[Mexico] New channel concessions

[mrschimpf 2050]

Multimedios is crowing about being the high bidder for seven new channel concessions, including in Mexico City, Guadalajara and Juarez, along with four others outside just outside CDMX and within their traditional northern Mexico territory. It looks like the new channel auction was a disappointment though, with only 31 of 148 channels bid for throughout Mexico.

 

It seems like only Multimedios wants to shake off the Televisa/Azteca monopolies over Mexican commercial television, which seems seriously disappointing. But not surprising as those two will probably sanction anyone who dares to compete with them/offer programming to other networks, and probably have a 'those hicks from Monterrey are terrible' campaign ready whenever Multimedios CDMX signs on.

[Samantha 2876]

Oh good lord, I get to be a Mexican broadcast geek on TVNT...

 

I'm not going to repeat myself, so look at what I said here.

 

In summary, IFT-6 was dominated by regional broadcasters looking for stations. The biggest winner is a company called Telsusa with ties to Albavisión, which has made itself cozy to many a Latin American government to dominate media markets (and which is run by a Mexican who lives in Miami). In Mexico, Albavisión owned a handful of regional Televisa outlets; they could well unhook from Televisa.

 

Multimedios is the second-largest bidder by stations won, and the rest were regional players, including some that had won radio stations in the radio station auction earlier this year. A highly publicized issue in the radio station auction that seemed to affect the IFT's credibility probably reduced interest in this one for TV.

 

Four stations are still being bid on, with three of the existing winners probably in the hunt for one or more of the remaining stations.

[mrschimpf 2050]

A little new information; apparently XHAW-TDT (the flagship station) is moving from their longtime channel 12 position down to channel 6 as of February 24, putting it right smack dab in Monterrey between Televisa's Canal 5 and Azteca 7. It doesn't say if this is going to apply for the rest of the Multimedios stations, but it makes you think the national challenge is beginning now.

[Samantha 2876]

A little new information; apparently XHAW-TDT (the flagship station) is moving from their longtime channel 12 position down to channel 6 as of February 24, putting it right smack dab in Monterrey between Televisa's Canal 5 and Azteca 7. It doesn't say if this is going to apply for the rest of the Multimedios stations, but it makes you think the national challenge is beginning now.

 

It's gonna be the whole enchilada.

 

Also consider there is a local 12 in Durango (a city where MM is going to have a new station this year) that is probably happy about this.

 

6 was reserved through the TV auction in case someone wanted a new TV network out of it, but nobody did, so MM jumped at the chance.

 

Double digits are becoming no-man's-land for commercial stations (especially ones that aren't local), so this is a good move by MM.