Fakt

Lore & Background

Fakt, whose name is Polish for "fact," is a tabloid daily newspaper published in Warsaw by Ringier Axel Springer Polska. It was launched in October 2003 by the Polish branch of German publisher Axel Springer AG and was modeled on that company's German tabloid *Bild*, the best-selling newspaper in Europe. Fakt quickly became one of the best-selling papers in Poland, with a circulation of 715,000 copies in its launch year, replacing the middle-market *Gazeta Wyborcza* as the country's biggest-selling newspaper and putting pressure on the older national tabloid *Super Express*. Its initial price of 1 złoty led to a lawsuit from *Super Express*'s publisher for dumping, which was unsuccessful, and the competitor eventually matched the price. The paper is characterized by down-market, often sensationalist journalism with a populist appeal, though politically it is by and large centrist. It supported the policies of former prime minister Kazimierz Marcinkiewicz, a regular commentator, and its op-ed writers have included journalist Tomasz Lis, former TVN anchorman Kamil Durczok, and former *Rzeczpospolita* columnist Maciej Rybiński. In its early years, Fakt featured a weekly supplement called *Europa*, which contrasted with its tabloid content by including essays from scholars and intellectuals such as Niall Ferguson, Francis Fukuyama, Jürgen Habermas, and Robert Kagan. The paper has faced significant criticism for its journalistic style. The Polish Journalists Association twice awarded Fakt a "Hyena of the Year" award for what it described as particular unscrupulousness and neglect of journalistic ethics. Notable controversies include publishing a photograph of a nude dead murder victim in 2004, misidentifying an editor-in-chief as a sex offender in 2005, publishing a photo of a dying ten-year-old girl in 2015, and in 2018 publishing an article about the suicide of former Prime Minister Leszek Miller's son, for which the editor-in-chief apologized and Miller sued.

Reader's Guide

Fakt, a Polish tabloid daily, was launched in October 2003 by the Polish branch of the German publisher Axel Springer AG, modeled directly on its German tabloid *Bild*. It is characterized by down-market, often sensationalist journalism with a populist appeal, though its political stance is broadly centrist. The paper supported the policies of former prime minister Kazimierz Marcinkiewicz, who was a regular commentator, and its op-ed writers have included journalist Tomasz Lis, former TVN anchorman Kamil Durczok, and former *Rzeczpospolita* columnist Maciej Rybiński. In its early years, *Fakt* included a weekly supplement called *Europa*, which contrasted with its tabloid content by featuring essays from scholars and intellectuals such as Niall Ferguson, Francis Fukuyama, Jürgen Habermas, and Robert Kagan. Its launch at a price of 1 złoty prompted a lawsuit from the publisher of the rival tabloid *Super Express* for dumping, which was unsuccessful, leading *Super Express* to match the price. *Fakt* quickly became the best-selling newspaper in Poland, replacing the middle-market *Gazeta Wyborcza* and pressuring the older *Super Express*. In response, *Gazeta Wyborcza*’s publisher launched the unsuccessful middle-market paper *Nowy Dzień* in 2005. The paper has faced significant criticism from media watchdogs, including twice receiving a "Hyena of the Year" award from the Polish Journalists Association for unscrupulousness and neglect of journalistic ethics. Notable controversies include publishing a photograph of a nude dead murder victim in 2004, misidentifying an editor-in-chief as a sex offender in 2005 (leading to a court-ordered apology and compensation), publishing a photo of a dying ten-year-old axe attack victim in 2015, and a 2018 article about the suicide of former Prime Minister Leszek Miller’s son, which prompted a lawsuit for gross violation of personal rights. These incidents underscore *Fakt*’s legacy as a controversial but commercially dominant force in Polish media.

Did You Know?

• Its weekly supplement Europa featured essays by Niall Ferguson, Francis Fukuyama, Jürgen Habermas, and Robert Kagan.
• The Polish Journalists Association awarded Fakt the 'Hyena of the Year' award twice.