Reptretel Buys Monumental
Repretel, whose main asset includes local channel 6, is growing by leaps and bounds in the world of news and media in Costa Rica, as it outbid the Grupo Nación for the purchase of Grupo Monumental.

Repretel is reported to have paid between us$9 and us$10 million dollars to Grupo Sama for the radio station. Grup Nación had offered us$8 million dollars.

The acquisition of Monumental adds the FM radio stations Radio Reloj (FM 94.3), Radio Z (FM 95.1), Best FM (FM 103.5) and Radio Monumental (FM 93.5), in addition to several AM frequencies.

Repretel, owned by Mexican businessman, Ángel González, operates television stations channels 6, 4 and 11 and with the acquisition of Monumental amplifies its influence on the Costa Rican market.

Exa FM (FM 92.3) and Radio Emperador (FM 107.1) were not included in the sale as they reverted back to their original owners, though Repretel will have the right to the EXA franchise.

The purchase is an important one for Repretel as it solidifies the radio airwaves, adding to the news that in the coming week, Repretel, will be launching the Radio Disney.

The acquisition of the FM stations, along with the television channels, will allow Repretel to offer consolidated advertising packages for radio and television and at better prices than its competitors. Advertisers on FM radio can soon place their ads on television at a much lower cost.

Critics fear that Ángel González will use the practice of "dumping" - artificially reduce prices to displace competition and widen his market share.

Repretel's owner, Ángel González, is known in Latin America as "el Fantasma" (the Phantom) for his low profile. He lives in the United States, from where he controls some 30 television stations in Latin America, from the Dominican Republic to Chile, not counting the number of radio stations that are part of his holdings.