“TV Republika has disrupted the grand, intricate plan of Mr. Trzaskowski and TVN. These individuals intended to keep the election campaign firmly in their hands. The old media establishment was supposed to control the campaign. They were to decide what the axis of dispute would be, and what topics the candidates would discuss,” said Adam Andruszkiewicz, head of Karol Nawrocki’s online campaign, on the program “Michał #Rachoń” broadcast on TV Republika.
Presidential Debate on TV Republika
The most notable absentee from yesterday’s presidential debate on TV Republika was Rafał Trzaskowski, the candidate of the Civic Coalition. Łukasz Pawłowski, President of the National Research Group, published a post on X in which he pointed out what he believes will be the consequences of Trzaskowski’s absence from subsequent debates organized by the Free Speech Zone media network.
“This campaign team isn’t even thinking a few weeks ahead. RT (Rafał Trzaskowski – ed.) will have to go on TV Republika before the second round. With the current voter distribution and the right-wing momentum, desertion will cost him the victory,”
he wrote.
Adam Andruszkiewicz responded to Pawłowski’s remarks and to the position of Trzaskowski’s campaign staff during the “Michał #Rachoń” program on TV Republika:
“This is an absolutely unprecedented situation, even in our peculiar recent history, which has included the government of Mr. Tusk. For representatives of the ruling party to deny the legitimacy of functioning within a normal media market—especially when it concerns the largest news station—is unheard of. I haven’t encountered such practices in Western countries, where high-ranking individuals or ministers from ruling parties publicly declare that a television station like TV Republika, despite being a Polish channel and now having confirmed its position as a market leader with top viewership yesterday, should be denied the right to host presidential debates and that their candidate should not participate in them,”
he stated.
The politician also commented on TV Republika’s record-breaking viewership:
“It is a certain phenomenon when it comes to yesterday’s ratings. I manage the online campaign, and therefore analyze a lot of data. I saw yesterday that TV Republika broke all records. This shows that the internet has become the foundation for breaking through all media bubbles. Contrary to what those in power today would like to believe, TV Republika is by no means a station that reaches only a particular voter segment. Today, it reaches millions of Poles,”
he said.
He added:
“While congratulating TV Republika on this phenomenal result, we must also realize what a great value TV Republika holds for preserving democracy in Poland.”
“Let us imagine that if TV Republika did not exist—if there were no station capable of organizing such events—Poles would have no option of freely watching this kind of debate, this kind of clash between all candidates. They would be forced to endure stage-managed shows by Mr. Trzaskowski,”
he emphasized.
In his view, “TV Republika has dismantled the grand, intricate plan of Mr. Trzaskowski and TVN.”
“These people planned to keep the election campaign entirely within their own control. The campaign was supposed to begin with a closed debate in a hall surrounded by security enforcers. The old media establishment was supposed to sit comfortably and control the narrative. They were to decide the main points of contention, the subjects candidates would address. But the moment the idea for an open-market debate in Końskie was introduced, everything collapsed like a house of cards. All candidates signed up; TV Republika invited them. The media establishment was furious. I know there were calls from people at important stations expressing outrage—how could this be done? It’s unacceptable! TV Republika was ruining their plan. Those people see themselves as superior, destined to rule,”
he pointed out.