The leading private radio station RMF FM has received money to promote the activities of Orlen S.A., one of Poland’s largest state-owned multinational oil refiners and petrol retailers, casting a shadow on the independence of the country’s media market.
In recent years, Orlen has expanded its business in Poland and several other countries in the region. Its acquisition of Polska Press, one of Poland’s largest publishing groups, raised concerns about media freedom.
Despite not having officially overtaken RMF FM, Orlen influences its editorial line, according to the investigation conducted by OKOpress. “The concern and its president are constantly present on the radio, and RMF receives money from the state-owned companies,” the outlet reported.
It cited a report by media analyst Professor Tadeusz Kowalski, showing that Orlen is a main advertiser at RMF FM. In 2021, it paid 23 million zlotys (€5.2 million) for the radio, the researcher wrote. In contrast, the second biggest private station with regards to the audience, Radio Zet, received no money from Orlen the same year, OKOpress reported.
Under the rules adopted under the ruling conservative PiS party (ECR), Orlen does not spend money on adverts in the media critical of the government, the outlet stressed. Some examples are the top liberal daily Gazeta Wyborcza or weeklies Polityka and Polish edition of Newsweek.
On its news website RMF24, RMF FM regularly informs of Orlen’s activities, including sponsoring in sport, awards received by the company and its development. In more general articles, for instance, about the prices of petrol, it puts emphasis on the aspects related to Orlen.
Anonymous RMF FM employees told OKOpress that their colleagues got tired of participating in Orlen’s conferences and other events.
“Our work joke is ‘Because our friends from Orlen invite (us)’,” one of them said.
The paper also investigated the family ties between RMF FM employees and Orlen. The fact that the wife of a key employee of RMF FM, Poland’s largest private radio station, is a director of a Czech company owned by Orlen is just one example.
Orlen is known to have close ties with the PiS government, for example, by sponsoring events promoted by the ruling party. Ahead of the general election on 15 October, petrol prices at Orlen petrol stations dropped significantly, prompting accusations that this was a deliberate move to support the PiS campaign.
(Aleksandra Krzysztoszek | Euractiv.pl)
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