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Mexico TV licence winners revealed

Mexico’s TV regulator has handed out licences for two new broadcast networks in the country in a move to increase competition against giants TV Azteca and Televisa.

The Federal Telecommunications Institute (IFT) said Cadena Tres and Grupo Radio Centro were the only remaining bidders in the auction after the other companies vying for a licence pulled out.

Cadena Tres – part of Grupo Imagen, which is owned by local businessman Olegario Vazquez Aldir – offered 1.81bn pesos (US$117m) for the licence, while Francisco Aguirre’s Grupo Radio Centro stumped up 3.1bn pesos.

Grupo Imagen operates regional pay TV channels and newspapers, with Grupo Radio Centro best known for its radio operations.

The networks will reach more than 100 million people, according to the IFT, which launched the licence auction more than a year ago to increase competition in a market dominated by Televisa and TV Azteca.

Cadena Tres expects to be broadcasting within a year and intends to be available across Mexico by 2018, with Aldir adding he hoped the channel could eventually create content for the booming US Hispanic market.

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