The Digital Single Market (DSM) evokes mixed feelings among key players in Poland’s TV industry.
Speaking in a panel discussion at PIKE 2015, Maciej Maciejowski, a member of the board at TVN, said that there was a general lack of understanding in the DSM of authors’ rights from a business perspective. He added that those who would benefit the most would be the ones with the deepest pockets who can afford to buy global rights.
Meanwhile, Andrzej Rogowski, chairman of the board at Multimedia Polska, said that DSM would help his company, one of the largest cable operators in Poland, to grow. However, it would require an even larger investment in infrastructure with no guarantee of greater returns.
Rogowski made the point that it is important to look at infrastructure and media separately – something Janusz Kosinski, his counterpart at cable operator Inea, agreed with. In his view, the former will lead to consolidation.
Patricja Golos, corporate affairs and public policy director at UPC Polska, said that DSM would have key implications for Polska. On balance it would be a glass half full or half empty scenario, and there are certainly risks that the company is preparing itself for.
Zbigniew Benbenek, chairman of the board at ZPR Media, said that DSR would help eliminate piracy in Europe.
Significantly, Zygmunt Solorz-Zak, the founder and owner of Polsat, conceded that his company also had a problem with piracy.