Reporting goes online
“29 years of impunity. Father Rydzyk's Phenomenon” was aired on TVN24 in January 2021 and later placed in the TVN24 GO service library. In June that year, the material besides appeared on YouTube under the changed title “32 years of impunity. The Phenomenon of Father Rydzyk’.
As the name suggests, this half-hour material focuses on the controversial founder of Radio Maryja and tv Trwam. Among another things, the viewer can see how PiS politicians cling to Rydzyk's father, but besides how his media empire works.
According to Virtual Media portal information, after being published online, Rydzyk's father's lawyer sent a letter to TVN station. The YouTube footage has been watched more than 400,000 times so far.
Discrimination against believers?
On November 21, KRRiT chief Maciej Świrski announced on the X portal that he had imposed a punishment on TVN station for both the issue of "29 years of impunity. Father Tadeusz's Phenomenon on TVN24 and under the changed title "32 years of impunity. Father Tadeusz's Phenomenon” on YouTube.
The punishment is PLN 142 800, which represents 85% of the maximum amount provided for by the provisions. Therefore, more than 25 000 complaints from citizens to the president of the KRRiT were to be received. According to the decision, the fine must be paid within 14 days of its receipt to the National Broadcasting Council. The consignor shall have the right to appeal that decision to the court.
Swirski besides claimed that the study contained hateful or discriminatory content on grounds of religion or belief, political views or any another view.
Photo XIn July, the president of the Radio Support squad Maryja, Prof. Janusz Kawecki, a erstwhile associate of the KRRiT, on tv Trwam's air, encouraged to complain to KRRiT about TVN materials which in his opinion attacked Father Tadeusz Rydzyk and Catholics. This included the aforementioned study and the material on the Toruń Museum of Memory and Identity.
TVN accuses censorship
TVN station in a message sent to PAP noted that the decision of the president of the KRRiT to impose a punishment was illegal, violates freedom of speech and constitutes another effort to censor the media. The station announced that it would immediately appeal that decision to the court. How can we read in TVN:
The decision of the president of the National Broadcasting Council to impose a punishment for a study issued 3 years ago "29 years of impunity. Father Tadeusz's Phenomenon" for TVN24 is illegal, it interferes with freedom of speech and is another effort to censor the media," TVN emphasizes. TVN’s message states that “it is the right of viewers to access reliable information and the work of journalists to present the facts as they are. We will always defend the fundamental values on which reliable journalism is based. We will immediately appeal that decision to the court.
