Since the parliamentary elections in 2023, a fresh wind has been blowing in Poland. Under the new government led by Prime Minister Donald Tusk, the media landscape is also likely to change.
Poland: will the change of government end the polarisation?
The new governing coalition consisting of the liberal-conservative Civic Platform (KO), the Christian-conservative Trzecia Droga (Third Way) alliance and the left-wing alliance Lewica made the depoliticisation of the country's public media a key point of its coalition agreement. And just one week after it was sworn in, the Ministry of Culture dismissed the entire management team of TVP, Polskie Radio and the state news agency PAP on 20 December 2023, and a few days later the three institutions were formally dissolved to pave the way for comprehensive restructuring. The ministry cited a parliamentary resolution to "restore the impartiality" of the public broadcasters. However, some commentators have voiced fears that a politicisation in the opposite direction could be underway, with right-wing voices being marginalised this time. Some TVP employees and viewers who remain loyal to the PiS have switched to the niche channel Telewizja Republika.
In recent years, however, Poland's press landscape has been marked not just by direct political influence on media content but also by intense polarisation. Many editorial teams defined their political orientation primarily based on their stance vis-à-vis the government – as either opponents or supporters. Whether this will change fundamentally under the new government so that genuine political issues can take centre stage once more remains to be seen.
Print media circulation plummeting
One challenge that is unlikely to be resolved is the decline in circulation figures which all print media are experiencing. A growing number of newspapers are offering paid online content to compensate.
The leading Polish daily newspapers are the liberal Gazeta Wyborcza, which sold an average of 48,100 copies per day in 2022, and the liberal-conservative Rzeczpospolita (34,100 copies). Dziennik Gazeta Prawna (31,100 copies), which focuses on business and legal news, is also relevant. Among the daily newspapers, the tabloids Fakt (138,200 copies) and Super Express (80,400 copies) were the best-selling titles in 2022.
Among the political magazines and weekly newspapers, the liberal Polityka had the highest circulation in 2022 (88,900 copies), with the Catholic weekly Gość Niedzielny, which is distributed in churches, in second place (77,100 copies), followed by the liberal Newsweek (62,400 copies) and Sieci, a magazine targeting conservative and nationalist readers (31,200 copies).
Public debate going digital
In recent years web portals and podcasts have become increasingly important in the public debate. The websites Onet.pland Interia deserve special mention. The opinion pieces on Onet.pl are predominantly liberal, while those on Interia cover a more diverse political spectrum. On the right, Sieci offshoot wPolityce.pl is the leading website. On the left, the online debate magazine Krytyka Polityczna occupies this slot.
Interviews with politicians on radio stations such as RMF.fm, Radio ZET or Tok.fm set the pace for everyday politics. In the television segment, state broadcaster TVP, which remains loyal to the PiS, is pitted against the liberal channel TVN, while private channel Polsat tries to maintain a neutral position.
World Press Freedom Index (Reporters Without Borders):
Rank 57 (2023)
Last updated: May 2023
