News consumption in Poland - statistics & facts
News consumption in Poland is changing due to advanced digitalization. As the industry develops, confirming the credibility of the information received is also becoming a shared activity. In 2024, seven in 10 Poles stated that they searched for other news sources to confirm the credibility of news received. Search engines were the most popular place for news credibility verification, whereas one-third of Poles also used newspapers, radio, and television.
Poland has a diverse media landscape. It includes radio, cinema, newspapers, magazines, and internet, among others. Despite this shift, television is one of the most important sources of acquiring news content, especially for older people who do not use social media. Consequently, the Polish 24-hour commercial news channel TVN24 was the leader among news and information TV channels in the country, with a viewability rate of over six percent as of April 2024. The most frequently watched TV news program was Fakty, with an average of almost 2.3 million viewers.
When asked about fake news sources, over half of Polish consumers named social media; relatively few cited scientific publications. In 2024, the most popular fake news in the health category was that manufacturers hide information about harmful ingredients/food additives. About one in four Poles also believed that climate change is completely independent of human activity.
The higher the World Press Freedom index from Reporters Without Borders , the better the press freedom situation in a country. In 2024, the aforementioned index in Poland was 69.17 points. This is an improvement over the previous year, but public awareness of media freedom remains relatively low, leaving considerable room for improvement.
Main sources of news
In recent years, news consumption habits have shifted from traditional to digital. Between 2013 and 2022, the share of Poles reading news online more than doubled, reaching the value of 64 percent. WP.pl and Onet.pl were considered the most influential websites.Poland has a diverse media landscape. It includes radio, cinema, newspapers, magazines, and internet, among others. Despite this shift, television is one of the most important sources of acquiring news content, especially for older people who do not use social media. Consequently, the Polish 24-hour commercial news channel TVN24 was the leader among news and information TV channels in the country, with a viewability rate of over six percent as of April 2024. The most frequently watched TV news program was Fakty, with an average of almost 2.3 million viewers.
Fake news
The term fake news refers to information that is intentionally and verifiably false, intending to manipulate people's perceptions of facts and events. Fake news often results in damaging the reputation of a person or entity in question. As of 2024, approximately eight in 10 Poles have encountered the term 'fake news'.When asked about fake news sources, over half of Polish consumers named social media; relatively few cited scientific publications. In 2024, the most popular fake news in the health category was that manufacturers hide information about harmful ingredients/food additives. About one in four Poles also believed that climate change is completely independent of human activity.
The higher the World Press Freedom index from Reporters Without Borders , the better the press freedom situation in a country. In 2024, the aforementioned index in Poland was 69.17 points. This is an improvement over the previous year, but public awareness of media freedom remains relatively low, leaving considerable room for improvement.
