Pubcaster RTVE bids for Spain satellite slots
Plans for the two DBS channels include one channel with public service general programming and one special "theme" channel.
How these will be financed and what the focus of the thematic channel will be have not been stipulated. RTVE director general Jordi Garcia Candau has indicated, however, the possibility of creating a subsidiary company to handle management of the channels.
In all, five national DBS channels are skedded for service on Hispasat 1. RTVE had been given a "take it or leave it" option by the government for two of the channels, with the remaining three granted to private bidders. Had RTVE refused, all five would have gone to private parties.
There had been much speculation as to whether RTVE would take the offer, owing to its overriding debt of some $ 900 million. But recent greenlight on subsidy funding of $ 540 million may have influenced the final decision. And the fact that the web does not want to lose its important hold on the future market expansion in store for Spain in satellite and cable.
The two RTVE channels beamed to Latin America consist of "TVE International America," and "Canal Iberoamericana."
"TVE International America" has already been beaming in test programming on Hispasat, as well as regular public service programming on Intelsat, including sports, news, films, and cultural programs culled from terrestrial channels TVE- 1 and La 2.
The "Canal Iberoamericana" channel will consist of a general entertainment programming offer, working in close collaboration with the Latin American countries.
Pay TV pondered
RTVE is studying the possibility of making the Latin channels pay (conscripted) services. The web is also looking into future marketing of the channels on Hispanic cable stations.
Bids on the three DBS transponders open to private Spanish channels are due in early June.
And although a multitude of foreign concerns want transponder service on Hispasat, at this point official bids from offshore companies are not being accepted by the government.
