Mexico. The Federal Institute of Telecommunications, IFT, approved the issuance of the General Guidelines for Access to Multiprogramming, which will enter into force one day after their publication in the DOF.
Multiprogramming is the distribution of more than one programming channel on the same broadcast transmission channel, which represents the possibility of transmitting a greater number of programmatic contents through the same concessioned spectral resource. The document approved by the Plenary had as a precedent a public consultation process, carried out from December 23, 2014 to January 14 of this year, in which eight comments and opinions were received that contributed to strengthen it.
The guidelines approved by the Plenary contemplate the requirements to obtain authorization for access to multiprogramming and its integral operating conditions, in accordance with the principles of competence and technical quality, guaranteeing the right to information and paying particular attention to the national and regional concentration of frequencies.
Access to multiprogramming is voluntary on the part of broadcasting concessionaires so, when requesting and obtaining it, they are obliged to comply with all the applicable provisions in the matter.
The resolution of the Plenary establishes the obligation to the concessionaires that request the multiprogramming to transmit at least one channel of programming in High definition (HD) quality and the payment of a consideration for this purpose is not foreseen.
Broadcasting concessionaires may freely enter into contracts for access to multi-programming programming channels under market conditions with third parties who may have the character, among others, of Independent National Programmers, National Programmers, Foreign Programmers or Broadcasting Concessionaires.
In the case of concessionaires belonging to a Preponderant Economic Agent or with substantial power, the Institute shall not authorize the transmission of a number of programming channels in multiprogramming greater than 50% of the total of the authorized programming channels to other concessionaires that are broadcast in the coverage region, in accordance with the provisions of Article 158, section II of the Law.
The Institute will resolve the request for access to the multiprogramming within a maximum period of 60 working days counted from the day following that on which the application is submitted.
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