The period is written in a single sentence. Art. 27/2 of Law No. 6112: "The broadcasting licence period is ten years."
What Happens at the End of the Period?
The second sentence of the same paragraph determines the consequence: terrestrial broadcasting capacity vacated at the end of the licence period is re-tendered by the Supreme Council.
A Separate Licence and a Separate Period for Each Environment
Art. 27/1: organisations must obtain separate licences for each broadcasting technique and environment in order to broadcast over cable, satellite, terrestrial and similar environments, and the environment for which the licence is issued is expressly stated on the licence document.
| Environment | Licence | Period |
|---|---|---|
| Terrestrial | A separate licence | Ten years |
| Satellite | A separate licence | Ten years |
| Cable | A separate licence | Ten years |
| Internet only (Art. 29/A) | A separate licence | Ten years |
Ways the Licence Can End Early
A licence can end before the ten years are up. Law No. 6112 sets up a graduated chain of sanctions for breaches of the broadcasting service principles: where a breach is repeated within one year, broadcasting is suspended for up to five days; on a second repetition for up to fifteen days; and on a third repetition the broadcasting licence is revoked.
We deal with the grounds of revocation in the licence revocation guide.
Voluntary Termination
The second sentence of Art. 27/3: an organisation deciding not to continue its broadcasting activity returns its licence to the Supreme Council. An organisation that stops operating cannot keep the licence in hand.
Licence Period and Broadcast Type Are Separate Matters
Under Art. 14 the broadcast type (general or thematic) is notified at the licence application and appears on the licence document; it may be changed on request with the Supreme Council's permission. A change of type does not affect the licence period.
A Calendar Suggestion
- Record the start and end dates of each licence document separately.
- As a terrestrial licence approaches its end, follow the tender calendar - capacity is re-tendered.
- Notify amendments to the memorandum to the Supreme Council within one month (Art. 19/1-a).
- Obtain the Supreme Council's permission in advance for a change of broadcast type (Art. 14).
Summary
- The broadcasting licence period is ten years, and a separate licence is obtained for each technique and environment.
- Terrestrial capacity vacated at the end of the period is re-tendered; there is no automatic renewal.
- A licence can also be revoked before its term on a third repeated breach of the broadcasting service principles.