Inside CEE Television
- chrisdz3
- May 29
- 3 min read
Chris Dziadul, May 29 2025
IPTV drives Czech pay-TV growth
IPTV is now the most used platform for receiving TV broadcasts in the Czech Republic, having overtaken both satellite and terrestrial TV. According to the atmedia index, IPTV or cable was used by 49% of viewers aged 15-69 last year. Furthermore, the growing IPTV or cable sector was controlled by the three leading mobile operators – O2 with O2 TV (now Oneplay), T-Mobile with Magenta TV and Vodafone with Vodafone TV – together accounted for approximately two-thirds of the market. Significantly, the average amount Czech viewers spent each month on the services offered by satellite, IPTV and cable operators in the second half of last year was CZK424 (€17). This was the first time it had exceeded CZK400, with the figure having stagnated at around CZK390 for several years.
Netflix slips in Poland
Netflix accounted for only 1.6% of TV viewing in Poland in April. This, according to Nielsen’s The Gauge, was down from 1.9% in March and one of its lowest results in months. At the same time, YouTube saw its share rise from 2% in March to 2.2% last month. Streaming as a whole accounted for 9.3% of TV viewing in April, unchanged on the previous two months, with other streaming platforms besides Netflix and YouTube claiming a combined 5.5%. Cable was the most popular (34.7%) way of watching TV, followed by satellite (26.3%) and terrestrial (23.5%).
Rebrand for Romania’s Focus Sat
The Focus Sat application in Romania has been rebranded Focus+. At the same time, the packages previously known as Play TV and Play TV Extra have been brought together under the Focus+ TV name. Focus+ TV includes over 90 live TV channels, 30 TV channels with a restart/replay function and a VOD library. In addition to the basic package, viewers can opt for MaxPak (which includes the HBO and CineMAX channels, as well as Max), AntenaPLAY and an adult package. The Focus+ package is available to new customers for a promotional price of RON20 (€3.95) a month for a first month, followed subsequently by RON44 a month. Focus Sat is operated by Canal+ Luxembourg.
Polish move for BBC World Service
BBC World Service will launch a pilot Polish-language news website and its content on social media on June 24. According to the BBC, the new language offer will help counter a wave of disinformation in the region and provide news and analysis on areas audiences are seeking information on. BBC News Polska will be available via its social media channels on Facebook and Instagram. The pilot language initiative will come from existing budgets and will be reviewed throughout its first year of operation. It will also be the first new language offer from the BBC World Service produced with the help of A1 translation technology. The BBC plans to launch further non-English language pilots in the future.
Transformation for Romanian regulator
Romania’s National Audiovisual Council (CNA) has announced that it will be transformed into a digital authority ready to protect society from disinformation. The project, known as Digitisation for Efficiency and Better Communication in the Audiovisual Domain (DECA), will cost over €20.4 million and be financed by European funds. Its main aim, according to CNA, is to transform it into “a European-level digital authority, fully equipped with technology to analyse, supervise and intervene in real time on audiovisual content, especially in the online space”. The project will take until July 2028 to complete.
Markiza confirms TN Live launch date
The Slovak national commercial broadcaster says it will launch its new digital news service TN Live on June 9. On air every working day from 9.00 to 20.00, it will be available free of charge to viewers via the news portal TVNOVINY.sk, the mobile app and Voyo streaming platform. TN Live will employ the modern TN Live hybrid studio, which is the only one of its kind in Slovakia and combines TV and internet technology, as well as using AI.
Ferenc Kéry to retire
Ferenc Kéry, the president of the Hungarian Communications Association (MKSZ), has decided to retire after 26 years heading the key industry body. He nominated, and will be succeeded by, Zoltán Pintér, who is the MD of Váci Kábeltelevízió. At the same time, Ádám Boros, Tamás Pataki and Sándor Somogyi have been elected VPs of the MKSZ.
ATM Grupa president resigns
Andrzej Muszyński, the president of Poland’s leading independent production studio ATM Grupa, has resigned. He headed the company since 2011 and its management board will discuss the election of a successor at a general meeting called for Friday, May 30.
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