Former TVP President Janusz Daszczyński Dies at 73

Janusz Daszczyński, a long-serving media professional who held leadership roles at Polish Television and served as the network’s president in 2015, has passed away at the age of 73.

Early Life and Professional Beginnings

Janusz Rajmund Daszczyński was born on September 13, 1952, in Gdynia. He studied at the Faculty of Electronics at the Gdańsk University of Technology. In 1977, he began his career as a studio engineer and audiovisual effects director at the television center in Gdańsk.

Media Career During the Transformation Era

In the late 1970s and early 1980s, he served as secretary and deputy editor-in-chief of the biweekly “Horyzont.” He later worked as deputy editor-in-chief of “Tygodnik Samorządność,” which suspended publication following the declaration of martial law in 1981.

Prior to the 1989 contract elections, he was deputy head of the media team for the Solidarity Citizens’ Committee. During this period, he helped co-found the diocesan biweekly “Gwiazda Morza” and the daily “Gazeta Gdańska,” while also operating a photography studio.

Administrative Roles at TVP

Between 1994 and 1998, he served as vice president of the board of Polish Television (TVP). His roles included editor-in-chief of the Gdańsk Television Center, director of TVP2, deputy director of TVP Polonia, and general director of the National Broadcasting Council office. He also worked in the private business sector between his media engagements.

Presidential Tenure and Legal Disputes

On June 10, 2015, the TVP supervisory board elected Daszczyński as president of the board, defeating incumbent Juliusz Braun. He officially assumed the position on July 29, 2015.

His tenure ended on January 8, 2016, following the passage of legislation by the Sejm that terminated the mandates of public media officials. Seven years later, he won a court case, with TVP ordered to pay him 62,000 PLN in damages for his unlawful dismissal. In a 2024 interview with press.pl, Daszczyński remarked that he felt his removal was an act of political manipulation and injustice.

Final Years and Affiliations

From 2021, he worked as a columnist for the internet radio station Halo.Radio. He also served as a member of the TVP program council, nominated by the Civic Coalition parliamentary group, and was an active member of the Journalists’ Society and the International Federation of Journalists.