Expatica news

World Cup television coverage row hots up

18 May 2006

MADRID — The controversy over the television coverage of the World Cup in Spain took another turn as two rival channels offered to show matches.

Antena 3 and Telecinco have said they would take turns to show games for free.

The move comes after La Sexta, the channel which was granted rights by FIFA to show the tournament in Spain, has only been able to guarantee 70 percent of Spaniards will get to see the World Cup.

The new channel cannot reach many rural areas and in order to see its programmes, viewers must adjust their aerials.

Football fans, political parties and television viewers’ groups have pressed the government to take action as the kick-off is only a few weeks away.

La Sexta, whose majority shareholder is the Mexican media company Televisa, paid EUR 90 million for the rights to show the World Cup matches.

The channel has claimed 100 percent of Spaniards will be able to see the games by the time it starts on 9 June.

[Copyright EFE with Expatica]

Subject: Spanish news