Regulatory authorities
In addition to the Audiovisual Councils which, as we have already mentioned, in 2017 operate in only 2 of the 17 autonomous regions, Spain has a national regulatory body: The Comisión Nacional de los Mercados y la Competencia (National Commission on Markets and Competition - CNMC). This public institution, independent of the Government and controlled by Parliament, ensures respect for the law and fair competition in many areas: energy, transport, telecommunications, postal sector and, for what concerns us here, the audiovisual market. In this area, the CNMC on its own initiative or at the request of third parties issues reports on the audiovisual sector and imposes penalties in the event of non-compliance with legal regulations.