Plurality in television – El Colombiano

The possibility of a third private television channel had stagnant years. Although since the second period of Alvaro Uribe prepared a tender to award the license to operate another channel, various legal disputes finally did not culminate the process. The State Council had said it could not continue a tender in which only one bidder participated, as happened in 2010

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also weighed tenacious opposition of private channels, Caracol TV and RCN Television, who argued a number of objections that ranged from the legal to the economic and commercial. They presented market studies according to which there was no capacity in the country to which the advertising was enough for three private commercial channels.

Another point put forward by the channels was the promotion and protection industry national ranging from performing serial to the work of actors and actresses national. According to the channel, this national industry and activity of Colombian artists would be harmed with the entry of new operators, they say, would favor foreign productions to the detriment of labor and national culture. This caveat, as have prominent representatives of the actors, was undermined by issuing current foreign productions channels in prime time.

The opening of the processes for terms of award and the schedules submitted by the Ministry of ICT and the National Television Authority (NTA) gushes out what had become a political problem, besides legal.

Even when no one can say that the television offer is reduced, it is positive that the door opens the third channel. Today there are a plurality of services and access to such a diversity of channels and platforms that decides who choose to bid for the award of the channel you will have to ensure large doses of creativity and innovation. That is, there will be a net gain for the viewers.

The entry into operation of the third channel also coincide with the transition from analogue to digital terrestrial television. The ANT since last year has said that we must develop a program of “digital literacy” to make known to viewers the implications of these changes.

But a new operating system Channel also announced One publicly owned but with spaces granted to private dealers. The idea is to be awarded to a single concessionaire, to unify programming grids. It is an option that probably will not appeal to many and unleash pressures of all kinds. No wonder, therefore, that the decision has been communicated while the choice of the third channel.

The whole process of this type involves a political commitment of the Government and the exercise of regulatory instruments to strengthen its power. Hence monitoring exercise is necessary for the entire schedule is developed with the maximum guarantees of impartiality and technical rigor. The plurality being a value to protect, no sense that these concessions ending in payment for favors or collection of political accounts. It is a public service expand and ensure their provision with best quality parameters and respect for the consumer.