Polish News Agency is accused by TVP of campaigning for rightist parties

Polish Press Agency (PAP) and public television TVP are rumored to be about to reach a settlement over a row which erupted when a TVP-news bulletin accused PAP of manipulating information prior to distributing it to the media. PAP is suing TVP, but no court date has been set for the case. However, an out-of-court settlement may not help improve relations between the two institutions. TVP president Robert Kwasniewski said, "PAP is currently employing some rightist officials who are actively engaged in the Presidential election campaign." PAP is also distrustful of TVP because its president was the campaign manager of the incumbent President Aleksander Kwasniewski. TVP has threatened to stop using PAP news, a move that could cost PAP heavily as TVP is one of its biggest customers. (Rzeczpospolita, page A7) S.M.