Sputtering to a start: the history and future of radio spectrum regulation in Uruguay

Abstract

Abstract 

While the radio spectrum has been used for communication in Uruguay since the early 1900s, its regulation remains very much in development. This article traces the history of spectrum regulation in Uruguay from its inception through 2013. A case study of Uruguayan spectrum policy, it documents the practices that have led to the development of the current system and continue to drive it forward in the context of convergence. In it, I analyze recent efforts to introduce formal regulatory systems and new mechanisms for public participation in policy-making. I draw upon secondary sources as guides for historical analysis while evaluation of the current system relies largely upon extensive primary data gathered between 2009-2012. Primary sources include parliamentary records and other documentation, interviews undertaken with government ministers, law-makers, civil society organizations, regulators, union organizers, independent experts and the private sector, and follow-up communication with interview subjects. 

Keywords: Broadcasting, radio, regulation, spectrum, Uruguay

Submission date: 2013-04-05

Acceptance date: 2013-09-24