Inside CEE Television
- chrisdz3
- Oct 30
- 4 min read
Chris Dziadul, October 30 2025
New TV channel targets Belarus
Poland’s National Broadcasting Council (KRRiT) has awarded a licence to Mediarynok to operate a Warsaw-based satellite TV channel named Belarus Tomorrow. According to local reports, the channel has been broadcast from Eutelsat’s Hot Bird since July and is also available online at Bt.media. However, securing a Polish licence will formalise its status and make it easier to distribute on cable networks. Belarus Tomorrow is backed by a consortium of independent Belarusian media outlets in exile and headed by Aleksy Dzikawicki, former head of news at TV Biełsat. Describing itself as “the first independent Belarusian streaming platform that unites leading Belarusian media, bloggers and experts” and one that “creates a space for independent content that can be watched without risk and without a VPN”, Belarus Tomorrow can be viewed free of charge but may introduce some paid-for content in the future. Separately, KRRiT has also extended radio and TV licences to Radio Ostrowiec, RMF MAXXX Nowy Sącz and Telewizja Olsztyn. In addition, it has decided to allocate space on Poland’s MUX-8 television multiplex for universal or specialist programming.
Russian media faces new ban
The European Parliament is considering banning access to Russian websites such as Sputnik and RT on its IT infrastructure. According to Politico, many Russian broadcasters’ websites can still be viewed despite EU sanctions imposed on Russian media since 2022. Although the proposed ban is opposed by some political groups in the parliament, a similar one is already in place on Chinese-owned TikTok.
Telewizja Republika makes gains
Poland’s Telewizja Republika claimed a market share of 6.71% in the third quarter. This, according to the regulator KRRiT, quoting AGB Nielsen Media Research, was up from 4.13% in the same period last year and put it in second place behind the public broadcaster’s first channel TVP1 (6.81%) but ahead of Polsat (6.65%), TVN (5.5%) and TVN24 (4.94%). KRRiT points out that while Republika’s share grew by 2.58pp over the year, TVP1’s fell by almost 1pp. At the same time, the combined share of the four leading TV channels in Poland – TVP1, TVP2, Polsat and TVN – fell by 0.95pp to 24.3%. TVP operates no fewer than 15 TV channels and in the third quarter their combined audience share was 20.32%, down 1.89pp on the same period last year. The research also shows that in the third quarter Poles spent on average 3 hours and 27 minutes a day watching TV. This was half a minute longer than a year earlier.
Celebration for N1
The South-East Europe regional news platform N1 marked its 11th anniversary on Thursday, October 30. Operated by United Media, itself part of United Group, it has integrated newsrooms in Serbia, Bosnia & Herzegovina and Croatia, as well as a growing digital operation in Slovenia. It is also the first regional 24-hour news platform and the first CNN affiliate in the region.
Digi eyes Spanish listing
Romania’s Digi Communications is planning to list its Spanish subsidiary in 2026. According to press reports, it aims to sell between 25-30% of the subsidiary’s capital and has hired Barclays, Santander and UBS, with Rothschilds Bank acting as the financial advisor. They add that the listing is likely to take place in the spring of next year at the earliest and will take the form of an initial (IPO) and secondary (SPO) offering. In a separate development, Digi Communications has announced the successful closing of the €600 million offering of senior secured notes due 2031 by its subsidiary Digi Romania.
HBO Max heads East
The streaming service HBO Max has launched in Kazakhstan and across the CIS through a new partnership with Amediateka. Inside CEE Television notes that earlier this month HBO Max officially made its debut in Ukraine.
New member for ACT Board
Klára Brachtlová has been elected to the ACT Board of Directors. She is the deputy CEO and chief external affairs officer of the CME Group and oversees the day-to-day operations of its TV stations and streaming platforms across six CEE markets. Her other roles including sitting on the Board of the Czech Association of Commercial Broadcasters and vice chairman of the Board of Directors of the Czech Audiovisual Fund. The ACT (Association of Commercial Television and Video on Demand Services in Europe) represents the interests of leading commercial broadcasters in Europe.
Gazprom-Media eyes film production
Growing film production and investment in films is a strategic priority for Russia’s Gazprom-Media Holding. According to its CEO Alexander Zharov, it will strengthen its position in the domestic market and expand its international presence. He added that the holding released eight films in 2024 and this year it will increase to 12, with at least 10 planned in 2026. Investment in film production will amount to R5 billion (€53.9 million) this year, rising to R5.5 billion in 2025. Six films have already surpassed the billion-rouble mark in the box office since the start of this year.
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