The Stefan Batory Foundation

Anti-Corruption Program

Only Fish Don’t Take Bait?

contact: przeciw-korupcji@batory.org.pl

Grażyna Kopińska - Program Director
phone: (48 22) 536 02 58
Grażyna Czubek, phone: (48 22) 536 02 71
Adam Sawicki, phone: (48 22) 536 02 57

Report 2005

Report 2004

The effectiveness of the media in discovering and condemning symptoms of corruption in public life has an immense impact on public perception of corruption. However, up until recent times investigative articles published in the Polish media have had hardly any effects. Today, however, they often trigger real investigations and create pressure for policy response.

In order to motivate the independent media to make disclosures of corruption and government abuse cases we have been running a contest for the best media coverage of corruption. Since 2000 each year we have been awarding prizes to investigative journalists in national media and in local media, where it is particularly hard to deliver objective journalism under the pressure of the publishers’ ties with local politicians. In the last edition of the contest 165 press, radio and television materials were submitted, prepared by 64 journalists from 23 various media outlets.

The lists of contests laureates together with awarded articles are available in Polish at: www.batory.org.pl/korupcja/ryba.htm