The Polish public broadcaster TVP plans to launch what will be the country’s sixth DTH platform by the end of this year.
Speaking to Rzeczpospolita, its president Piotr Farfal said the service would operate on an entirely non-profit basis and be entirely different to the five platforms (Cyfrowy Polsat, Cyfra+, n, Orange and TNK) already available.
It would offer two programme packages, one of which would be basic and free of charge, and the other paid-for, with the cost of receiving the former being a one off outlay of up to PLN300 (€69) for a dish and decoder.
The start-up costs of the platform, which is likely to be operated without a partner, will be around €1 million.
A TVP DTH platform has been on the cards for some time. Although it was widely assumed that it would be distributed by SES Astra, Farfal stressed that offers from both it and Eutelsat have been received by the public broadcaster. While no decision has yet been made, one is considered to have more merits.
Farfal remains the president of TVP despite recent moves to unseat him. In the interview, he also warned of mass layoffs at the station.
