September debut for Polish DTT

DTT should finally get off the ground in Poland this September, a whole year after the country launched its first multiplex, albeit on a trial basis.

Quoting Anna Strezynska, the president of the Office of Electronic Communication (UKE), Rzeczpospolita says that the first ‘digital islands’ are likely to appear in two months time, adding that the UKE and National Broadcasting Council (KRRiT) are waiting for the government to publish licensing conditions.

The first multiplex will initially carry TVP1, TVP2 and TVP Info, along with four additional channels to be chosen by a competition. The second will meanwhile carry two channels each from TVN, Polsat, TV Puls and TV4. The third multiplex will be activated towards the end of October and at first cover four voivodships that together contain at least 58% of the population. TVP1, TVP2 and TVP2 will move from the first to third multiplex, to be replaced by thematic channels.

Poland’s Ministry of Infrastructure is meanwhile working on new digital legislation that is already attracting criticism from commercial broadcasters. In their view, the PLN400 million (€97.9 million) in subsidies for set-top box it proposals that they fund is in reality likely to be closer to PLN1 billion.

What is more, they are unhappy with the fact that TVP will not be required to contribute to this sum.