Ibero-AmerIcAn TelevIsIon FIcTIon observATory
obITel 2013
socIAl memory And TelevIsIon FIcTIon In Ibero-AmerIcAn counTrIes
Maria Immacolata Vassallo de LopesGuillermo Orozco Gómez
General Coordinators
Morella Alvarado, Gustavo Aprea, Fernando Aranguren, Alexandra Ayala, Borys Bustamante, Giuliana Cassano, James A. Dettleff, Cata-rina Duff Burnay, Isabel Ferin Cunha, Valerio Fuenzalida, Francisco Hernández, César Herrera, Pablo Julio Pohlhammer, Mónica Kirch-
heimer, Charo Lacalle, Juan Piñón, Guillermo Orozco Gómez, Rosario
Sánchez Vilela e Maria Immacolata Vassallo de Lopes
National Coordinators
Ibero-AmerIcAn TelevIsIon FIcTIon observATory
obITel 2013
socIAl memory And TelevIsIon FIcTIon In Ibero-AmerIcAn counTrIes
M533 Memória social eficção televisiva empaíses ibero-americanos: anuárioObitel 2013/CoordenadoporMariaImmacolataVassallodeLopeseGuillermo OrozcoGómez.—PortoAlegre:Sulina,2013. 536p.;il.
ISBN:978-85-205-0686-8
1.Televisão–Programas.2.Ficção–Televisão.3.ProgramasdeTelevisão– Ibero-Americano. 4. Comunicação Social. 5. Ibero-América – Televisão. I. Lopes,MariaImmacolataVassallode.II.Gómez,GuillermoOrozco.
CDU:654.19659.3
CDD:301.161791.445
DadosInternacionaisdeCatalogaçãonaPublicação(CIP)BibliotecáriaResponsável:DeniseMarideAndradeSouza–CRB10/960
©GloboComunicaçãoeParticipaçõesS.A.,2013
Capa:Letícia Lampert
Projetográficoeeditoração:Niura Fernanda Souza
Produção,assessoriaeditorialejurídica:Bettina Maciel e Niura Fernanda Souza
Revisão:Felícia Xavier Volkweis
Revisãográfica:Miriam Gress
Editor:Luis Gomes
Av. Osvaldo Aranha, 440 cj. 101 – Bom Fim Cep: 90035-190 – Porto Alegre/RSFone: (0xx51) 3311.4082Fax: (0xx51) 2364.4194www.editorasulina.com.bre-mail: [email protected]
Agosto/2013
Direitos desta edição adquiridos por Globo Comunicação e Participações S.A.
Editora Meridional Ltda.
ThisworkisaresultofapartnershipbetweenGloboUniver-sidade and Ibero-AmericanTelevisionFictionObservatory (OBI-TEL).Suchpartnership,startedin2008,aimstopresentanddiscusstheyearlyanalysesonproduction,content,audienceandsociocul-turalimportanceofthetelevisionfictioninLatinAmericaandintheIberianPeninsula.
Publications produced:• ObitelYearbook2008:GlobalMarkets,LocalStories;• ObitelYearbook 2009: Television Fiction in Ibero-America:
Narratives,FormatsandAdvertising;• ObitelYearbook2010:ConvergencesandTransmediationof
theTelevisionFiction;• ObitelYearbook2011:QualityinTelevisionFictionandAudi-
ences’TransmediaInteractions;• ObitelYearbook2012:TransnationalizationofTelevisionFic-
tioninIbero-AmericanCountries;• ObitelYearbook2013:SocialMemoryandTelevisionFiction
inIbero-AmericanCountries.
About Globo Universidade:GloboUniversidade,createdin1999,hasasamissiontheshar-
ingofexperiencesinordertoaddknowledge.Toaccomplishit,apermanentpartnershipwiththeacademiaisestablished.
Throughdebates,seminars,publicationsandresearchsupport,GloboUniversidadecontributestothescientificproductionanddis-semination,aswellastheformationofpersonnel.Since2008,Glo-boUniversidadehasbeenpresent inRedeGlobo’sprogramming:everySaturday,at7h, theprogramfeaturesinformationabout themainuniversitiesinBrazilandintheworld.
In2011,thisprogrambecamepartofGlobo Cidadania,whichalso counts on the participation of the programsGlobo Ciência,Globo Educação andGlobo Ecologia e Ação.
ARGENTINAGustavoAprea(Universidad
Nacional de General
Sarmiento; Instituto Univer-
sitario Nacional del Arte)
andMónicaKirchheimer (Universidad de Buenos
Aires; Instituto Universitario
Nacional del Arte),National Coordinators;MaríaVictoriaBourdieu(Uni
versidad Nacional de Ge-
neral Sarmiento),MaríaBel-zunces,VictoriaDeMichele, NoeliaMorales,Laura Oszust,EzequielRivero (Universidad de Buenos
Aires), Collaborators.
BRAZILMariaImmacolataVassalode Lopes(Universidade de São
Paulo),NationalCoordina tor;MariaCristinaPalmaMungioli (Universidade de São Paulo),
obITel nATIonAl reseArch TeAms
GeneralCoordinatorsMariaImmacolataVassallodeLopes(Universidade de São Paulo)
GuillermoOrozcoGómez(Universidad de Guadalajara)
AdjuntResearch;CláudiaFreire,ClariceGreco Alves,HelenEmyNochi Suzuki,IssaafSantos Karhawi,LigiaMariaPrezia Lemos,PatriciaBieging,Ra- faelaBernardazziTorrens Leite(Universidade de São
Paulo), ResearchAssociates;MiguelLuizdeSouza,Pedro ZanottoBazi,TomazAf- fonsoPenner(Centro de Es-
tudosdeTelenovela–
CETVN–daEscoladeCo-
municações e Artes da
Universidade de São Paulo),
ResearchAssistants.
CHILEValerioFuenzalidaandPablo JulioPohlhammer(Pontifi-
cia Universidad Católica de
Chile),NationalCoordina- tors;ConstanzaMujica,Luis Breull,AlejandroBruna
(Universidad Católica de
Chile),ResearchAssistants;VerónicaSilva,Independent Researcher.
COLOMBIABorysBustamanteBohórquez andFernandoAranguren Díaz(Universidad Distrital
Francisco José de Caldas), NationalCoordinators;HernanRiveros,Alejandra Rusinque,DianaMendoza. (Universidad Distrital
Francisco José de Caldas),
ResearchAssociates.
ECUADORAlexandraAyala-Marínand CésarHerreraRivadeneira (Centro Internacional de
Estudios Superiores de
Comunicación para América
Latina–CIESPAL),National Coordinators;PamelaCruzPaéz,JoséLuis Bedón,AdrianaGarrido, JoséRivera(Centro Inter-
nacional de Estudios Supe-
riores de Comunicación para
AméricaLatina–CIESPAL),
ResearchAssociates.
SPAINCharoLacalle(Universitat Au-
tònoma de Barcelona), Na- tionalCoordinator;MariluzSánchez,LucíaTra- bajo,DeborahCastro(Uni-
versitat Autònoma de Barce-
lona),ResearchAssociates;AnnaAlonso,PaolaCabrera, BelénGranda,FranciscaNi- colau,GermánMuñoz, KarinaTiznado,BertaTru- llàs (Universitat Autònoma
de Barcelona),Collaborators.
UNITEDSTATESJuanPinon(New York Univer-
sity),NationalCoordinator;LinneteManrique,Tanya Cornejo(New York Univer-
sity),ResearchAssociates;DianaKamin(New York Uni-
versity),Collaborator.
MEXICOGuillermoOrozcoGómezand FranciscoHernándezLomelí (Universidad de Guadala-
jara),NationalCoordinators;DarwinFrancoMigues,Ga- brielaGómez,AdrienChar- loisAllende(Universidad de
Guadalajara), ResearchAs- sociates.
PERUJamesA.DettleffandGiuliana Cassano(Pontificia Uni-
versidad Católica del Perú), NationalCoordinators;GuillermoVásquezF.(Ponti-
ficia Universidad Católica
del Perú),ResearchAssoci- ate;RoggerVergara,Tatiana Labarthe,ThaliaDancuart, NatalyVergara(Pontificia
Universidad Católica del
Perú), ResearchAssistants.
PORTUGALIsabelFerinCunha(Universi-
dade de Coimbra, Centro de
Investigação Media e Jor-
nalismo)andCatarinaDuff Burnay(Universidade Católica
Portuguesa), NationalCoor- dinators; FernandaCastilhoSantana, BiancaFaciola(Universi-
dade de Coimbra), Research Associates.
URUGUAYRosarioSánchezVilela(Uni-
versidad Católica del Uru-
guay), NationalCoordinator;PaulaSantosVizcaíno,Lucía Allegro,EugeniaArmúa, IsabelDighiero(Univer-
sidad Católica del Uruguay), ResearchAssistants.
VENEZUELAMorellaAlvaradoMiquilena (Universidad Central de Ve-
nezuela), NationalCoordina- tor;LuisaTorrealba(Universidad
Central de Venezuela), Re- searcher;MabelCalderín(Universidad
Católica Andrés Bello)and CarlosArcila(Universidad
del Norte),ResearchAsso- ciates;NazarethSojo(Universidad
Central de Venezuela),Pedro deMendonca(Universidad
Central de Venezuela), AndreaAbreu(Universidad
Católica Andrés Bello), ResearchAssistants.
