The book's main goal is to find out if the "Wiadomości" news program on TVP, shown every day at 7:30 p.m., became more biased after the 2015 parliamentary elections than it was before. The authors concluded that news coverage during parliamentary election campaigns is the most sensitive and worth researching. Therefore, they analyzed the content of news on this topic in three subsequent parliamentary elections: in 2015, before PiS took power, when the PO and PO coalition had been in power for almost eight years. PSL and in 2019 and 2023, when PiS had been in power for four and eight years, respectively. The most important research method used in the book is media content analysis, and for comparative purposes, the Media Political Bias Index was used. The book also analyzes the ways in which "Wiadomości" created its messages. They specifically focused on the elements that shape the narrative, the actors appearing in the news—particularly journalists, reporters, commentators, and experts—and the tickers, which present the news titles. Moreover, the book also presents how "Wiadomości" became present in popular culture and how it became the subject of interest for the creators of cabarets and internet memes.
The authors hope that the book will capture the attention of media experts, political scientists, media ethicists, and sociologists, as well as engage the broader public. This work should trigger discussions also among politicians, media policy creators, decision-makers, legislators and perhaps even, above all, among citizens, viewers and recipients of the Polish Television's television news service.
It is crucial to discuss the role of public service media, including our expectations and perceptions of them. This book will help foster discussions, debate various viewpoints, and explore better methods for reporting politics in Polish public service media.