Sports blow for Mexican giants

Mexican broadcaster Televisa Group and telecoms company America Movil have been banned from buying exclusive rights to high-profile sporting events, as the country’s TV regulator seeks to reduce their dominance in the market.

The ruling means America Movil, controlled by Carlos Slim, and TV giant Televisa cannot acquire exclusive rights to the final stages of the Fifa World Cup or to the Olympics ceremonies.

America Movil has already secured rights to the 2016 Rio Olympics across Latin America except in Brazil, while Televisa is set to air 24 World Cup games from later this month.

The Federal Telecommunications Institute (IFT) said it would consider whether to apply the rules to existing contracts on a case-by-case basis.

The IFT wants to encourage competition in the country’s media market and ruled earlier this year that Televisa was a “preponderant” player and would be forced to share its broadcasting infrastructure with competitors.

America Movil has also been targeted as the country’s government seeks to encourage new entrants to the market, with the introduction of two new nationwide TV channels planned.