Costa Rican lawmakers challenge radio frequency fee reform

Legislators from the National Liberation Party (PLN), Social Christian Unity Party (PUSC), and CAC have filed a constitutional challenge regarding a bill to update the fees paid by radio and television companies for frequency use.

The challenge, filed under file 24.461, questions whether the proposed reforms infringe upon freedom of expression and press freedom. Specifically, lawmakers express concern that the new regulations could allow for arbitrary decisions regarding concessions and impact the principles of legality and due process.

A primary point of contention is the method for calculating the new fees, which would be based on a concessionaire's annual gross income rather than technical spectrum usage. Critics argue this could lead to significant disparities where companies using the same bandwidth pay different amounts based on their commercial success. The PLN supports updating the fees but insists they must be reasonable, clear, and compatible with the continuity of public broadcasting services.