The Consultative Council of the CMWP SDP is taking a firm stance against what they see as a threat to media freedom and democratic values by protesting against the intimidation of advertisers supporting independent media outlets. Spearheaded by Jolanta Hajdasz, the council is sounding the alarm about the serious repercussions of these actions.
Central to their protest is the alleged discrimination and exclusion of Polish, private, independent media from economic circulation. They attribute this marginalization to the views and ideological positions held by certain left-liberal media and political groups, who they claim are pressuring advertisers to withdraw support from these independent voices.
The council asserts that such tactics directly contravene the principle of free competition, a cornerstone of democratic societies. They stress the importance of safeguarding press freedom and ensuring access to a variety of information sources, highlighting these as fundamental rights that must be defended at all costs.
Furthermore, the council warns that the coercion applied to advertisers constitutes unfair market competition, posing a significant risk of financial ruin for independent media outlets. They argue that this could have far-reaching consequences for society, including the stifling of free speech, restricted access to information, and the erosion of pluralism.
Notable figures such as Paweł Lisicki, Tomasz Sakiewicz, Krzysztof Skowroński, Leszek Sosnowski, and Wojciech Surmacz have added their names to the protest, lending credibility and weight to the council’s position.