[Pawel Nowacki. From his photo file.]
[NOTE: This is the fourth from the last of the SAP Global Survey interviews. There will be a break while I write up my report for SAP in October. For those of you, who agreed to interviews who I have not yet reached, I apologize. I hope to be conducting interviews again in November.]
Poland's Paweł Nowacki reinforces on of the survey's findings. Citizen Journalism is flourishing in cultures that are getting out from under monolithic government thumbs. Often, Citizen Journalism is a breakaway project, to get news directly to people and bypassing traditional media. In the case of Poland, traditional media owns Wiadomości24.pl the first and largest Polish internet newspaper. It is part of Polskapresse, the second largest Polish newspaper publisher and the leading regional media news company.
Pawel began working as a student radio journalist in 1983 and when communism fell, he was working with Gazeta Wyborcza, Poland's first independent newspaper. By 2000, he had emerged as editor in chief of Dziennik Lodzki, the largest regional newspaper, where he remained until 2005 when he accepted an offer to lead the country's first citizen journalism project.
He has won journalism awards, has a second degree in cinemetography and lectures on journalism at Poland's University of Lodz.
1. Can you give me a general idea about technology and Internet access in Poland? How many people have cell phones, PCs, internet and broadband access?
From 2000 to 2006, the number of internet users increased by over 307%. Poland has a population of 38 million, with 25 million cell phones, so most adults have them. There are 10-15 million PCs,with an estimated 13 million people using the Internet about 34% of the population. Broadband access is smaller--about 1.75 million. It is projected that in three years, half of the Polish people will be using the Internet.
The number of home Internet users is increasing, while the number using it at work is declining.
2. What are the dominant businesses in Poland? What do people do for a living? How is the standard of living for the average family? What sort of technology do people use in their homes and at work?
Since 1989, when Communism fell, most people have been employed in private companies, mostly big, international corporations,who have invested and built in Poland.
The average Polish life expectancy is approximately a 50, just 60% of the EU average. Many families have cars--middle class families often have two. They also have TV, telephone, DVD etc.
3. Can you tell me about Wiadamosci24 your Citizen Journalism project? How did it get started? How is it doing? What does the name mean in English?
We were inspired to establish Wiadomosci24.pl by OhmyNews, AgoraVox, iTalkNews, Newsvine.com, Bluffton Today. The Wiadomosci24.pl founders wanted to become as successful as the sites above. The name simply means "News 24."
Wiadomosci24.pl belongs to Polskapresse, the largest publisher of regional dailies in Poland. Regional dailies are the group's specialty, employing 760 journalists. One of our reasons to start the online service was to publish a natioanl online newspaper.
4. At least from the people Hugo has pointed me to, Citizen Journalism seems to be really taking off in Central Europe. Why do you think that is?
In Eastern Europe after the fall of Communism, it became very important to have a second circulation of information. There is no go-between, the way of information is shortened. On the net, every point of view has the same level of importance. For example in News24.pl it is very important to prezent your own opinion. Comments, opinions : “In My Opinion” (Moje Trzy Grosze) idea for:
- extensive comments,
- opinion ON political and social issues,
- controversial topics such as euthanasia or abortion. Some contributors are only commentators not writers. They write only for “In My Opinion”.
5. Tell me about other social media in Poland. I am told blogging is quite big there, is it true? What social media tools are being used and for what purposes? Is it mostly young people? What social networks do they join?
In recent years, blogs have become very popular. Also many different internet communities have been formed and are taking off. They are very trendy and appeal to young people 16-35.
Some people write more than one blog. Communities which are being created In the Internet are a second circulation of information. Similar to other countries, Polish people create avatars in SecondLife. Apart from citizen journalism portals (News24.pl, iThink.pl, other blog platforms) also very popular are global communities like YouTube, MySpace, Bebo and localized Polish sites: Grono.net, Goldenline, Blip.
6. Are businesses using social media and if so, which tools and for what purposes?
Business models often focus on building communities gathered around big brands, such as Nokia.
7. What languages do most Polish people speak? Do people in Poland use social media to talk with people in other countries? If so, which countries?
Most Polish people speak English. A majority of people between 16-30 knows this language. Other popular languages are: German, French and Russian. After Poland entered the EU, young people started talking with people from other countries, mostly Great Britain, Ireland, German, France, Sweden, Holland, Denmark, Norway, and other European countries.
8. Has social media impacted Polish culture? How so? What do you think the impact on culture will be over the next 5-10 years.
New media creats new pop culture heroes. There are in Poland, celebrities whose careers started and bloomed on the Internet. Social media is a short route to a career. One song can make a singer known. Our cultural world will be different in 5-10 years.
9. What advice do you have for global companies such as SAP who would like to increase business ties with Poland?
They should listen to the social reactions, because they rapidly change trends. Something which is on top today, will be passe tomorrow.
10. Additional Comments?
People here have just started to realize how big is the power of Internet. We will have much to offer to the rest of the world.
