Poland woke up to a virtual press and television blackout today as large independent media outlets staged a 24-hour protest over a tax they say will stifle press freedom and pluralism.
Publishers and broadcasters suspended reporting and printed an open letter arguing that a “scandalous” proposed tax on their advertising revenue would be an “asymmetric and selective burden” amounting to extortion while media freedom was slumping under the ruling conservative party, Law and Justice (PiS).
The tax will scoop up between 2 per cent and 15 per cent of advertising revenue depending on business size and could come into effect in July. Poland’s smaller, generally pro-government outlets are too small to pay the tax, and state-run media companies receive large subsidies.
The government argues
