Mexico. The Federal Institute of Telecommunications, IFT, issued the ruling in favor of 13 participants in the public tender to concession the use, exploitation and commercial exploitation of 148 television channels for the provision of the public service of digital broadcast television (Tender No. IFT-6), of which four were considered, in their dimension of Economic Interest Groups, as new participants in the broadcasting sector in Mexico.
All the rulings were resolved considering that the participants complied with the provisions of the Bidding Rules and, therefore, did not incur any of the grounds for disqualification contemplated therein.
After completing the bidding process, held between August 14 and 17, bids were received for 32 transmission channels located in 29 different coverage areas, located in 17 states that cover about 45 percent of the country's total population. The total amount of the highest positions accepted was $1,614.03 million pesos.
This means that, if the corresponding consideration is paid by all the winning participants, Mexican audiences will be able to count on 32 new digital television signals to potentially cover a population of around 50 million inhabitants, which will have new alternatives and a greater plurality of local and regional content.
In the event that one or more of the winning participants fails to comply with the conditions imposed in the Acts of Judgment, including the payment of the consideration, the Institute will determine their disqualification for the lot in question and will proceed, in coordination with the Treasury of the Federation, to the execution of the corresponding guarantee of seriousness.
The electronic notification of the minutes of judgment, as well as the publication of the dates of delivery of the physical documentation referred to in the bidding rules, will be carried out from October 2 to 3. From this notification, the winning participants will have 30 working days to pay the consideration for the granting of the respective concession titles.
