Papal News in the TV Information Service "Fakty" (11 II - 13 III 2013)

Abstract

This paper analyses the broadcasting of unprecedented news about Pope Benedict XVI abdication by ‘Fakty’, the main news service of the most popular Polish commercial TV channel - TVN. ‘Papal news’ in this case can be regarded as a typical developing news story, pursued for over a month. The article examines in detail news broadcast between February 11 and March 13, 2013, with particular reference to: Vatican exhibition themes in services, duration of news about the Pope, content of verbal and iconic aspect, selection of the experts and behaviour of journalists both in the studio and in the centre of events. Although the presentation of the Pope’s abdication could be framed and understood as a specific type of religious and political media event (and was framed as such especially by two competing stations: TVP1 and TVN), framework analysis has shown that in the case of “papal news” it was extremely difficult for commercial TV channel to employ the usual methods of framing: e.g. framing primarily as a conflict, but also as human story, due to its consequences and moral questions involved.