Index
EDITOR’S NOTE .................................................................................... 15
METHODOLOGICAL NOTE .................................................................. 17
FIRST PARTFICTIONINTHEIBERO-AMERICANSPACEIN2012
Comparative synthesis from Obitel countries in 2012.............................. 23 Maria Immacolata Vassallo de Lopes, Guillermo Orozco Gómez 1. AudiovisualcontextinIbero-Americancountries.......................... 24 2. ComparisonofTVfictioninIbero-Americancountriesin2012... 33 3. Thetenmostviewedfictionsintheyear........................................ 43 4. HighlightsoftheyearinObitelcountries...................................... 53 5. TVfictionandtransmediareception: interactionthroughnetworks......................................................... 60 6. Topicoftheyear:socialmemoryandtelevision fictioninIbero-Americancountries............................................... 76
SECOND PART FICTIONINOBITELCOUNTRIESIN2012
1. ARGENTINA: growth of national production and its styles........ 95 Authors: Gustavo Aprea, Mónica Kirchheimer Team:María Belzunces, María Victoria Bourdieu, Victoria De Michele, Noelia Morales, Laura Oszust, Ezequiel Rivero 1. Audiovisualcontextinthecountry................................................ 95 2. Yearlyanalysis:premiereofnationaland Ibero-Americanfiction................................................................. 103 3. Transmediareception.................................................................. 113 4. Highlightsoftheyear.................................................................. 116 5. Topicoftheyear:socialmemoryandtelevisionfiction............... 120
2. BRAZIL: telenovela as media event............................................... 129 Authors: Maria Immacolata Vassallo de Lopes, Maria Cristina Palma Mungioli Team: Claudia Freire, Clarice Greco, Ligia Maria Prezia Lemos, Issaaf Karhawi, Helen N. Suzuki 1. Audiovisualcontextinthecountry.............................................. 129 2. Yearlyanalysis:premiereofnationaland Ibero-Americanfiction................................................................. 139 3. Transmediareception.................................................................... 151 4. Highlightsoftheyear................................................................... 154 5. Topicoftheyear:socialmemoryandtelevisionfiction.............. 158
3. CHILE: changes in the industry .................................................... 167 Authors:Valerio Fuenzalida, Pablo Julio Pohlhammer Team:Verónica Silva, Constanza Mujica, Luis Breull, Alejandro Bruna 1. Audiovisualcontextinthecountry............................................... 167 2. Yearlyanalysis:premiereofnationaland Ibero-Americanfiction................................................................. 171 3. Transmediareception.................................................................... 182 4. Highlightsoftheyear................................................................... 184 5. Topicoftheyear:socialmemoryandtelevisionfiction.............. 188
4. COLOMBIA: violence, entertainment and audiovisual spectacle................................................................ 195 Authors: Boris Bustamante, Fernando Aranguren Team:Hernán Javier Riveros, Alejandra Rusinque, Diana Mendoza 1. Audiovisualcontextinthecountry.............................................. 195 2. Yearlyanalysis:premiereofnationaland Ibero-Americanfiction................................................................. 205 3. Transmediareception.................................................................... 214 4. Highlightsoftheyear................................................................... 217 5. Topicoftheyear:socialmemoryandtelevisionfiction.............. 220
5. ECUADOR:fictionandhumormovetotheweb.......................... 229 Authors:Alexandra Ayala Marín, César Herrera Team:Pamela Cruz Páez, José Luis Bedón, Adriana Garrido, José Rivera 1. Audiovisualcontextinthecountry.............................................. 229 2. Yearlyanalysis:premiereofnationaland Ibero-Americanfiction................................................................. 238 3. Transmediareception.................................................................... 249
4. Highlightsoftheyear................................................................... 253 5. Topicoftheyear:socialmemoryandtelevisionfiction.............. 256
6. SPAIN:fictionresiststhecrisis...................................................... 265 Author: Charo Lacalle Team:Mariluz Sánchez, Lucía Trabajo, Deborah Castro, Anna Alonso, Paola Cabrera, Belén Granda, Francisca Nicolau, Germán Muñoz, Karina Tiznado, Berta Trullàs 1. Audiovisualcontextinthecountry............................................... 265 2. Yearlyanalysis:premiereofnationaland Ibero-Americanfiction................................................................. 273 3. Transmediareception.................................................................... 287 4. Highlightsoftheyear................................................................... 291 5. Topicoftheyear:socialmemoryandtelevisionfiction.............. 294
7. UNITED STATES: looking for a younger audience – the rebranding of hispanic TV........................................................ 305 Author: Juan Piñón Team: Linnete Manrique, Tanya Cornejo 1. Audiovisualcontextinthecountry............................................... 305 2. Yearlyanalysis:premiereofnationaland Ibero-Americanfiction................................................................. 315 3. Transmediareception.................................................................... 327 4. Highlightsoftheyear................................................................... 329 5. Topicoftheyear:socialmemoryandtelevisionfiction.............. 331
8. MEXICO:TVpoweronthespot.Televisionfictionbetween presidential elections and audiences’ activation........................... 339 Authors: Guillermo Orozco, Francisco Hernández, Darwin Franco Team: Gabriela Gómez, Adrien Charlois, 1. Audiovisualcontextinthecountry............................................... 339 2. Yearlyanalysis:premiereofnationaland Ibero-Americanfiction................................................................. 351 3. Transmediareception.................................................................... 359 4. Highlightsoftheyear................................................................... 363 5. Topicoftheyear:socialmemoryandtelevisionfiction.............. 366
9. PERU:fictionofentrepreneurs..................................................... 371 Authors:James A. Dettleff, Giuliana Cassano, Guillermo Vásquez F. Team:Rogger Vergara, Tatiana Labarthe, Thalia Dancuart, Nataly Vergara 1. Audiovisualcontextinthecountry............................................... 371
2. Yearlyanalysis:premiereofnationaland Ibero-Americanfiction................................................................. 380 3. Transmediareception.................................................................... 392 4. Highlightsoftheyear................................................................... 396 5. Topicoftheyear:socialmemoryandtelevisionfiction.............. 398
10. PORTUGAL:fictionandaudiencesontransition....................... 407 Authors:Catarina Duff Burnay, Isabel Ferin Cunha Team:Fernanda Castilh, Bianca Faciola 1. Audiovisualcontextinthecountry............................................... 407 2. Yearlyanalysis:premiereofnationaland Ibero-Americanfiction................................................................. 415 3. Transmediareception.................................................................... 429 4. Highlightsoftheyear................................................................... 432 5. Topicoftheyear:socialmemoryandtelevisionfiction.............. 434
11. URUGUAY: searching for a sustainable model ........................... 439 Author: Rosario Sánchez Vilela Team: Paula Santos, Lucía Allegro, Eugenia Armúa, Isabel Dighiero 1. Audiovisualcontextinthecountry............................................... 439 2. Yearlyanalysis:premiereofnationaland Ibero-Americandiction................................................................ 448 3. Transmediareception.................................................................... 458 4. Highlightsoftheyear................................................................... 461 5. Topicoftheyear:socialmemoryandtelevisionfiction.............. 464
12. VENEZUELA:fromsuspensefiction tonationalizedfiction...................................................................... 473 Authors: Morella Alvardo, Luisa Torrealba Team: Mabel Calderín, Carlos Arcila 1. Audiovisualcontextinthecountry............................................... 474 2. Yearlyanalysis:premiereofnationaland Ibero-Americanfiction................................................................. 485 3. Transmediareception.................................................................... 499 4. Highlightsoftheyear................................................................... 502 5. Topicoftheyear:socialmemoryandtelevisionfiction.............. 505
APPENDIX: TOP TEN TV FICTION IN OBITEL COUNTRIES............................................................................. 509
edITor’s noTe
THISYEARBOOK2013ISPUBLISHEDbySulinaEditorialin three languages simultaneously: Portuguese, Spanish, and En- glish,anditspredecessorsaretheObitel Yearbook 2007,publishedinSpanishbyEditorialGedisa,Spain,Obitel Yearbook 2008,pub-lished in Portuguese andEnglish byGloboUniversidade,Brazil,Obitel Yearbook 2009, published inSpanishbyOETI,Spain, andinPortuguese andEnglishbyGloboUniversidade,Brazil,Obitel
Yearbook 2010 and 2011 publishedinPortugueseandSpanishbyGloboUniversidade,Brazil,Obitel Yearbook 2012 publishedinPor-tuguese,Spanish,andEnglishbySulinaEditorial,Brazil.
InJuly2008,UruguayjoinedinasanewmemberofObitel.With the subsequent incorporation of Ecuador in 2010, and thenPeruin2012,Obitelbecamearenewedinternationalinstitutionforthecomparativeresearchontelevisionfiction,withtheparticipationof twelve countries,which integrate the national chapters of thisYearbook.TheincreaseofObitel´smembershipshowsbyitselftheconsolidationandleadershipofitsanalyticalandprovocativeworkaroundtheIbero-Americanworld.
Onbehalfofallthenationalcoordinators,thegeneralcoordina-torsofthisYearbookwishtoexpressourgratitudetoGloboUniver-sidadefortheircontinuoussupportandtimingcollaborationtothispublication.WereiterateourappreciationforthesupportreceivedfromtheinstitutesIbope:Ibope(Brazil),Time-Ibope(Chile)Ibope(Colombia,Uruguay),Nielsen-Ibope-AGB(Mexico),IbopeMediaPerú(Peru);MediaMonitor-MarktestAudimetria(Portugal);Kan-tarMediaandBarloventoComunicaciones(Spain);Nielsen(UnitedStates);AGBNielsenMediaResearch (Venezuela); and from allandeachoneoftheuniversitiestowhichtheauthorsbelong.
meThodologIcAl noTe
The IBERO-AMERICANTELEVISIONFICTIONOBSER-VATORY, referred to as OBITEL, since its inception in 2005,worksasan intercontinentalproject for the Iberian region(Ibero-America),includingLatinAmericanandIberiancountriesandtheUnitedStatesHispanicpopulation.Atthismomentitwasconsid-eredimportanttospeakaboutanIbero-AmericanambitduetotheincreasinginterestofthedifferentnationalStatesinmakingadiffer-entiatedseriesofpoliciesofmedia,cultural,artisticandcommercialproduction,changeandcreationconverge,inthehopesthattheareamightbecomearegionofimportantgeopoliticalandculturalrefer-ence.
