Sławomir Zieliński, registered in the past by the safety Service as a secret associate of ps. Messenger, has been 1 of the most influential people in Polish tv for decades. A long-time activist of the Polish United Workers' organization and a associate of the Socialist Union of Polish Students, he presently serves as the programme manager of TVP. It was during his tenure that public tv published the most aggressive and propaganda material, which many compare to the messages of Jerzy Urban – spokesperson for Jaruzelski junta. Zieliński, called by critics "the inborn boy of Urban", surrounded himself with people who had nothing to do with journalism, and his decisions shaped the image of TVP as an highly stubborn medium.
Youth and career in PRL
Sławomir Lech Zieliński was born on November 2, 1955 in Suchedniów. In 1970–1974, he attended the V General advanced School in Kielce and then studied at the Mining Faculty of the Wroclaw University of Technology, obtaining a master's degree in engineering. Even during his studies, he was active in propaganda activities – he was the head of the program of the student Radio "FOSA-64", he collaborated with Polish Radio and tv Poland.
In 1979 he won the 1st prize in the nationwide competition “Red Rose” in the category of the best student journalist.
After graduation he worked in the Chief Editorial Board of Programs for Children and Youth of Polish Radio (1980–1982). He then became Deputy manager of Program III of Polish Radio, liable for information services and cult broadcast Welcome to the Three. Zieliński led over a 1000 of her editions.
As early as 1983, during John Paul II's pilgrimage to Poland, he issued instructions not to usage the terms "Holy Father" or "pilgrimage" in relations. He insisted that only "Pope" and "visit" should be spoken. Journalists then gained the reputation of an anti-clericist, an enemy of the Church, and a man guided solely by organization interests.
In December 2023 old post-communist concrete came back to Voronica. According to materials at the Institute of National Memory, Sławomir frequently traveled abroad. Attention is drawn to his visit to North Korea where he went as part of the labour brigades. In cages 80 belonged to prominent activists of communist power – he was, among others, the secretary of POP PZPR in the 3rd Polish Radio Program.
Career in Polish Television
Since 1989, Zieliński has moved to Polish Television. First, he took charge of Teleexpress and news editorial of TVP, then in 1991–1994 he headed News. At the time, he served as manager – editor-in-chief of the TVP Information Programs Directorate.
In the following years, he was active with PanoramaIn 1998, he became the manager of the 1st Polish tv Programme. During his time, TVP implemented projects specified as festivals in Opole and Sopot. Zieliński was besides the creator of the plebiscite Supermatch.
From 2004 to 2006, he led the TVP3 movie Editor and later took up the position of TVS Program manager "Silesia". He returned to TVP in 2011 as deputy manager of TVP Polonia, and in 2013 became manager of the TVP Programme Coordination Office. He held this function until 2016.
In the meantime, he presided over the TVP movie College, deciding on serial politics and cooperation with the Polish movie Institute.
On TV, he was regarded as “the defender of the interests of the left”. He maintained close relations with Jolanta and Aleksandr Kwasniewski, Leszek Miller, and Mark Ungier. His name is intrinsically linked to the media of the post-communist left.
Scandals and controversy
The biggest scandal in Zieliński's career broke out in 2003 in connection with the program Bike Bliss. The broadcast on TVP1 was advertised as youth, but contained content promoting LGBT ideology, among others, referred to studies according to which young people aged 12–18 would have homosexual experiences. The program, supervised by Zieliński, caused a storm and was quietly withdrawn.
However, this is not the only controversial episode. Zieliński allowed the movie to air Drama in 3 Files, in which the Centre's policies were accused of being linked to the FOZZ affair. He besides supervised the program Guy One.in which SLD activists were almost exclusively present. The media described him as "the right hand of Robert Kwiatkowski", the president of TVP from the SLD times, who himself left after the scandal related to the "Rywin affair".
There were besides voices about unclear promotion rules in TVP under his leadership. Workers accused him of favoring his friends and dismissing uncomfortable journalists. More and more people have said that public tv is about sex and agreements, not professional competence.
Resort kid in the media
Book Resort Children. Media Dorota Kani, Jerzy Targalski and Maciej Marosz described Zieliński's career in detail. The authors indicated that in the state of war he conducted evening editions Television Journaland in later years he represented the interests of post-communist elites.
Zieliński has been associated with propaganda since the “children of Główczyk” or Jan Główczyk, who was the secretary of the KC PZPR for propaganda in the first half of the 1980s. Sławomir Zieliński became 1 of the pillars of media communicative of the left - as a media officer of the Polish People's Republic and the 3rd Republic, he consistently built the image of TVP as an institution attacking the Church, Radio Maryja or tv Trwam.
Back to TVP and Modern Role
After leaving in 2016, Zieliński returned to the Polish tv after Donald Tusk's people took it illegally. In TVP in liquidation Zieliński is present liable for key programming decisions and selection of journalism teams. According to unofficial information, he continues to make abroad business trips whose intent is not disclosed.
During his tenure, there are material resembling Urban's communicative – mockery of president Andrzej Duda and the Law and Justice Camp. It was in his surroundings that journalists specified as Marek Czyż, previously associated with Robert Kwiatkowski's crew, were present.
People who spit on the Polish uniform – Barbara Kurj – Satan or Piotr Maslak (tok FM journalist, Agory radio), who compared Polish soldiers to German bandits from the SS, found employment.
Zieliński remains 1 of the most crucial media propagandists in Poland. His career is an example of the continuity of PRL's influences in the media of the 3rd Polish Republic – from the time of the verification of martial law, for years of the SLD's rule, to today's tv in liquidation.
Dorota Kania
