Public Tenders for Open Digital Terrestrial Television Broadcasting Licenses

Resolution No. 39/2015 of the Federal Authority for Audiovisual Communications Services (AFSCA) called for public tenders for the award of licenses for the installation, operation and servicing of Open Digital Terrestrial Television broadcasting (TDTA) in categories B, C, D, E, F, J, K, I, for individuals and legal entities and nonprofit entities, in the Metropolitan Area of Buenos Aires (AMBA), Comodoro Rivadavia (Chubut), Córdoba, Formosa, Mendoza, Santa Fe, Resistencia (Chaco) and Tucumán.

Open Digital Terrestrial Television is a platform that uses the latest digital technology to transmit high quality video and audio for free, and allows additionally interactive services.

The Argentine Republic adopted the digital standard called ISDB-T (Integrated Services Digital Broadcasting Terrestrial), which should totally replace the analog television system in 2019 (in accordance with Decree No. 1148/2009).

To operate the Open Digital Terrestrial Television broadcasting the UHF frequency band between 470 and 608 MHz, that is, between channels 14 and 36, will be used.

Resolution No. 39/2015 approved the bidding terms and conditions to be met by those submitting proposals for the aforementioned licenses, according to (i) the category for which the proposal is submitted, (ii) if the legal person is a profit or nonprofit one and (iii) if only a license is requested (with no responsibility for multiplexing and transmission) or if it is competing for operator licensee (with responsibility for multiplexing and transmission).

Basically, bidders must submit five (5) folders containing information on the following aspects: (i) personal; (ii) corporate, (iii) financial, (iv) technical and aspects to be considered; and 5) communicational aspects.

The dates of opening of the proposals are set between May 4 and 29, 2015. The first six (6) tenders are dated May 4, 2015 and correspond to the licenses that covered AMBA in category B.

Proposals will be evaluated by the competent AFSCA areas, depending on the aspects and requirements of the bidding terms and conditions. "Elements of admissibility" and "relevant considerations" will be considered. Upon acceptance of the proposal, a jury will evaluate: the general framework of the communicational proposal, programming grid, origin and programming profile and background and roots. Then the jury will issue a report and propose an order of merit to the Board of AFSCA.

Licenses are granted for a period of ten (10) years from the date the AFSCA authorizes the start of regular broadcasts. This period may be extended only once for an additional ten (10) years, as long as certain requirements are met.