Spain: DTT tender for 6 channels
April 17, 2015
From David Del Valle in Madrid
The Spanish government has given its green light to the public tender to award 6 new DTT licences. A cabinet meeting approved a public tender to award three HD and three SD channel in a process likely to be concluded in the last quarter of the
year.
Potential bidders will have until the end of May to submit their proposals with the government having six months from the tender to award the licences.
Initially the government had planned to grant 5 licences (4 HD and SD), but there will finally be six.
The most likely candidates to get them are the largest TV groups in Spain Atresmedia and Mediaset with the catholic TV channel 13 TV and a new (maybe international) TV group also on the list.
Currently, following the closure of 9 DTT channels, Spaniards can watch 15 national DTT channels: Six operated by Mediaset (Telecinco, Cuatro, FDF, Divinity, Energy and Boing); Five by Atresmedia (Antena 3, La Sexta, Neox, Nova and Gol TV); Two from Veo TV rented to Discovery Max and 13 TV; Two from Net TV rented to Disney Channel and Paramount Channel. With the new channels, and if there is no more closing of channels (The Supreme Court could rule the closure of 8 additional channels) the DTT offer available will be 21 DTT channels with a national coverage and with new potential media groups breaking into the market.