New Law, New Responsibilities Within the TV Industry
Following the presidential approval of TV Law nº 1507, the ANTV was created, which establishes a new distribution of the government's responsibilities within the TV industry, in addition to other ordinances.The Colombian TV industry was waiting for president Juan Manuel Santo's decision in regard to reorganizing the responsibilities among the government's entities within the TV industry, following the dissolution of the National TV Committee (CNTV). A decision was finally announced on Tuesday, January 10.
The new TV law establishes the official creation of a National TV Authority (ANTV), "a special government agency; a national and legal entity with administrative, patrimonial, budgetary and technical faculties," as stated in the President's official press release. The ANTV will be included in the TICs, even though it will not work under hierarchical control or custody of any kind, and its actions will only be controlled by the appropriate jurisdiction.
Meanwhile, Law nº 1507 also establishes that, as of this moment, the role and responsibilities that by Law 182 (1995) corresponded to the CNTV will be given to the ANTV, the National Bureau of Industry and Commerce (SIC) and the Ministry of Information Technologies and Communications (Mintic). The law also states that these government entities will be in charge of planning, regulating, directing, managing and supervising all TV services.
According to local newspaper La República, the ANTV will have access to the TV and Content Development Fund, which includes de CNTV's resources and 10% of those obtained through permits to transition from analog TV frequencies onto digital. 60% of the funds will be used to promote public TV operators.
The ANTV will oversee the National TV Committee which includes the Ministry of TIC, representatives from the presidency, the government, society and both private and public universities. The board will carry out the necessary actions to develop the ANTV's projects. In addition, it will grant permissions to provide public TV services.
The Communication Regulatory Committee (CRC) will keep its responsibilities as far as regulation and organization of public TV, and will take on new ones that were assigned to the CNTV by Law 182.
Brazilian broadcast production also will see major changes this year with the recent establishment of the "Paid TV Bill". Commencing in March 2012, the law authorizes the participation of telephone companies in the area of paid TV programming, eliminating restrictions of foreign capital and creates new quotas for independent productions on programming. With this new regulatory framework in place, we'll have even more strength to promote partnerships.
