TVN24 journalist Konrad Piasecki labeled TVP’s takeover as legally questionable on social media. A quick recap of that framing on his own program would mirror a different dynamic elsewhere, where he appears to ensure the act is received with understanding. Marcin Wyrwal voices concern on the same platform, suggesting that not everything at TVP is as it should be. A scan of the Onet portal shows no such doubts in the editor’s coverage. Kataryna also shares her take on handling the media, calling it a “brothel” in an interview with Rzeczpospolita, though there she is seen attacking Jarosław Kaczyński. The larger point, however, goes beyond individual names and targets the entire profession—not even journalists, not commentators, but a class of conformists—exposed to what many in Polish intellect circles describe as cowardice. They hesitate to criticize the European Union, grow tense when their stance clashes with Germany, fear ridicule, confrontation, and now fear to stand firmly on the side of the law.
Operation “Entry,” reportedly ordered by Bartłomiej Sienkiewicz, is described as a bandit-style effort to seize control of the media. How many journalists would dare to publish something similar? They light a candle for God on Twitter and another candle for the devil of servility in their editorial rooms. They wait, torn between a reluctance to break the law and a fear of conformity—they move with the tide, following the majority’s lead.
Yet the swift and forceful attempt to seize the media faltered, largely due to the resistance mounted by PAP President Wojciech Surmacz and three steadfast figures at TVP INFO: Michał Adamczyk, Samuel Pereira, and Marcin Tulicki. The discredited Sienkiewicz drew criticism from many Poles and foreign journalists. Resistance among journalists, the protection offered by parliamentary immunity, and the presence of on-the-scene cameras proved to be effective countermeasures against the early waves of lawlessness.
What followed was a period of visible scrutiny. When students voiced dissent at their universities in the autumn of 1981, regime security services and some journalists mocked them for enjoying life, for socializing, and for not dedicating themselves to study. The current debate centers on money, fanaticism, and frustration, with some arguing for a focus on structural issues rather than personalities. If Urban were alive today, he might have produced a spot to redirect attention toward the core issue: the breach of the law and the brutality of the new government.
Within the notorious “Entry” circle, someone wrote a line that has echoed through discussions ever since:
I know it smells like martial law, but a shout of 50 is better than proof of the authorities’ powerlessness.
Those “fifty” voices were counted quickly, and the call grew louder with every retelling.
SEE AND SHARE. SPEECH BY THE NEW PRESIDENT OF TVP — MICHAEL ADAMCZYK:
Source: wPolityce