Diversity Management Practices in Polish Media: A Longitudinal Study of Newsroom Decisions Before and During the War in Ukraine

Abstract This paper examines how Polish media managers have navigated issues related to Ukraine and Poland’s Ukrainian community during both pre-war and wartime periods. The study aims to uncover the specific practices of diversity management employed during this time by analysing actual media strategies in use. It is based on a~thematic analysis of 16 in-depth interviews with media managers, conducted at three critical points: one month before the war (five interviews), immediately a˙er its onset (eight interviews), and approximately one year later (three interviews). This methodology captures the shi˙ing perspectives of editors as the war progressed. The analysis identified key thematic categories, framed through the lens of diversity management in the media. These categories include (1) selection of (co)workers, (2) editorial management (planning, topic selection, and omission; news acquisition and verification; psychological support and language), (3) media managers’ perceptions of Poles’ attitudes toward Russians, Belarusians, and non-Ukrainian residents, (4) audiences, and (5) corporate social responsibility (CSR) initiatives of media companies.