in Poland.