Press release

No.: 27/05
Date: 07.03.05

Digital terrestrial for television: Notification of a three year extension of licence period

The Ministry of Transport and Communications and the Ministry of Culture and Church Affairs hereby notify a three year extension of the licence period for digital terrestrial for television in Norway.

In June 2002, the Ministry of Transport and Communications and the Ministry of Culture and Church Affairs invited to tender for an authorisation and a licence to operate and build a digital terrestrial television network in Norway. There was only one application for the DTT licence, Norges Televisjon AS (NTV) – a 50/50 joint venture between NRK AS and TV 2 AS. NTV has not yet been awarded the licence.

In February this year, NTV applied for a prolongation of the licence from 12 to 15 years.

Although a three year prolongation (or extension) is considered a mere quid pro quo, it is all the same regarded as such a significant alteration of the terms in the original invitation that there is a need to notify the matter to the general public and other potential interested parties.

It is hereby notified that the Ministry of Transport and Communications in the coming consideration of the licence application from NTV will refer to a 15 year licence period (i.e. 15 years from the date the licence is awarded). The Ministry of Culture and Church Affairs will accordingly refer to same prolongation period for the licence to be granted in accordance with the Broadcasting Act.

If there – as a result of this notification – are other interested parties wishing to tender for the licence on the same terms as the original invitation to tender with later adjustments, the Norwegian DTT licence will be awarded anew by means of a "beauty contest". A renewed invitation to tender will though require a pre-stage where external parties must announce their interest to tender, so that that the ministries can make a reasonable assessment of whether or not there is a basis for such a renewed invitation. This announcement process is undertaken primarily to document the financial and administrative foundation of potential interested parties.

An announcement of interest according to the above must be received by the Ministry of Transport and Communications no later than 2 May 2005.

For further information, please contact:
Senior Adviser Mr. Gard Sveen, telephone +47 22 24 82 33
Senior Adviser Mr. Haakon Gjesdahl, telephone +47 22 24 82 17

Address:
The Royal Ministry of Transport and Communications
PO Box 8010 Dep
N-0030 Oslo
Norway

Further information:

Press release in Norwegian

Notification of a three year extension of licence period – digital terrestrial for television (pdf)

Invitation to tender – Digital terrestrial network for television broadcasting in Norway (Ministry of Culture and Church Affairs 28.06.02)