A Framework for Analysis of Competition in the Free to Air Broadcasting Market Place in Mexico, in Light of the Advent of Digital Terrestrial Television

Abstract

This report was commissioned by the now defunct Federal Competition Commission (CFC) of Mexico in 2012 to evaluate pre-existing competition conditions in television markets and to analyse — from a theoretical point of view — the main challenges and opportunities faced in undertaking the digital switchover from an antitrust perspective. Our report aims to provide technical guidance to the antitrust and regulatory authorities — now merged into one — as they oversee competition conditions related to the digital switchover. We include relevant international experience, which we have compared with selected casework involving this sector in Mexico, in the hope that comparisons can prove fruitful for future enforcement work in this sector. The report also includes some recommendations that the new regulatory authority can consider in enforcing its new antitrust and telecommunications statutes.

Keywords: Broadcasting regulation, competition, DTT, analogue switchover, Mexico

JEL Classification: K21, K23