The 2025 presidential debate on TVP sparked a heated debate. The candidates and their staff opposed the conduct of the event by Dorothy Wysocka-Schnepf. Why this dispute and what are its consequences?
Who is editor Dorota Wysocka-Schnepf?
Dorota Wysocka-Schnepf is an experienced journalist of Polish Television. After a few years of break, she returned to TVP in February 2024, leading, among others, "Question of the Day", "Conversations of Unsymmetrical" and "Dangerous Relationships". She has recently also become the host of the new "As They See Us" program on Polonia TVP, where she talks to foreign correspondents and experts.
A dispute over the presidential debate
The presidential election of 2025 is coming in big steps, and the debate organised by TVP, TVN24 and Polsat News was to be one of the most important events of the campaign. However, the selection of Dorota Wysocka-Schnepf on the lead raised opposition to most candidate staffs.
- At a meeting of staff representatives, as many as 8 advocated a change leading.
- The dispute lasted more than 20 minutes, and the final decision was due the next day.
- The candidates argued that Wysocka-Schnepf does not guarantee objectivity, and her working style raises objections among both the opposition and part of the ruling coalition.
Cuisans and arguments of the parties
The situations from the TVP studio can be reproduced on the material in the channel zero:
Why don't the candidates want Schnepf?
The staff members stressed that the requirements of the debate clearly indicated the need for impartiality and equal treatment of all participants. According to many, Dorota Wysocka-Schnepf does not meet these criteria, and her way of running programs was even referred to as "opposite propaganda".
PiS's vice-president, Mateusz Kurzejewski, openly called it "the top TVP propaganda in liquidation" and put the case to a vote that confirmed the reluctance of most of the staff to this candidacy.
What about the debate and the role of Schnepf?
TVP did not give a clear answer to questions about changing the lead. The station's representatives announced that the final composition of the leaders would be announced after all the details were established. The debate is scheduled to take place on 12 May and will be broadcast by the largest news stations in the country.
Broader context
The issue with editor Schnepf shows how much emotion the issue of objectivity in public media is today. For many political participants, it is not just personal, but a symbol of a wider problem – trust in the media and their role in democracy. The case of Dorota Wysocka-Schnepf may be the beginning of a more serious debate on standards of journalism in Poland.
