MEXICAN SUPREME COURT RAPS TV MONOPOLIES

MEXICAN SUPREME COURT RAPS TV MONOPOLIES

In a move that was seen by some analysts as part of a general effort by Mexican courts to lift laws that protect monopolies, the country's Supreme Court on Tuesday overturned key media regulations that have made it difficult, if not impossible, for any TV company to compete against the two entrenched national networks, Televisa and TV Azteca. The regulations, passed last year, were regarded as part of an effort by the TV companies to prevent U.S. competitors like Telemundo and Univision from gaining a foothold in Mexico, where Televisa and TV Azteca control more than 90 percent of the broadcasting market. Reporting on the Supreme Court decision, the New York Times observed, "Over the last couple of months, legislators and others who voted for the law seemed to perform a collective mea culpa, acknowledging that they had voted for passage because they feared negative television coverage during an election campaign."

06/06/2007