Portugal: ERC OKs two RTP channels on DTT
September 30, 2013
From Branislav Pekic in Rome
Portugal’s Regulatory Authority for the Media (ERC) has ruled that RTP Informação and RTP Memória can be added to the line-up of free-to-air channels on the DTT platform.
The decision comes in response to a request for clarification on the matter sent to the ERC, in late August, by public broadcaster RTP. For the ERC, there is no legal obstacle for RTP to launch the two channels on Multiplex A, however a final decision rests with the Portuguese government.
The government is currently studying DTT and evaluating various scenarios, but has already made known that the current supply of FTA channels (RTP 1, RTP 2, SIC, TVI and Canal Parlamento) is insufficient.
For their part, commercial broadcasters SIC and TVI have announced that they could start legal action against ERC’s decision. They consider that it violates the principle of non-discrimination between the three national broadcasters, as they should have the same possibility of use of spectrum.
SIC and TVI are questioning why the government, without having yet defined the model of financing of RTP, wants to aggravate its current costs. The two broadcasters point out that the introduction of HD channels would be more beneficial for the promotion of DTT then adding new SD channels.