Belsat TV faces uncertainty: Will promised ‘new opportunities’ deliver?
The reform of TVP World, which currenly includes the Belsat TV channel, has been announced. Experts have indicated that the changes will result in the loss of much of the autonomy currently enjoyed by Belsat TV and a reduction in its scope. The channel’s acting director, Aliaksei Dzikavitski, declined to comment.
Reaction: Promised opportunities will turn into big problems
A former employee of the channel, Zmitser Yahorau, commented on the plans of the Polish Foreign Ministry as follows: “The new managers of Polish Television, in collaboration with the Polish government (in particular the Ministry of Foreign Affairs), with this “significant reform of foreign editorial offices”, will eliminate, if not the channel as a whole, but certainly Belsat’s autonomy.”
“Until now, Belsat has existed as a fairly autonomous unit within public television. No one from above told it how to broadcast, what to cover, when, and to what extent. Now Belsat is to be integrated into the Center for Foreign Program Broadcasting (Ośrodek Programów dla Zagranicy), which has not yet been created,” the journalist said.
The journalist took a hard look at the new possibilities offered to the “new Belsat”:
“Some programs, part of the news shows and correspondent network, will undergo significant cuts. There will be less original content, and the SMM team will be reduced in size. The ‘reform’ will lead to a situation where many employees will no longer be needed.”
External perspective: Safeguarding Belsat’s independence is crucial
In a recent Instagram post, Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya reiterated the importance of maintaining the independence of Belsat.
“Belsat must remain operational. This is particularly important now, as the regime is engaged in a war with our people and our neighbors. Belsat serves as a valuable tool in the fight against propaganda and is an essential channel of communication between Belarusians inside the country and those in exile. Any efforts to weaken Belsat would be a gift to Putin and Lukashenka…”
Pavel Latushka, head of the People’s Anti-Crisis Management, said that it is strategically important to preserve the independence of the TV channel:
“Belsat is the only independent TV channel in Belarus, broadcasting in our native Belarusian language. In light of the Lukashenka regime’s efforts, aided by Russia, to wage a hybrid information war against Belarusian society, it is strategically important for us to maintain the independence of the Belsat TV channel. The channel plays an important role in shaping the identity of the Belarusian people, providing them with accurate and impartial information.”
But why discuss Belsat again?
On July 4, the head of TVP World, Michał Broniatowski, announced a draft TV reform. Among other things, it affects Belsat.
“Belsat will not be liquidated. Instead, a new structure will be implemented. I want to emphasize that Belsat will not disappear. Instead, it will acquire new opportunities,” assured the head of TVP World. “The changes will be unveiled on 1 March 2025. A new name will be revealed at the same time as the presentation of the new structure. The TVP will no longer be included in the name, but the word ‘Poland’ will be present. The search for a new name is already underway.”
What is Belsat’s place in the new TVP structure?
Creating a Center for Foreign Program Broadcasting is planned, which will unite all foreign language broadcasts under one umbrella: TVP World, Belsat, and all its branches; TVP Polonia and TVP Vilnius will remain independent. The center will be managed by TVP World.
Belsat will become one of the divisions of the new structure. In addition to Belsat and the Russian-language Vot Tak, there will be a Ukrainian editorial office, which will commence operations on 1 March 2025. Each newsroom will receive six hours of broadcasting per day.
However, each television company will operate independently, with its budget and autonomy.
Since mid-August, the Office for Public and Cultural Diplomacy of the Polish Ministry of Foreign Affairs will become a separate department. It will “work very closely with TVP” and “respond to hybrid threats and disinformation attacks,” according to the head of the department, Katarzyna Taran, as reported by Belsat.
When did the problems start?
In March 2024, Belsat Director Agnieszka Romaszewska-Guzy, who had been running the channel for 18 years, resigned.
Aliaksei Dzikavitski was appointed acting director of the channel. Immediately after his appointment, the new director discussed the channel’s plans.
On March 13, the spokesman for the Polish Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Paweł Wroński, denied the information about the reduction of funding for Belsat.
In the meantime, on May 27, due to financial uncertainty, Belsat moved to a new location – back to the place where it all began.