Shaping of the Political Image. The Case of the Press of the National Movement in Poland after 1989

Publishing activity of political parties and political movements is connected mainly with informing about the parties’ policies, evaluating current political events and promoting and developing the political doctrine. In the first years of the transformation period the press was the most important means of communication between politicians and society. In the following article an attempt has been made to discuss the role of the press in political communication, taking into considerations such journals as “Polityka Narodowa” (The National Politics), “Wszechpolak” (The All-Polish), “Ojczyzna” (Homeland) or “Myśl Polska” (The Polish Thought). An important purpose of the press was to create an appropriate image of a party. Different forms of journalistic discourse were used to present a political camp in the most positive light, therefore, the magazines constantly referred to such values as: the nation, the family, the religion and the tradition. On the other hand, a negative image of political competitors was created. The cosmopolitans, liberals or socialists were listed among the enemies. Consequently, numerous agitating activities were undertaken to make the reader lose the sense of objectivity and gain the conviction on the nation’s uniqueness or even elitism.Grzegorz Radomski, dr hab., prof. UMK, Uniwersytet Mikołaja Kopernika w Toruniu. Zainteresowania badawcze: najnowsze dzieje Polski, historia regionalna (samorządność), polska myśl polityczna oraz historia wychowania.Uniwersytet Mikołaja Kopernika w Toruniu31332