Powerful journalism tells the truth, says winner of PAP's Kapuscinski Special Prize
If journalism is to change the world, it can only do so by telling the truth, says Dariusz Rosiak, this year's recipient of the Polish Press Agency’s special prize for outstanding journalistic work.
Dariusz Rosiak is a radio and press journalist, and the creator of the independent international-affairs podcast "Raport o stanie swiata" (Report on the State of the World), for which he was honoured in this year's edition of the Ryszard Kapuscinski Awards.
PAP: Was it difficult to adapt "Raport o stanie swiata," which had aired as a radio programme for 13 years, into a podcast?
Rosiak: When we made the switch in 2020, podcasts were still a relatively new format in Poland. (...) It soon became clear, however, that they were also becoming a distinct genre in marketing terms. (...) The more podcasts appear on a given subject, the more listeners they attract. I don't know why, but that’s simply the case. Today, there are many international-affairs podcasts in Poland, and most have loyal audiences. At first, some listeners followed us from Polish Radio Three. Five years later, many of our audience members don't even know the programme once aired on the radio.
PAP: International journalism often concentrates on (US President Donald) Trump's presidency or (Russian President Vladimir) Putin's policies and the rest of the world seems to attract less attention. Yet you have built a strong brand focused entirely on global affairs. What is your recipe for journalism?
Rosiak: Television broadcasters and main news portals talk about Trump, Ukraine and a handful of other issues because marketing data suggests that nothing else will sell. But in my opinion, Poles are no different from audiences in other countries. I would even argue that interest in foreign affairs is high in Poland, as shown by the popularity of international-news podcasts.
PAP: Your reporting treats the audience, its intelligence, with respect.
Rosiak: A journalist's job is to explain the world. I assume that listeners don't necessarily know everything, and that's partly why they tune in: they want to learn. My task is to give them the tools to understand events and to present a relatively neutral picture of what is happening. The interpretation is up to them. That's how I see my role.
PAP: Has your experience as a journalist in news organisations abroad, such as the BBC, influenced your approach? Some of their practices could be adopted more broadly in Polish newsrooms.
Rosiak: I was trained to approach journalism without assuming that my role is to impose anything on anyone. A journalist is not someone whose mission is to change the world. If that is what someone wants to do, they should become a priest, teacher or politician — if they believe in politics. Journalism, in my view, is something entirely different. If it is to change the world, it can only do so by telling the truth.
Dariusz Rosiak has been active in journalism since the 1980s. He previously worked for French broadcaster RFI and for the BBC, where he helped co-create the Polish section. In 2015, he received the Ryszard Kapuscinski Award for a report on Kurdistan, aired on Polish Radio Three. He was also named Grand Press Journalist of the Year in 2020.
The Polish Development Fund (PFR) is the partner of PAP's Kapuscinski Special Prize for "explaining the world." (PAP)
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