Published SourceSource / Evidence Document

BuzzFeed Pays Tomasz Oryński For Polish CEN Follow-Up And Offers Multi-Language Publication

This 29–30 April 2015 email chain shows Alan White and Tomasz Oryński discussing BuzzFeed’s planned Polish follow-up to the CEN story, including travel to Poland, interviews, translation, expenses, and payment for Oryński’s work. The document is significant because it shows BuzzFeed moving from internal discussion of the Polish/Santa angle into practical post-publication reporting and amplification, with White first offering GBP 300 plus flights and hotel, then agreeing to GBP 650 for two days’ work plus travel from Glasgow, hotel and other expenses after Oryński pushed back. The chain also records Oryński saying that one interview subject appeared to expect payment, with White replying that BuzzFeed did not pay interviewees, and Oryński proposing that publication in Polish could help the subjects “show to everyone what was the truth”. White responds that BuzzFeed could translate the article and would also make sure it was translated into Spanish, German and French and posted on BuzzFeed’s sites in those countries. It should be read alongside BuzzFeed_002597, where BuzzFeed internally discusses pursuing the Polish follow-up, because this later chain shows the operational stage: paid assistance, interview logistics, translation, and a plan to push the CEN narrative into multiple language markets after the original article had already been published.

Source

Part of Central European News & Mike Leidig v BuzzFeed (US Second Circuit Libel Case) – BF Case Documents

Europe Media Published 1 May 2026 at 21:09 Source: 1 November 2016

Tags

BuzzFeedCENMike LeidigAlan WhiteTomasz OryńskiPolish follow-upSanta storyPolandtravel expensespaid fixerpaid contributorinterview logisticstranslationPolish translationSpanish translationGerman translationFrench translationpost-publication amplificationBuzzFeed UKfake news narrativepublication strategylibel case evidence

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