TheobservationthathasbeencarriedoutintheObitelintendstodistinguishatleastfivedimensionsofthisvastobjectofanaly-sis:itsproduction,exhibition,consumption,commercialization,andthematicproposals.Thephenomenonof“transmediation”hasbeeninto thesedimensions since the2010 Yearbook.Even though thisphenomenon is just incipient, it bears a high potential for under-standingproductionitselfandtheexpectationswithfiction,itsdis-tributionandconsumptionfromthecompaniesandtelevisionchan-nels.Transmediationwasincludedinthatyearbookasthe“topicoftheyear”and,sincethen,itwasdefinitelyembeddedasapermanentsectionoftheYearbook.Withthisanalysis,weintendtoexplainthenewforms inwhich theaudiencesrelateandconnectwith televi-sionfictionthattheynowwatchandconsumethroughtheInternetorthroughmobiledevicessuchascellphones,laptops,tablets,etc.
Inthepresent2013 Yearbook,whichistheseventhconsecutiveone,wecontinuewiththesamelineofitspredecessor,byfocusingnowonsocialmemoryanalysisinthewaysthatpervadesnarrativefictionintheObitelcountries.
18 | Obitel 2013
The methodological activities conducted for this 2013 Year-
bookwerebasicallyasfollows:1.Thesystematicfollow-upofthefictionprogrammingthatis
broadcastbytheopenchannelsinthe12countriesthatparticipateinthenetwork.Forthis2013 Yearbook,aswesaidintheEditor’sNote,PeruincorporatedasnewObitelcountry.
2.Thegenerationofcomparablequantitativedatafromthesecountries:schedules,premiereshows,numberofchapters,indexes,audienceprofile,andcentralfictionthemes;
3.Theanalysisofthetendenciesinnarrativesandthethematiccontentsineachcountry(dataonconsumptionofothermediasuchastheInternetandotherprogramgenres,investmentinadvertising,politicalandpolicieseventsoftheyear),aswellaswhateveryna-tionalresearchteamconsiders“themostoutstandingoftheyear”,especiallyintermsofchangesinproduction,narrativesandcontentspreferred;
4.Theanalysisoftransmediareceptionandtheinteractionsoftheaudienceswithfictionineachcountry;theselectionofthecasetobeanalyzed,ifitwasmadetakingasreferencesomeofthetoptentitlesorelsebyselectingonethat,duetoitssingularity,hashadauniquebehaviorontheInternetoronanysocialnetwork;
5.Thepublicationoftheresultsofthesystematicmonitoringintheyearbookformat,payingspecialattentiontoatopicinparticular.Thetopicoftheyearforthis2013 Yearbookis:Social Memory and Television Fiction.
Ourobservationwascarriedoutbyanetworkofresearchteamsfrom12countriesanddifferentuniversitiesfromtheIbero-Amer-ican region: Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Ecuador, Spain,UnitedStates,Mexico,Peru,Portugal,Venezuela,andUruguay.
Themainsourcesofaudiencemeasuringdatawereprovidedbyaudiencemeasurementinstitutesinthedifferentcountries:Ibope(Brazil),Time-Ibope(Chile),Ibope(Colombia,Uruguay),Nielsen-Ibope(Mexico),IbopeTime(Ecuador),IbopeMediaPerú(Peru),Average Monitor Marktest Audimetria (Portugal), Kantar Media
Methodological Note | 19
andBarloventoComunicaciones (Spain),Nielsen (UnitedStates),andAGBNielsenMediaResearch(Venezuela).
Wealsoworkwiththedatageneratedbytheresearchteams,fromothersourcessuchaspressreleases,Internetinformation,au-dioandvideomaterial,aswellas thosefromdirectcontactswithagenciesandprofessionalsoftheaudiovisualmediaineachcountry.
Thestatisticaltreatmentofthedatawascarriedoutaccordingtoproductive typologies (programmingschedule, timeslots,dura-tionofeach fictionproduct, chaptersorepisodes)andmeasuring
typologies (audience ratings and share), which made possible tobuildcomparativetablesoftheofferconditionsandtheproductionprofiles of television fiction in each country,which include suchcategoriesas:programmingamount,formats,producers,scriptwrit-ers,creators,exhibitionstrategies,amongothers.
The general analysis of this Yearbook is divided into threeparts.
Thefirstpart,“FictionintheIbero-AmericanSpace”,presentsa comparative synthesis of fiction in the Obitel countries.Thiscomparisonismadefromaquantitativeandqualitativeperspectivethatallowstoobservethedevelopmentoffictionineachcountry,highlightingtheirmainproductions,aswellasthetopicoftheyear,herein,“SocialMemoryandTelevisionFiction”.
Thesecondpart,“FictionintheObitelCountries”,iscomposedbytwelvechapters(oneforeachcountry),withastructureoffixedsections, thoughsomearemorespecific thanothers.Thesectionsthatmakeupeachofthechaptersarethefollowing:
1.Country’s audiovisual context:Itpresentsgeneralinforma-tionabouttheaudiovisualsectorregardingtheproductionoftelevi-sionfiction:thestory,tendenciesandmorerelevantevents.
2.Analysis of premiere fiction of the year: It is presentedthroughseveraltablesthatshowspecificdataaboutnationalandIbe-ro-Americanfictionthatwerereleasedineachcountry.Inthissection,specialemphasisisplacedontheten most viewed titlesoftheyear.
20 | Obitel 2013
3.Transmedia reception:Hereispresentedandexemplifiedtheofferthatthenetworksprovidetheiraudiencessothattheycanconsume theirproductionsvia Internet, aswell as thedescriptionofaudiences’behaviorswhenwatching,consumingandinteractingwiththeirfictionsthroughpagesandwebsites.
4.Highlights of the year:Themostimportantproductions,notonlyintermsofrating,butalsointermsofthesocioculturalimpactoroftheinnovationthattheygenerateinthetelevisionindustryandmarketarepresentedhere.
5.Topic of the Year,which in this issue isSocial Memory and Television Fiction: Hereisofferedananalysisofthewaysinwhichfictionsworkonstoriesoccurringwhollyorpartiallyinthepast(remoteorclose)andhowtheyalludetothisinstoriessetinthe present.ThisYearbook attempted tomake an analysis of therepresentations,whichcombinesnotonly the trackingofproduc-tionsinopenchannelsofdifferentcountries,butalsotheanalysisofthespaceimagined,remembered,fromwhichemergesaparticularmemory,amedia memoryconstructedbytelevisionfictionoverde-cadesofdailycontactwiththepeopleofanation.
Thethirdpart isan“Appendix”,wherearecollectedthe top ten TV fictions in the Obitel countries withbasicandnecessaryinformationabouttheseproductions.
comPArATIve synThesIs From obITel counTrIes In 2012
MariaImmacolataVassallodeLopes,GuillermoOrozcoGómez
ThisfirstpartoftheObitelYearbookpresentsacomparative,syntheticpanoramaofthemaindataofthemonitoringcarriedoutin2012abouttheproductionandcirculationofnewreleasedTVfic-tionshowsintheIbero-Americancountriesthisyear.
Thereportdealswith75broadcastchannels,bothprivateandpublic,withnationalpenetration,basedonthe12countriesthatcon-stitutethegeo-culturalscopeofObitel.1
Table 1. Obitel countries and examined channels – 20122
Obitel countries Private channelsPublic
channelsBroadcaster
total
ArgentinaAmérica2,Canal9,
Telefé,ElTreceTelevisiónPública 5
BrazilGlobo,Record,SBT,
Band,RedeTV!TVBrasil 6
ChileUCVTV,Canal13,Teleca-
nal,Red,Chilevisión,MegaTVN 7
Colombia RCN,Caracol,CanalUnoSeñalColombia,
Canalinstitucional5
EcuadorTeleamazonas,RTS,
Ecuavisa,CanalUno
ECTV,GamaTV,
TCTelevisión7
SpainAntena3,Tele5,Cuatro,
LaSextaLa1,La2 62
1In2012,PerujoinedObitel.2Spainhas30autonomousTVnetworks,notanalyzedinthiscomparativechapter,whichcollectsonlythenetworksthathavenationalofferineachcountry.ThemostsignificantdataontheseregionalorlocalnetworkscanbefoundinthechapteronSpaininthisYe-arbook.
24 | Obitel 2013
United StatesAztecaAmerica,EstrellaTV,
MundoFox,Telemundo,
UniMás,Univisión,V-me
7
MexicoTelevisa,TVAzteca,Cadena
Tres
OnceTV,
Conaculta 5
PeruFrecuenciaLatina,América
Televisión,Panamericana
Televisión,ATV,GlobalTV
TVPerú 6
Portugal SIC,TVI RTP1,RTP2 4
UruguayMontecarloTV,Saeta,Tele-
doce/LaTele
TelevisiónNacio-
nal(TNU)4
Venezuela
CanalI,Globovisión,La
Tele,Meridiano,Televen,
TVFamilia,ValeTV,Vene-
visión
ANTV,Tves,C.A.
