Moroccan TV Signals Disrupt Spanish Coastal Broadcasts, Affecting Thousands

Many households on the coastal strip, from Vélez-Málaga to Marbella, have been unable to receive national channels broadcast via DTT in recent weeks. According to José Manuel Muñiz, the director of the Andalusian Association of Telecommunications Installation Companies (FAITEL), the very high signal from Moroccan channels would be the cause of this failure. "The problem is that electromagnetic waves do not take borders into account," he explains.

This breakdown blocks the reception of all kinds of channels and varies depending on the position and height. In certain regions of the province of Malaga, channels such as La 1, La 2 and Canal 24 Horas have lost the signal. Elsewhere, the interference has affected generalist channels such as Antena 3 or Telecinco, reports Diario Sur.

For the expert, this type of interference generally occurs during the summer months when the heat is particularly intense. The persistence of the current hot weather, despite the end of summer, would justify this interference. "As soon as the temperatures drop, the situation will improve," reassures José Manuel Muñiz, urging the affected populations to be patient until the signal returns.

The only stable and lasting solution to this situation is the signing of an agreement between the Spanish and Moroccan governments to regulate the strength of the Moroccan signal while allowing it to cover its territory, and to allow households in Spanish coastal cities to follow their channels without difficulty. The problem of interference from Moroccan channels is not new. It existed long before the advent of DTT. The authorities of the two countries have not yet managed to harmonize their views on the issue.