Mexico to get two new national television networks

[Samantha 2878]

The Mexican federal government today approved a plan (source in Spanish) that will lead to the auction of 246 new television station concessions in 123 markets—enough to create two new national television networks.

 

Among some of the more interesting features of this plan:

• An eye to reducing channels auctioned in the 600 MHz band. Of a proposed 112, only 65 will be located in that spectrum, and just 13 required American coordination.
  
• Concessionaires cannot use the spectrum to provide non-broadcasting services.
  
• The stations could be configured in a variety of different ways—national network, regional television systems, or even isolated local stations.
  

[sanewsguy 509]

So your headline's a bit misleading. You say Mexico will get two new national networks but that's just a possibility if they could also be configured as regional systems or separate independent stations. This would be refreshing though if that were to happen, because Azteca and Televisa practically control the market.

[Samantha 2878]

 

So your headline's a bit misleading. You say Mexico will get two new national networks but that's just a possibility if they could also be configured as regional systems or separate independent stations. This would be refreshing though if that were to happen, because Azteca and Televisa practically control the market.

 

That's also how El País wrote the headline, and other publications as well. It's also how IFT (the Mexican FCC) characterized it in its own press release (title: "IFT Full Committee Approves New Program of Licensing and Auctioning of Frequencies to Form Two New Channels of Digital Broadcast Television").

 

This is really interesting for that exact reason. I recently read an intriguing journal article from 1995 on the formation of the Mexican "supernetworks". Now the crushing grip is being broken (though there's obvious room for Televisa to be cleaved in two IMO).

[A3N 996]

 

That's also how El País wrote the headline, and other publications as well.

 

This is really interesting for that exact reason. I recently read an intriguing journal article from 1995 on the formation of the Mexican "supernetworks". Now the crushing grip is being broken (though there's obvious room for Televisa to be cleaved in two IMO).

 

Televisa has a lot of political clout with the PRI party. Some say that Televisa is a mouthpiece for the PRI. Point is, as long as Televisa has some kind of influence, I don't think that we will see another major network if it does happen they will do everything possible to keep it weak. I read an article a few months ago that Telemundo was interested in becoming the third national network in Mexico, whether that happens remains to be seen.

[Samantha 2878]

 

Televisa has a lot of political clout with the PRI party. Some say that Televisa is a mouthpiece for the PRI. Point is, as long as Televisa has some kind of influence, I don't think that we will see another major network if it does happen they will do everything possible to keep it weak. I read an article a few months ago that Telemundo was interested in becoming the third national network in Mexico, whether that happens remains to be seen.

 

The PRI is back in power after 12 years (thanks, Enrique Peña Nieto). And the "Televisa Law" (which conceded Televisa and Azteca spectrum, passed in 2006) then was declared unconstitutional by Mexico's supreme court.

 

I don't see Telemundo for a really big reason: Mexico has this pretty big kick of nationalism in the ownership and exploitation of natural resources (which is also enshrined in their Constitution). Land ownership for foreigners is highly restricted, and some rights can only be obtained by Mexican citizens. I don't see it in a government auction of television stations, either.

[Samantha 2878]

Some changes have been made to the program, mostly moving stations to appropriately serve viewers and avoid technical mishaps.

 

In total 246 frequencies, two each in 123 areas, are up for bidding.

[Samantha 2878]

Whoa! The IFT has declared Televisa a "preponderant economic agent", which El País has declared a "historic blow for Televisa". The declaration comes when a company has 50% or more market share (Televisa has 70%).

 

Under the classification the IFT has imposed conditions on Televisa, as well as América Móvil (Carlos Slim's phone company). Televisa cannot obtain exclusive broadcast rights to programs of high national or regional interest, including Liga MX playoffs, World Cup finals and other events with high expected ratings.

 

Televisa shares fell 3.8% in trading in New York today (and 4% in Mexico City). The New York stock trades under the symbol TV.

 

It's not the only television-related news: there's this dispute over retransmission of the six main networks owned by Televisa and Azteca on Dish as must-carry and without retrans fees, but the legal regime is so different that I'm a bit confused. Admittedly I haven't read up on it either.

[Samantha 2878]

The new network licensing process's first phase was scheduled for next week, but because the secondary laws derived from all the constitutional reform haven't been promulgated yet...three month delay to the beginning of September. The point is that potential applicants get more certainty because the laws will have been promulgated.

[Samantha 2878]

It took forever, but it happened: the secondary law got promulgated! This law is really, really wide reaching and covers areas like telephony and the Internet (including a net neutrality provision). For television, it not only helps establish the two new national networks but a new Mexican national state-owned broadcaster (!). So that's THREE new national networks.

[sanewsguy 509]

 

a new Mexican national state-owned broadcaster (!)

 

! is right. Boo, government propaganda....

 

This is why I don't like state-owned broadcasters.

 

[WWUpdate 1290]

! is right. Boo, government propaganda....

 

This is why I don't like state-owned broadcasters.

 

It depends on the country. In most of democratic Europe, state-owned public broadcasters tend to be anything but government propaganda. (During the Iraq war, for instance, the BBC's coverage was anything but propaganda for Tony Blair's government, which enthusiastically supported the war.) Public broadcasters such as the BBC offer a range of intelligent programming that commercial television -- which seeks to maximize its audience at all times -- simply cannot match. At least when it comes to broadcasting, the old notion that "state-owned = necessarily bad" doesn't hold much water.

[Samantha 2878]

 

! is right. Boo, government propaganda....

 

This is why I don't like state-owned broadcasters.

 

 

Mexico has a lengthy, voluminous tradition of cultural and state-owned broadcasting. It is home to the first educational television station in Latin America — Canal Once from the Instituto Politécnico Nacional, which launched in 1959.

 

In 1972, the government expropriated a Mexico City television station and within a couple years had it retransmitted nationally. It also operated a network aimed at rural Mexico and increasing literacy/education during this time.

 

In the 80s it created Imevisión, which for a time was the first worthy competitor to Televisa since TIM in the late 60s/early 70s. Imevisión was particularly liked for its objective newscasts, sports programming and its other shows. It even boasted local stations in Mexico City (channel 22), Monterrey (channel 8) and Chihuahua (channel 2). Imevisión though began to fall apart around 1989/90, was pared down from two networks to one, and eventually privatized to become Televisión Azteca. Channel 22 was kept and has since become a cultural outlet renowned across Latin America and that even is carried by some US cable providers.

 

In 2010 the government created OPMA, an agency that was given 26 permits for television stations, some of which are digital-only and all of which multicast five different educational/cultural networks. This was a big step to getting some of these TV services more expanded coverage.

 

On top of all that, almost every Mexican state has its own station, often with relay stations to ensure statewide coverage. Some of them (Sonora, Oaxaca, Nuevo León) have dozens of low-powered repeaters. In addition, several large universities operate television outlets; UNAM in Mexico City, UAD, UNES and UJED in Durango, UDG in Guadalajara, UniSon in Hermosillo (Sonora) and UANL in Monterrey.

 

The new Mexican Public Broadcasting System (Spanish: Sistema Público de Radiodifusión del Estado Mexicano) immediately takes on OPMA's resources, assets and organic statute. Once the president of SPREM is named OPMA will cease to exist.

 

Yes, that's a whole lot of public television.