TVN24 faces editorial independence concerns after Paramount‑Skydance‑Warner Bros. Discovery merger

Reporters Without Borders officials warn that the pending merger of Paramount Skydance with Warner Bros. Discovery could jeopardise the editorial independence of Poland’s TVN24 news channel. Pavol Szalai, director of the Prague office, says the transaction would place indirect control of TVN24 in a new dominant shareholder structure lacking binding safeguards, opening the outlet to political pressure. He has appealed to the European Commission and the European Media Services Council for an opinion on media pluralism and protection of editorial freedom.

The merger, which U.S. states have challenged in court, is currently on hold pending a legal ruling. Critics argue that without a guaranteed mechanism to preserve independence, TVN24 could shift towards a more right‑leaning editorial line, echoing past concerns about media interference in both the United States and Poland.