TeleSur,VTV,
ViveTV
13
Total 54 21 75Source:Obitel
Fromtheuniverseof75nationalbroadcastchannelsinthe12Obitelcountries,theprivate-ownednetworksrepresented54(72%),that is,more than twice thepublicones,which totaled21 (28%).Theonlycountrythathasabalancebetweenprivateandpublicnet-worksisPortugal.InColombia,EcuadorandMexico,thenumberofpublicnetworksismuchclosertothatofprivateones.Inothercountries,thereisapredominanceofprivatenetworks.TheUnited Statesistheonlycountryinwhichtherearenopublicchannels,inourcase,cateringtoHispanicdemographics.
1. Audiovisual context in Ibero-American countriesSomefactscommandourattentioninthepanorama of com-
municationsinthecountriesoftheObitelscope.Thefirstofthemrefers to the scenarioof transformation thatwehaveobserved inrelation to the newways of consumingTV content.The subject,whichwastheannualthemeofthe2010Yearbook,hasbeenhigh-lightedinthereportsmadebytheObitelsincethen,andstillappearsasoneof thebigchallengesforcompaniesfocusedonmeasuring
Comparative synthesis of the Obitel countries in 2012 | 25
ratingsaccordingtotalksinsomecountries.Newmethodologiesforaudiencemeasurementaresoughtinacontextofencompassingandcomplex transformationsof technologiesofproduction,broadcastandreceptionofmedia,givingorigintotheso-calledcommunica-tionormediaecosystem.
Thesetransformationshaveanotableimpactinthe“artsofdo-ing”andthe“artsofsaying”(DeCerteau,2007)ofthetraditionalmediabasedonverticalityofcommunicationprocesses.Inthiscon-text,itwasnotedinObitelcountries,in2012,anexpressiveincreasein the use of the Internet,mobile phone and the consolidationofdigitalmediaasplatformsofinformationandcommunication.ThedynamicsofthismovementhasasasourcetheriseinthenumberofusersofsocialnetworksandtheincreaseoftheofferingofTVcontentformobileplatforms.
Thechallengethusplaced,asmuchforacademicresearchersasforthoseincompaniesthatmeasureratings,ismainlyinthesearchformechanismsofcomprehensionofnewartsofdoingandartsofsaying that find their locus by excellence in social networks andmobilereceptionanddistributiondevicesofTVcontent,character-izingmassself-communication(Castells,2009).TheconcernwiththissearchisbehindeachchapterfromcountriesthatarepartofthecurrentYearbook,aswellas thesummary thatwepresent in thiscomparisonpiece.
AnotheraspectthatdeservesrecognitionintheIbero-Americanscenariooftelevisionin2012referstothepoliciesofcommunica-tiondevotedtoincreasingtheofferofnationalTVcontent,asisthecaseofArgentina,Ecuadorand,mainly,Brazil.
Panorama of the ratingsIn the scenarioofratings in2012,onecan see theattention
thatMexico, Brazil andPortugalhavegiven to theemploymentofmediationtechniquestomapthemovementofaudiencesthatarenolongercircumscripttothecontentbroadcastexclusivelybythetelevisionplatform.Thismovement,followedbyObitelsince2010,
26 | Obitel 2013
ismarkedbymultiplepossibilitiesofreception,demandingdiffer-entiatedmethodologiestofollow,forinstance,theconsumptionoffictionthroughmobiledevicesandVideoonDemand(VoD).
InMexico, there is a highlight for the broadcast of fictionalcontentfromTelevisaontheVoDplatformNetflix.InArgentina,therewas themaintenance of the general rating of broadcastTVwithAmerica2 leading in ratings and Telefé in share. InBrazil,Globostillleadswithamajoradvantagebothinratingsandshareoffictionprogramming.Meanwhile,inColombia,wenoteanin-crease of Caracol channel, due to its successful fiction program-ming,whichsurpassedRCNinbothratingsandshareforthefirsttimeinalongwhile.InEcuador,theleadingnetworkinratingsandsharewasEcuavisa,whileTCTelevisiónledtheratingsinfictionprogramming.InSpain,Tele5ledintermsofshare.Inthiscountry,thedurationofTVconsumptionhas reached a newdaily record,reaching46minutes per spectator.Not only that, but fictionwastheleadinggenrewiththemostspaceintheSpanishprogrammingschedule.TelevisakeptitsleadershipinMexico,andinPortugal TVI commanded the ratings and share,whileSICgained groundduringprime time through thebroadcastofBrazilian telenovelas.InUruguay, the networkwith the highest ratings and sharewasTeledoce/LaTele,andinVenezuelaVenevisiónkeptitsleadership,withanexpressive80%ofthetotalaudience.IntheUnited States,UnivisionCommunicationsledcomfortablytheratings,especiallywhenyouadd thenumbersof the twosisternetworks (UnivisiónandUnimás),almostreaching70%.
Advertising investmentEveninascenariothatisincreasinglymarkedbythecompeti-
tionwithdigitalmedia,therewasagrowthintheadvertising in-vestment inbroadcastTVinArgentina, Brazil, Colombia, Mex-icoandPeru.
In Spain andPortugal, the economic crisis was blamed asthemaincauseondiminishingadvertisinginvestmentinthesetwo
Comparative synthesis of the Obitel countries in 2012 | 27
Iberiancountries.InArgentina,despiteanincreaseinadvertisinginvestment,timededicatedtobroadcastTVadvertisinghasfallen.Eveninasituationofdiminishinginvestment,inPortugal,TVre-ceived75%ofall advertising investment. InPeru, it reached the72%mark,whileinBrazil, EcuadorandMexico,TVhasreceivedmorethanhalfoftheadvertisinginvestment.
InBrazil, themost important advertiserswere those in retail,beautyproducts, financial institutionandbeverages. InVenezuela,theywerefood,health,clothing,and,asahighlight,advertisingofinsurance and security services. InSpain, Ecuador andVenezue-la,amongadvertisers, thepublicinstitutionswereofnote.WhenitcomestoadvertisinginvestmentinInternetandsocialnetworks,oneobservessignificantgrowthinBrazil, Spain, PortugalandUruguay.
Astotelevisiongenres,Colombiaisnotableintimeslotsthatbroadcastfictionasthosewhoreceivedthemostadvertisinginvest-ment,whileinEcuador,itwasverifiedthatbetween2007and2011,telenovelasreceivedathirdofadvertisinginvestment.In Mexico,the highlightwere the so-called “brand telenovelas”, productionsthatutilizedamodelknownas“narrativeadvertising”,aformatthatpresentsacertainbrandasanarrativeelement.
Merchandising and social merchandisingThecountriesoftheObitelareacontinuetoshowcommercial
merchandising,aswellasproductplacement,insertedintheplotofitsfiction.ThepracticeismostcommonincountriessuchasAr-gentina, Brazil, Colombia, MexicoandPeru,andisconcentratedinprimetime.Themostcommonlyadvertisedproductsarehomeappliances,foodandcosmetics.ItshouldbenotedthatthepracticeisprohibitedinVenezuela.
Inmany countries, fictional narratives present social themesdealtwithinaneducationalmanner,theso-calledsocial merchan-dising. In2012, oneof thepresented themeswasdiscrimination,usedinfictioninArgentina,intheminiseriesEl paraíso, Los pibes
del Puente andLa viuda de Rafael; inBrazil, in the telenovelas
28 | Obitel 2013
Avenida BrasilandAquele beijo;inMexico,intheseriesKipatla:
para tratarnos igual;andinPeru,intheseriesSolamente Milagros (seasons1and2)andintheminiseriesConversando con la luna.BullyingwasalsodealtwithintheseriesGraduados,fromArgen-tina,andinthesoapoperaMalhaçãoandinthetelenovelaRebelde,bothinBrazil.Bothcountriesalsopresentedacommonthemeofdomestic violence againstwomen, in the telenovelaMaltratadas,fromArgentina,andthetelenovelasRebeldeandCorações feridos,fromBrazil,aswellasinepisodesoftheseriesTu decides, fromVenezuela.
FictioninBrazilalsoinsertedintheirplotssubjectslikechildadoption,inthetelenovelasSalve JorgeandVidas em jogo,humantrafficking in the telenovelaSalve Jorge andmaids’ rights in thetelenovelaCheias de charme.Mexicopresented thediscussionoffightingdrugdealingintheseriesLa tenienteandworkingcondi-tionsoftheRedCrossintheseriesParamédicos.
An important aspect of social merchandising refers to thesocial-educationalactions thatstronglyaffect insocialcampaignsawayfromthescreen.ThathappenedinBrazilwiththeparticipa-tionoftheactressesfromthetelenovelaCheias de charme inacam-paignformaids’rightspromotedbytheUnitedNationsforGenderEqualityandEmpoweringofWomen(ONUWomen)and the In-ternationLaborOrganization(ILO);andtheactorsofatelenovelafromColombiathatparticipatedinthe“CaminataSolidaridadporColombia”and the“CarnavaldeBarranquilla”,humanitarianandsocialcampaigns.
Communication policiesTwofactsofcommunication policiesgainedrelevanceinthe
scenarioofObitelcountries:theimplementationofDigitalTerres-trialTelevision(DTT)andtheadoptionofspecificmeasuresinrela-tiontotheproductionandtransmissionofaudiovisualcontent.
