TV & VIDEO - Jan. 1, 1991

Private Television in Portugal: The Portugese government says it plans to end its 26-year-old monopoly on television, allowing two private channels to operate alongside the two existing official channels. The new channels, which should begin operating in the summer of 1992, will still be closely regulated, government spokesman Luis Marques Mendes said. The government will control the length of airtime reserved for news, educational shows and other programming, Marques Mendes said. The center-right government of Prime Minister Anibal Cavaco Silva said prospective broadcasters will have three months starting Wednesday to present their plans and two will be chosen in June or July.