Broadcasting Polish Football: Production Practices and the Discursive Shaping of Race and Ethnicity

Abstract

This study examines the intersection between the production processes of televised football in Poland and the representations of race and ethnicity. While previous research has thoroughly analyzed how race and ethnicity are portrayed in sports media, much of this work focuses on contexts within the Anglosphere, leaving a gap in understanding how these processes unfold in non-Anglo regions, like Poland. To address this gap, we conducted interviews with football media professionals and carried out fieldwork in various Polish football media organizations. Our findings reveal that football media professionals use a range of discursive strategies to frame racial and ethnic diversity in televised football and within their own workplace environments. While some of these strategies incorporate stereotypes, many professionals take a "color-evasive" approach, asserting that racial or ethnic stereotypes do not influence their work. However, our study also identifies that critical self-reflection on these issues is often impeded by the dominant working culture, which is largely shaped by a predominantly White and masculine workforce. These findings are contextualized within the broader discourse on race and ethnicity in sports media, particularly in relation to the complexities surrounding Whiteness in Poland. This research contributes to a deeper understanding of how race and ethnicity are navigated within the media production process, highlighting the nuanced and often overlooked dynamics that shape televised football in Poland.