Radio Station Cuts Ties With Polish Program Over Allegations of Anti-Semitism
On December 11, a Canadian radio station ended its relationship with Radio Maryja, a Polish radio program based in Poland, due to allegations that the program promulgates anti-Semitic content.
Matt Caine, vice president of CJMR 1320, a multicultural station that covers the Greater Toronto, sent a letter to the far-right Radio Maryja stating that Father Jacek Cydzik, who represents the station, failed to give an adequate response to B’nai Brith Canada’s allegations of anti-Semitism against the station.
“Fr. Cydzik failed to acknowledge or refute the specific examples that B’nai Brith Canada cited from credible institutions around the world, including Poland’s own National Radio and Television Broadcasting Council,” Caine wrote. “CJMR has been provided [with] multiple examples of anti-Semitic statements made by guests and commentators on Radio Maryja broadcasts and online publications. We hav
The headquarters of right-wing Catholic broadcaster Radio Maryja, in Torun, Poland. Photo: Reuters / Peter Andrews.
A Canadian radio station has cut its long-standing ties with one of Poland’s leading Catholic broadcasters over its antisemitism, in a move welcomed by Jewish groups.
Toronto AM station CJMR 1320 notified Polish broadcaster
Radio Maryja of the immediate cancelation of their contract last week.
Matt Caine vice president of CJMR 1320 noted in a letter that the broadcaster had “failed” to respond adequately to detailed complaints from experts and advocacy groups about its portrayal of Jews and Judaism, and that its Canadian representative, Fr. Jacek Cydzik, had simply dismissed these as “inaccurate” without providing evidence of why.