Television in Poland was introduced on an experimental basis in 1937. It was state owned, and was interrupted by the Second World War in 1939. Television returned to Poland in 1952 and for several decades was controlled by the communist government. Colour television was introduced in Poland in 1971. Private television stations in Poland appeared around the time of the fall of communism, with PTV Echo (once a member of the local channels of Polonia 1) becoming the first private station in Poland (and in the former Eastern Bloc).
History During the Communist era, Polish state television aired many programs from both the West and the rest of the Eastern Bloc. Poles requested more photos of the Bonanza cast than even Americans, and The Forsyte Saga was very popular. The most popular domestic dramas often depicted Poland in World War II. From 1971 Citizens Forum, a call-in show, subjected government ministers to public questions.
Terrestrial
Terrestrial television in Poland broadcasts using a digital DVB-T system. First test DVB-T emission was carried out in Warsaw on 9 November 2001. In April 2004, first DVB-T transmitter near Rzeszów started operation and local TVP division started to market set-top boxes allowing to receive it. As of July 2016, there are about 250 DVB-T transmitters operating in Poland, broadcasting up to three multiplexes (except local stations), all using MPEG-4 AVC compression. Majority of channels are available in HD across all the Poland after DVB-T2/HEVC switchover has finished in June 2022, while channels from MUX8 (Metro, Zoom TV, Nowa TV, WP, ViDoc TV, Republika and wPolsce24) are available only in SD, although Nowa TV and Republika broadcast in HD in some local multiplexes. Analog terrestrial transmissions were terminated in 2013. First efforts to introduce DVB-T in Poland was made in 1997 in Gdańsk on initiative of TVP (Polish public television broadcaster). In the spring of 2022, the terrestrial TV broadcasting standard was changed across the country to the newer and more effective DVB-T2/HEVC standard, where HEVC (or H.265) is a new standard for TV signal compression. Switching to the new DVB-T2/HEVC terrestrial TV broadcasting standard was carried out in the period from March to June 2022. However, the changes did not cover MUX3, which belongs as a whole to TVP. Decision by requested by the Minister of Interior Affairs and Administration, argumented by the Russian invasion of Ukraine, allowed to delay the switch until the end of 2023.
Allocation At 2006 conference in Geneva known as GE06 Poland received eight DVB-T multiplexes—seven at UHF frequencies 470–862 MHz (channels 21–69) and one at VHF frequency 174–230 MHz (channels 6–12). Since some of these frequencies are currently used for analog PAL terrestrial television broadcasting, it is possible to run only two nationwide multiplexes (MUX1, MUX2) and one (MUX3) which covers part of country (58% of population). Introduction of all multiplexes will be possible after switching off analog broadcasting.
A government document entitled "Country digitalization schedule", dated January 2009, set out plan for the digital broadcast switch-on to be made in three steps and analog broadcast switch-off in six steps.
First regular digital broadcast started on 30 September 2010. Analog broadcast switch-off started on 7 November 2012 and the transition to digital broadcasting finished on 23 July 2013.
The period of time between digital broadcast switch-on and analog broadcast switch-off will allow people time to buy new integrated Digital TVs or set-top boxes.
Current status
MUX1 covers 98.8% of population; MUX2 covers more than 98.8% of population; MUX3 covers 99.5% of population; MUX6 covers more than 90% of population; MUX8 covers 97.4% of population.
Analog shutdown
The shutdown of analog broadcast took place in 7 steps between 7 November 2012 and 23 July 2013.
Operators of cable TV don't provide analog service in their networks any more, Vectra and Toya stopped in 2022, UPC stopped in 2023 in most cities of Poland and in January 2024 in Warsaw and Inea stopped in March 2024.
Additional government actions
The Polish government created Informative campaigns regarding analog broadcast switch-off in mass media. The government also requires electronic equipment sellers to inform buyers that MPEG-2 TVs and STBs are not compatible with the national standard which is currently DVB-T2 HEVC QAM256 .
The Polish government provides financial help for poor families and seniors to buy a TV - 250 PLN or STB – 100 PLN per household, totaling 475 million PLN.
