Apsattv
05-01-2008, 10:41 PM
From http://www.c21media.net/news/detail.asp?area=1&article=39253
Portugal is set to auction a free-to-air TV licence for the creation of a fifth national channel, as well as a tender to operate a digital television network.
Portugal's minister for parliament affairs Augusto Santos Silva said after yesterday's weekly government cabinet meeting that the digital television tender would take place first, with the TV licence auction following 180 days later. Both are expected to happen this year.
The new free-to-air channel will operate on the digital network.
Santos Silva said he hoped that Portugal, which lags behind its Western European neighbours in implementing digital terrestrial TV, would switch entirely from analogue to digital by 2012.
The four incumbent general entertainment Portuguese free-to-air channels had a combined 84.5% viewing share in 2007, against 15.5% for all cable and satellite channels, meaning that the announcement of a new competitor is likely to generate considerable interest.
Cofina, a local media group that owns several Portuguese newspapers, told Reuters it intended to bid for the licence. Other bidders are likely to include telecoms groups like Portugal Telecom, Albertis and Vodafone.
Portugal is set to auction a free-to-air TV licence for the creation of a fifth national channel, as well as a tender to operate a digital television network.
Portugal's minister for parliament affairs Augusto Santos Silva said after yesterday's weekly government cabinet meeting that the digital television tender would take place first, with the TV licence auction following 180 days later. Both are expected to happen this year.
The new free-to-air channel will operate on the digital network.
Santos Silva said he hoped that Portugal, which lags behind its Western European neighbours in implementing digital terrestrial TV, would switch entirely from analogue to digital by 2012.
The four incumbent general entertainment Portuguese free-to-air channels had a combined 84.5% viewing share in 2007, against 15.5% for all cable and satellite channels, meaning that the announcement of a new competitor is likely to generate considerable interest.
Cofina, a local media group that owns several Portuguese newspapers, told Reuters it intended to bid for the licence. Other bidders are likely to include telecoms groups like Portugal Telecom, Albertis and Vodafone.