Just a day after launching her YouTube channel, Dorota Wysocka-Schnepf published her first full interview. The guest was Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Radosław Sikorski. The 47-minute interview, titled „BĘDZIE RESET? Deal Trumpa z Putinem | Dorota Wysocka-Schnepf i Radosław Sikorski rozmowa” („Will there be a RESET? Trump’s Deal with Putin | Dorota Wysocka-Schnepf and Radosław Sikorski interview”), appeared on YouTube late in the afternoon. In that short time, the video has already garnered over 2,000 views, 82 likes and, according to external tools, as many as 240 dislikes („thumbs down”). The journalist’s channel has so far gained 657 subscribers, and the comment section under the interview has 118 entries, most of them critical. Online, the interview quickly became a symbol of what opponents of Wysocka-Schnepf call „salon propaganda”, reinforcing her image as the „high priestess of propaganda”.
Interview topics: From Trump to discount store anecdotes
The interview focuses on current geopolitical issues, with an emphasis on US-Russia relations after the presidential election in the United States. Wysocka-Schnepf and Sikorski discuss a potential „reset” in international relations, a possible agreement between Donald Trump and Vladimir Putin, and the implications for Poland and Europe. The foreign minister warns against Russian disinformation and hybrid warfare, stressing that „Russia is already here and acting perfidiously”. Sikorski calls on people not to succumb to Kremlin propaganda, which ironically contrasts with the mass accusations levelled against the journalist herself.
One of the most commented-on segments is an anecdote told by Wysocka-Schnepf and Sikorski. The journalist recounts a chance meeting with the minister in a discount grocery store, where both were looking for… books. After parting ways, Wysocka-Schnepf reportedly met a Ukrainian woman who praised Sikorski, while the minister met a Belarusian who also expressed appreciation for his policies. This story has become fodder for critics, who see in it an example of the elite’s narrative detached from reality. X user @HubnerrMax wrote: „So many coincidences xD. In a DISCOUNT STORE Schnepf and Sikorski met because they were LOOKING FOR BOOKS, and after they parted, Schnepf met a UKRAINIAN WOMAN PRAISING SIKORSKI, and Sikorski a BELARUSIAN. In the same place. What incredible delusions of the 'elite’ of the Salon xD”. The post drew numerous comments in which internet users mock the „touching story” and call it „propaganda”.
The conversation has a friendly tone, with no confrontational questions, which Wysocka-Schnepf’s opponents interpret as proof of her bias. Sikorski, known for controversial remarks (e.g. the recording from the Sowa i Przyjaciele restaurant, where he spoke about the „blackness” of Poles), is not grilled here but rather presented as a visionary of diplomacy.
Seen as a „priestess of propaganda”: A wave of criticism from the right
Wysocka-Schnepf’s YouTube debut, and especially her choice of Sikorski as the first guest, has intensified accusations of propaganda. The journalist, for years associated with public media and „Gazeta Wyborcza”, is seen by right-wing commentators as a symbol of the „salon” – an elitist, liberal-left establishment that manipulates public opinion in favour of the government. The term „high priestess of propaganda” gained popularity after a dispute with Krzysztof Stanowski, founder of „Kanał Zero” (Channel Zero). Wysocka-Schnepf sued him over this label, arguing that it is offensive, but critics see irony in this: her career, including her return to TVP after 8 years and hosting programmes such as „Rozmowy niesymetryczne” („Asymmetric Conversations”), is in their view a classic example of shaping narratives on behalf of those in power.
Propaganda or journalism?
Wysocka-Schnepf’s first channel conversation with Radosław Sikorski, although it addresses important geopolitical topics, is perceived by many as propaganda due to the lack of critical questions and the friendly tone toward a government representative. Critics see it as a continuation of the „salon narrative”, in which the journalist avoids confrontation, strengthening Sikorski’s image as an expert without accountability for controversies. On the other hand, supporters consider it sound journalism, focused on facts and analysis rather than sensationalism. Ultimately, the assessment depends on the viewer’s perspective: for some it is manipulation, for others a valuable discussion.
What next for the channel? Controversy as fuel
The interview with Sikorski confirms the polarised reception of Wysocka-Schnepf. For some it is sound journalism, for others pure propaganda, reinforcing the government’s narrative and attacking the opposition. The wave of „thumbs down” (240 in just 4 hours) suggests the channel may become a arena for online hate, but it also attracts attention. Will future episodes tackle controversial topics such as the Augustów Roundup or the role of the journalist’s father-in-law? For now, Wysocka-Schnepf remains silent about the criticism, focusing on promotion.
