Public broadcaster Polish Radio, state television TVP and state news agency PAP said the project, called Sprawdzam to (Fact Check), will include a new online platform featuring news reports, analysis and commentary explaining how media manipulation works.
The website, expected to launch later this month, will be supported by public institutions and will develop its own editorial team.
The initiative follows a letter of intent signed on Thursday in Warsaw by Polish Radio CEO Paweł Majcher, TVP CEO Tomasz Sygut and PAP Editor-in-Chief Marek Błoński.
Poland’s three main public media organisations have launched a joint effort to tackle disinformation: Polish Radio CEO Paweł Majcher (right), TVP CEO Tomasz Sygut (centre) and PAP Editor-in-Chief Marek Błoński (left) display the newly signed letter of intent. Photo: PAP/Leszek Szymański
The effort comes as Poland grapples with what officials say is a growing wave of foreign interference in its information space, including disinformation campaigns originating from Russia.
Disinformation has 'unleashed demons,' deputy PM says
Deputy Prime Minister and Digital Affairs Minister Krzysztof Gawkowski said at the signing that the government-backed initiative responds to an increasing volume of information people encounter daily, much of it unverified or false.
"Information has become part of our lives, but it has also unleashed demons—the problem of unverified, unconfirmed and sometimes outright false information," Gawkowski said during the ceremony at TVP headquarters in Warsaw.
He pointed to recent incidents, including suspected sabotage on Poland’s rail network and violations of Polish airspace by Russian drones, saying both were accompanied by waves of disinformation.
"Disinformation has become part of hybrid warfare," he added.
Gawkowski said public media organisations have a responsibility to provide accurate, verified information, especially in times of heightened geopolitical tension.
Deputy Digital Affairs Minister Paweł Olszewski said efforts to counter disinformation should focus on three pillars: monitoring, response and education.
He noted that the government works with NASK, a state cybersecurity agency that has handled tens of thousands of disinformation attempts.
TVP's Sygut said the project marks an "unprecedented level of cooperation" among public broadcasters and is intended to complement, rather than compete with, other media.
Under the initiative, TVP will focus on expanding the reach of fact-checking content and strengthening its presence in public debate, including through existing programmes, he said.
PAP's Błoński said the state news agency would contribute analytical expertise and produce a weekly newsletter summarising key disinformation trends, while also conducting regular public opinion surveys on awareness of disinformation.
'Human journalists will win this battle': Polish Radio CEO
Polish Radio's Majcher said the effort would involve "a clash between technology, artificial intelligence and bots that create fake news, and real-life human journalists."
"I’m confident that human journalists will win this battle," he added.
Polish Radio plans to expand programming focused on exposing false information and explaining manipulation techniques, including through podcasts, Majcher said.
Officials said the project is intended not only as a media platform but also as part of a broader effort to strengthen the country's resilience to disinformation.
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Source: IAR, TVP Info, PAP