 | |
| Type | Dailynewspaper |
|---|---|
| Format | A4 |
| Owner(s) | VšĮ "Kurier Wilenski" |
| Publisher | UAB "Klion" |
| Editor | Robert Mickiewicz |
| Staff writers | 24 |
| Founded | 1796 |
| Language | Polish language |
| Headquarters | Vilnius,Lithuania |
| Circulation | 2,500 daily 3,500 Saturday |
| ISSN | 1392-0405 |
| Website | kurierwilenski |
Kurier Wileński (literally:Vilnian Courier) is the mainPolish-languagenewspaper inLithuania. Printed inVilnius, it is the only Polish-languagedaily newspaper published east of Poland. A direct descendant of both the 19th-century newspaper of the same name and theCzerwony Sztandar [pl] newspaper, created by the Soviet authorities in 1953 as a means ofSovietization of the Polish diaspora left in thePolish areas annexed by the Soviet Union. The newspaper is a member of theEuropean Association of Daily Newspapers in Minority and Regional Languages (MIDAS). According to TNS Gallup media research,Kurier Wileński 36,800 people or 1.4% of Lithuania's population read at least one issue out of the last six in summer 2008,[1] but that measure dropped to 0.3% in spring 2010.[2]
The newspaper was first founded under the name ofKurier Litewski in 1796 in Grodno (modernHrodna). The following year it moved to Vilna (modern Vilnius, Lithuania), where it became one of the principal sources of information for the local population. After theNovember Uprising of 1831, the newspaper was ordered to prepare aRussian language version as well, and served the role of the official newspaper of the Russian authorities ofVilna Governorate. However, it also fulfilled an important role in countering theRussification of local Poles.
In 1840 the newspaper was renamed toKurier Wileński and attracted many notable Polish writers and journalists of the era as one of the very few relatively free newspapers in the lands ruled by theRussian Empire. Among them wasWładysław Syrokomla andAntoni Odyniec. The newspaper was closed down and banned after the failedJanuary Uprising of 1863.
It was relaunched under the title ofKurier Litewski after theRevolution of 1905. Headed byEliza Orzeszkowa, it promoted Polish literature and culture, for which it was closed down several times by the Tsarist authorities. The title remained until the outbreak ofWorld War I and the German occupation of Vilna in 1915.
During theinterbellum the Polish press was no longer persecuted by the local authorities and the title was continued as one of several newspapers, the most important local newspapers beingSłowo (headed byStanisław Cat Mackiewicz),Robotnik Wileński andExpress Wileński. Altogether, there were 114 newspapers published in Wilno in late 1930s, among them 17 dailies. 74 titles were being published inPolish, 16 inYiddish andHebrew, 12 in Belarusian, 9 in Lithuanian and 3 in Russian.
After theInvasion of Poland of 1939 and the Soviet annexation of Vilna,Kurier Wileński was closed down (the last issue was dated September 18, 1939). The only newspaper that was allowed by the Soviet authorities was Belarusian-languageVilenskaya Prauda (Віленская праўда). After the city was transferred toLithuania,Kurier Wileński was allowed to be published, this time under heavy control of the Lithuanian authorities andcensorship. It was again closed down after the city was annexed by theSoviet Union and its role was taken over by roughly 73underground newspapers published in the city during the rest ofWorld War II.
After the war most of the local inhabitants of Vilniuswere expelled from the city. However, a sizeablePolish minority in Lithuania remained. The Polish-language newspaperCzerwony Sztandar (Red Banner), edited by Antoni Fiedorowicz, was established.[3]
In 1962,Leonid Romanowicz became the new editor in chief. Although Russian himself, Romanowicz was fascinated by the Polish culture and started to attract many notable journalists and writers.[dubious –discuss] He also promoted the newspaper and it became the only daily newspaper in Polish available to many Poles in the Soviet Union. With time Russian staff was replaced by Poles and in 1984Stanisław Jakutis became the new editor in chief.[citation needed]
On November 1, 1988, Stanisław Jakutis was replaced byZbigniew Balcewicz, who wanted to rename the newspaper back toKurier Wileński to reflect the historic traditions. The first attempt to rename the daily was dismissed at the 20th Assembly of the Bureau of the Central Committee of theCommunist Party of Lithuania as a "newspaper with such name was being published during the period between World Wars, when Vilnius region was under Polish occupation". Only after second attempt, made after publication by Lithuanian scientist about the roots ofKurier Wileński and the history of Lithuanian press,Czerwony Sztandar ceased to exist and was replaced byKurier Wileński on February 9, 1990.