Technical information
Polish digital terrestrial television broadcast uses the basic parameters of a digital receiver defined in ETSI TS 101 154 for level 4.1 HDTV: 50 Hz HEVC HDTV 8-bit (resolutions 1920 x 1080 p50, 1280 x 720 p50) MPEG-2 Audio Layer 2 and E-AC -3 audios. In the case of a TV receiver capable of displaying UHD, the DVB-T2 receiver also supports the format specified in ETSI TS 101 154 in point 5.14 HEVC HDR UHDTV IRD using HLG10 and HEVC HDR UHDTV IRD using PQ10, Main 10 Profile, Main Tier for UHDTV with resolution 3840 x 2160 and AC-4 audio.
Assignment of channels in multiplexes
Plan from January 2009 included three nationwide multiplexes with seven SDTV channels in each: MUX1 – Free-to-air commercial channels (Polsat, TVN, TV4, TV Puls); after analog broadcast switch-off MUX3 covered the entire country population and public channels moved to it; there was competition for three freed channels; MUX2 – open competition MUX3 – Public channels; after analog switch-off MUX3 will cover all country population and public channels will be moved to it from MUX1; there will be competition for three freed channels in MUX1.
In January 2010 new plan on introducing DVB-T was presented. Assignment of multiplexes was changed: MUX1 – public broadcaster channels (including TVP1, TVP2 and TVP Info) MUX2 – Commercial free-to-air channels (Polsat, TVN, TV4, TV Puls) plus one additional from each broadcaster.
In June 2010 the final decision on the allocation of multiplexes was made: MUX1 – four channels chosen in open competition (were selected: ATM Rozrywka, TTV, Eska TV and Polo TV) and temporary three public broadcaster channels (TVP1, TVP2, TVP Info); after analog broadcast switch-off (on July 23, 2013) and after covering MUX3 all country population, public channels have been deleted from MUX1; there was a contest for the remaining four freed channels (were selected: TV Trwam, TVP ABC, Stopklatka TV and Fokus TV); MUX2 – four current terrestrial analog commercial free-to-air channels (Polsat, TVN, TV4, TV Puls) plus one additional from each broadcaster, currently: Super Polsat (previously Polsat Sport News), TVN7, TV6 and Puls 2; MUX3 – public broadcaster channels (currently six: TVP1, TVP2, TVP3, TVP Info, TVP Kultura, TVP Historia, TVP Sport – earlier TVP Rozrywka).
MUX1
MUX1 Channel Owner Type Position (LCN) Eska TV Polsat Plus Group (earlier ZPR Media Group) Music/Entertainment 12 TTV Stavka (TVN Warner Bros. Discovery) General/Social-intervention 13 Polo TV Polsat Plus Group (earlier ZPR Media Group) Music/Entertainment 14 Antena HD MWE Networks General 15 TV Trwam Lux Veritatis Foundation Religious 16 Stopklatka TV Canal+ Polska Movies 17 Fokus TV Polsat Plus Group (earlier ZPR Media Group) General/Documentaries 18 Wydarzenia 24 Polsat Plus Group News 49
MUX2 MUX2 Channel Owner Type Position (LCN) Polsat Polsat Plus Group General 4 TVN TVN Warner Bros. Discovery General 5 TV4 Polsat Plus Group (earlier Polskie Media) General 6 TV Puls Telewizja Puls General 7 TVN7 TVN Warner Bros. Discovery General/Entertainment 8 Puls 2 Telewizja Puls General/Entertainment 9 TV6 Polsat Plus Group (earlier Polskie Media) General/Entertainment 10 Super Polsat Polsat Plus Group General/Entertainment 11
