A campaign in defence of independent media, created by SEC Newgate CEE for TVN Warner Bros. Discovery, has been nominated for the PR Week Global Awards in the Issues and Crisis category. It is the only project from Poland to be included in this prestigious group and is in contention to win the competition that honours the best agencies and campaigns in the world.
PRWeek, one of the most important international industry media, annually recognises the best campaigns, agencies and experts from different regions. This time, the SEC Newgate CEE agency joined the group of nominees, in partnership with TVN Warner Bros. Discovery and its global structures, delivered a campaign responding to the threats posed by Lex TVN – the attempted takeover of the station by politicians. The project is the fruit of the agency’s strategic collaboration with TVN Warner Bros. Discovery.
As the experience of Poland and other European countries shows, free media are the foundation of any democracy. Reporters Without Borders’ annual press freedom ranking shows that between 2015 and 2022, Poland dropped 48 positions. Independently, editors and media companies were under strong political pressure that targeted the public’s right to information.
The PRWeek Global Awards jury recognised the activities in defence of free media, journalistic independence and pluralism in the media market, the essence of the nominated project. The activities conducted by SEC Newgate CEE and Warner Bros. Discovery led to global interest in the media situation in Poland. The example of TVN was widely commented on and presented as a symbol of the fight against independent media. Lex TVN was referred to by The New York Times, The Washington Post, and Le Figaro, as well as representatives of the US State Department and the European Commission. Ultimately, the Lex TVN bill was vetoed by the President and did not enter into force.
– The campaign to defend the independence of the TVN station has become a universal example of how to counteract the pressures imposed on business. It is also an expression of the determination of the media to protect the right to information, which is the foundation of any civil society,” commented Sebastian Hejnowski, Regional Head of Eastern EMEA at SEC Newgate, on the appointment.
The campaign in defence of TVN can serve as a compass for media outlets in Europe and around the world that face political oppression and threats to curtail their independence. This is particularly relevant in view of the familiar situation in Hungary or the precarious situation of the media in Slovakia. This year’s elections to the European Parliament may also bring a whole new chapter in European politics and new threats to the media. Editors must be prepared for this.