DifferentstagesareobservedinthecountriesanalyzedwhenitcomestotheimplementationofDTT.Portugalcelebratedtheend
Comparative synthesis of the Obitel countries in 2012 | 29
ofanalogictransmissioninApril2012,whileUruguayapproved,inMayofthesameyear, theregulationforthecreationofdigitalTVinthecountry.ThesamehappenedtoEcuador,whichhadap-proved,inOctober2012,thetransitionplanforDTT.AninColom-bia,theimplementationofDTTisundergoing,withcoverageonlyformajorcitieslikeBogotaandMedellin.AsisthecaseinPeru, whichhasstarteddigitaltransmissionsin2010andisstillundergo-ingitsimplementation,inChile,DTTisinasimilarsituation,with-outproperlegislationtosubsideit.Inthecountry,thereisadebateoverthecapacityoftheadvertisingmarkettosupportthedemandsofsegmentationofdigitalchannels,whichareindirectcompetitionwithpayTV.
Asfarastelevisioncontentproductionisconcerned,therewasacommonadoptionofmeasuresandlegislationinallObitelcoun-triestonotonlysafeguardthebroadcastofnationalcontent,butalsotopromotethedevelopmentorstrengtheningoftheirnationalindus-try.InBrazil,themainchangesareaproductofLaw12,485/2012,knownasthe“cablelaw”,whichrequiresaquotaofnationalfictioninsubscriptionchannels.Thispolicyhasbeencausingveryimpor-tantchangesintheBrazilianaudiovisualscenarioandisresponsiblefor the formationof tendencies suchas: the increase in thenum-berofindependentproductioncompanies;migrationofcinemaandadvertisingprofessionals toTV; a proportionality in national andindependentchannels inpackagesofferedbycableoperators;andan increase in resources available for television production. Thisnewproductionforcehasallowedtheuprisingofsomeproductionsmarkedbyexperimentation in themesand fiction formats. InAr-gentina,theLawofServicesandAudiovisualCommunicationhasbeenintheworkssince2009.Notonlythat,buttheInstitutoNacio-naldeCineyArtesAudiovisualesisstillmarchingforwardwiththedevelopmentoftheBancoAudiovisualdeContenidosUniversalesArgentino,whichhaspushednationalaudiovisualproductionfromindependentcompanies.SomethingsimilaristakingplaceinEcua-dor,whichplans toacceleratenationalproductionof audiovisual
30 | Obitel 2013
contenttoadapttothedigitalmodel(throughthePlanMaestrodeTransiciónalaTelevisiónDigitalTerrestreenelEcuador,approvedin2012),sincetheprogramminginthecountryisstronglymarkedbyforeigncontent.
InUruguay,thecreationoftheConsultingCommitteefortherightsofchildrenandadolescents,freedomofexpressionandme-diahascreateddebatesover the lawsofcommunication.Also, inPeru,theConsejoConsultivodeRadioyTelevisión(CONCORTV)hasmadepublichearingacrossthecountrythatbroughttoattentionsubjectssuchasinfancy,genderandequality.
On theother hand,Venezuela highlights that thepolicies ofintervention by the governmentworry journalists, academics andhumanrightsactivists,duetothecontrolofinformationandcensor-ship,whichhaveobscuredtheviolenceinthecountry.InMexico,the popularmovement#YoSoy132 has grown in social networks,denouncingthefavoritismthatthemediahasgiventothen-candi-dateandcurrentpresident,PeñaNieto.Themovement,composedmainlyofuniversitystudents,alsodemandedrights regarding thedemocratizationofcommunications.InPortugal, thegovernmentpresentedprojectsfortheconcessionofpublicchannelsofRTPtoprivatesectorsinanefforttoreducepublicspending.InColombia, therewas the establishmentof a policyof tax reductionwith theobjectiveofattractingforeignfilmproductiontothecountry.
Asforthebroadcastsystem,therearechangesnotedmainlyinChile, Spain andtheUnited States.ThetelevisionmarketinChile continuestopresentchangesduetotheprivatizationofnetworks,thedigital transitionofTVand theacquisitionor fusionbetweennetworks.TheCHVchannel(formerlytheUniversityofChilechan-nel),acquiredin2010byTurnerBroadcastingSystem,fromTimeWarner,releasedanambitiousprojectthatincludesthecreationofnewstudioswiththeintenttoproducecontentforinternationalandnationalTV.Spain sufferschangesespeciallyrelated to thefrag-mentationofthetelevisionsystemandtheeconomiccrisis.In2012,Tele5andCuatronetworksunderwentafusion,whileAntena3ab-
Comparative synthesis of the Obitel countries in 2012 | 31
sorbedLaSexta.Inthiscrisissituation,evenautonomousnetworksareinriskofprivatization.TheUnited Statesundergoesamomentofrepositioningofnetworks,whichseekaudienceamongyoungerviewers.TelefuturaisnowcalledUniMás,andtheMundoFoxchan-nelwascreatedwithprogrammingfromColombianRCN.
Public TV Inageneralmanner,public TVchannelsofObitelcountries
arefacingdifficultiestoreachorimpactbiggeraudiences.InBrazil,theonlypublicchannel,TVBrasil, ishavingproblemswithana-logicreceptionwithinthecountry,despitehavinganinternationalchannel, TV Brasil-Canal Integración, which broadcasts throughsatellite to LatinAmerican countries, theUnited States, PortugalandAfrica.PublicTVsfromPortugalandSpainsufferfromtheeconomiccrisisasmentionedearlier,withthepossibilityofjoiningtheprivatedomain.InColombia,despitetheeducationalvalueandthecultureofitsprogramming,publicchannelsarefacinglowrat-ings.Argentina,ontheotherhand,continuestoinvestonitsnation-alpublicnetwork,whichalsobroadcastsopendigitalTVchannels.
Asforfictionalcontent,inMexico,publicchannelssoughttomodifystereotypesofnativespresentedasbeingsubmissiveandig-norant,whilefictionalizinggovernmentalactionsofcombatagainstorganizedcrime.InEcuador,thepublicchannelECTVpresentedthelargestnationalproduction,withfictionalshowsindifferentfor-matsbutalsobroadcastseriesfromtheUnitedStatesandJapaneseand Korean telenovelas. Venezuela presented content importedfromJapan,SouthKorea,China,France,ItalyandtheUK.
Thenational reachofpublicchannelswas largelyutilized inPeru andVenezuela for the placement of commercials from thegovernmentandofficialacts.InPeru,thelastchapteroftheonlyfiction produced in the year by TV Perúwas interrupted for thetransmissionofthepresident’sspeech,whichdidnotallowtheair-ingofthelasttenminutesofthatchapter.
32 | Obitel 2013
Pay TV Also in relation to payTV, it can be observed in theObitel
countriesdiversesituationsthatgofromthegrowthandexpansionofthesector,asithashappenedinBrazil, Colombia, MexicoandUruguay,all theway to thesuspensionofsomeservicesand thestronggrowthoftaxesasregisteredinSpain.
Colombia, Uruguay and Brazil presented a growth in thenumberofsubscribers.InBrazil,oneshouldemphasizetheimpor-tantgrowthinthebaseofpayTVduetotheascensionoftheso-called“newCclass”,afactthathasbeennotedinthelasttwoObitelYearbooks.Also,thereisthestrongstimulusinnationalproductionduetothe“newcablelaw”,establishedin2012.
InArgentina, pay TV possesses great penetration, reaching76%of residencies.Chile andVenezuela demonstrate the inten-tionofreformulatingand/orregulatingthesector in thefuture.IntheUnited States,thesectorshowedlittlemovement,withspecialattention to the expansion of Univisión. In Portugal there werechangesinmethodologiesofmeasuringaudiences,afactthathigh-lightedtheroleofcableTV.ItisinterestingtonotethatPeru reg-isteredthepresenceofinformalpayTVcompaniesoperatinginthecountry.
Information and communication technologies ItwasobservedintheObitelcountries,in2012,thetendency
oftheincreaseintheuseofInternetandmobiletelephony,aswellastheconsolidationofdigitalmediaasplatformsofinformationandcommunication.Televisioncompaniessoughttoexpandtheofferofcontentformobile technologies.Notonlythat,butusersofsocialnetworkscontinuedtogrow.FacebookhasachievedleadershipinBrazil andColombia.InPortugal,theuseofInternethasbecomemoreintenseamongstudentsandinhighersocialsclasses,whileinBraziltheincreaseinInternetuseisduetothegrowthoftheCclass,responsibleforhalftheaccessofFacebookandTwitter.
Comparative synthesis of the Obitel countries in 2012 | 33
Asfordigital technology,itcanbenotedinMexico,despitethe ongoing digital transition, that a great part of the populationdoes not own the equipment necessary to receive digital content.Peru,throughAméricaTelevisión,hasproduceddigitalcontentviawirelesstechnologyforcellphoneswithadigitaltunerandBrazil offered its television programming in several mobile screens. InArgentina there is ahighlight in theproductionofwebseries forcellphones,whileinSpainthereisanotableproductionofcontentforiOS(iPhone)andAndroidplatforms.InChileandVenezuela,asfarastelephonyisconcerned,thenumberofcellphonesisnowhigherthanthepopulation.
IntheObitelscope,ithasbeennotedthatin2012therelationbetweentelevisionandInternethasgrowncloseranditisconfirmedbyconvergenceandtransmediationprocesses.
2. Comparison of TV fiction in Ibero-American countries in 2012In thisObitel section, we offer a synchronic and diachronic
comparativepanoramaofthelastfouryearsofobservationinthecountriesmembersofthenetwork.Theresultsoftheanalysisoftheyearreportedareunderlinedforobviousreasons,butaspecialefforthasbeenmadeinordertogiveitahistoricaldimensionsoastohaveatrendperspectiveinthedevelopmentandexchangeofproduction,broadcastandreceptionofTVfictioninthearea.
