Tv/Radio service fee in Poland ("abonament")

Could someone from Poland or who knows the Polish reality explain what is the deal with the TV/Radio "license fee" in Poland (called abonament). When I was this year in Poland my family member tried to explain it to me but I didn't get it.

It seems some Poles pay it, others don't. Is it true that it's obligatory to pay this? In the US there's no such thing I guess.

It's an interesting question. I think it's a relict of communism -- I'm surprised it's still there. I think all users who own a TV or Radio should pay a montly fee. LOL

I don't pay and never will (even though the police may approach me during the night - that's why I hide my TV set in my basement when I don't watch it ;)..

I wonder if Polish authorities really enforce this "law"?

I've heard there were some cases they did called the police and took away TVs and Radios!

Here in England we have to pay radio/tv license fees on buisiness computers in work premisses. The authorties know all modern computers are capable of recieving and transmiting radio signals.

This applies weather it is used or not, the fact that it is capable make it liable to duty.

one more buisiness tax !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

The fee you are talking about is the fee for public television and radio. Money goes for programs only and public radio heavily depends on it as they have not that big revenues from advertisements. Many people simply avoid paying this form of tax since you are supposed to transfer money on spcecified public radio and television account. If you don't nobody is going to enforce it. Public radio has some ads promoting this tax and its need and they play some type of ads that would make you feel guilty for not paying or so they'd wish.

What do they do if you refuse to pay? Can they arrest you?
That sounds like a bum deal.
We have free T.V. but It sucks! Most people pay for cable here
and the others tap into it illegally its so easy to get away with it.

If you refuse????
Nobody is asking you to pay it. I think every post office has the account number and that is where most people are paying. If you pay for one year once then you may get some forms next year asking you for payments - that is if you STILL have a radio or television set in your household.
There are no controlers running housholds checking whether you have a TV but if there were any you'd NOT have to let them in.
The law is archaic really since nowadays everybody has a TV or radio and now too many people avoid paying by simply claiming that they do not own nor TVset nor radio set.
There were proposals to add the fee to cable bill but you can imagin what cable companies thought about such idea.
So now we are in situation that not many people pay the fee.
Public radio and television is unlike in USA very reach and compete succesfully with non public broadcasters thus many argue that they start paying for public television if they stop playing crap like Brasilinan soap operas and call it "public television"

So far the postal service is tcheoreticly responsible for contrloling whether you have or have not TV set at home and if you have paid the fee. Postal Service is taking their fee from each check they transfer to public broadcasters and they remain the most popular office to where one can pay. Of course Postal Service have no means nor much bussiness to contrlol people's housholds and not many would let the postman into their home for this kind of inspection.

to admin:
I know I'm making some gramatical and spelling errors but still ...couldn't we have a spell checker in here? I'm too lazy -sorry- to copy text into outside aplication to correct my spelling.
At least some get to read some authentic international enlish, right? haha

Kowalski,

When I have spelling problems I just write the word in the [toolbar] search box and press search.
When the page comes up it will give you a list of sites. then you know the spelling is correct.
If you misspell a word it will say ' Did you mean .......... ' And there you have it.

With this forum you can start a post, do a search, and then go back.

It works for me

Edit: I've just realized that I use English Yahoo. I don't know what will happen through a Polish page.

Wroclaw,
I'm doing it your way sometimes but still I'd rather type my thoughts on instead bothering to check the spelling plus the spelchecker, in my case discovers for me the mistakes I'd be totally unaware of. ... i know it'd be difficult to upgrade.

Kowalski,

Point taken.