Spain

[ES] New Provisions on Digital Terrestrial TV

IRIS 1999-2:1/24

Alberto Pérez Gómez

Entidad publica empresarial RED.ES

The Spanish Government has approved two Ministerial Orders on digital terrestrial TV. The first establishes that within three months of the publication of the Ministerial Order, existing private TV broadcasters may apply for a temporary concession to manage a digital programme service in a multiplex. These concessions would last until the end of their current concessions, in the year 2000. The Ministerial Order also states that each multiplex will be able to carry five digital programme services. The second Ministerial Order indicates which cities shall be covered in each of the different phases of the introduction of the new digital terrestrial TV services. In accordance with existing plans, more than 50% of the Spanish population (including all cities with more than 200 000 inhabitants) will be able to receive these services by 1 July 2000.

The Government has also invited tenders with a view to grant a new concession for the provision of the public service of national digital terrestrial TV. The successful company will manage three multiplexes and two programme services in another multiplex. The Government must grant the licence before July 1999. The company most likely to be granted the licence is Retevisión, the second Spanish telecom operator, which also owns the telecom network currently used for the transmission of terrestrial TV signals.