Table 2. Offer of hours of national and
Ibero-Americanfiction2009-2012National 38%
Ibero- American62%
National
Ibero-American
34 | Obitel 2013
GLOBAL OF-
FER OF HOURS
2012 2011 2010 2009
TO-TAL
Na-tional Ibero Na-
tional Ibero Na-tional Ibero Na-
tional Ibero
10,875 18,915 10,780 20,220 9,510 20,702 9,690 13,769
TOTAL 29,790 31,000 30,212 23,459 114,461
Source:Obitel
Theglobalnational and Ibero-American offer hasdecreasedwithrespectofthepreviousyear,althoughthetotalnationalfictionofferincreasedtoalittleover100hours,partlyduetotheincorpo-rationofPeru,butalsobecausecountriessuchasBrazil, Ecuador and Colombiaincreasedthenumberofnationalfictionhourscon-siderably.
Table 3. Offer of hours of national and Ibero-American fictionpercountry2009-20123
Source:Obitel
Theofferofhoursofnationalfictionisthemostfaithfulevi-denceoftheproductivecapacityoftheindustriesineachcountry.AsitcanbeobservedinTable3,Mexico, Brazil and Portugal formthegroupofcountrieswiththelargestproductionofnationalfictioninthepastfouryears,followedbythesecondgroupformedbyAr-gentina, Colombia andSpain.Thethirdgroupiscomposedbythe
3Inallthetablesanemptyspacerepresentsthecountry’sabsenceinthatreferenceyear.When0appears,itmeansthatthatcountrydidnotsubmitanyreferencedata.
2500
2000
1500
1000
500
0Argentina Brazil Chile Colombia Ecuador Spain USA Mexico Peru Portugal Uruguay Venezuela TOTAL
Nat.2012 965 1,503 631 1,252 234 898 836 2,020 552 1,164 36 783 10,875
Nat.2011 1,094 1,462 717 1,065 189 988 847 2,134 - 943 47 641 10,780
Nat.2010 1,035 1,288 671 1,671 305 657 911 1,194 - 1,351 47 379 9,510
Nat.2009 1,228 1,605 644 - - 1,123 833 1,582 - 1,408 49 1,218 9,870
TOTAL 4,322 5,858 2,663 3,988 728 3,666 3,427 6,930 552 4,866 179 3,021 41,035
Comparative synthesis of the Obitel countries in 2012 | 35
United States, Venezuela andChile,andinfourthplace,Ecuador,Peru andUruguay.
Theyearlyofferofnationalfictionhourshasincreasedinmostcountries,whichisanindicatorofmoretimeofnationalfictiononthescreen,withtheexceptionofSpain, Chile, the United States and Argentina,wherethisnumberhasdecreasedascomparedtothepreviousyear.
Source:Obitel
TheObitelcountries thatbroadcast themost Ibero-AmericanfictionsareChile, Ecuador, theUnited States, Peru, UruguayandVenezuela.However,thetendencyisnotthesameinthisrespect,sincewhereasEcuador, theUnited States andUruguayhavede-creasedthenumberofhoursofIbero-Americanfiction,ChileandVenezuelahave increased thebroadcastof this fictionslightly in2012.
PeruisincorporatedtothislistofcountriesthatimportIbero-Americanfiction,sincethenumberofnationalfictionhoursisthreetimessmallerthanthenumberofIbero-Americanfictionhours.ThecaseofBrazil standsoutbecause in2012theydidnotpresentanytitlesofIbero-Americanfiction.
6000
5000
4000
3000
2000
1000
0Argentina Brazil Chile Colombia Ecuador Spain USA Mexico Peru Portugal Uruguay Venezuela TOTAL
Ibe.2012 677 0 2982 682 2686 284 2329 1556 1820 835 2188 2874 18.910
Ibe.2011 1426 299 2966 807 3060 284 3249 475 - 926 3211 2707 20.220
Ibe.2010 2048 267 2103 951 2288 380 3387 394 - 1032 2629 5222 20.702
Ibe.2009 2168 32 2787 - - 272 1649 444 - 961 2662 1794 13.769
TOTAL 6.319 598.000 10.838 2.440 8.034 1.220 11.614 2.869 1.820 3.754 10.690 12.597 73.601
36 | Obitel 2013
Table 4. Offer of national and Ibero-American fictiontitles2009-2012
Source:Obitel
WiththeexceptionofArgentina,Ecuador and Mexico, whichincreased theproductionoftitlesintheirnationalfiction,andVen-ezuela,whichmaintainedthesamenumberasthepreviousyear,na-tionalproductionoffictiontitlesdiminishedintheremainingObitelcountries.ThecaseofEcuadormustbepointedout,whosefictiontitlesincreased50%inthe2011-2012period.Thedecreaseinna-tionalfictiontitlesinPortugal andthe United Stateswasminimal,whereasintheremainingcountriesitwasupto25%.
60
50
40
30
20
10
0Argentina Brazil Chile Colombia Ecuador Spain USA Mexico Peru Portugal Uruguay Venezuela TOTAL
Nat.2012 34 35 23 16 8 33 10 28 13 27 3 13 243
Nat.2011 22 41 25 22 4 41 11 23 - 28 2 13 232
Nat.2010 15 49 24 34 5 48 17 21 - 31 3 9 256
Nat.2009 24 41 29 - - 56 7 20 - 28 3 15 223
TOTAL 95 166 101 72 17 178 45 92 13 114 11 50 954
60
50
40
30
20
10
0Argentina Brazil Chile Colombia Ecuador Spain USA Mexico Peru Portugal Uruguay Venezuela TOTAL
Ibero2012 12 0 45 13 45 4 34 17 27 11 44 45 297
Ibero2011 23 6 46 15 50 6 47 5 - 12 44 48 302
Ibero2010 33 6 30 20 32 6 45 9 - 16 34 58 289
Ibero2009 30 1 50 48 - 5 30 6 - 12 26 15 223
TOTAL 98 13 171 96 127 21 156 37 27 51 148 166 1,111
Comparative synthesis of the Obitel countries in 2012 | 37
Whatwouldbe the reasons for suchdecrease?According towhathasbeen reported in eachof the chapters in thisYearbook,somecountrieslikePortugal and Spaindecreasedtheirproductionduetoeconomicproblemsthatheldbackfictionproductioninpub-lic channels. In the case ofBrazil, Colombia andChile, the de-creaseinthenumberoftitlesisduetobusinessfactors,sincesomenetworks that produced fictiondidnot release any titles in 2012,which, like in the caseofBrazil, didnotmeanadecrease in thenumberofhoursoffictionbroadcast.
With the exception of Uruguay, which maintained on itsscreensthesamenumberofIbero-Americanfictionsasthepreviousyear, andMexico,which increased significantly itsproduction inthiscategory,therestoftheObitelcountriesdecreasedtheirofferofIbero-Americanfictiontitles.Atthesametime,Chile, Ecuador, UruguayandVenezuelaincorporatedmorethan40Ibero-Ameri-canfictiontitlesintheprogramoffer.
Table5.Formatsofnationalfictionand number of titles 2009-2012
Source:Obitel
100
90
80
70
60
50
40
30
20
10
0Argentina Brazil Chile Colombia Ecuador Spain USA Mexico Peru Portugal Uruguay Venezuela TOTAL
Telenovela 34 60 47 33 3 12 28 59 3 32 0 29 340
Series 18 43 27 10 11 99 1 30 4 45 6 12 306
Miniseries 18 22 5 16 0 40 1 0 6 20 3 4 135
TVmovie 0 8 12 0 0 7 0 0 0 5 0 0 32
Unitary 8 0 0 0 0 0 2 0 0 2 2 1 15
Docudrama 0 2 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 4
Others 15 33 12 14 3 22 2 2 0 15 0 4 122
TOTAL 93 168 104 73 17 180 34 91 13 119 11 51 954
38 | Obitel 2013
Table5,whichgivestheexactnumberoffictiontitlesandfor-matsintheObitelmembercountriesfrom2009to2012,evidencesthe sizeof the industries in eachof thesecountries; for example,Spain and Brazilareleadersintermsoftitleproduction,followedbyChileandPortugal,andthecaseofMexicostandsoutinspiteofthefactthat,althoughitonlyhas91titles,itmaintainsitsexportcapacity.ThesamegoesforArgentinaandColombiathatmaintaintheirdominanceduetotheircapacitytosellscriptsorfranchisesoftheirfictions.
In relation to the formats, the telenovela continues to be thequeenoffiction,althoughtheserieshavehadasteadygrowththatthreatenstooverthrowthatdominance,sinceitisonly40titlesshort.Thetelenovelaisstillthemostimportantproductincountriessuchas BrazilandMexico,whichstandoutinthenumberoffictionalproductionswith60and59nationaltitles.Chilehas47telenovelatitleswhileArgentina,Colombia,Portugal, theUnited States andVenezuela are in the range of 30 titles.Ecuador andPeru onlyproduced3titlesinthisfictionformat.
TheseriesformatcontinuestobethehighestrankinginSpain withalmost100titles.Brazil andPortugalfollowwith43and42respectively,whileMexico takes the fourthplacewith30.ThesedataindicateingeneralagreaterproductionintheIbero-Americanfiction series format, although there areObitel countries such asPeruandthe United States thatproducedfewerthan5andUru-guaywith6titles.
Anunequalincreaseamongthecountriesisalsonoticedintheminiseriesformat.WhileSpain producedthemost miniseries titleswith40,Brazil, PortugalandColombiaareinthe20-titlerangein2012.
