The end of traditional television?

PRESS RELEASE
27.09.2013, Sopot
The end of traditional television?
How is television changing? Is it threatened by the Internet? What must public
broadcasters do to survive? Participants in the panel entitled “The end of television as
we know it? Opportunities and threats to European integration” tried to answer these
questions.
Elżbieta Gorajewska, Managing Director, Nielsen Audience Measurement, observed that in the age
of the Internet, the Poles have not turned their back on television and spend more and more time
in front of their sets. But the television market is changing. It is becoming fragmented. Today we
already have over 200 channels broadcasting in Polish. The viewer seeks the contents that interest
him. It is difficult to expect audiences of 10-20 million in future.
”Viewing figures for all the major channels are falling,” said Tadeusz Kowalski, Director of the
National Film Library. The share of the four biggest channels regarding viewing figures is already
below 50 percent. Public television also has problems with funding its operations – revenues from
subscriptions have plummeted.
A German guest, Rolf-Dieter Krause, Director of the ARD TV Studio Brussels, pleaded that one
should not conclude prematurely that television is dying. ”The channels that offer the best content,
truth and objectivism will defend themselves. The confidence of viewers is very important. One can
lose them quickly, after which it is difficult to regain them,” he added.
William H. Dutton, Professor, Oxford Internet Institute, also believed that television need not fear
the Internet. But changes to its modus operandi are inevitable. The Internet is becoming a source
of entertainment, therefore television channels must compete for viewers primarily with the aid of
programme quality.
Partner of the panel was Polish Television.
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The EUROPEAN FORUM FOR NEW IDEAS is an international congress of business communities with the participation of
representatives of the world of science, culture and politics. It is organized by the Polish Confederation Lewiatan in
cooperation with BUSINESSEUROPE, the City of Sopot, and Polish and international companies and institutions. This year’s
third edition of EFNI will take place on 25-27.09.2013 in Sopot. The guiding theme of this year’s conference is “Where to
now, Europe? How to renew the Old Continent? A Business Perspective”. www.efni.pl
Honorary patrons of EFNI 2013: The President of the Republic of Poland, President of the European Council and the
European Parliament.
Institutional Partners:
Strategic Partners:
Television.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs, European Economic and Social Committee, and the Marshal’s
Office of Pomerania Voivodship.
Orange Polska, PKN ORLEN S.A., the PZU Group, the Gazeta Prawna daily and Polish
Partner of the Opening Gala: Bank Pekao SA
Main Partners:
Bloomberg Businessweek Polska, Deloitte Polska, EESC – Employers’ Group, Energa Group,
KPMG, City of Gdańsk, Polpharma, PGNiG SA, Provident Polska, Tesco Polska, Totalizator
Sportowy
Supporting Partners:
Bank Pocztowy, Forbes, Gazeta Giełdy Parkiet, Havas Worldwide Warsaw, Intermarché, MBA
Manager, MetLife Amplico, Newsweek Polska, PGE Capital Group, Pomeranian Special
Economic Zone, Puls Biznesu, Radio PiN, Wirtualna Polska, Radio TOK FM, Wprost
Knowledge Partners:
Lech Wałęsa Institute Foundation, Liberté, THINKTANK, World Academy of Art and Science
Logistic Partners:
Dell, Opel, L.Wałesa Airport, Gdańsk
Official Carrier:
LOT Polish Airlines
Additional information from:
Zbigniew Maciąg, [email protected], tel.: 604 589 080