Fakt

Lore & Background

Fakt, whose name is the Polish word for "fact," is a daily tabloid newspaper based in Warsaw, Poland, published by Ringier Axel Springer Polska. It is among the best-selling newspapers in the country. Launched in October 2003 by the Polish branch of the German publisher Axel Springer AG, the paper was modeled on Springer's German tabloid *Bild*, the largest-selling newspaper in Europe. Its journalism is consistently down-market and often sensationalist, 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. Other op-ed contributors 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 titled *Europa*, which contrasted with its tabloid content by publishing essays from scholars and intellectuals such as Niall Ferguson, Francis Fukuyama, Jürgen Habermas, and Robert Kagan. Upon its launch, *Fakt* replaced the middle-market *Gazeta Wyborcza* as Poland's best-selling newspaper and put 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 subsequently matched the price. The paper has faced significant criticism from media watchdogs for its journalistic style, receiving the Polish Journalists Association's "Hyena of the Year" award twice for unscrupulousness and neglect of ethical principles. Notable controversies include publishing a photograph of a nude murder victim's body 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 an article about the suicide of former Prime Minister Leszek Miller's son in 2018, which led to a lawsuit for gross violation of personal rights.

Reader's Guide

Launched in October 2003 by the Polish branch of German publisher Axel Springer AG, Fakt was explicitly modeled on the German tabloid Bild. Its journalism is down-market and often sensationalist with a populist appeal, though politically it remains largely 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. Upon its launch, Fakt quickly became the best-selling newspaper in Poland, with a circulation of 715,000 copies, displacing the middle-market Gazeta Wyborcza and putting pressure on the older national tabloid Super Express. In response, Gazeta Wyborcza’s publisher Agora launched a failed middle-market paper, Nowy Dzień, in 2005. Fakt’s aggressive pricing at 1 złoty prompted a lawsuit from Super Express’s publisher Media Express for dumping, which was unsuccessful, leading Super Express to match the price. The paper has faced severe criticism from media watchdogs, including two “Hyena of the Year” awards from the Polish Journalists Association for unscrupulousness and neglect of journalistic ethics. Notable controversies include publishing a photograph of a nude murder victim’s body in 2004, misidentifying an editor-in-chief as a sex offender in 2005, publishing a photo of a dying ten-year-old axe attack victim in 2015, and in 2018 running an article about the suicide of former Prime Minister Leszek Miller’s son, which led to a lawsuit from Miller. These incidents highlight Fakt’s legacy as a commercially dominant yet deeply controversial 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.