The first semi-final of Benidorm Fest drew a larger audience than the previous year, yet it also sparked criticism from viewers over the sound quality of several performances on the Palau d’Esports l’Illa stage in Benidorm. RTVE is set to address these issues ahead of the next premiere, the second semi-final on Thursday and the grand final on Saturday, with the aim of delivering every note to the audience as clearly as possible.
María Eizaguirre, Director of Communications for RTVE, explained this shortly after the first four finalists for the final were announced. The public broadcaster’s spokesperson acknowledged the problems that occurred on Tuesday night, which affected those watching from home, and noted that the team has already identified the causes of the interference and can work on fixes.
He described the problem as interference because the live performance had no sound issues. In his words, the sound and mix produced in Palau reach the mobile unit in high quality, but the transmission to viewers failed somewhere along the chain. The aim is to investigate what went wrong so that the broadcast is not just audible and visible to those inside the venue but also clear for those at home. The focus is on preventing a recurrence in the remaining two television premieres.
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“The material that emerges from Benidorm is well mixed and of good quality,” Eizaguirre emphasized. The review covers several factors, including the sound from the room where semi-final attendees were seated and the pit area. He noted that this year the room and the pit sound quality improved. If that improvement contributed to distortion in the broadcast, it remains to be seen, since ambient sound might have been louder than intended on television. RTVE intends to act promptly once the exact source is located so that it can be corrected before the next two broadcasts.
Fans took to social media to vent their frustration, with many lamenting that their favorite acts did not come through with optimal audio, even as some listeners felt their televised sound was clearer on other devices. Among the acts mentioned by viewers were Lérica and Noa, though the issues tended to affect the overall performance rather than specific moments.
How did the artists experience the situation? The Mantra, who secured public support but did not advance to the final, spoke on behalf of all participants in the first semi-final. They pointed out that the problem lay in the television feed, noting that on stage the sound was clear and the performers heard one another well from the start. The trio added that they discussed the matter with their peers and stressed that the on-stage monitoring allowed each voice to be heard clearly, while the external broadcast remained the variable. The emphasis was on the importance of reliable feedback when it comes to live sound and broadcast quality.
The same pattern reportedly appeared on site at Palau during the first semi-final. Those who attended the second semi-final reported hearing the performances without difficulty and at an appropriate volume in both the stands and the pit, according to various accounts. With RTVE now identified as the source of the broadcast issue, the public anticipates a swift fix for the upcoming premieres, hoping that live viewers and those watching at home will share the same high-quality experience.