Marek Suski, a member of parliament with Poland’s ruling conservative Law and Justice (PiS) party, met with reporters on Thursday to present the draft legislation, according to which at least 50 percent of monthly airtime devoted to songs would be taken up by Polish acts.
Suski proposed that between 5 a.m. and midnight, the quota be increased to 80 percent, the state PAP news agency reported.
In addition, the bill foresees incentives for radio stations to feature new Polish songs and performers.
Suski said that the bill "seeks to take care of Polish culture, Polish music and Polish performing artists," who have been “greatly impoverished” during the coronavirus pandemic.
“We are responding to expectations,” he told reporters, adding that the bill “is similar to policies adopted in some other European Union countries, such as France.”
“It’s a first step towards promoting our culture with these kinds of policies,” Suski said.
He revealed that so far, the proposal had received support mainly from ruling party MPs, but other lawmakers were also willing to back it.
“Hopefully there will be nationwide agreement about this bill,” Suski stated.
He was accompanied at the news conference by a group of musicians who welcomed the initiative.
Pianist and keyboardist Wojciech Konikiewicz, founder of the Polish Musicians’ Trade Union, said such new rules would be "well received by all artists, musicians, songwriters,” as the national music community has “campaigned incessantly for many years” for such regulations.
Under the current rules, a third of the music broadcast by radio stations nationwide must be Polish. In addition, at least 50 percent of these Polish pieces must receive daytime airplay, public broadcaster Polish Radio’s IAR news agency reported.
(pm/gs)
Source: IAR, PAP