The group that owns the News Now and CMTV channels has already sent a letter to the National Elections Commission (CNE), to contest the demand made by RTP, SIC and TVI to presidential candidates, that they only participate in the 28 television debates that they will organize between November 17th and December 22nd, and that was published this Tuesday by Diário de Notícias.
In the document sent to the CNE, and to which DN had access, Medialivre talks about cartelization and calls for urgency in the action of that body. “In effect, the cartelization of access to democratic debate, through the conclusion of exclusive agreements – which translate into concerted practices – between presidential candidates and certain television operators, to the exclusion of other program services with a wide audience and national relevance, namely CMTV and News Now, raises serious concerns regarding the violation of the principles of political pluralism, competition and the right of access to information […] especially in electoral campaign contact”, reads the aforementioned letter.
For this reason, Medialivre also highlights, the company requests, “as a matter of urgency” that the CNE “adopt appropriate corrective measures, in order to ensure that all television operators can, under equal circumstances, participate in the coverage and transmission of debates for the presidential elections”.
The DN also found that a complaint for cartelization it will also be sent, by the same Medialivre, to the Competition Authority (AdC).
Gouveia e Melo rejects exclusivity
A source linked to Gouveia e Melo’s candidacy told DN that the invitation to the debates was accepted, in the model proposed by free-to-air television channels, but that the candidate made it clear that he cannot accept an exclusivity condition
“Obviously, as a matter of common sense, two debates will not be held on the same day, for example, but conditions like the one mentioned above cannot be acceptedwhich would force you to spend more than a month without being able to participate in debates promoted by other television channels”, said the same source, who asked not to be identified.
In total, in the preliminary calendar that was sent to the eight applications, which is not yet the final version of the document, 28 debates are planned, of which 12 will take place on RTP 1, eight on SIC and the same number on TVIall at the same time (9pm), but changes may occur due to football matches taking place on those days.
The elections presidential elections are scheduled for January 18, with the start of the electoral campaign scheduled for the 4th of this month.
In the last legislative elections, held on May 18th, the three generalist television channels and their “sisters” on cable (RTP3, SIC Notícias and CNN Portugal) broadcast a total of 28 debates between April 7th and 28th.