{{short description|Polish media company}}
{{Infobox company | name = Wirtualna Polska | logo = Wirtualna-Polska-Logo-2014.png | logo_caption = The company's logo since 2014 | industry = E-commerce and mass media | founded = {{Start date and age|1995}} in Gdańsk, Poland | founders = Marek Borzestowski and Leszek Bogdanowicz | hq_location_city = Gdańsk | hq_location_country = Poland | owner = Grupa o2 (100% shareholder) | website = {{URL|wp.pl}} }}
'''Wirtualna Polska''' ('''WP''' {{IPA|pl|vuˈpɛ|}}; {{lit|Virtual Poland}}) is a Polish company involved in many mass media and e-commerce enterprises.
== History == The two founders of the portal, {{ill|Marek Borzestowski|pl}} and Leszek Bogdanowicz, created it whilst in Germany in 1995. Initially named ''Wirtualna Akademia'', it was a web directory. It was later renamed to ''Wirtualna Polska'' and soon gained a stable headquarters in Gdańsk. Borzestowski sold his shares to other investors in 2005, and the company has grown significantly since then;<ref>{{cite web |date=10 August 2004 |title=Historia Wirtualnej Polski według Marka Borzestowskiego |url=https://www.computerworld.pl/article/2504406/historia-wirtualnej-polski-wedlug-marka-borzestowskiego.html |website=computerworld.pl |access-date=27 July 2025}}</ref> its e-mail service, Poczta WP, was established in November 1998 and has since become extremely popular.<ref>{{cite web |date=2004 |title=Historia www.wp.pl |url=http://www.komputer.cuprum.pl/historia/255-historia-wwwwppl.html |website=komputer.cuprum.pl |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100419085718/http://www.komputer.cuprum.pl/historia/255-historia-wwwwppl.html |archive-date=19 April 2010 |access-date=27 July 2025}}</ref>
== Ownership and structure == In 2014, Orange Polska sold all shares of Wirtualna Polska to Grupa o2, another mass media company, for 375 million zł. The purchase was funded by the private equity firm Innova Capital.<ref>{{cite web |date=23 October 2013 |title=O2 kupuje Wirtualną Polskę za 375 mln złotych |url=https://www.forbes.pl/wiadomosci/o2pl-kupuje-wirtualna-polske-za-375-mln-zlotych/qb1tt25 |website=forbes.pl |publisher=Forbes |access-date=27 July 2025}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |last=Wojtas |first=Tomasz |date=24 October 2013 |title=Grupa o2 kupuje Wirtualną Polskę za środki Innova Capital |url=https://www.wirtualnemedia.pl/artykul/grupa-o2-kupuje-wirtualna-polske-za-srodki-innova-capital |website=wirtualnemedia.pl |access-date=27 July 2025}}</ref> From March 2018 to August 2024, Wirtualna Polska's owner was Joanna Pawlak.<ref>{{cite web |last=Słomski |first=Damian |date=27 March 2018 |title=Przetasowania w zarządzie Wirtualnej Polski |url=https://www.money.pl/gielda/wiadomosci/artykul/wirtualna-polska-zmiany-zarzad-joanna-pawlak,6,0,2401798.html |website=money.pl |access-date=27 July 2025}}</ref> She was succeeded by Jacek Świderski, the owner of Wirtualna Polska's holding company.<ref>{{cite web |date=1 August 2024 |title=Zmiana na czele mediów Wirtualnej Polski. Odchodzi szefowa |url=https://www.wirtualnemedia.pl/artykul/wirtualna-polska-prezes-jacek-swiderski-odchodzi-joanna-pawlak |website=wirtualnemedia.pl |access-date=27 July 2025}}</ref>
On 16 November 2020, Marcin Meller became the editor-in-chief of Wirtualna Polska,<ref>{{cite web |last=Erling |first=Barbara |date=18 November 2020 |title=Marcin Meller nie planuje rewolucji w WP, ale zapowiada transfery |url=https://www.press.pl/tresc/63946,marcin-meller-nie-planuje-rewolucji-w-wp_-ale-zapowiada-transfery |website=press.pl |access-date=27 July 2025}}</ref> a position left vacant by the departing {{ill|Tomasz Machała|pl}} after a scandal in February 2020.<ref name = :0>{{cite web |last=Niepytalski |first=Michał |date=7 February 2020 |title=Sprawa Machały to ostrzeżenie dla mediów |url=https://www.press.pl/tresc/60347,sprawa-machaly-to-ostrzezenie-dla-mediow |website=press.pl |access-date=27 July 2025}}</ref> On 4 December, Meller also left the role and was replaced by {{ill|Piotr Mieśnik|pl}}.<ref>{{cite web |date=4 December 2020 |title=Marcin Meller nie jest już naczelnym Wirtualnej Polski |url=https://www.press.pl/tresc/64146,marcin-meller-nie-jest-juz-naczelnym-wirtualnej-polski |website=press.pl |access-date=27 July 2025}}</ref> On 1 March 2023, he was in turn replaced by {{ill|Paweł Kapusta|pl|Paweł Kapusta (dziennikarz)}}.<ref>{{cite web |date=9 February 2023 |title=Paweł Kapusta naczelnym Wirtualnej Polski. Odchodzi Piotr Mieśnik |url=https://www.wirtualnemedia.pl/artykul/pawel-kapusta-redaktor-naczelny-wirtualna-polska-odchodzi-piotr-miesnik |website=wirtualnemedia.pl |access-date=27 July 2025}}</ref>
== Controversies == In January 2020, the investigative journalism portal OKO.press published an article detailing the alleged collaboration of Wirtualna Polska with the Ministry of Justice, primarily by censoring material criticizing Zbigniew Ziobro and writing articles expressing support for the ministry under false surnames.<ref>{{cite web |last=Klauziński |first=Sebastian |date=15 January 2020 |title=Jak Wirtualna Polska promuje Ziobrę. "Łączy nas z Ministerstwem Sprawiedliwości wiele interesów" |url=https://oko.press/wirtualna-polska-ziobro-machala |website=oko.press |publisher=OKO.press |access-date=27 July 2025}}</ref> The aforementioned editor-in-chief, Tomasz Machała, was forced to resign following an internal investigation.<ref name = :0 /> Machała then made several negative comments about Wirtualna Polska and stated that only 1% of its revenue came from advertising.<ref>{{cite web |date=6 February 2020 |title=Wirtualna Polska odnosi się do zarzutów – komunikat prasowy |url=https://dlaprasy.wp.pl/pr/483885/wirtualna-polska-odnosi-sie-do-zarzutow-komunikat-prasowy |website=dlaprasy.wp.pl |publisher=Wirtualna Polska |access-date=27 July 2025}}</ref>
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Category:Companies established in 1995 Category:Web portals Category:Polish news websites Category:1995 establishments in Poland Category:Companies based in Gdańsk Category:Internet properties established in 1995