Following the news that four Italian broadcasters have filed a case with the Lazio Regional Administrative Court to request changes to AgCom’s DTT frequency plan amid concerns around frequency allocation, Italy’s Council of State has issued a verdict in favour of Persidera and Europa TV in a similar case involving RAI and Mediaset.
Persidera and Europa first filed the case back in 2009, claiming that the number of frequencies available to RAI and Mediaset was unfair and would cause problems for other broadcasters if it was allowed to continue. The European Court of Justice ruled that AgCom’s favouring of RAI and Mediaset had violated antitrust regulations.
AgCom has now been ordered to make changes, and the Council of State has reserved the right to intervene in the future if AgCom doesn’t hold up its end of the bargain. However, a representative told Reuters, “By 2020, when there will be a reorganisation after the allocation of the frequencies for 5G, it is possible to do something, but in the short term there are no frequencies to remedy the situation.”
