Polish Presidential Election Night: A Lesson in Broadcast Strategies
The elections in Poland have just concluded, and we’ve chosen our President for the next five years. What fascinates me as a broadcast professional is how differently each broadcaster approaches this defining national moment.
Take a look at these screenshots from election night. They all cover the same story — live from the main campaign headquarters — but their methods could not be more different.
Top right: This is almost certainly a truly live broadcast, giving viewers direct access to the latest speeches and developments as they happen.
Bottom left: Here, we’re seeing the power of EVS replay technology. During critical moments like exit polls (which in Poland are released at 9pm), not everything can be shown live. Instead, key soundbites and moments from the headquarters are stored and replayed with minimal delay, allowing the network to control the narrative and timing.
This is where my personal experience comes in. Over the years, I’ve worked on numerous elections — presidential, parliamentary, and local — and the broadcast workflow is always a high-wire act. We use multiple program out channels, constantly juggling between live and replayed content. Often, while one channel is airing a delayed live conference via EVS, we’re busy preparing the next soundbites and upcoming press conferences on different EVS outputs. It’s a nonstop process: counting down the EVS playout, lining up the next clips, cutting highlights, and managing different streams simultaneously. The newsroom feels like an air traffic control tower, coordinating a ballet of live feeds, instant replays, and breaking soundbites — all to make sure the viewer never misses a beat.
What does this mean for viewers and broadcasters?
Channels like Warner Bros. Discovery (TVN24, bottom right) and Kanal Zero (top left) focus on in-studio discussions, offering analysis and commentary while the main action is replayed or delayed.
Meanwhile, Telewizja Republika (top right) and Polsat News (bottom left) are prioritizing either direct live feeds or fast-turnaround replays from the campaign headquarters.
This hybrid approach — mixing EVS replays and live feeds — is now the industry standard, especially on high-stakes nights like these. It’s a perfect example of how advanced broadcast workflows, like EVS, shape not only what we see, but how we experience national events.
What’s your take? Do you prefer the excitement of true live coverage, or the curated storytelling that EVS replay provides?
