EC will probe RTVE funding
September 10, 2009
The European Commission is to investigate Spain's new funding model for state-owned broadcaster RTVE. The new model will see Spain compensating falling advertising revenues with taxes paid by private broadcasters and telecom companies. Private broadcasters will have to allocate 3% of their revenues to public broadcasters, a figure that will be reduced to 1.5% for pay-TV platforms and 0.9% for telcos. Spanish telco Telefónica along with Vodafone and Orange are preparing official complaints.