Canal U, Eutopia TV and TV Libre, the three channels that won the tender made by the Uruguayan Government to join the pay TV operators programming grids in the country, were notified that their concession is in danger, because the FTA TV channels 4, 10 and 12 and its cable TV branches in the country are against the measure.

According to what is reported in Uruguayan specialized websites, , cable operators such as Montecablevideo, Riselco, Tractoral, Colonia Telecable, Multicanal, Piriapolis Cable TV, Emoral, Silverton, Darwin Fernandez Luzardo, Comunicacion Televisiva and Cable Vision Pan de Azucar, cable TV branches of the previously mentioned channels requested to cancel the Government’s Resolution No. 097 (2020), which belongs to Tabare Vazquez Government in the country. A public contest was held to choose the channels, under the terms established in the Uruguayan Audiovisual Communication Services Law (No. 19,307), of 2014. The channels must have 80% of their production made in the country. The call for the contest was made by the Communications Services Regulatory Unit (URSEC).

Five companies entered the contest, of which one was left out for not having submitted within the granted period. The remaining four presented their projects, which were evaluated in an open court, and, finally, the Uruguayan Government decided not to take the initiative presented by channels grouped in the Uruguayan TV for Subscribers Chamber (CUTA) for not meeting the necessary score for granting  the concession to them.

The basis for  the request is that the URSEC did not meet the abilities to prepare the specifications of the call established in Law 19.307. The current Luis Lacalle Pou’s Government is responsible for enforcing the decision of the previous Government,  revoking or cancelling it.