The Communications Services Regulatory Unit (Ursec) consulted the company Tenfieldowner of the television rights of the Uruguayan national team, if you have “planned or coordinated” that the Uruguay-Peru meeting for the penultimate date of the Qualifiers for the Qatar 2022 World Cup “can be broadcast through free-to-air, live and simultaneous television broadcasting services”, as the Media Law says.
Law No. 19307 obliges the company to transfer the rights in this type of defining instances. Tenfield can agree with any air channel, including Channel 5. It is precisely on the public channel where it will be broadcast, if the company does not agree with another medium; as indicated Media Law and affirmed to The Observer the director of Ursec representing the Broad Front, Pablo Siris. “If Tenfield says ‘no,’ he goes to Channel 5,” Siris clarified.
In the letter, broadcast by Tv Ciudad and addressed to the manager of the company, Pedro Abuchalja, the public body he asks Tenfield if he has “foreseen or coordinated” that the Uruguay-Peru meeting “can be broadcast through free, live and simultaneous television broadcasting services”, as the law says.
In the text the Ursec exposes the articles of the Media Law and Decree 160/2019, that provide that a party of these characteristics, whose result can “directly determine the classification” of those led by Diego Alonso to the next world championship Qatar 2022, it must be broadcast “through a simultaneous live free-to-air television broadcasting service.”
Although the classification does not depend “directly” of the result at the Centenario Stadium, but Uruguay needs to complement it with a draw or Chile’s defeat against Brazil, Ursec affirms that “it is worth noting” what is established in article 31 of Decree 160/19: “If the game were played coinciding totally or partially with another match that influences the classification or elimination signaled, equally It must be broadcast by the open television service live and simultaneously.
The letter continues: “Considering the foregoing, just like him general interest so that society can access the reception of the Uruguay – Peru match, to be played on March 24, 2022, is that we consult you if they have planned or coordinated so that it can be broadcast through free, live and simultaneous television broadcasting services”.
Pablo Siris assured The Observer that in the Ursec there is no doubt if any air channel will pass the meeting (according to him the regulations are very clear), but he consults Tenfield if you already agreed with someone. “If Tenfield says “no”, it goes to Channel 5″clarified the director for the opposition.
?The letter from URSEC to T Tenfield where he presents the legal arguments for the game to be broadcast on open TV ??? @MVDNews pic.twitter.com/zn6q73lfvK
– Eduardo Preve (@EPreve) March 17, 2022
What does the regulation say?
In Law 19,307, enacted in December 2014, Articles 38, 39 and 40 make up Chapter IV: Right of access to events of general interestwithin Title IV: Rights of the people.
Article 38 states that “The right to information includes the right of the public to access the reception through an open television broadcasting service, live, simultaneously and free of charge, from certain events of general interest to society”.
For its part, article 39 explains that events of general interest are “events that involve official activities of the national soccer and basketball teams in defining instances of international tournaments and in qualifying instances for them”.
Finally, article 40 refers to the fact that if “no owner of open television broadcasting services would be interested in acquiring broadcasting or retransmission rights, The owner of the rights must authorize the National Public Radio and Television System to retransmit the event free of charge..
Almost five years later, in 2019, Decree 160/019 regulated the law and clarified some points.
The “official activities” are those organized by the “International Federation of Associated Football (FIFA), the South American Football Confederation (CSF), the International Basketball Federation (FIBA) and its subsidiary FIBA Americas, the International Olympic Committee (IOC), the International Paralympic Committee (CPI) and the Pan American Sports Organization (Odepa),” states article 29 of the decree.
Article 30 of the regulation refers which events qualify as “defining instances”: The “final and semifinal”if the tournament has that scheme or, if not, “the last two games of the seriesas long as the national team maintains a mathematical chance of winning the tournament title”.
Regarding qualifying instancesarticle 31 of the decree defines them as: “all parties whose result can directly determine the classification or elimination of the national team of the international tournament in question”. And he adds that “If the party disputed coinciding totally or partially with another match that influences the classification or elimination indicated, it must also be issued by the live and simultaneous open television service”.
