Private television faces new challenges in the coming months – Reuters Spain

By Robert Hetz

MADRID (Reuters) – With more than four hours of television daily consumption in homes, Spain is a country that offers great opportunities for private television.

But the advance of pay TV driven by Telefonica, the possible entry of a new entrant and the threat of closure of channels irregularities in the procurement process remain in suspense a sector turnover last year was 1,800 million advertising euros only.

Given this scenario is also understandable that the current operators – led by Mediaset Spain and Atresmedia – express much interest in a new competition that the Government has started to deliver six new licenses to compensate for the disappearance of nine channels in 2014 and the possible closure of eight channels in the coming months <. /> p>

“In late June, the Supreme Court will consider a number of appeals against Public Administration for the renovation and expansion of audiovisual concessions in 2010, “said a judicial source on Thursday.

In contention are eight channels distributed in 2010 between Antena 3 (now Atresmedia), Telecinco (now Mediaset Spain), Sogecable (Prisa), Veo TV and Net TV (Vocento).

The same court last year and ordered the closure of nine channels because licenses had been granted without public competition.

As a result of the failure of last year, was Atresmedia with only five of its eight channels, Mediaset Spain six against the previous eight and Veo TV and Net TV had to close two channels each. The total number of private channels fell in May 2014 24-15.

While redistribute audiovisual groups achieved largely advertising on their other channels, the company most affected by the judgment was Cellnex, terrestrial telecommunications subsidiary of Abertis. More …