Putting his finger on it

During a visit to Warsaw at the end of June, media magnate Rupert Murdoch revealed some development plans regarding to TV Puls, in which he currently holds a 35-percent stake. The president of News Corporation also had a private meeting with Prime Minister Jarosław Kaczyński, during which matters concerning TV Puls were discussed.

According to media reports, Rupert Murdoch has so far invested some $50 (zł.138) million in the development of TV Puls, which was founded and is run by the Franciscan Order in Poland. The main obstacle the station faces before its official re-launch, which is planned for the fall, is a lack of national coverage. Currently TV Puls' transmission covers 56 percent of Poland and it has a steady audience of around 0.5 percent of viewers.

"We are going to invest in TV Puls as much as is necessary," Murdoch told Rzeczpospolita daily. His strategy is to turn TV Puls into a significant player on the market. According to Murdoch, the station will earn a larger share of the market within a two- to three-year period.

It has also been rumored that TV Puls will apply for a new frequency as soon as the National Broadcasting Council announces new frequencies meant for television stations with smaller coverage. TV Puls' competitors for these limited frequencies will probably be TVN and TV4.

The station is currently working on its new programming schedule, which will put a special emphasis on news and current events. This is why it has expressed interest in recruiting well-known Polish television journalists like Tomasz Lis and Bogdan Rymanowski.