CNC gets tough over TV market competition
August 3, 2012
From David Del Valle in Madrid
Spain’s competition watchdog, the Comisión Nacional de la Competencia (CNC) has imposed a €200 million fine on Mediapro for providing it with misleading information about its football TV rights and its contracts with several football teams.
The ruling comes at a time when a fresh football TV war has just broken out between Canal Plus and Mediapro.
The CNC has also started legal proceedings against Prisa, owner of Canal Plus and Telefónica over a possible breach of free competition in the pay-TV market as a result of their agreements to market joint services through Canal Trío Plus, distributed by Telefónica.
Both parties will now have a period of six months to make allegations and appeals before the CNC finally decides what to do.