Azteca America Reports FCC Denies NBC’s Objections Against Azteca America and Its License Renewal of Its Affiliate Station in L.A.

“Azteca America, the fastest-growing Hispanic television network in the US, said today that The US Federal Communications Commission (FCC) has denied a request by NBC Telemundo to withhold a license renewal of Azteca America’s affiliate station in Los Angeles. The result is a clean bill of health for our operations, which fully respect US regulations and institutions.

“We have faith in US regulators and applaud FCC actions to foment competition and create new community minority voices within the limits of foreign ownership,” said Adrian Steckel, President and CEO of Azteca America. “We similarly invite NBC Telemundo to respect Mexican regulations, which in many ways are similar to US rules and legislation.”

The ruling comes following a public campaign launched four months ago by NBC Telemundo against TV Azteca and Azteca America. Azteca America is a small foreign company doing business in the US and is being attacked by one of the largest companies in the world. The supposed legal arguments proposed by NBC Telemundo included attempts to use so-called FCC character rules to bar an affiliate station renewal, despite the fact that neither TV Azteca, nor Azteca America were the license holders of the station.

“The decision by the FCC determined that the NBC Telemundo actions had no merit; and we suggest that they stop trying to place all of their business woes on TV Azteca,” added Mr. Steckel.

Azteca America’s production strength, which focuses on novelas, sports, music and entertainment formats that appeal to large Mexican and other US Hispanic audiences, has made NBC Telemundo very nervous, and thus this attempt to disqualify our growing operations.

The FCC has discarded the NBC Telemundo claims noting that, “We conclude that none of the conduct at issue is disqualifying,” that “The news reports upon which NBC Telemundo brings these allegations are hearsay,” and that the “Commission intervention in this private dispute is not appropriate.”

“As we increase our competitive strengths, we see minor attempts to distract our path, like NBC Telemundo’s; but they will never change Azteca America’s vision to deliver the best quality programming options to large US Hispanic audiences,” concluded Mr. Steckel. “We are committed to continuing to grow our distribution in line with our expanded local operations.”

About Azteca America

Azteca America is the fastest-growing Hispanic network in the United States. The network is a wholly owned subsidiary of TV Azteca S.A. de C.V., one of the two largest producers of Spanish-language television content in the world. Azteca America currently has presence in 55 Hispanic markets, including: Los Angeles, New York, Miami, Houston, Chicago, Dallas, San Antonio, San Francisco-Oakland-San Jose, Phoenix, Brownsville-McAllen, Albuquerque, Sacramento-Stockton-Modesto, San Diego, El Paso, Fresno-Visalia, Denver, Washington DC, Philadelphia, Orlando, Tampa, Austin, Boston, Atlanta, Tucson, Las Vegas, Corpus Christi, Seattle, Hartford, West Palm Beach-Ft. Pierce, Bakersfield, Portland, Monterey-Salinas, Salt Lake City, Laredo, Colorado Springs, Odessa, Naples-Ft. Myers, Palm Springs, Raleigh-Durham, Lubbock, Santa Barbara, Milwaukee, Amarillo, Wichita, Oklahoma City, Reno, New Orleans, Greenville, Boise, Omaha, Victoria, Chattanooga, Twin Falls and Charleston.”

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