Poland is facing the prospect of a major change to its must-carry rules.
According to Gazeta Prawna, proposed amendments to the broadcasting law could see the new of channels required by cable operators reduced from the current seven – TVP1, TVP2, a TVP regional channel, Polsat, TVN, TV4 and TV Puls to just the public broadcaster’s TVP1 and TVP2.
The proposals, which have been put forward by the Ministry of Culture and National Heritage, would also see greater powers being granted to the National Broadcasting Council (KRRiT).
Specifically, it could decide, taking into account public interest, whether or not to increase the number of must-carry channels.
The proposals have drawn a mixed response from the industry.
Those that have come out against them include the national commercial broadcaster TV Puls and DTH platform nc+ (fearing the effect increased powers for the KRRiT would have on operators and their programme offers), while they are supported by TVP.
