Great talk, little action comes out of broadcasters' attempt to rate programs
After blowing much hot air, broadcasters are still doing little to actually help parents shield their children from viewing violent or sexually explicit television programs.
Almost a year has passed since major broadcasters such as public broadcaster Telewizja Polska (TVP), and private broadcasters such as Polsat, TVN, Canal+, PTK, Wizja TV and TV Niepokalanow, signed a "friendly media" pact with the intention of creating a voluntary ratings system for programs. The idea was for the broadcasters to warn viewers that upcoming programs contained adult content, but so far none of the television stations have begun carrying warning signs.
"After signing the agreement in front of cameras, the broadcasters found themselves in a state of complete inertia," said Maciej Wrzeszcz, an adviser to media watchdog the Television and Radio Council (KRRiTV).
The KRRiTV originally pushed broadcasters to come up with a voluntary labeling system. Wrzeszcz said that despite the agency's hold over broadcasters in terms of issuing licenses and the like, the KRRiTV has no regulatory ability to force the stations to rate programs. "We have no legal tools to do that," Wrzeszcz said. "What we can do is only remind the broadcasters about their undertakings."
The media law is vague when it comes to regulations concerning underage viewers. Under the law, programs considered potentially destructive to the development of children cannot be shown between 6 a.m. and 11 p.m. In practice, however, broadcasters have tended to show whatever films will bring the most viewers during prime time, as high viewership attracts advertisers. The result has been that violent movies, which usually attract a large audience, are broadcast early enough to be seen by children.
Having failed to coerce broadcasters to mark their programs, the council is now threatening to launch a public campaign that would portray the stations as being insensitive to the issue, Wrzeszcz said. "Since they (broadcasters) seem to have made no progress since February (1999), (KRRiTV Chairman Juliusz) Braun told them we will announce publicly that they don't want to do anything," he said.
But broadcasters last week said they were moving ahead with a labeling system. Piotr Szukalski, a representative in TVP's press office, said that since last October broadcasters have frequently met to discuss the issue. "I admit that at first the turnout was not impressive, but at the last meeting everybody was present," he said.
Wrzeszcz, however, said that the meetings were all show and that nothing substantial has been agreed upon. He said that until two months ago, broadcasters only sent underlings to the meetings and did not give their representatives the power to make decisions about a rating system.
The last two months of meetings have yielded results, Szukalski said, and now broadcasters are expected to implement a rating system by this spring. He said that at the last monthly meeting, which TVP hosted, delegates discussed criteria for marking programs and specific signs to be used. "We are going to mark movies, public affairs programs and documentaries, whereas we gave up the idea of marking news programs," Szukalski said.
In the meantime, one of digital platform Cyfra+'s thematic channels, Ale Kino!, has introduced a rating system. "It was our own internal decision," said Lucyna Mis, press spokeswoman for Ale Kino.
Capital coverage
Cable network Aster City launched a new TV station at the beginning of January called "Twoja Stolica" (Your Capital). The new station is dedicated almost entirely to news and events happening in Warsaw.
"There is no other typically local television (program) that would play an integrating role for the capital," said Antoni Kopff, producer and programming director of the new channel. "We want to create television for Varsovians, which would speak to them about their problems."
"Twoja Stolica" bought 17 hours of programming from production company Media Serwis. A host of business executives and entrepreneurs jointly own Media Serwis, including Janusz Fijalkowski, former president of local telephone company El-Net; Tomasz Grocholski, publisher of tele@top, a magazine that covers electronic media, Janusz Filipp and Antoni Kopff. At present, "Twoja Stolica" has a staff of 25 including presenters and commentators.
"Twoja Stolica" will air several hours of live discussions daily with representatives of Warsaw's municipal authorities and local governments. Viewers can also call the studio and ask city officials their own questions. "It's like confessing your sins to a priest they (callers) tell us a lot of stuff," Kopff said. "We are creating a kind of niche television with talking heads for those who look for more than cheap movies and soap operas."
Media Serwis spent about zl. 200,000 on the station's development and is now looking for sponsors. "What Aster City pays us for the production accounts for less than 25% of our budget," Kopff said. Media Serwis plans to make money on the station by attracting advertising from small businesses, which according to Kopff cannot afford the rates charged by big stations.
Shedding staff
Last year's worldwide merger between advertising firms Ammirati Puris Lintas and Lowe GGK has already resulted in an upper-management shake-up.
The two firms began operating Jan. 27 on the local market as one entity under the name Lowe Lintas GGK. The day after the agency's launch, however, former APL Managing Director Piotr Gawel announced he was leaving the company. Replacing him is Edwin Glattfelder, who has worked in Prague, Czech Republic and Basel, Switzerland, for Lowe GGK.
According to one source within Lowe Lintas GGK, who asked not to be identified, Gawel's departure was due to a difference in opinion on the new company's direction. "Piotr himself actually decided that he does not want to be part of the new venture," said Thomas Plotzeneder, regional director for Lowe Lintas GGK Central & Eastern Europe.
Also leaving Lowe Lintas GGK soon is Client Service Director Simon Little and creative head Chris Matyszczyk. "They will stay for another couple of months, but they will eventually fade out," Plotzeneder said, noting that their work contracts will not be prolonged. "Our philosophy is that local people should lead the companies."
Chris Rivituso contributed to this report
