Argentinian pay-television broadcaster TyC Sports is set to become part of a new independent company after media conglomerate Grupo Clarin was permitted to break up its operations rather than face a forced dismantling to comply with a new media ownership law.
State media regulator Afsca on Monday ruled that Clarin would have six months to reorganise its radio and television properties into the six independent companies under a proposal the group put forward last year following a four-year-long legal battle against the law, which ended in defeat for Clarin.
President Cristina Fernandez' anti-monopoly media law was passed in 2009 and upheld by the Supreme Court last year. It limits the number of audiovisual licences that can be controlled by one company.
The Reuters news agency said that Afsca’s approval of Clarin’s proposal would allow the group to sell its operating licences or redistribute ownership of stocks. Argentina’s biggest media group has criticised the law as impacting on freedom of speech and being part of a wider measure to punish government critics.
In a statement, Clarin said TyC Sports would become part of one of six independent companies alongside the TyC Max, Canal 13 satelital, Magazine, Volver, Quiero Música en mi Idioma and Canal Rural properties.