Poles' information awareness and behaviour in relation to floods of information

Most Poles want access to a variety of many different information channels. More than half of all households are now able to choose from among dozens of information channels. And it is not just about widening the access base to entertainment. More and more popular are themed channels, like the 24-hour-a-day information station TVN24, which presents not only the latest news, but also up-to-date commentaries. Moreover, foreign language television is perceived in Poland as a chance learn foreign languages. Modern technologies are a window on the world.

At the same time, however, are Poles conscious recipients of information? And are they assertive in making consumer decisions? It is worth reminding ourselves that Polish society has had advertising and marketing strategies, which seek actively to create demand on a mass scale, for only a decade or so. It takes some time for the average citizen to acquire a developed consumer consciousness, an awareness of all the market mechanisms he or she is subjected to.

But for sure, Poles' consumer mentality isn't that far from Poland's neighbors in northern Europe. In March 2003, the international research group Ipsos examined consumers from eight EU countries on their attitudes towards sales. Ipsos also researched consumer behaviour in Poland and the results were compared. It turned out that the percentage of Poles enthusiastic about sales in Europe was 74%. The same number of Poles said they thought that sales in shops was an opportunity for good shopping. Poles thus answered in the same way as consumers from other northern European countries: British (73%), Germans (69%), French (69%), Belgians (67%). By comparison, the percentage of consumers from southern Europe who were advocates of sales was below 50%.

Another question: are Poles susceptible to propaganda? In 1997, the TNS-OBOP research agency looked into the media's influence on people's political decisions. A couple of days before parliamentary elections, respondents were asked three questions: if they had changed their political views under the influence of the television campaigns of specific political groups?; if the promotional campaign had helped them make their voting decision?; whether they had encouraged them to take part in voting? The percentage of negative answers to the first question was about 90%, to the second question the level of negative answers was slightly lower - 80%, and to the third question 75% 'no' answers. The results appear to indicate that television electoral campaigns are not the main key to most Poles' political awareness. Their political opinions appear to be are based on other factors than advertising. Television campaigns serve the purpose of directing a narrow group of undecided voters, as well as awakening general voter activity.