Spain to award a third Regional DTT multiplex
October 29, 2007
From David Del Valle in Madrid
The Spanish Government is to award a third DTT multiplex to those Regional TV stations that need it to extend their coverage to neighbouring Regions. The State Secretary of Telecommunications, Francisco Ros, has announced the measure -still under consideration- meeting the demands of some Regions, such as Valencia, which has been demanding to receive the signal of the Catalonian TV channel TV3.
The Government is also willing to allow the distribution of pay-TV services through DTT, despite the fact that the present legislation prohibits it at the present time. “Given that the technology is available it is not ruled out that the Government may award authorisations”, he said, to distribute pay-per-view services.
Several broadcasters have backed the idea with Mediapro, shareholder in La Sexta, even taking part in one the first pay DTT experiences in the country offering pay-per-view football content. The president of Mediapro, Jaume Roures, has even announced that the pay-per-view football matches would be offered at E1 per match, claiming to have TV rights to 38 Spanish Football teams in the country.