Spain: any television channel can broadcast 90 seconds of highlights of matches for free (CNMC)

Spanish television channels, on free-TV or pay-TV, have the right to broadcast 90 seconds of highlights of each match of the Liga BBVA, Liga Adelante and Copa del Rey without having to pay for audiovisual rights, confirmed the CNMC, the Spanish competition authority, on 18/01/2016.

The CNMC also ruled in favour of the broadcaster Mediaset España in its case against LaLiga. The Spanish League had banned Mediaset España from accessing stadiums at the beginning of the 2015-16 season (on 21/08/2015), as the broadcaster had refused to sign an agreement with the body recognising that the exclusive rights to broadcast extended highlights of the 2015-16 Liga BBVA and Copa del Rey competitions belonged to the Spanish public broadcaster RTVE, on 29/07/2015.

Along with other broadcasters allowed into stadiums to film highlights of Liga BBVA, Liga Adelante and Copa del Rey matches, Mediaset España finally agreed to only broadcast highlights only lasting a maximum of 90 seconds per competition matchday, on on 17/09/2015.

According to Spanish general law regarding audiovisual broadcasting and to…