After more than two decades of broadcasting, the Chilean television channel Telecanal is coming to an end. The closure was announced by the Consejo Nacional de Televisión (CNTV) through an official statement.
Regulatory Failures Lead to Closure
The decision to shut down the broadcaster stems from “serious regulatory infractions” and repeated violations. According to the CNTV, the company maintained six inactive signals in the northern zone and failed to begin transmissions for its second signal in Santiago.
These failures involved ignoring legal deadlines that expired in 2023 and 2024. Specifically, the company failed to implement the digital coverage required by Law 20.750, which had a deadline of April 15, 2024.
Additional Compliance Issues
Beyond technical failures, the CNTV noted that Telecanal ignored instructions regarding “retransmissions of third parties,” specifically referring to the broadcasting of content from the channel RT.
The broadcaster also failed to provide timely financial information to the Comisión para el Mercado Financiero. These combined issues led to a warning and a fine of 50 UTM ($3,529,400) earlier in 2024.
Timeline of the Shutdown
The formal decision to terminate the service was made on May 4. The channel—which had been on the air for 20 years—will officially cease operations on May 12.
Following this closure, the broadcasting concessions previously held by the company could potentially be reviewed or redistributed by regulatory authorities to ensure the digital coverage required by law is finally implemented.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why is Telecanal being shut down?
The closure is due to “serious regulatory infractions,” including maintaining six inactive signals in the north, failing to start a second signal in Santiago, and failing to implement digital coverage required by Law 20.750 by the April 15, 2024, deadline.
What other violations were cited by the CNTV?
The CNTV cited the broadcasting of third-party content from RT and the failure to deliver financial information to the Comisión para el Mercado Financiero in a timely manner.
When does the channel officially stop broadcasting?
Telecanal will reach its end on May 12.
Do you believe stricter regulatory deadlines are necessary to ensure the modernization of digital broadcasting?
