W Polityce PL Niezależna: A Conservative Media Outlet in Poland

W Polityce PL Niezależna is a conservative media outlet in Poland that covers topics such as politics, economy, culture, history, and religion. It is affiliated with the ruling Law and Justice (PiS) party and often criticizes the opposition and the mainstream media. It also supports the Polish government’s stance on issues such as the European Union, migration, judicial reform, and historical memory.

History and Ownership

W Polityce PL Niezależna was launched in 2009 as a weekly magazine by Fratria, a publishing house owned by Sylwester Latkowski, a journalist and filmmaker. In 2010, it became a daily newspaper and expanded its online presence. In 2012, it was acquired by Michał Karnowski, a former editor-in-chief of Gazeta Polska, another conservative weekly magazine. In 2014, it merged with Niezależna.pl, a news website founded by Tomasz Sakiewicz, the current editor-in-chief of Gazeta Polska. Since then, W Polityce PL Niezależna has been operating as a joint venture between Fratria and Niezależna.pl.

Content and Audience

W Polityce PL Niezależna offers a variety of content, including news, analysis, opinion, interviews, reports, and multimedia. It also publishes special editions on topics such as Smolensk (the 2010 plane crash that killed President Lech Kaczyński and 95 others), the Polish diaspora, or the Catholic Church. According to its website, it has over 2 million readers per month and over 500 thousand followers on social media. It also claims to be the most influential conservative media outlet in Poland.

W Polityce PL Niezależna targets a conservative audience that shares its values and worldview. It appeals to those who support the PiS government and its policies, who oppose the liberal opposition and the mainstream media, who are patriotic and religious, and who are interested in Polish history and culture. It also aims to inform and educate its readers about the threats and challenges facing Poland in the domestic and international arena.

Criticism and Controversy

W Polityce PL Niezależna has been criticized and accused of being biased, propagandistic, sensationalist, and unprofessional by its opponents and critics. It has been involved in several controversies and scandals over its content and conduct. For example:

• In 2016, it published an article that claimed that Germany was planning to annex western Poland as part of a secret deal with Russia. The article was based on a fake document that was later exposed by a German newspaper.
• In 2017, it published an interview with Antoni Macierewicz, the former defense minister, who alleged that the Smolensk plane crash was an assassination orchestrated by Russia. The interview sparked outrage and condemnation from the opposition and the families of the victims.
• In 2018, it published a cover story that depicted Donald Tusk, the former prime minister and the current president of the European Council, as a puppet of Angela Merkel, the German chancellor. The story was criticized as xenophobic and anti-European by the opposition and the EU officials.

Conclusion

W Polityce PL Niezależna is a conservative media outlet in Poland that supports the PiS government and opposes the liberal opposition and the mainstream media. It covers topics such as politics, economy, culture, history, and religion from a right-wing perspective. It has a large and loyal audience that shares its values and worldview. However, it has also faced criticism and controversy over its content and conduct. It has been accused of being biased, propagandistic, sensationalist, and unprofessional by its opponents and critics.