IntheTVmovieformat,ChileandBrazil, with 12and8titlesrespectively,aretheleaders,followedbySpain,with7titles,andtheyarealmosttheonlyonesproducingthistypeofformat.Argen-tinastandsoutintheunitaryformatwith8titles,followedbythe United States andUruguay,with2each,andVenezuela,withone
Comparative synthesis of the Obitel countries in 2012 | 39
title.The remainingObitelmembercountriesdonotproduce thistypeofformator,asitisthecaseofMexico thatdoesproduceit,butdidnotreleaseanytitlesin2012.Astothedocudrama,onlyBrazil, with2titles,Chile andVenezuela,withoneeach,arerepresented.
Table6.Offerofnationalfictionchapters/episodes2009-2012
Source:Obitel
Brazil andMexico stand out here, with over two thousandnational fiction chapters or episodes, followed byColombia andPortugal,withmorethanonethousandfivehundred,allofthemin
3000
2500
2000
1500
1000
500
0Argentina Brazil Chile Colombia Ecuador Spain USA Mexico Peru Portugal Uruguay Venezuela TOTAL
Nat.2012 1,260 2,186 1,014 1,533 358 970 906 2,136 733 1,504 85 1,081 13,766
Nat.2011 1,180 2,163 1,262 1,501 259 1,104 847 2,201 - 1,372 54 899 12,842
Nat.2010 1,173 1,838 1,304 2,630 313 793 935 1,766 - 1,741 43 580 12,916
Nat.2009 1,279 2,307 1,233 - - 1,652 910 1,995 - 1,874 44 1,426 12,720
TOTAL09-12 4,982 8,494 4,813 5,664 930 4,519 3,598 8,098 733 6,491 226 3,786 52,244
3000
2500
2000
1500
1000
500
0Argentina Brazil Chile Colombia Ecuador Spain USA Mexico Peru Portugal Uruguay Venezuela TOTAL
Nat.2012 1,260 2,186 1,014 1,533 358 970 906 2,136 733 1,504 85 1081 13,766
Nat.2011 1,180 2,163 1,262 1,501 259 1,104 847 2,201 - 1,372 54 899 12,842
Nat.2010 1,173 1,838 1,304 2,630 313 793 935 1,766 - 1,741 43 580 12,916
Nat.2009 1,279 2,307 1,233 - - 1,652 910 1,995 - 1,874 44 1,426 12,720
TOTAL09-12 4.982 8,494 4,813 5,664 930 4,519 3,598 8,098 733 6,491 226 3.786 52,244
Ibero2012 855 0 3,961 927 2,203 296 2,226 1,336 2,279 1,205 3,052 3,862 22,202
Ibero2011 1,481 531 4,157 1,067 3,515 368 3,249 462 - 1,244 3,406 3,544 23,024
Ibero2010 2,296 447 3,138 1,128 2,497 623 3,265 676 - 1,322 2,691 5,429 23,512
Ibero2009 2,204 54 3,867 - - 340 2,728 610 - 1,166 2,543 1,794 15,306
TOTAL09-12 6,836 1,032 19,936 3,122 8,215 1,627 11,468 3,084 2,279 4,937 11,692 14,629 84,044
40 | Obitel 2013
2012.Thecountrythatrecordedtheleastproductioninthiscategoryis Uruguay,withjust85,followedbyEcuador, PeruandSpain that did not surpass 1,000.However, itmust be pointed out thatbothUruguayandEcuadorhavehadaverysignificantincreaseintheirnationalfictionproductionascomparedtothepreviousyearreported,sincetheirincreaseisaround30%.
Inrelationtothe2009-2012period,BrazilandMexicomain-tainagreatadvantagewithrespectoftherestoftheObitelcountries,for theyhaveover8,000chapters,while theirclosestcompetitorshavearoundfourandthreethousandepisodes.
Thisyearof2012wasanimportantyearintermsoftitlesin-creaseintheObitelscope,sincetherewasagrowthofalmost1,000chaptersorepisodeswithrespectof2011.Itissignificanttothinkaboutthetranslationofthenumberofchaptersorepisodesinlongorshortfictionproductionandabouttheculturalvaluationandpro-ductivecapacitydemonstratedbyacountry.
AstoIbero-Americanfictionchaptersandepisodes,themajor-ityoftheObitelcountriesdecreasedtheirregister.Brazilstoppedbroadcasting Ibero-American fiction altogether and Mexico andVenezuelaweretheonlycountriesthatincreasedtheirbroadcastofIbero-Americanfictionconsiderably,withmorethan1,300cases.Inspiteofthecasesofthesetwolattercountries,asawhole,thereisadecreaseof1,000chapterswithrespectoftheyear2011.
Likewise,thegraphpresentsthosecountriesthatdependonfic-tionimport;forexample,Chile, Ecuador, the United States, Uru-guay,andVenezuela. In2012, Peru,inturn,appearstoshowthattendency, for itwas one of the countries that broadcast themostIbero-Americanepisodes.
Comparative synthesis of the Obitel countries in 2012 | 41
Tab
le 7
. Co-
prod
ucti
ons
2009
-201
2
CO
-PR
OD
UC
-T
ION
SA
rgen
tina
Bra
zil
Chi
leC
olom
bia
Ecu
ador
Spai
nU
SAM
exic
oP
eru
Por
tuga
lU
rugu
ayV
enez
uela
TO
-T
AL
2012
01
00
02
31
72
90
25
2011
10
03
60
30
-0
12
16
2010
13
00
0 2
1 1
-1
30
12
2009
30
2-
-6
01
-0
42
18
TO
TA
L 2
009-
125
42
36
107
37
317
471
Source:O
bitel
42 | Obitel 2013
As to co-productions,Uruguay and Peru are the ones thatmadethemostintheyear;theformerstandsoutwithnineandthelatterwithseven.The United Statesfollowsthemwiththree,Spain andPortugalwithtwoeachandMexico,whichisnotmakingco-productionslately,scoresonein2012.Inspiteofthefewcasesofco-productionin2012,itispossibletonoticeanincreaseinrelationto2009,whichmaybeduetothePeruviancase,since18caseswereregisteredin2009and25in2012.
In relation to the2009-2012period,Uruguay andSpain are thecountriesthatusetheco-productionmodelthemost.Thecaseof the United States stands out for it is a countrywhose fictionindustry has grown in terms of this type of process. The case ofArgentinaischaracteristicbecause,althoughithasmadeonlyfiveco-productions,itremainsstrongduetothecreativestructurethatithasbeenknowntoexploitsince2009.
Table8.Timeinwhichthefictionissetpertitle2009-2012
Source:Obitel
Table8showsthetimeinwhichthefictionissetsince2009andthenumberspresentedaretotalsof thatsum.It ispossibletoobserveherethatmostIbero-Americanfictionissetinthepresenttime.Thisdoesnotnecessarilymeanthatthereisnoreminiscenceofthepast,preciselythetopicoftheyearinthis2012analysis,be-causethereconstructionofmemoryisratherportrayedinthewayinwhichwelooktothepastfromthepresent.
200
180
160
140
120
100
80
60
40
20
0
Present
Period
Historical
Others
Argentina Brazil Chile Colombia Ecuador Spain USA Peru Mexico Portugal Uruguay Venezuela TOTAL
84 149 76 61 128 146 192 13 123 97 143 173 1385
0 10 8 2 8 59 4 0 1 8 13 10 31
5 12 11 6 4 5 5 0 6 9 3 66 123
7 1 0 3 0 3 0 0 0 0 0 0 14
Comparative synthesis of the Obitel countries in 2012 | 43
Historical fiction is the second in importance, although thenumberoftitlesonlyrepresentslessthan10%ofthetitlesreferringtothepresentamongtheObitelmembercountriessince2009.Pe-riodfictionhas31titlesandthatisduetothehighproductioncostsassociatedwithitsmanufacture.
As to thecountries, Spain is thecountryexhibiting themostperiodfictionfollowedbyUruguay, Brazil, EcuadorandChile. However, in the historical fiction category, it isVenezuela thatstandsoutwithalargenumberoftitles,66,whileBrazilpresents12andChile11titlesofthistypeoffiction.CountrieslikeMexico, Ecuador, PeruandUruguayarepresentedasindustrieswherethepresent is themain time reference in their fictions, although thisdoesnotmeanthatfromthereawarenessisgeneratedaboutcurrentissues,asitdoeshappenwithBrazilor,morerecently,withArgen-tinaandColombia.
3. The ten most viewed fictions in the yearAsitmaybeobserved in thecomparativepresentationofall
thetoptentitlesineachcountry,Brazil continuestobetheonewiththemostfictiontitlesplacedonthisrankingattheIbero-Americanlevel, occupying eight of the first ten spots. The two other titlescorrespondtotwocountries:ChileintheeighthandMexico inthetenthspot.
If this parameter is expanded to the first 20 titles, the ratingsupremacy attained byBrazil and México is combined with theaudience levels achievedby countries likeChile,which has fourtitles,Argentina,withonetitle,and,surprisingly,Uruguay, whichplacedaBraziliantelenovelaonthe19thspot.Allinall,Brazilhas11titlesinthefirst20spots,takingintoconsiderationthatInsensato
corazón, broadcastinUruguay, isaBraziliantelenovelathatwasbroadcastinthatcountry.