MUX3 MUX3 Channel Owner Type Position (LCN) TVP1 Telewizja Polska General 1 TVP2 General 2 TVP3Correct local version Regional 3TVP ABCChildren29TVP KulturaCulture30 TVP Historia Historical 31 TVP Sport Sport 32 TVP Info News 34TVP GOHbbTV applicationInteractive (HbbTV)88TVP WorldThis channel is broadcast though Internet, meaning that it will be available once HbbTV compatible receiver will be connected to the Internet.International (HbbTV)91TVP ABC 2Children (HbbTV)92TVP Historia 2Historical (HbbTV)93TVP Kultura 2Cultural (HbbTV)94
MUX6 MUX6 Channel Owner Type Position (LCN)TVP Polonia Telewizja PolskaWorldwide19TVP NaukaPopular science20 TVP Dokument Documentaries 24 TVP Rozrywka Entertainment 27Alfa TVPChildren28TVP WorldInternational33TVP KobietaLifestyle35BelsatGeneral36
MUX8 (DVB-T, MPEG-4) MUX8 Channel Owner Type Position (LCN) Nowa TV Polsat Plus Group (earlier ZPR Media Group) General 40 WP Wirtualna Polska Holding General/Interactive 41RepublikaTelewizja RepublikaNews51wPolsce24FratriaNews52CDA Premium CDA SAInteractive (HbbTV)86Sklep Kapitan.plOnline shop (HbbTV)87test 95 EmitelN/A (black screen) (HbbTV)95test 96N/A (black screen) (HbbTV)96test 97N/A (black screen) (HbbTV)97EmiRadioInteractive (HbbTV)98EmiTVInteractive (HbbTV)99test 211N/A (black screen) (HbbTV)211test 212N/A (black screen) (HbbTV)212test 213N/A (black screen) (HbbTV)213test 214N/A (black screen) (HbbTV)214test 215N/A (black screen) (HbbTV)215
MUX4 Polsat Box "Sport i informacje" ("Sports & information" Pay TV package)
Polsat Box "Sport i informacje" ("Sports & information" Pay TV package)From July 14, 2022 Channel Owner Type Position (LCN) Polsat Sport 1 Polsat Plus Group Sport 110 Polsat Sport 2 Polsat Plus Group Sport 111 Eurosport 1 TVN Warner Bros. Discovery Sport 112 Eurosport 2 TVN Warner Bros. Discovery Sport 113 Eleven Sports 1 Polsat Plus Group Sport 114 Eleven Sports 2 Polsat Plus Group Sport 115 TVN Turbo TVN Warner Bros. Discovery Lifestyle 116 TVN Style TVN Warner Bros. Discovery Lifestyle 117 Polsat News Polityka Polsat Plus Group News 118 Polsat News Polsat Plus Group News 119 TVN24 TVN Warner Bros. Discovery News 120 Polsat promo HbbTVFree-to-air channel Polsat Plus Group Interactive (HbbTV) 333
MUX-L1 (Lubań/Jelenia Góra/Bolesławiec/Chojnów) MUX-L1 Channel Owner TypeJunior ChannelMWE NetworksChildrenHome TVMWE NetworksLifestyle TVC Super MWE Networks GeneralFilmax HDMWE NetworksMoviesPogoda24.TVMWE NetworksNewsTV OkazjeTVO (Polsat Plus Group)TeleshoppingTVCMWE NetworksGeneral Echo24 HD MWE Networks Regional Stars.TV JBD S.A. MusicTV Dami / TV BolesławiecN/ARegional TVT Zgorzelec Telewizja Regionalna TVT RegionalPower TVMWE NetworksMusicTVSTVS Sp. z.o.o.Regional
MUX-L2 (Ornontowice/Rybnik) MUX-L2 Channel Owner TypeTVTTelewizja TVT Sp. z o.o.Regional Republika Telewizja Republika News Stars.TV JBD S.A. Music Nowa TV Polsat Group GeneralDolce Vita TVDolce Vita TV Sp. z o. o.LifestyleTV Okazje SDTVO (Polsat Plus Group)Teleshopping
MUX-L3 (Częstochowa/Kamieńsk/Tomaszów Mazowiecki) MUX-L3 Channel Owner TypeJunior ChannelMWE NetworksChildrenHome TVMWE NetworksLifestyle TVC MWE Networks General TVC Super MWE Networks GeneralPogoda24.TVMWE NetworksNewsTV OkazjeTVO (Polsat Plus Group)TeleshoppingFilmaxMWE NetworksMovies Stars.TV JBD S.A. MusicPower TVMWE NetworksMusicTVSTVS Sp. z.o.o.Regional
MUX-L4 (Świdnica/Wrocław) (DVB-T, MPEG-4) MUX-L4 Channel Owner TypeJunior ChannelMWE NetworksChildrenHome TVMWE NetworksLifestyleTVC SuperMWE NetworksGeneralFilmaxMWE NetworksMoviesPogoda24.TVMWE NetworksNews Polsat HD Polsat Plus Group GeneralTV OkazjeTVO (Polsat Plus Group)Teleshopping Stars.TV JBD S.A. Music Echo24 HD MWE Networks RegionalPower TVMWE NetworksMusicTVSTVS Sp. z.o.o.Regional
MUX-L7 (Lubin/Głogów) (DVB-T, MPEG-4)