Colombia. Given the information released to the public by the Office of the Comptroller General of the Republic on "A possible patrimonial detriment worth an estimated $51,556 million (in pesos of August 2014) has generated that the National Television Authority, ANTV, has not received such an amount of resources from private channels from January 1, 2013 to December 31, 2014, sum that they had to pay for the operation in the national open television market because they did not have the competence of the so-called "third channel", the National Television Authority stated the following:
1) For the non-entry into operation of the third channel, the Colombian arbitration justice by award of November 7, 2012 condemned the private channels Caracol TV and RCN TV to pay the State the sum of $ 32,000 million each for the period between July 2010 and December 2012, an amount that was canceled at the time by the channels.
(2) Whereas a third channel has not yet entered into operation due to circumstances beyond the control of the ANTV, in compliance with the obligations imposed by the Council of State in judgments of 27 March and 26 June 2014, and in view of the voluntary non-payment by the private channels of the sum caused as of January 2013, this Authority was forced to sue again the channels Caracol and RCN TV to obtain the recognition and payment of the sums owed for this concept, processes that are currently being carried out in the Chamber of Commerce of Bogotá.
3) The new arbitration tribunal is composed of jurists of the highest personal and professional qualities, such as Drs. Ruth Stella Correa Palacio, José Armando Bonivento and Dr. Jorge Gabino Pinzón.
4) Once the aforementioned arbitration processes have been completed, the National Television Authority will abide by the respective decisions and will undertake the corresponding actions to protect the resources of the Fund for Television and Content – FONTV, which is in its custody.
