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145 channels
Polish television is a story of three pillars: the public broadcaster TVP, and commercial giants Polsat and TVN. TVP still carries the weight of state influence, with its flagship Wiadomości news bulletin often accused of political bias, while TVN's Fakty offers a more critical counterpoint. This duality defines the news culture, it's not uncommon for households to split along political lines on which channel is trusted. Primetime in Poland starts early by European standards, around 20:00, and is dominated by domestic series (like the long-running M jak miłość), talent shows, and format adaptations of international hits. Sports are a massive draw, football, volleyball, and ski jumping are national obsessions, with live broadcasts regularly topping ratings. Foreign films and series are almost always dubbed or voiced-over by a single lector (a Polish peculiarity where one narrator reads all dialogue in a monotone), a practice that baffles visitors but is deeply ingrained. Children's channels are fully dubbed. Music television still thrives, with channels like Polsat Vibe and Eska TV playing Polish pop and disco polo. What sets Poland apart from its Western neighbors is the strong presence of regional TVP stations, each producing local news and programming, and a lingering tradition of Catholic programming on Sundays. The market is competitive, with Polsat and TVN battling for ad revenue, while streaming platforms like Player and Polsat Box Go are reshaping habits.