The Political Environment of the Media Market in Poland 2024

Everything is fine, except for the high tension from the East

Tension Mounts

The Polish media landscape remains sharply polarized. Outlets such as Telewizja Republika, wPolityce.pl, Gazeta Polska, Do Rzeczy, and affiliated social-media and YouTube channels (e.g., Kanał Zero) promote a nationalist, pro-Trump, anti-immigration, and EU-critical narrative, often fiercely attacking the ruling coalition.

Centrist commercial portals (Onet, WP, Interia) and radio stations RMF FM and Radio Zet maintain a largely neutral stance, offering diverse content without clear political leanings. Opposition outlets, in turn, try to undermine these media’s credibility by suggesting dependence on foreign capital.

Following the opposition’s victory in December 2023 and the state’s takeover of public-media oversight in January 2024, state broadcasters (TVP, TVP Info, Polskie Radio, PAP) have begun presenting more pluralistic viewpoints, at times even criticizing their own government. As a result, Poland climbed from 57th to 47th place on the Press Freedom Index, its best ranking since 2015.

Protection of Strategic Media from External Influence

The country’s largest broadcasters—TVN and Polsat—were designated strategic enterprises, meaning any ownership changes now require approval from the Ministry of State Assets. Under the previous government, attempts were made to acquire or force the sale of these key outlets. The new regulation is intended to safeguard their independence.

The Need for Stronger EU Pressure on Global Platforms

Since 17 February 2024, Poland has been subject to the EU’s Digital Services Act, which imposes stricter obligations on online platforms to remove illegal content and moderate user material. In practice, however, reports of hate speech, surveillance, or fraud (e.g., on Meta) are still often ignored.

Poland and Ukraine: New Benefits of Cooperation

Russia’s aggression has driven a sharp rise in Polish exports to Ukraine. In 2023, exports were almost three times greater than imports from Ukraine, and by the end of Q4 2024, Ukraine had become the sixth-largest market for Polish goods.