A History of the Monopolization of Pay Television in Mexico

Abstract

The purpose of this article is to discuss the monopolization of pay television in Mexico that occurred as part of a larger process of broadcast television development and economic modernization that occurred in the 1950s. From the start, large corporations played a significant role in pay television services, and this became clearer as pay television extended throughout the country. This broader process, which was, simultaneously, a broader process of capitalist monopolization has developed in three stages until the present day. To give an account of this process, I examined the scant scholarly literature on the subject, collated data on pay television licenses, and revised annual reports and other information from several companies involved in the provision of this service. At present, only three large corporations control the substantive part of Mexico’s television market. Yet, the possibility exists that ownership will become even more concentrated in the future.