Polish MPs want to extend TV production quotas
December 21st, 2009 - 11:20 UTC
by Andy Sennitt.
Bozena Szydlowska from Poland’s Civic Platform has filed a motion at the Culture Ministry to promote Polish TV and film productions, instead of foreign movies and TV series. The MP is also working on a bill which will favour Polish films. “Polish artists are often underestimated. Their films are shown often late at night or early in the morning while foreign films and TV series take prime time,” says the MP.
In Poland TV stations are currently obliged to devote 33 percent of broadcasting time to Polish film and TV productions. Civic Platform MPs want the quota to be extended. The politicians claim that Polish films and TV series should take at least 40 percent of broadcasting time a month, which would mean 10 hours of Polish productions in a 24 hour period.
“It is a decision that would have serious consequences because TV stations would have to invest money in their own productions, and it is usually more expensive to produce a TV series than to buy a foreign one,” says Witold Kolodziejski from the National Council of Radio Broadcasting and Television.
