“Do you feel safe with the new Telecinco?” asks the moderator of the promotional event at the start of the station’s season, a rhetorical question. He expects a clear yes, but Alessandro Salem (Palermo, 61 years old), CEO of Mediaset España, answers doubtfully: “Are you sure? Well, to the limit of my possibilities…”
“A journey into the desert” and reaching the “light at the end of the tunnel” are the expressions with which the new head of the communications group refers to the audience and image crisis that Telecinco has been suffering from for more than a year. The channel has gone from perennial leader to third place this summer, behind Antena 3 and La 1 and with historically low viewership.
The Italian, in office since May this year, is the survivor of a turbulent transition that ended with the Paolo Vasile era. To publicize the new identity of its main brand, the company called the media on Monday morning at the Teatro Real in Madrid and showed its new advertising campaign. It’s called “With You Always” and revolves around a spot shot by two of the Caballero brothers’ stars (La que se cerca, El pueblo).
The commercial appeals to the feeling of family and the ability of traditional television to keep viewers company. “Gathering in front of the screen in a time of angry individualism,” defends the executive. All the actions planned by Telecinco revolve around this commercial: advertising on all social networks, on buses and on huge banners in 18 Spanish cities.
Alessandro Salem (center), CEO of Mediaset España, poses with television director and producer Alberto Caballero and screenwriter Laura Caballero during the presentation of the new season of Telecinco this Monday in Madrid.Javier Lizon (EFE)
Salem also maintains its position as free-to-air television’s big differentiator in the face of growing on-demand consumption. “The direct is true. It is what brings the event closer to the viewer. “Television breathes and has heart, it is broadcast live,” defended the Italian. For this reason, the backbone of this season’s Telecinco program includes live shows by Ana Terradillos (La Mirada Crítica), Joaquín Prat (Vamos a ver), Sandra Barneda (That’s Life), Ana Rosa Quintana (TardeAR) and Jorge Javier Vázquez ( Chinese). stories). It accompanies you on the weekend at the Fiesta of Emma García with a 10-hour broadcast between Saturday and Sunday. These are changes with which they want to regain the dominance of some mornings without Ana Rosa Quintana and some afternoons without Sálvame in terms of screen shares.
During prime time, the communications group will try to create a consumer habit by marking each of its evenings with a well-defined theme: fictional Monday with La que se looming, real Thursday with Big Brother VIP, cinema Friday with the films that mark Disney’s 100 . To celebrate birthday …
It was inevitable that a reference appeared to the controversial code of ethics that the group’s new managers introduced months ago, eliminating political references and some characters from the core of the content in order to improve Telecinco’s image in the eyes of investors, viewers and advertisers alike. “We stick to the idea of being a happy chain, with good vibes that continues to be daring, but this is everyone’s home, where all opinions can be expressed without verbal violence,” argues Salem.
Another strategic decision of the old board that the new working team wants to change is to reduce the presence of news programs in the programs of its two main channels. They return to Cuatro and finally have a new set for Telecinco. The fact that Pedro Piqueras is expelled to Morocco these days after the earthquake that struck the country serves as a declaration of intent for the new Telecinco, explained Salem.
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