The CNMC warns that Atresmedia and Mediaset have a bonus within the new DTT ‘blackout’ | Economy | EUROtoday

In 2025, and for the second time in two years, households in Spain should retune their tv channels and, in some instances, even change televisions for the so-called blackout of DTT. This time it’s because of the Government’s new National Technical Plan that features a full replace to the digital terrestrial tv (DTT) system. The goal of this variation is to introduce the newest applied sciences, with the arrival of Ultra High Definition (UHD), and also will convey with it the opportunity of including a brand new channel to the tv providing. However, the National Markets and Competition Commission (CNMC) has warned that this reorganization, though useful from the viewer’s perspective, could have opposed results on competitors within the audiovisual sector by benefiting Atresmedia and Mediaset.

The regulator factors out that the Plan, whose draft Royal Decree was introduced by the Government final September, would permit these two operators to broadcast in UHD upfront, giving rise to a bonus over different rivals. In addition, the relocation of some channels may trigger a possible lack of viewers for these broadcasts, signifies the CNMC in its necessary report made public this Monday. The reorganization of channels additionally foresees the discharge of capability for a brand new DTT channel that might be put out to tender in accordance with the provisions of the General Law of Audiovisual Communication (LGCA), for which the CNMC calls for to look at the bases of this public tender, given its supervision capabilities of the audiovisual communication market.

Last February, the final rearrangement of DTT befell, which served to consolidate High Definition (HD), from broadcasting in normal high quality (SD), so all of the channels that didn’t broadcast in a minimal HD high quality at 720p disappeared. , making older televisions out of date. Now the transition is from HD to UHD, for which it’s essential to introduce the DVB-T2 normal, which provides roughly 30% extra capability than the present DVB-T, changing into the pillar of the brand new DTT. DVB-T2 is already applied in 72% of houses in Europe and in 58% of Spanish houses, though solely 31% of televisions help the brand new normal, in response to official knowledge from the tip of 2023.

Two phases and a contest

The Government challenge establishes the bases for the introduction of DVB-T2 (and H.265/HEVC video coding) via a National Technical Plan that foresees two phases for HD broadcasts to evolve to UHD (extremely excessive definition ). In the primary, the preliminary implementation of DVB-T2 is deliberate in a single multiplex wherein RTVE, Atresmedia and Mediaset will be capable to broadcast in UHD in simulcast (simultaneous broadcast of a few of its channels which might be already broadcast in HD), liberating up area for the bidding for a brand new nationwide channel. In part 2, DVB-T2 will likely be prolonged to all DTT multiplexes, enabling the printed of all channels in UHD as a substitute of HD.

In this manner, within the first stage, as much as 4 channels in UHD decision will likely be launched: along with La 1 UHD, RTVE UHD, a UHD channel from Mediaset and one other UHD channel from Atresmedia will likely be obtainable. Households with older televisions that aren’t DVB-T2 suitable won’t be able to look at these new channels, though they are going to nonetheless be capable to watch the remainder of the programming in HD. The second part will likely be launched when 95% of DTT receivers within the nation are suitable with this normal and at the least 90% of televisions permit the reception of broadcasts in 4K and the H.265 codec. At this stage, those that would not have an up to date tv will now not be capable to watch DTT in any respect.

It is exactly in regards to the planning of the phases, about which the CNMC raises objections. The regulator estimates that permitting Atresmedia and Mediaset to entry broadcasts with the brand new normal earlier could give these two non-public teams “a competitive advantage over the rest of their competitors,” which might not have the choice of broadcasting in UHD with ample capability. , past what is mostly said for all operators (which in multiples with HD channels permits the remaining capability for use for simultaneous UHD broadcast of these channels). “This would mean a benefit in the form of a larger audience (by having a new additional broadcast and capturing a large part of the audience that demands ultra high definition broadcasts), and a better positioning to address the future transition towards DVB-T2 and UHD in a market in which the competitive structure is weakened, given the high share of the advertising market concentrated by the two private operators that would benefit from this measure,” says the CNMC report. For this motive, the group chaired by Cani Fernández proposes arbitrating some sort of open aggressive process that enables the capability of recent emissions to be awarded in a extra clear manner.

Another of the CNMC’s observations refers back to the concession of the brand new DTT channel, scheduled for earlier than the primary part of the Plan begins. “Making Phase 1 conditional on the completion of the new license competition could delay the development of the plan by several months and, therefore, the implementation of DVB-T2 technology and UHD emissions, without this being justified for reasons techniques,” says the CNMC. In this regard, the company considers that, “since there is no direct connection between the reordering of channels and digital multiplexes with the award of the new license”, and proposes the elimination of this limitation, the tender with the ability to be carried out in any case carried out in parallel to the actions for the reorganization of channels.