From March 1, Telewizja Lokalna "Azart-Sat" will have a new editor-in-chief. Bogdan Mazurkiewicz, a member of Platforma Obywatelska, will be replaced by Dariusz Filistyński, who ran for the city council in the last election from the Prawo i Sprawiedliwość list.
"Changing the editor-in-chief was my decision. I already spoke about replacing him last summer, but I did not want to do anything before the election so as not to be accused of political actions. Mr. Mazurkiewicz will continue working at the television station," says president Krzysztof Błażejczyk. Asked what qualifications the new editor-in-chief has, the president replies that Dariusz Filistyński travels to training sessions at the television station in Jelenia Góra and is being introduced to the job. "Of the three offers I received, Mr. Filistyński was the best," Błażejczyk adds.
Journalist Bernard Łętowski, however, does not believe that the choice was free of political considerations. "I believed that in the president's second term, personnel decisions would be more rational. I was wrong. Bolesławiec has several media professionals, although not all of them live here. Instead of one of them, the position goes to an unsuccessful council candidate from the Prawo i Sprawiedliwość list. It is sad, though hardly surprising. I can wish Mr. Filistyński luck; I must wish the television station luck," Bernard Łętowski adds.
Until now, the owner of the cable network, which holds 60% of the shares in the local television station, appointed the president, while the editor-in-chief was selected by the president of the city, since the city holds 40% of the shares. The president's press spokesperson, Agnieszka Gergont, assures that this time the president did not influence the choice. "This is the president's sovereign decision. He merely informed us about it. The president is ill," Agnieszka Gergont explains.
"If the new editor-in-chief was appointed for political reasons, his future depends on the outcome of the next election. We will soon find out what Mr. Filistyński is like, because journalistic independence will face political dependence," comments Andrzej Stefańczyk, a TVN reporter living in Bolesławiec.
"I do not write anyone off; the team is valuable. I will carry out the tasks assigned by the president and the board. The television station will be for everyone," Dariusz Filistyński himself assures. For now, he does not want to say more, as he is waiting until March 1 to take up the position. Bogdan Mazurkiewicz declined to comment.
(KG report)