ABSTRACT
Although the majority of mechanisms and instruments which aim to support media ethics and journalistic professionalization were introduced at an early stage of the political and social transformation in the early 1990s, the system of media accountability in Poland is still in the making. Journalistic communities in the country, which are responsible for the development and safeguarding of self-regulatory mechanisms, are divided based on political ties, and professional unions/associations are not attractive to young representatives of the profession. The Council of Media Ethics does not have any legal basis to apply sanctions after a violation of ethical standards by journalists and new media and technologies have not yet been recognized as mechanisms that could support accountability and transparency. Along with this, the level of press freedom and current discussions on the future of journalism education should be taken into account.
