Colombia. In a statement signed by Galé Mallol Agudelo, Executive President of the Association of Operators of Information and Communications Technologies of Colombia, Asotic, the entity rejected the statements made by the ANTV on January 25 in various media, through which it informed the public, which has sanctioned 45 subscription television operators, for the breach of contractual obligations related especially to the non-payment of copyright to the programming houses, for providing the service in unauthorized places and for the lack of reporting information.
While it is true that the ANTV is conducting investigations into various subscription television operators regarding the fulfilment of their contractual obligations, it should be noted that these processes are ongoing and do not have a firm decision determining the imposition of a sanction.
Thus, the demonstrations of the ANTV are surprising, and its threat to impose successive daily sanctions until the obligation imposed is fulfilled.
With the above, the ANTV is leaving a blanket of doubt in front of the 45 subscription television operators, whose names were published, generating discredit in the brands and discomfort in their administrators and users. We emphasize that many of the television operators that are published on the list of the newspaper La República, to date have not been sanctioned or notified of these sanctions.
The operators linked to ASOTIC, we are respectful of the current regulations and as companies with 100% Colombian capital, we work with effort and dedication to generate employment in Colombia, seeking to compete with the large multinationals of the country; however, we see with concern that we do not have the support of the Authority to face the difficulties of competition, because through the messages given, the actions of these Colombian companies are attentive and questioned.
We know that the understanding regarding the payment obligations of copyright and related rights has not been peaceful in Colombia, nor in other countries such as Mexico and Ecuador, among others; however, despite the fact that on multiple occasions we have asked the ANTV for clarity on the subject, it has not been given. Additionally, we attach two communications issued by the past Director and the current Director of the ANTV, where they state that the entity has no competence in matters of copyright.
We believe that it is a good time for the sector, under coordination with the ANTV, to review and clarify all the doubts that still persist not only in the face of Copyright issues, but also other obligations of subscription television operators.
