The Junta de Castilla y León approved the renewal of the satellite distribution service for the regional television channel La 7 . The contract is worth €605,000 for two years, with an option to extend it by up to 36 months. This would allow for a total term of up to five years. According to government spokesperson Carlos Fernández Carriedo the signal is intended to reach areas where digital terrestrial broadcasting (TDT) is not reliably available.
The technical partner is the satellite platform Hispasat, which is responsible not only for distribution but also for maintaining and operating the necessary infrastructure. The contract also covers the administration of access systems, which authorise receiving devices and ensure the security of broadcast content. According to the Junta, the service is intended for around 6,000 households, which still have reception problems despite TDT coverage.
With this decision, the regional government is maintaining a two-track model: TDT remains the standard, while satellite serves as a supplement for hard-to-reach areas in Castilla y León. This does not involve a change in distribution strategy; rather, it is about continuing an existing supplementary service. The measure is intended to secure access to information in predominantly rural areas where terrain and settlement patterns limit TDT reception.
The Junta did not publish a list of the locations concerned. The available documents also contain no details on installation arrangements or the practical distribution of receiving equipment. The contract does, however, include ongoing monitoring of service quality and protection of content against unauthorised use.
La 7 is the main channel of the regional broadcasting group Castilla y León Televisión and broadcasts regional magazine programmes and cultural content as well as news. The satellite coverage now approved will ensure that this service remains available in parts of the Autonomous Community where digital terrestrial television reaches its limits. The regional government did not say whether, or to what extent, further investment in terrestrial infrastructure or alternative transmission methods is planned.
Editor: Phillipe Schmidt-Araguin (Article created with AI assistance).