Poland

[PL] National Broadcasting Council's Views on “Big Brother”

IRIS 2001-9:1/23

Hanna Jedras

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

Monitoring the broadcasters' violations of programme standards, the National Broadcasting Council of Poland (NBC) voiced its criticism concerning the "Big Brother" show and other shows following a similar format, arguing that they may be socially harmful. In its opinion these broadcasts may have negative effect on the behaviour of some viewers. The Council announced in its Standpoint of 22 March 2001 that it would be particularly scrupulous in examining whether such reality show programmes comply with the provisions of the Broadcasting Act.

On 18 July 2001, after the initial series of episodes of "Amazonki", another version of "Big Brother", the NBC issued a Decision determining that Polskie Media S.A. (the Licensee) had infringed Art. 18.1 of the Broadcasting Act, which states that "programmes or other broadcasts may not encourage actions contrary to moral values and social interest (...)". The Council appeals to the Licensee to avoid violations of the right to privacy of the participants of the show, otherwise Polskie Media S.A. would be fined as stipulated in Art. 54 par. 1 of the Broadcasting Act. The NBC justified its standpoint claiming that the broadcaster altered the rules which had been previously agreed with the participants and placed cameras in toilets.