Polish public broadcaster peddles government hate speech in presidential election run-up: RSF
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International organization monitoring and promoting media freedom Reporters Without Borders (RSF) estimates that public television is involved in the election campaign on the side of the incumbent president and "spreads government hate speech."
The RSF states in its position that according to the broadcast from TVP "the incumbent President Andrzej Duda has no weaknesses, and the highest-ranked opposition candidate, of Warsaw Mayor, Rafał Trzaskowski, is financed by enemies of conservative and patriotic Poland."
An international journalism organization estimates that if one relies only on the narrative presented by public television, one could conclude that "in a country which is measured by a health crisis and the risk of falling into an economic crisis, the demands of LGBT groups are the greatest threat." Reporters Without Borders cite a report prepared by the Press-Service Monitoring Media agency. According to this analysis, TVP1's main news magazine, which has long been criticized for its bias and manipulation of reality in favor of the current Polish news authorities about Rafał Trzaskowski, "say either at all or wrong."
In the period from the beginning of the presidential campaign to June 16, 227 materials about presidential candidates appeared in "Wiadomości". 97 percent of those dedicated to Andrzej Duda had a clearly positive impact, and as much as 87 percent of those about Rafał Trzaskowski – clearly negative. No positive material about the Civic Coalition candidate was added.
The RSF also assessed that the presidential debate broadcast on TVP June 17 led by one of the hosts of the main issue of Michał Adamczyk's "News" was organized in a biased manner.
Poland is ranked 62nd out of 180 countries in RSF's 2020 World Press Freedom Index.
