Television in Spain
The first time I watched the TV in Spain, I were stunned by the similitude with the TV in US. There are a lot of talk shows, reality shows, celebrity programs, publicities, movie trailers... Spain has 6 national channels – TVE 1, TVE 2, antenna 3, cuatro, telecinco and la sexta. And depending where you are, you can have additional channels or not. In fact, almost each autonomous region broadcasts its own channels and normally in its own language. For example, in Catalonia autonomous region, there are 6 additional channels in catalan language – 3/24, 33, TV3, k3, barcelona tv and city tv. |
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In Andalucia autonomous region, 2 channels in castellan (known also spanish) language – canal 2 and canal sur. In Euskadi autonomous region, 2 channels in basque language – etb 1 and etb 2. There is no way to switch from its language to the national one which is the castellan language but if the channel broadcasts a series, a documentary, a movie... normally you have the possibility to choose between watching it in original version or not and with or without subtitle in the language of the autonomous region.
Personally I don’t like too much those celebrity shows, talk shows... but it is what I have to live in this country. From the morning until late in the night, they stop such kinds of program just to broadcast the news, movies, publicities, series, documentaries, trailers... but when it finishes, back to reality shows, talk shows...
In Catalonia, the channel 3/24 broadcasts news during 24h. Normally from monday to thursday, the night is for the series. Friday and Saturday, entertainment or documentary programs and sunday, movies.
The news lasts 1h and starts from 15h to 16h and from 20h30 to 21h30 except the channel cuatro which lasts 30 minutes and starts from 14h30 to 15h and from 21h to 21h30.
The movies, series, documentaries... start between 21h30 and 22h and with the publicity, it can end very late. For example, a movie of 2h can last 3h so it will end between 1h and 1h30 AM. After that, a reportage is broadcasted (normally from monday to thursday) about a topic for adult. That is why they do it so late and the subject can be about drug, sex, fascist, surgery, war...
In Catalonia but not all towns can receive it, the channel 25 TV is considered like a sex channel and they broadcast a talk sex show in night time and after porno movies - during day, well it is like the other channel.
Living at Barcelona, I prefer to watch those 4 catalan channels (3/24, 33, TV3, k3) because they broadcast programs very interesting and not so much talk shows. For the news, I prefer the channel cuatro because it is clear and well organized to provide the most important international and national information and not like the others which include a section of talk show, entertainment... well things like that which are not very important in my point of view.
Those channels are national ones so there is no need to pay and if spanish people want more, they can subscribe to the cable program for example. Personally, I don’t need more channels and I am quite happy with those national ones and also because I don’t stay all my days in front of my TV with popcorn !!!