Chris Dziadul Analysis: CEE, where global trends merge with regional specifics

The complexities of the video market across Central and Eastern Europe (CEE) have been brought into sharp focus by WPP Media’s latest VideoTrack study. Looking specifically at Poland, the Czech Republic, Romania and Hungary, its first and perhaps most striking finding is that watching movies and series online is now a mass entertainment activity across the region. Indeed, the percentage of internet users (e-viewers), defined as people who watch movies, series and other professional content online, ranges from 78% of Romanian right up to 87% of Polish internet users.

Moreover, the majority of e-viewers use streaming platforms, with Poland in top spot (90%), followed by Hungary (80%), Romania (78%) and the Czech Republic (72%).

The study also points out that torrents remain quite significant in the Czech Republic, where one in three (33%) internet users still downloads movies, series and other long programmes from the internet. In Poland the figure is a much lower 9%, whereas Hungary (20%) and Romania (23%) are in-between.  

Given this, its perhaps not surprising that the lowest percentage of internet users who pay for streaming content are found in the Czech Republic. In Poland, on the other hand, 70% choose to pay and – just as importantly, given the size of the market and large number of streaming services, 73% of SVOD subscribers are long-term.

Interestingly, the study says that while the expansion of streaming has impacted traditional TV consumption in the region, this has not been the case for pay-TV. In fact, penetration remains at up to 90% in Hungary and Romania, and cord-cutting is non-existent.

What is more, there is a ‘frienemy’ relationship streamers and pay-TV. In Romania, for instance, 37% of internet users buy streaming service subscriptions through pay-TV providers.

Poles, Czechs, Hungarians and Romanians most often watch VOD services on TV screens and in company, while Netflix and YouTube top the ranking of the most popular smart TV applications in all markets in the region.

The study also identifies the favourite SVOD platforms among e-viewers. Although not completely aligned with actual subscriber figures, it probably comes as no surprise that Netflix comes in first place in all four markets, with Romania (65%) and Hungary (64%) leading the way.

What perhaps should be pointed out here is that in the Czech Republic local platforms such as Oneplay (formed by the merger of Voyo and O2 TV earlier this year) are growing in popularity and presenting a real challenge to Netflix. In Poland, Netflix faces strong competition from several platforms and this is likely to intensify in the future.

All in all, this is a fascinating study, providing a snapshot of the video sector in CEE’s four largest TV markets. What it makes clear is that the region, according to Izabela Albrychiewicz, WPP Media CEO CEE, is indeed one in which “global trends blend with regional specifics”.

 

© Chris Dziadul, 2025