Poland has more than 5 400 press titles - national and local newspapers dailies, weeklies, and specialists papers. The only characteristic traits of all Polish nation-wide dailies are that none comes out on Sunday and none has second print runs in the afternoon.
The daily press
"Rzeczpospolita" (www.rzeczpospolita.pl). Rzeczpospolita produces a lot of specialist supplements connected with economic activity, including the highly valued "Daily Law" supplement, in which laws, legal amendments and specialist commentaries vital for enterprises appear. This doesn't mean, though, that Rzeczpospolita is only an economic publication. It is an opinion-forming daily on general issues with wide financial and economic coverage. Average daily circulation is over 260 000.
"Gazeta Wyborcza" (www.gazeta.pl). Its first edition came out in May 1989, just before the June parliamentary elections that initiated the new democratic Poland. Today it is the central element of the largest media concern in Poland. Gazeta Wyborcza's average circulation is about 600 000, and during weekends and holidays it reaches even up to a million. Local supplements appear in the largest towns. Gazeta also include at least one specialist pull-out a day. The editor in chief of Gazeta has been from its inception Adam Michnik - previously an opposition activist before 1989 and intellectual.
"Super Express" (www.superexpress.pl). As the paper's editorial itself writes, its readers are: "people who do not expect from their daily newspapers serious and complicated articles." The paper aims to focus on the lives of ordinary people. "Super Express" is read by about 14% of Poles. Circulation is 450 000.
The economic daily paper "Puls Biznesu" (www.pb.pl). has been published since 1997. The newspaper is the leader in unearthing and publishing economic information from different areas. After "Rzeczpospolita" this is the second paper business people start the day with.
Another economic daily newspaper is "Parkiet" (www.parkiet.com) exclusively devoted to the Warsaw Stock Exchange. "Parkiet" comes out from Tuesdays through to Saturdays and includes amongst other things technical listings, analyses, commentaries, and recommendations for investors.
Dailies (Title and Percentage of readers)
Gazeta Wyborcza - 20,30
Fakt - 21,90a
Super Express - 11,30
Rzeczpospolita - 4,10
Economic dailies (Title and Percentage of readers)
Puls Biznesu - 0,47
Parkiet Gazeta Giełdy - 0,17
Local newspapers, which also provide national and international news, but focus on local stories, play an important role in the life of local communities. More than 3 000 regional and local newspapers are published. One of the best selling local newspapers comes out in Bydgoszcz, "Gazeta Pomorska", with an average daily circulation of 105 000. The largest local press publisher in Poland is Polskapresse, to which for example "Dziennik Polski", "Wieczór Wybrzeża" and "Dziennik Zachodni" all belong.
Weeklies
A large and growing popularity in Poland is enjoyed by the serious political and social weeklies. The oldest such weekly is "Polityka" (www.polityka.com.pl), which has been coming out since 1957. The best known Polish journalists have always worked at Polityka, and their texts are often opinion-forming, as confirmed by research undertaken among the weekly's readers. For several years the weekly has published a list of the top 500 Polish companies. "Polityka" is also a co-founder of the radio station Tok FM. Its average circulation is 260 000 - 300 000.
The second very popular such weekly in Poland is "Wprost" (www.wprost.pl). coming out since December 1982. The nation's most renowned politicians, economists and lawyers publish their texts here. For 11 years the weekly has awarded the title of Person of the Year - with winners including Lech Wałęsa, Aleksander Kwaśniewski, Leszek Miller, Leszek Balcerowicz and Wisława Szymborska. Each year Wprost publishes a list of the 100 richest Poles. "Wprost" has a circulation of about 300 000.
Since September 2001 a Polish edition of "Newsweek" (www.newsweek.pl). has also been published. The weekly hit had hit the market. The success of the Polish edition even surprised its own editors, who had to print more copies of the first edition. Newsweek was the first to prepare a special publication after the terrorist attacks on New York and Washington on September 11th 2001.
An exceptional place among Polish weeklies is held by "Tygodnik Powszechny" (www.tygodnik.com.pl), appearing since 1945. The publication since its start has been among the leaders in the opinion-forming press in Poland. Its sub-header - "A Catholic social-cultural magazine" - best outlines the magazine's interests. During the difficult, at times dramatic, periods in Poland's post-war history "Tygodnik" always had something to say on the most important social debates: on the issue of the Catholic Church, the state of culture and the fate of Polish society. It was the only legally published independent 'social-political' magazine in the communist bloc. The creator and editor in chief of the weekly was for more than 50 years Jerzy Turowicz, before he died not long ago.
Weeklies (Title and Percentage of readers)
Wprost - 8,71
Polityka - 6,41
Newsweek Polska - 6,10
Tygodnik Powszechny - 0,56
The renowned English-language weekly "The Warsaw Voice" (www.warsawvoice.pl). also comes out in Poland. The weekly comments on current events in Poland's and the region's political, social and cultural life. In its pages the most beautiful corners of Poland are also described, as are places worth visiting. On "The Warsaw Voice's" Internet pages there are many useful links for foreigners in Poland.
Monthlies
The monthly "Businessman Magazine" (www.businessman.onet.pl) enjoys huge interest among Poland's managerial classes, business people and company owners. One can find information in it, for example, on: business, the economy, finance and advertising. Readers value "Businessman" highly amongst other things for its regular publication of reports on for example the ad market and the rankings it presents.
Another economic monthly is "Profit" (www.profit.redakcja.pl), which has been coming out since April 2001. The publication aims in an easy way to introduce its readers to the complexities of the economy, which is why in 'Profit's' sub-heading is written 'The economy without secrets.'
One of the best selling monthlies and most popular magazines for women is "Twój Styl" (www.twojstyl.pl). Its editors characterise the mag's readership as intelligent, active, open women who care about how they look and feel. Research undertaken of "Twój Styl's" readers showed that men also widely read the magazine.
Monthlies (Title and Percentage of readers)
Twój Styl - 6,85
Profit - 0,60
Businessman Magazine - 0,37
