A joint campaign of the Polish media entitled “The Controlled Campaign” has been underway since the end of August. Its aim is to expose the lies used by politicians in their election campaigns. This operation is of particular significance, because this year the Poles are electing the parliament (September 25th) and the president (October 9th– I round, Octomer 23rd – II round).

The campaign’s participants include: the weekly Polityka, the nation-wide dailies Gazeta Wyborcza and Rzeczpospolita, radio TOK FM, two television channels TVN and TVN 24, as well as the internet portal Onet.pl. The operation’s main aim is to “discipline” the politicians and force them to stop using false information.

What does this look like in practice? Journalists familiarize themselves with the electoral platforms and leaflets, watch the candidates’ televised presentations, participate in election rallies and meetings, and afterwards inform the media about who and when uses false facts.

The verification of statements made by politicians during the hectic period of the campaign is standard procedure in experienced democracies such as the United States. In Poland, this kind of operation is being carried out for the first time, and hopefully not for the last.