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Published on Tuesday, 12 January 2021
The Minister of Telecommunications and the Information Society, Andrés Michelena, together with the Executive Director of the Agency for the Regulation and Control of Telecommunications (ARCOTEL), Xavier Aguirre, announced today, in the city of Guayaquil, that next March a a new public contest for radio frequencies and another open television contest, on a national scale, starting in April. These processes, the officials explained, will strengthen freedom of the press and expression in the country.
This important declaration was given within the framework of the delivery of qualifying titles to the winners of the competitive public process for the awarding of FM frequencies, from the provinces of Guayas and Santa Elena, organized by ARCOTEL. Among them are the old broadcasters who got their additional score for experience, and the newer broadcasters who will inject dynamism into the sector.
The event took place in the Aula Magna of the Santiago de Guayaquil Catholic University, with the presence of authorities and broadcasters from the aforementioned provinces.
Minister Michelena stressed that, despite the difficult situation the country is facing due to the health crisis, the greater fall in state tax revenues, the drastic fall in national production and a complex political-electoral process, in the case of MINTEL and ARCOTEL, progress was made under the political guidance and strategic decision of President Moreno to reinforce and consolidate freedom of expression, a task that will continue with the new contests, applying the laws and transparency, such as the current contest.
Additionally, he stressed that in the new contest for the concession of the remaining frequencies of FM radios, those who were disqualified in the current contest, for not meeting the minimum requirements, may participate, among others, but first they will have to correct their errors.
On December 22, 2020, at the National Palace, with the participation of the Head of State, the first qualifying titles were delivered to broadcasters who passed the demanding and transparent competitive public process, which began on May 15, 2020.
The Executive Director of ARCOTEL highlighted that competitive public processes aim for the radioelectric spectrum to be used efficiently and more private and community media have access to its enabling title. He announced that in March 2021 the call for the 2021 competitive public process will be published, for the operation of open-signal sound broadcasting services in analog FM, except for low-power stations. It is about 2,347 frequencies nationwide.
He also mentioned that the public open TV contest – in which 3,016 frequencies will be offered as of April – has as its main objective to guarantee, under the principles of transparency, equality of conditions and objectivity in the granting of frequency concessions, because one of the fundamental principles of the telecommunications sector is the democratization of the radioelectric spectrum.
The rector of the Catholic University of Santiago de Guayaquil, Mauro Toscanini, who received the qualifying title for radio from the higher center he directs, stressed that communication is part of the essential rights of the human being. The academic highlighted the transparency and clarity of the current contest, in addition, the fulfillment of the word of the President and the Minister of Telecommunications.
The AER representative, Karina Von Lippke, also thanked President Moreno for having kept his word in reforming the LOC and for guaranteeing a democratic and transparent process of frequent competition.
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