Exclusive Interview: ATRESMEDIA Televisión’s Javier Bardají

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PREMIUM: ATRESMEDIA Televisión’s director general, Javier Bardají, explains to World Screen that a key factor in his stations’ ratings successes has been a steadfast commitment to quality programming.

WS: What lessons did ATRESMEDIA Televisión learn during the crisis?
BARDAJÍ: During the period when the crisis was the most intense, at ATRESMEDIA Televisión we implemented a cost-control plan for all our activities. Although this still continues, television has best been able to capitalize on the market’s slow recovery, thanks to a strategy of innovation and improvement that reflected the strength of our model. Our capacity to adapt has helped us overcome the obstacles and challenges in such a complex and dynamic activity as ours. We are in this position thanks to the fact that in the most challenging times, we’ve been able to anticipate [headwinds] and lay the foundation that currently makes us stronger to take full advantage of the gradual market recovery. But we’re still far from pre-crisis figures.

WS: What programming strategies have contributed to Antena 3’s ratings success?
BARDAJÍ: Antena 3’s consecutive leadership in December and January is a reward for our coherent and consistent [business] model. In television, it’s easy to take shortcuts in the short term, but our strategy is to create compelling television for audiences that is also attractive and effective for advertisers. We look to content that delivers quality and profitability, is relevant to the public and is developed with creativity, great talent and diversity in mind. Thanks to this strategy, we’ve consolidated ourselves as the factory of audiovisual content on every platform in the country. Our strategy is supported by the belief that our model is a successful one. We’ve demonstrated this by adapting to the continuous changes in the market and viewer trends.

WS: What have been some of the programs that have received the highest ratings in 2016?
BARDAJÍ: The television we offer is a point of reference for the industry for its quality, success and constant commitment to news through Antena 3 Noticias and La Sexta/Noticias. In 2016, Antena 3 had moments that made television history in Spain, like the series finale of Velvet that reached over 4.3 million viewers; El Hormiguero 3.0 consistently won its time slot with more than 2.7 million viewers; Tú cara me suena was the most-watched entertainment show in the history of our country; and Salvados: Una hora en La Moncloa was the most-watched show on La Sexta.

WS: How have ATRESMEDIA’s productions sold globally?
BARDAJÍ: We’re very satisfied with our TV exports. Tu cara me suena, for example, is the most exported Spanish entertainment format. Gran Hotel was the first Spanish fiction series aired in the U.K. and can be seen in over 30 countries. El tiempo entre costuras, Velvet, El secreto de Puente Viejo or Vis a vis air in dozens of countries. Also, ATRESMEDIA’s international channels Antena 3, Atreseries and ¡HOLA! TV are seen in 45 million homes in over 30 countries. We are the European operator with the most channels overseas.

WS: How much has Netflix impacted the Spanish market?
BARDAJÍ: We think it’s a complementary offering and is a client to whom we sell part of our productions. Our TV is free and creates appointment television. Our leadership has not only been limited to ratings and financial results. We’ve expanded our capacity for setting an agenda and generating debates and conversations that are important to the public. We are a point of reference. Additionally, our content is not only viewed on free TV, but is also distributed by pay-TV operators in other countries, Atresplayer and different platforms.

WS: What is the state of Spain’s advertising market?
BARDAJÍ: The Spanish market is recovering slowly after the crisis. Growth in 2016 was 5.3 percent. In this market, television is the most important medium, with a share of about over 40 percent. Television is the platform that is best resisting the internet’s push, as it is the second ad-spend platform. Our share of television advertising is between 42 and 43 percent. ATRESMEDIA’s platforms—television, radio and the internet—encompass one-fourth of the total market in Spain. With ATRESMEDIA Publicidad, innovation comes from having a close relationship with clients and actively listening to satisfy their needs; from analyzing other countries; from internal talent and leveraging new technologies.

WS: How has ATRESMEDIA diversified its revenues?
BARDAJÍ: In 2013, our CEO, Silvio González, saw it was necessary to diversify our activities. ATRESMEDIA Diversificación was created as a new division geared toward generating revenue not dependent on advertising. It is based on three main pillars, in addition to leveraging our content in the international market: investment in emerging companies through the media-for-equity model; new business, which encompasses diverse activities such as exploiting off-peak time slots, licenses and merchandising, contests, online games and e-commerce projects, such as Tualbum.es; and music rights management, through the music publisher IRRADIA and record label Atresmúsica. Results from this division have grown 20 percent in 2016 compared to the previous year.