to restrict foreign ownership of media channels. these pictures were broadcast on tvn24 a polish tv channel not run by the state, but owned by the us media company discovery, which is at the centre of the controversy. a news channel critical of the government, it s feared, could be silenced under the proposals. translation: it is not only about tvn, it s - about the future of free speech in poland, and that means it s about the future of our democracy. demonstrators are calling for this man, polish president andrzej duda, to veto the law something he has hinted he would do in the past. 0therwise, protesters fear it will lead to poland s free media being bought off or destroyed, and worse. translation: next will come internet censorship and attempts to extinguish all independent sources of information.
many fear that the government will use the legislation, which was unexpectedly passed by parliament on friday to silence critics. mark lobel reports. protesting outside the presidential palace to protect press freedom. a message echoed across dozens of polish cities after rules were surprisingly rushed through parliament on friday to restrict foreign ownership of media channels. these pictures were broadcast on tvn24 a polish tv channel not run by the state, but owned by the us media company discovery, which is at the centre of the controversy. a news channel critical of the government, it s feared could be silenced under the proposals. translation: it is not only about tvn, it s - about the future of free speech in poland, and that means it s about the future of our democracy. demonstrators are calling for this man, polish president andrzej duda, to veto the law something he has hinted he would do in the past.
0therwise, protesters fear it will lead to poland s free media being bought off or destroyed, and worse. translation: next will come internet censorship and attempts to extinguish all independent sources of information. but we will not allow that to happen and return to those times when we had to listen to a broken signal of radio free europe. but the nato member state s government, run by the right wing populist law and justice party, insist the new laws are needed to protect against russian and chinese influence over polish media. others say it s part of the eu member s authoritarian agenda, with washington saying the bill would undermine freedom of expression, weaken media freedom and erode foreign investors confidence concerns shared by the european commission. according to tvn24, over 1.5 million poles have signed a petition against the changes
but we will not allow that to happen and return to those times when we had to listen to a broken signal of radio free europe. but the nato member state s government, run by the right wing populist law and justice party, insist the new laws are needed to protect against russian and chinese influence over polish media. others say it s part of the eu member s authoritarian agenda, with washington saying the bill would undermine freedom of expression, weaken media freedom and erode foreign investors confidence concerns shared by the european commission. according to tvn24, over 1.5 million poles have signed a petition against the changes that could cost the channel its very existence. the decision of what happens next now rests with the president. mark lobel, bbc news. the tennis player emma raducanu has been voted bbc sports personality of the year.
Thousands of demonstrators gathered outside Poland's presidential palace on Sunday in protest of a media law passed last week that limits foreign companies from owning major stakes in Polish media, with critics say targets a channel owne