Report from the Debate on the Future of Polish Radio Regional Stations

Report from the Debate on the Future of tOn 26 March in Lublin, a debate titled “Regional Stations of Polish Radio in the Public Media System” was held. The event was organized by the Institute of Social Communication and Media Sciences at Maria Curie-Skłodowska University and the Committee on Social Communication and Media Sciences of the Polish Academy of Sciences, represented by Prof. Iwona Hofman, Director of the Institute and Chair of the Committee. The debate brought together journalists, radio scholars, representatives of state institutions, and members of social organizations. The discussion focused on the role and future of public media in Poland.

Prof. Grażyna Stachyra, Head of the Department of Media Communication at UMCS, emphasized that radio is a “living organism,” created by a community of people, which translates into social trust. According to the scholar, who also moderated the academic panel, regional stations constitute an essential element of local community life.

Michał Krawczyk, a member of the Sejm Committee on Culture and Media, drew attention to the need to stabilize public media. In the panel chaired by Prof. Iwona Hofman, politicians also highlighted the importance of the mission fulfilled by local radio stations, including the dissemination of local information, the construction of cultural identity, and the coverage of social, educational, and political events. While politics was recognized as a significant factor in the functioning of public media in Poland, the postulate of their “depoliticization” was also discussed as a guarantee of journalistic credibility. Prof. Hofman stressed the importance of media education for understanding contemporary phenomena and pointed to the crucial role of media awareness in society.

The significance of regional media was also addressed by liquidators of local radio stations. Ewelina Kosałka-Passia, Editor-in-Chief and liquidator of Radio Katowice, pointed to the important role of radio in integrating communities and to the specific tasks performed by local public radio in contrast to commercial broadcasters. Issues of agency, credibility, and journalistic integrity were also discussed by representatives of local stations from across Poland, as well as by representatives of the Fundacja Wolności and the Helsinki Foundation for Human Rights.

The debate enabled a multifaceted reflection on the condition of and challenges facing the regional stations of Polish Radio. The organizers emphasized the importance of continuing the discussion and the need to support independent public media. A photo gallery from the event is available below.

A photo gallery from the event is available below.