On February 23, 1990, the Bureau of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of Lithuania and Chair of theSupreme Soviet of the Lithuanian SSR issued a statement, of which 3rd point stated, that "In order to reflect the opinions of representatives of various nationalities and social classes of the Republic, we state thatSovietskaya Litva andKurier Wileński are the newspapers of the Supreme Soviet of Lithuania and the Council of Ministers of Lithuania".[citation needed] On May 2, special issue of the newspaper was issued andDziennik KC KP Litwy (The daily of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of Lithuania) was removed from the paper's front page.[citation needed]
In 1995, the newspaper was privatised by its staff and in upcoming turmoil almost went bankrupt. It was taken over by UAB "Klion", and, after being reorganised and modernised, was moved to the new quarters. In 2000 it was passed to non-profit publisher Vilnijos Žodis.
The newspaper does not financially sustain itself and relies on support from thePolish Senate. According to press reports in 2007, the daily received approximately 120,000litas annually to cover paper and printing costs from the Polish Senate and 4,000 litas monthly fromVilnius city municipality for advertising.[4] In 2011, the daily suffered large financial losses due to increased postage costs, shrinking readership, and overall economic downturn.[5] It considered publishing only three issues a week, butPolish Ministry of Foreign Affairs promised to find enough funding to keep the newspaper on a daily schedule. The Polish support during the first ten months amounted to 328,000Polish zloty.[6]
Kurier Wileński has its own printing shop, which proved to be more cost effective. Its current circulation is between 2,500 and 3,500, issued Tuesday through Saturday. Daily issues have 16 pages, while Saturday issues have 24 pages and a TV supplement.Gazeta Harcerska (Scout's gazette) is a weekly page aboutPolish scouts is written exclusively by the scouts.
The staff consists of 24 people, including printing-shop's workers and management. There are four full-time journalists, four half-time journalists and seven freelancers.
During thePerestroika and the dissolution of the USSR,Czerwony Sztandar and laterKurier Wileński led numerous social campaigns. Among them were campaigns against demolition of theRasos Cemetery and for creation of Polish kindergartens to prevent the growingLithuanization of Polish children.
Kurier Wileński is also, along withGazeta Wyborcza, responsible for media coverage of the festival Kaziuki Wilniuki (inspired byKaziuko mugė in Vilnius) held annually on March 3 to 6 inLidzbark Warmiński.[7]
On August 5, 2005, journalists ofKurier Wileński, together with colleagues from newspapersTygodnik Wileńszczyzny andMagazyn Wileński, radio stationZnad Wilii, quarterlyZnad Wilii and TV programAlbum Wileński organised a protest in front of theBelarusian embassy in Vilnius against repressions of Polish journalists in Belarus.[8]
On October 17, 2008, the daily switched to theF4 format[9] (before thatKurier Wileński was published in thetabloid format).
Much of controversy surrounds the daily regarding its financial status and takeover by UAB "Klion". Also, there are conflicts with Lithuanian nationalists who regard Lithuanian Poles as merelyPolonised Lithuanians.[10]
In November 2006,Kurier Wileński published an article byKrzysztof Buchowski, Polish historian from theBiałystok University, about Polish and Lithuanian relations between the world wars (Polish:Jak Polak widział Litwina w okresie międzywojennym). It was a reprint of a thesis presented during a Polish–Lithuanian historical conference (Polish:Stosunki polsko-litewskie na przestrzeni wieków) atVilnius University.
In January 2007 (before municipal elections, in which Polish party also participated), Lithuanian TV programSavaitės komentarai on theTV3 station sparked a scandal claiming that the article was insulting the Lithuanians. Information about the article was passed on to the Lithuanian Ethics Committee of Journalists and Publishers (Lithuanian:Lietuvos žurnalistų ir leidėjų etikos komisija), which decided on March 19, 2007, thatKurier Wileński acted unethically publishing an article that was derogatory and insulting to the Lithuanians.[11] The daily lost the appeal with the Committee and sued in the Lithuanian courts. The court rejected the appeal in April 2011.Kurier Wileński then submitted the case to theEuropean Court of Human Rights.[12]
„Kurier Wilenski" kasmet iš Lenkijos senato gauna 120 000 litų dotaciją, už kurią perka popierių bei dengia dalį spausdinimo išlaidų. 4 tūkst. litų „Kurier Wilenski" kas mėnesį skiria ir Vilniaus miesto savivaldybė, už tai leidinyje gaunanti keturis puslapius reklaminio ploto.
54°39′44″N25°18′11″E / 54.662264°N 25.303187°E /54.662264; 25.303187