Poza rynkiem pracy. Elementy dyskursu publicznego na temat bezrobocia

Unemployment in Poland is a widespread social phenomenon, even if we accept the most liberal methods of measurement. Existence outside the job market carries as significant threat of social exclusion, even though many studies point out to processual and gradual nature of such exclusion. There exist several grades of social exclusion, starting from physical annihilation, through “invisibility” and absence in the mass media, to being subject to restrictions and barriers that limit one’s functioning within an institution. Mass unemployment poses a challenge for the politicians, who - as has been demonstrated by studies conducted abroad - often make it the focal point of their programmes and electoral campaigns. Once they win, however, they only seldom introduce sustainable policies to fight unemployment. Naturally, the discourse of unemployment is reflected in the media. The article seeks to study it by analyzing the content of selected news programmes on the Polish television. The findings show that a characteristic feature of the news programmes’ angle on unemployment is the use of official data, and focusing on the administrative division of the country, with special emphasis on the situation in big cities. The rhetoric of some of the programmes tends to be very emotional and negative (pessimistic), while others strive tomaintain objectivity and detachment.