Mexico's Debate Over Digital TV

Mexico’s debate over digital TV is becoming increasingly complicated, with the threat of the president’s intention to bring forward the analogue switch-off to 2015 being overruled by the Supreme Court, and COFETEL opening an online consultation.

Following the declaration by Mexican president Felipe Calderón that the national analogue blackout will be set for 2015, the National Supreme Justice Court (SCJN) has stated that the issue doesn’t fall under the Executive jurisdiction and that the Federal Telecommunications Committee (COFETEL) should be the one handling the country’s TV cross-over to digital.

According to the Secretary of Communication and Transport (STC), the new date for the transition means both savings for companies and benefits for the population. Yet the National Radio and TV Industry Chamber (CIRT) plans to ask for more time before imposing the blackout, explaining that most of the networks won’t be technically ready to work with digital TV by 2015.

The TV networks Televisa and TV Azteca say that Mexico isn’t yet prepared for the switchover, and are therefore against the new date. The area that’s currently better suited for digital TV in Mexico is the region near the US border, and it will be necessary to help less privileged areas purchase new cable boxes.