Poland is on the verge of a historical change that can forever change the scenery of public media. A groundbreaking bill was sent to the Sejm to establish total termination of RTV subscription from January 1, 2026. However, that is not all – the Confederate Members' initiative besides envisages the closure of the controversial TVP Info news channel. If the regulations enter into force, millions of Poles will breathe relief, and the strategy of financing Polish tv and Polish Radio, based on decades of forced fees, will go back to history. The project, which entered parliament on 10 July 2025, is simply a consequence to mass social opposition and political criticism of the current model, which has long been considered fiction.
The current strategy is fiction. He pays a handful, the remainder ignores
Data from the National Broadcasting Council (KRRiT) for 2024 leave no illusions – the current subscription strategy is highly inefficient. There are around 12.5 million households in Poland, of which 92.7% has a radio or tv receiver. Nevertheless, the work to registry these devices only fulfilled 38.8% of them. But this is just the tip of the iceberg.
The real image of strategy pathology emerges erstwhile we look at actual deposits. Of the nearly 5 million registered subscribers, only 700 000 households regularly pay. This means that the financial work is implemented only 32.1% of the obliged. This dramatic disproportion demonstrates the deep social opposition and ineffectiveness of archaic regulations that are based on the presumption that all tv holder watches public media. In the era of streaming platforms and the Internet, this presumption is completely detached from reality.
The registration procedure within 14 days of the acquisition of equipment, although possible online, is widely ignored. Poles treat it as unnecessary bureaucracy, which became 1 of the main arguments for the complete decommissioning of the system, which in practice simply does not work.
The end of the subscription is besides the liquidation of TVP Info. What does that mean?
The bill is not only a financial revolution but besides an idea. Its most controversial component is planned decommissioning of the Info TVP channel. According to the project's authors, this station has long failed to carry out a public mission, becoming a tool of political propaganda and manipulation. These arguments support hard data – in 2024 TVP Info noted dramatic, 76 % drop in ratings, and its yearly cost of surviving was almost PLN 239 million, of which a crucial part came from the subscription.
The project's creators argue that the closure of TVP Info will not only bring savings, but will primarily contribute to improving the quality of public debate in Poland. The justification states that the channel has lost public assurance and serves as incompatible public media in a democratic state. The liquidation of TVP Info is to be a symbolic cut-off from the political usage of media financed from citizens' pockets.
How much is the subscription present and what are the penalties? fresh months of old rules
Before the changes enter into force, Poles inactive have old regulations. In 2025, the monthly fee for having a radio receiver is PLN 8.70and behind the tv (or radio + TV) 27.30 zł. On a yearly basis, this gives PLN 104.40 and PLN 327.60 respectively. Although the strategy provides for exemptions for seniors (over 75 years of age or pensioners after 60 years of age with low benefits) and persons with disabilities, many citizens are inactive required to pay.
Ignoring this work can be costly. The Polish Post Office controllers, equipped with peculiar authorizations, can verify whether we have an unregistered receiver at home. In case of irregularities, we are facing a punishment of 30 times the monthly fee. For the tv holder, this means a mandate exceeding PLN 819 to which outstanding fees and interest shall be added. As a last resort, the Polish Post Office may mention the case to the taxation office in order to execute the debt.
What happens to public media? The financial and social consequences of the revolution
The liquidation of the RTV subscription marks a powerful gap in public media budgets. The forecast for 2025 was to amount to over PLN 605 million. These measures were to be divided between Polish tv (51%), Polish Radio (24.5%) and regional radio broadcast (24.5%). The disappearance of specified a immense amount will require alternate sources of funding.
The project's authors argue that public media are already mostly financed from the state budget and commercial revenues, and the subscription is simply a form of double taxation Citizens. The improvement will force the government to presume full financial work for TVP and Polish Radio, which may lead to further changes in their structure and program offer. Although most Poles will welcome the elimination of fees with satisfaction, there are concerns about the possible dependence of the media on current government policy. The planned deadline for improvement implementation – 1 January 2026 – is to give broadcasters time to adapt to the fresh financial reality.
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End of RTV subscription since 2026! Poles will besides say goodbye to TVP Info.
