MTV Spain will transmit its signal free-to-air after ten years offering it through pay-TV operators. Following in the steps of Disney Channel Spain, MTV Networks will broadcast free-to-air on the country’s digital-terrestrial platform starting from next month.
MTV will join one of the new DTT multiplexes which are being distributed by the country's Ministry of Industry, Tourism and Commerce. Viacom's channel will broadcast through one of the four DTT channels that media group Vocento has been given on the national frequency of its DTT channel Net TV.
At present Vocento has an agreement of this type with Disney Channel. This agreement with MTV is not new for Vocento since the group has been offering some of Viacom's premium content on its local and regional TV channels.
Vocento's management also announced the launch of another new DTT channel before next September. The group is planning the creation of a regional TV network on a private scale similar to that of the public TV network gathered in the FORTA association.
With the assignment of the new muxes Spain's national broadcasters are getting ready. TVE has already announced its new channels: TVE HD, TeleDeporte HD and Cultural.es. Mediaset's Telecinco is preparing the launch of LaOcho although no details on its content have been revealed so far. With the merger of Telecinco and Sogecable's Cuatro, the new Telecinco will also bet on pay-DTT which will be managed by Sogecable.
Grupo Planeta's Antena 3 is also working on the launch of its new channel which will be added to its already existing Antena 3 TV, Neox and Nova. And Mediapro's laSexta will have space for two new channels. The failed Hogar 10 will come back, but the other new channel is again still to be unveiled. LaSexta is also working on offering HD contents but the timetable for that is unclear. Some market sources cite later this year.
© Rapid TV News 2010
