New! 20 1000 zł of penalties for TVN for the vulgar word of Dukszewicz

TVN 24 station publisher was punished by the National Radio and tv Council (KRRiT) for a vulgar word on the air. The station must pay almost PLN 20 thousand. The decision of the KRRiT shall be appealed.

Late in the evening on 15 May 2023, during the issue of the popular TVN 24 Contact Glass, there was an incidental that sparked many controversy and complaints from viewers. The program commentator Krzysztof Daukszewicz, known for his many years of work on the air, utilized an uncensored word, which is contrary to the applicable Broadcasting Act. This law obliges broadcasters to guarantee the correctness of the language and to prevent its vulgarisation, bearing in head the wider social impact of specified actions.

As a consequence of complaints submitted by viewers, The KRRiT took fast steps to analyse the situation. The uncovering of an infringement of Article 18(7) of the said Act resulted in a financial punishment of PLN 19,526,45 imposed on TVN SA station, which is 1 10 thousandth of the permissible maximum, based on 10% of the station's yearly revenues.

Additional controversy regarding discriminatory comments

Another aspect of the same issue and penalties for TVN besides sparked controversy. Commentator Krzysztof Daukszewicz directed attention in a manner considered degrading and discriminatory towards Piotr Jaconia, a well-known writer and father of a transgender person. His message “what sex is he today?” was met with immediate criticism of both viewers and TVN24, which officially apologized to the LGBT+ community and all viewers.

TVN24 powerfully condemned Daukszewicz's statements, stressing its position against all forms of discrimination. Daukszewicz himself expressed regret over the situation and yet decided not to return to the programme, indicating a permanent change in the station's approach to content management and interaction with the public.

The question of penalties for TVN

The decisions of the KRRiT concerning the imposition of penalties shall be subject to appeal to the court. The broadcaster has the right to usage this option, which may lead to further legal and social considerations around standards of broadcasting and media responsibility.

The incidental in the Contact Glass sheds light on the continued request to monitor media content and enforce existing government aimed at protecting the public from adverse impacts of inappropriate content. Both linguistic vulgarity and discriminatory content require a strong regulatory consequence and media self-regulation to guarantee a affirmative and constructive media environment for all users.

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