The very strange fight of Polish public television (V2)
(B2) The situation in Poland is turning sour. And journalists who practice their profession are now required to align themselves with those in power. Our colleague from Polish private television (Polsat TV), Dorota Bawołek has just undergone the bitter experience.
Questioning the independence of Polish justice
It all started last Thursday, during the European Commission press briefing, the Polsat journalist asked the Commission for a reaction on the new legislation concerning supreme court judges in Poland. Very logical question. The spokesperson's response remains very cautious (1), focusing on recalling the procedure already underway on the rule of law. Several journalists tried to get a response. The spokesperson, Alexander Winterstein, has not deviated from this line.
Several journalists are not satisfied with the response. So they insist. Dorota Bawołek so try a second attempt, too, “ You are not commenting on this news even though the Council of Europe or the European Parliament [have done so]. You seem happier to comment on a country which is leaving the EU than a country which is in the EU and which, perhaps, if you do not respond, will want to follow that path ". A usual procedure, during press briefings in the Commission, where journalists have the right to "reply", and ask a "tougher" question on the second attempt (2).
Public television adds fuel to the fire
The matter could have ended there. But Polish public television decided to add fuel to the fire. It published an excerpt from the question, calling the questions of our Polish colleague Bawołek “provocations,” specifying that the Commission had “not fallen for the bait.” Then a commentator, Dominik Zdort, declared that these questions were purely political, that Bawołek had tried to manipulate the Commission, and that Polsat’s professional standards had become “unacceptable.” A coverage that led to several dozen messages on Twitter calling our fellow journalist “anti-Polish,” “neo-Marxist,” and other such low-level insults.
An attack on the essence of journalism: the right to ask a question
This type of insult is quite common on Twitter where, behind the anonymity of social networks, people (even well-bred ones) vent in quite notable vulgarity. What is more disturbing is the attitude of a public media which even challenges the essence of journalism. We can disagree with an article, a point of view, we contradict it, we argue… But contesting the fact that a journalist is doing his job and asking questions on a current issue is disturbing to say the least.
The right, the duty of a journalist
The right of a journalist, the duty even, is to ask questions, more or less pointed, in order to obtain an answer. Everyone has their own style. But it is customary in European circles when you do not get an answer at first, to have the right to a second chance. It is even a right, respected (almost scrupulously) by the European authorities and which is not automatically practiced in all European countries. In general, the question is rephrased or a deliberately harsher tone is adopted (2). It is "fair game". And, in general, the spokespeople, even if they do not shout their joy at this offensive, appreciate it because it also allows them to be more direct, more offensive in turn, to come and clarify a point (... or not). It is quite simply the exercise of democracy and the work of the press that Dorota has done and that Polish public television has called into question.
Nicolas Gros Verheyde
vice-president of the Association of European Journalists AJE-France
(1) A habit adopted by the European Commission, in the event of an embarrassing question, sometimes to have political time for reflection.
(2) Having often practiced this type of exercise, I can testify that Dorota's double question could not have been more polite and justified. In the Commission's press room, we encountered much more clear-cut or apostrophizing questions.
Chain reactions...
Commission Vice-President Frans Timmermans condemned Twitter this process: “I strongly condemn the threats that Dorota Bawolet received just while doing her work. This is unacceptable ! ".
I strongly condemn the threats @DorotaBawolek received just for doing her job. Unacceptable! A-EU!
— Frans Timmermans (@TimmermansEU) July 17, 2017
The International Press Association (API) protested against this attitude of seeing journalists implicated just because they ask a question. “ The right to ask questions in the newsroom is something that is part of our culture of media freedom and has always prevailed in the newsroom. We encourage everyone here and outside to make use of this right and ask the questions they deem necessary. " said Michael Stabenow on behalf of the API. Which led to widespread applause and the remark of Schina's Margaritis, the Commission's chief spokesperson: This is one of the press rooms where all accredited journalists have the full right to ask (all) the questions they wish. The Commission and the Spokesperson's Service will ensure that this right is protected. »
Go further: twitter feed by Dorota Bawolek