BELARUS NEWS AND ANALYSIS

DATE:

07/12/2007

Poland to begin news, cultural TV broadcasts to Belarus in attempt to bolster democracy

The Associated Press

WARSAW, Poland: A new television station funded by the Polish government will begin broadcasting a mix of news, cultural programming and entertainment shows to Belarus next week - part of Warsaw's ongoing attempt to bolster democracy in its autocratic neighbor.

The station Belsat will hit the airwaves on Monday, which is International Human Rights Day, and send shows into the authoritarian state ruled by longtime President Alexander Lukashenko.

"Our idea is to turn this station into a forum for uncensored discussion, which is now missing in Belarus," said Agnieszka Romaszewska-Guzy, director of the Warsaw-based station.

Poland, an ex-communist country now in the European Union and NATO, has for years expressed concern over the state of democracy in Belarus, a former Soviet republic of 10 million strongly supported by Russian President Vladmir Putin's government.

Warsaw is already supporting a radio station, Radio Racja, that broadcasts news programming into Belarus.

A unit of Polish state-run TV, Belsat will broadcast entirely in the Belarusian language, with programming prepared chiefly by Belarusian journalists working in both countries.

"It is going to be a TV station for Belarusians by Belarusians," said Aliaksei Dzikavicki, a former Radio Free Europe journalist who will oversee Belsat's news programming.

The Polish government will be Belsat's main contributor, with the Foreign Ministry pledging 21 million zlotys (US$8.6 million; ?5.8 million) out of an estimated yearly budget for 2008 of 27 million zlotys (US$11 million; ?7.5 million), Romaszewska-Guzy said.

Additionally, Lithuania public TV will produce a talk show. The Irish government has pledged to finance training for Belsat journalists.

The station will initially broadcast for four hours a day, but hopes to eventually increase that to 16 hours. Apart from news programs, Belsat will also show documentaries on human rights, programs on censored cultural events in Belarus and sitcoms such as "Ally McBeal."

Belsat estimates that more than 7 percent of Belarusian households own satellite dishes, which translates into about 700,000 potential viewers.

Lukashenko, president since 1994, has often been branded by Western countries as "Europe's last dictator." Belarus's closest ally is Russia, and has even considered merging with its giant neighbor into a single state - the focus of discussions next week between Putin and other top Russian and Belarusian officials.

Source:

http://www.iht.com/articles/ap/2007/12/07/europe/EU-GEN-Poland-Belarus-Media.php