Atresmedia is committed to a 50' per episode format in its new original series

It is the first Spanish audiovisual group to adopt the international fiction standard, which will reinforce its strategy to extend the economic life of its series beyond traditional distribution and beyond Spanish borders.

Atresmedia has carried out an unprecedented strategic movement of great relevance in the Spanish audiovisual sector by announcing that all its new original series they will have a duration of 50 minutes per episode.

Será la primera televisión en abierto en España que apuesta únicamente por producciones de ficción con capítulos de 50 minutos de duración. Esta medida, que rompe con la dinámica establecida en la televisión en abierto, se hará efectiva en todas las nuevas series del sello Series Atresmedia que echen a andar a partir del próximo curso.

“Es el momento de dar este paso, que será crucial para el futuro de la ficción española. Este es, además, un paso lógico en la evolución de nuestra estrategia. Ser los primeros de la televisión en abierto nos consolida como un referente de la innovación para el sector y para el espectador. Por tanto, esta decisión refuerza el liderazgo de nuestra marca de ficción”, ha afirmado Carlos Fernandez, director de Contenidos de Atresmedia TV.

¿Qué supondrá?

At Atresmedia, where fiction has been a fundamental pillar since its birth, there is the conviction that the best way to move forward is to take the step that no one has yet dared to take. Experience has shown that this has been the key to the success of Series Atresmedia.

With this movement, Atresmedia is ahead of other free-to-air television operators and responds to the demand of viewers, television critics and creative agents in the sector (screenwriters, directors, actors, producers...) who have been demanding episodes for Spanish series whose duration is below international standards; that is, 50 minutes instead of the usual 70.

This strategic decision by Atresmedia will provide more quality for its fiction productions: focusing on the main story, providing plots with greater rhythm and intensity or betting on less explored narrative territories will be just some of the benefits.

Series Atresmedia rewards the loyalty of its viewers with a duration that will result in a better viewing experience. The objective: to offer the viewer the best series and enjoy them in the best way.

"With 50-minute episodes, the Atresmedia series will gain in quality and the viewer will enjoy a more positive experience; which is the line we have pursued in recent years. We like to bet on Spanish series, always going one step further. The quality, the care of our product and taking the risk of being pioneers is what has made the Series Atresmedia label a highly valued brand both inside and outside of Spain," he assured. Sonia Martinez, director of Fiction at Atresmedia TV.

With this move, it adapts to the international fiction standard, which will reinforce Atresmedia's strategy of extending the economic life of its series beyond traditional distribution and beyond the borders of our country.

Impact throughout the sector

Due to the position that Atresmedia occupies within the Spanish audiovisual sector as a large content factory and its importance, the decision to produce series for free broadcast with 50-minute episodes will have a significant impact on the entire sector.

"With this decision we set the tone for the sector with a measure that is unprecedented in Spain and that will force the market to readjust its proposals. Surely, we will soon see the rest of the operators adopting similar decisions to be more competitive. The comparison between series of 70 and 50 minutes will force the repositioning of all," stated Carlos Fernández.

For her part, Sonia Martínez has highlighted the importance that this decision has in the internationalization strategy of Atresmedia series. “Our series, which have been traveling around the world for years, which are broadcast in hundreds of countries and which have managed to become great international hits like Velvet, Gran Hotel, El tiempo entre costuras, Vis a vis o The Money Heist se revalorizarán en el mercado internacional al adaptar la duración de sus capítulos al metraje más usado fuera de nuestras fronteras”.

Por tanto, este movimiento también ayudará a potenciar la presencia de series españolas en el mercado exterior.