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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).
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),[1] 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 and ViDoc TV) are available only in SD, although Nowa TV broadcasts 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 Urząd Komunikacji Elektronicznej 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.[2]
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.
Most operators of analog cable TV are planning to continue providing analog service in their networks for an unspecified period of time.
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.[3]
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 | Telewizja Polska | General | 2 | ||||||||
| TVP3[4] | Telewizja Polska | Regional | 3 | ||||||||
| TVP ABC | Telewizja Polska | Children | 29 | ||||||||
| TVP Kultura | Telewizja Polska | Culture | 30 | ||||||||
| TVP Historia | Telewizja Polska | Historical | 31 | ||||||||
| TVP Sport | Telewizja Polska | Sport | 32 | ||||||||
| TVP Info | Telewizja Polska | News | 34 | ||||||||
| TVP GO[5] | Telewizja Polska | Interactive (HbbTV) | 88 | ||||||||
| TVP World[6] | Telewizja Polska | International (HbbTV) | 91 | ||||||||
| TVP ABC 2[6] | Telewizja Polska | Children (HbbTV) | 92 | ||||||||
| TVP Historia 2[6] | Telewizja Polska | Historical (HbbTV) | 93 | ||||||||
| TVP Kultura 2[6] | Telewizja Polska | Cultural (HbbTV) | 94 | ||||||||
MUX6
| MUX6 | |||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Channel | Owner | Type | Position (LCN) | ||||||||
| TVP Polonia | Telewizja Polska | Worldwide | 19 | ||||||||
| TVP Nauka | Telewizja Polska | Popular science | 20 | ||||||||
| TVP Dokument | Telewizja Polska | Documentaries | 24 | ||||||||
| TVP Rozrywka | Telewizja Polska | Entertainment | 27 | ||||||||
| Alfa TVP | Telewizja Polska | Children | 28 | ||||||||
| TVP World | Telewizja Polska | International | 33 | ||||||||
| TVP Kobieta | Telewizja Polska | Lifestyle | 35 | ||||||||
| Belsat | Telewizja Polska | General | 36 | ||||||||
MUX8 (DVB-T, MPEG-4)
| MUX8 | |||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Channel | Owner | Type | Position (LCN) | ||||||||
| Metro | TVN Warner Bros. Discovery | General/Lifestyle | 38 | ||||||||
| Zoom TV | Canal+ Polska | General/Local issues | 39 | ||||||||
| Nowa TV | Polsat Plus Group (earlier ZPR Media Group) | General | 40 | ||||||||
| WP | Wirtualna Polska Holding | General/Interactive | 41 | ||||||||
| ViDoc TV | Red Carpet Media Group | Film/Documentary | 50 | ||||||||
| CDA Premium | CDA SA | Interactive (HbbTV) | 86 | ||||||||
| Sklep Kapitan.pl | CDA SA | Online shop (HbbTV) | 87 | ||||||||
| Legia TV | Legia Warsaw | Sport (HbbTV) | 89 | ||||||||
| EWTN GO | EWTN | Religious (HbbTV) | 90 | ||||||||
| Pershyi | Suspilne | General (HbbTV) | 95 | ||||||||
| test5 | Emitel | N/A (black screen) (HbbTV) | 96 | ||||||||
| test6 | Emitel | N/A (black screen) (HbbTV) | 97 | ||||||||
| EmiRadio | Emitel | Interactive (HbbTV) | 98 | ||||||||
| EmiTV | Emitel | Interactive (HbbTV) | 99 | ||||||||