Spain’s government to reduce the digital dividend cost

Iñaki Ferreras ©RapidTVNews | 03-05-2012



In a move that rubs salt into the wounds of an industry already hurting from cuts, the Spanish Ministry of Industry, Tourism and Trade is continuing to negotiate with the audiovisual sector to try to reduce the cost of so-called 'digital dividend' and is proposing that RTVE and regional channels bear the biggest cuts.
The Executive has already communicated to EC politicians in Brussels that is cutting channels in its National Reform Programme, although it has not specified which will affect operators.
Industry sources in Spain suggest that the government has proposed to the other channels to promote a legal change that sees RTVE waive one of its two multiplexes - which can emit up to four standard channels; the regional, FORTA group, another multiplex; while the six private operators in Spain would have to give to all a part of the spectrum that would allow them to maintain their current offer.
To do this, the private broadcasters would have to choose to compress the signal chains, so that they occupy less spectrum.
This solution is theoretically possible, but by reducing the band of radio spectrum available, televisions, especially RTVE, which would keep half of the airwaves that has now, also would be limited in their ability to broadcast in High Definition (HD).

In addition, the government plan provides for the "adaptation of the transition plan to the new frequency plan with a significant reduction in public investment in ‘antenización’, the - emission of a single channel at two different frequencies, it would be necessary if there was a 'moving' of channels - and public communication. "

Given the government's plans, the Union of Commercial Television Partners (UTECA) has already warned that the chains are willing to work together to "minimize costs" of the digital dividend, but "considered indispensable to maintain the issue of all channels currently provided to citizens."

In this regard, Mediaset España - which includes Telecinco, Cuatro, FDF, La Siete, Boing, Divinity and Energy - announced that it has begun test broadcasts in HD