Private television channels RCN and Caracol and the National Television
Commission have reached an agreement on how much the channels have to
pay to renew their license for another ten years; in between US$55
million and US$118 million, depending on the national economic growth.
The Commission initially demanded the channels to pay US$82 million, which led to the immediate refusal of the private channels. The Commission now have installed the economic growth variability, which will be reviewed every two years; If the economy goes well, the stations pay more, if the economic situation is bad, the stations pay less.
Caracol director Paulo Laserna, despite having agreed, called the fee “extremely high” compared to what the future owner of the third channel will have to pay for its license.
The commission announced the this commercial player on the Colombian television market will have to pay at least US$32 million, but interested parties will have to bid.
Caracol and RCN have had a shared monopoly for the past ten years.
