RTVE’s interim chairman faces a pivotal decision this week, as the Corporation navigates a sharp leadership shakeup. The recent drama surrounding David Broncano’s potential signing on public television dominated the Board of Directors meeting last week, an upheaval that led to the dismissal of José Pablo López and Elena Sánchez.
The shockwaves from RTVE’s upheaval delayed the vote on Broncano’s arrival and pushed it to the next Board session, set for Thursday, April 4. In the days since the final decision was made public, indications have grown that Broncano’s contract signing is genuine. Reports indicate that details of the plan to counter El Hormiguero, the long-running program on Antena 3 hosted by Pablo Motos, have begun to circulate widely in the industry.
The format for La 1 is advancing as El Mundo covers and verifies the developments. The plan foresees two seasons, with broadcasts around 9:45 p.m. If implemented, this shift would compress the duration of Telediario, anchored by Marta Carazo, and the first season would run from September 2024 through July 2025, followed by a second season from 2025 to 2026 within the same months.
28 million for two seasons
Financial figures come into sharper focus: 14 million euros are allocated for each season, with the cap for each of the 320 contracted programs near 90,000 euros, according to reporting by ABC. Production houses El Terrat and Encofrados Encofrasa would enjoy production freedom and creative latitude, provided the output remains consistent with RTVE’s Style Guide and editorial standards.
There is no blackout clause for the first 18 months, covering the initial season and most of the second. La 1 would air the program during this window regardless of audience data. Consequently, La Resistencia could remain on the schedule even if its ratings do not meet expectations.
Nevertheless, industry watchers note that the contract contemplates adjusting the second-season broadcast window if the show’s audience fails to match the network’s first-season average. In such cases, episodes could be scheduled later in the night, or a mutual agreement could be explored to find a workable solution.
From the start of the second season onward, RTVE may terminate the contract unilaterally if the program does not meet the monthly average targets. The contract also specifies a 7.5% share in prime time and an 8% share if aired in late-night slots. It is worth mentioning that the daily series 4 Estrellas is currently hovering around these metrics in the pre-prime time frame.