The FCC has granted Fox Networks Group the ability to sell
spot advertising in its MundoFox Spanish-language net.
The FCC prohibits networks from representing their local TV
station affiliates in the spot advertising market, but has waived its "network representation"
rule in the past for Univision, Telemundo and other Spanish-language nets, who
argued successfully that it is too tough for Spanish-language stations to get
national spot advertising without the experience and specialized skill in the
market that the networks have.
Fox Networks argued that without the waiver, which is
permanent, MundoFox would "face a potentially debilitating disadvantage" in
competition with existing Spanish-language broadcast networks and their
affiliates, given that Telemundo, Univision and others have been granted the
waiver.
Fox asked back in March for expedited review, saying it
needed a level playing field to compete. That was the same month it signed itsfirst affiliate deal for the network.
The waiver was unopposed and the FCC made it unanimous
Thursday, granting the waiver and saying it agreed with Fox that it was in the
public interest.
