13 February 2026 · Bogusław Kisielewski

Linear TV in Poland: The End or a New Chapter? 5 Trends for Our Living Rooms

The TV set still stands at the centre of the Polish living room, but what we watch on it is changing at a revolutionary pace. Global reports have long been announcing the end of the traditional schedule, yet the Polish market has its own character. In the age of Netflix and Disney+, does Polish linear television still make sense? I look at what awaits Polish viewers in the coming years.

1. Sport and big shows – Poland’s “you have to see this”

What keeps linear television alive in Poland are events that bring the whole country in front of the screen. National team matches, ski jumping and big entertainment formats (such as “Dancing with the Stars” or “The Voice of Poland”) are content we want to discuss on social media as it happens.

Trend: television will become “event-driven”. General channels (TVP, Polsat, TVN) will bet almost exclusively on content that cannot be “watched later”.

2. The strength of DVB-T2 and free reception

In Poland digital terrestrial television (DVB-T2) still plays a huge role. Millions of homes have no intention of paying for streaming when they get dozens of channels for free.

Trend: the growth of hybrid television (HbbTV), which combines free channels with internet extras available straight from the remote.

3. Poland’s streaming battle: bundles

The Polish viewer counts the money. Instead of five separate subscriptions, they look for combined offers. Polsat Box Go, Canal+ Online and Player already combine live channels with a VOD library.

Trend: the “modern cable package” is back – one bill for internet, linear channels and several streaming services.

4. Addressable TV enters the market

TVN Warner Bros. Discovery and other Polish media groups are already testing ads tailored to the individual viewer. No more nappy ads in homes without children.

Trend: better-targeted ads will help Polish broadcasters keep budgets that have been flowing to Google and Facebook.

5. The Silver Generation

Polish society is ageing, and seniors are linear television’s most loyal viewers. Broadcasters will increasingly build their schedules around this group, as the popularity of shows such as “Sanatorium of Love” already shows.

Trend: linear television will become a “safe”, traditional medium, while younger people will see it at most as a screen for their console.

Summary

Linear television in Poland will not disappear, but it will blend into a larger ecosystem. It will no longer be the only choice, just one of the apps on the Smart TV – the one we switch on when we want to experience emotions live.

Based on a Polish post at boguslawkisielewski.pl.