44 | Obitel 2013
Table 9. The ten most viewed titles: origin, format, rating and share
Title Aud. %
Share %
For-mat
Chan-nel Network
Private or pu-
blic TV
Coun-try of script origin
Coun-try
where it was aired
1Fina
estampa42.12 67.30
Tele-novela
Globo Globo Private Brazil Brazil
2Avenida Brasil
41.51 66.50Tele-novela
Globo Globo Private Brazil Brazil
3Cheias de charme
33.92 58.30Tele-novela
Globo Globo Private Brazil Brazil
4 Salve Jorge 32.80 56.40Tele-novela
Globo Globo Private Brazil Brazil
5Tapas & beijos
27.83 48.00 Series Globo Globo Private Brazil Brazil
6Aquele beijo
27.49 50.30Tele-novela
Globo Globo Private Brazil Brazil
7A grande família
27.48 48.40 Series Globo Globo Private Brazil Brazil
8Soltera otra
vez26.80 37.00
Tele-novela
Canal13
Canal13 PublicArgen-tina
Chile
9Amor eterno amor
26.16 49.60Tele-novela
Globo Globo Private Brazil Brazil
10Abismo de
pasión25.83 37.25
Tele-novela
Canal2
Televisa PrivateMex-ico
Mexico
11Los 80 más
que una moda
25.80 37.50 SeriesCanal
13Canal13A.Wood
PublicSpain/Chile
Chile
12Amores
verdaderos25.64 38.96
Tele-novela
Canal2
Televisa PrivateArgen-tina
Mexico
13Doce de
mãe25.60 47.40
TVmovie
Globo Globo Private Brazil Brazil
14Guerra dos
sexos24.92 48.20
Tele-novela
Globo Globo Private Brazil Brazil
15Porque el amor manda
24.15 37.02Tele-novela
Canal2
Televisa PrivateCo-
lombiaMexico
16 Graduados 23.60 33.43 Series Telefé
UndergroundContenidos/EndemolArgentina/Telefé
PrivateArgen-tina
Argen-tina
17Por ella soy
Eva23.60 35.46
Tele-novela
Canal2
Televisa PrivateCo-
lombiaMexico
18 Pobre Rico 20.70 33.70Tele-novela
TVN TVN Public Chile Chile
19Insensato corazón
20.70 32.00Tele-novela
Teled-oce
TVGlobo Private BrazilUru-guay
20 Separados 19.50 27.50Tele-novela
TVN TVN Public Chile Chile
Comparative synthesis of the Obitel countries in 2012 | 45
21 Dulce Amor 19.27 29.78Tele-novela
TeleféLCAcciónProducciones
/TeleféPrivate
Argen-tina
Argen-tina
22Herede-
ros de una venganza
19.07 30.17Tele-novela
El Trece
Pol-ka PrivateArgen-tina
Argen-tina
23La que no
podía amar18.73 29.59
Tele-novela
Univi-sion
Televisa PrivateMe- xico
USA
24Abismo de
pasión18.24 28.3
Tele-novela
Univi-sion
Televisa PrivateMe-xico
USA
25Qué bonito
amor18.24 30.19
Tele-novela
Canal2
Televisa PrivateCo-
lombiaMexico
26El hombre de tu vida
18.16 24.46Minise-
riesTelefé 100bares Private
Argen-tina
Argen-tina
27Amores
verdaderos18.16 28.27
Tele-novela
Univi-sion
Televisa PrivateMe-xico
USA
28 La dueña 18.12 25.83Tele-novela
Telefé Telefé PrivateArgen-tina
Argen-tina
29Amor bravío
17.91 29.56Tele-novela
Canal2
Televisa PrivateMe-xico
Mexico
30 Peleles 17.30 25.80Tele-novela
Canal13
TVN Public Chile Chile
31Sos mi hombre
17.20 29.00Tele-novela
Teled-oce
Polka PrivateArgen-tina
Uru-guay
32Un refugio
para el amor
16.94 32.21Tele-novela
Canal2
Televisa PrivateVene-zuela
Mexico
33La familia
peluche16.87 27.65 Series
Canal2
Televisa PrivateMe-xico
Mexico
34Al fondo hay sitio (4thseason)
16.56 53.82Tele-novela
Améri-ca
Tele-visión
AméricaTelevisión
Private Peru Peru
35Reserva de
Familia16.30 22.40
Tele-novela
TVN TVN Public Spain Chile
36Aquí mando
yo16.30 30.90
Tele-novela
TVN TVN Public Chile Chile
37Por ella soy
Eva15.82 25.46
Tele-novela
Univi-sion
Televisa PrivateMe-xico
USA
38La mujer
del venda-val
15.76 28.99Tele-novela
Canal2
Televisa PrivateVene- zuela
Mexico
39Amor bravío
15.56 25.56Tele-novela
Univi-sion
Televisa PrivateMe-xico
USA
40Dama y Obrero
15.50 33.00Tele-novela
TVN TVNyAlce Public Chile Chile
41Mi amor el wachimán
15.42 46.11Minise-
ries
Améri-ca
Tele-visión
DelBarrioProducciones
Private Peru Peru
42El Rempla-
zante15.40 22.50 Series TVN Parox Public Chile Chile
46 | Obitel 2013
43Sos mi hombre
15.27 21.86Tele-novela
El Trece
Pol-ka PrivateArgen-tina
Argen-tina
44Dancin’
Days15.10 30.90
Tele-novela
SICSIC/SPTelevisão/TVGlobo
PrivateBrazil/Portu-gal
Portu-gal
45Cachito de
cielo15.05 27.56
Tele-novela
Canal2
Televisa PrivateMe-xico
Mexico
46Mi proble-ma con las
mujeres
15.98
26.64Minise-
riesTelefé
13 Mares Producciones&VincentEntertain-ment Telefé
Private Peru Peru
47Escobar el patrón del
mal.14.95 38.15 Series
Cara-col Tele-visión
Caracol Televisión
PrivateCo-
lombiaColom-bia
48 Passione 14.80 29.00Tele-novela
Teled-oce
TVGlobo Private BrazilUru-guay
49 El Astro 14.80 25.00Tele-novela
Teled-oce
TVGlobo Private BrazilUru-guay
50Una familia con suerte 1
14.78 24.49Tele-novela
Univi-sion
Televisa PrivateMe-xico
USA
51Mi amor mi
amor14.59 22.44
Tele-novela
Telefé
Elárbol EndemolArgentina Telefé
PrivateArgen-tina
Argen-tina
52Escrito en
las estrellas14.50 28.00
Tele-novela
Teled-oce
TVGlobo Private BrazilUru-guay
53 Cuchicheos 14.20 27.50Tele-novela
Teled-oce
TVGlobo Private BrazilUru-guay
54Herede-
ros de una venganza
14.20 24.00Tele-novela
Teled-oce
Pol-ka PrivateArgen-tina
Uru-guay
55La reina de las carre-
tillas14.11 43.37
Minise-ries
Améri-ca
Tele-visión
DelBarrioProducciones
Private Peru Peru
56Violeta se fue a los
cielos14.10 19.20
TVmovie
CHV A.Wood Private Peru Chile
57Fina
estampa14.10 28.00
Tele-novela
Teled-oce
TVGlobo Private BrazilUru-guay
58 ÁguilaRoja 13.80 29.80 Series TVE1 Globomedia Public Spain Spain
59 El capo 2 13.70 21.50Tele-novela
TC RCN PrivateCo-
lombiaEcua-dor
60 Los únicos 13.21 19.55Com-edy
El Trece
Pol-ka PrivateArgen-tina
Argen-tina
61Un refugio
para el amor
13.07 22.73Tele-novela
Univi-sion
Televisa PrivateMe-xico
USA
Comparative synthesis of the Obitel countries in 2012 | 47
62 Lobo 13.00 22.32Tele-novela
El Trece
Pol-ka PrivateArgen-tina
Argen-tina
63
El combo amarillo
3D (3rd sea-son)
13.00 22.20 SeriesEcu-avisa
Ecuavisa PrivateEcua-dor
Ecua-dor
64Louco Amor
13.00 29.20Tele-novela
TVITVI/PluralEntertain-ment
PrivatePortu-gal
Portu-gal
65El combo amarillo
(2nd
season)12.90 21.30 Series
Ecu-avisa
Ecuavisa PrivateEcua-dor
Ecua-dor
66La mari-
posa.12.49 34.78 Series RCN
FoxTeleco-lombia
PrivateCo-
lombiaColom-bia
67 Dulce amor 12.30 20.00Tele-novela
Monte-carlo
L.C.AcciónProducciones
/TeleféPrivate
Argen-tina
Uru-guay
68 El Joe 12.20 17.40Tele-novela
TC RCN PublicCo-
lombiaEcua-dor
69Corazón
apasionado11.90 17.30
Tele-novela
TCVenevisiónInternacional
PublicVene-zuela-USA
Ecua-dor
70 La faraona 11.88 35.13Minise-
ries
Améri-ca
Tele-visión
AméricaTelevisión
Private Peru Peru
71Tres Mila-
gros11.70 16.20
Tele-novela
TCTeleset/RCN
PublicCo-
lombiaEcua-dor
72La que no
podía amar11.64 35.10
Tele-novela
Améri-ca
Tele-visión
Televisa PrivateMe-xico
Peru
73 El capo II 11.63 35.06 Series RCNFoxTeleco-lombia
PrivateCo-
lombiaColom-bia
74Cuéntame cómo pasó
11.40 24.80 Series TVE1GrupoGangaProducciones
Public Spain Spain
75Maltrata-
das11.40 25.00 Unitary
Teled-oce
FlorLatina PrivateArgen-tina
Uru-guay
76Fina
estampa11.30 16.90
Tele-novela
Ecu-avisa
OGlobo Private BrazilEcua-dor
77Doce Ten-
tação11.10 28.30
Tele-novela
TVITVI/PluralEntertain-ment
PrivatePortu-gal
Portu-gal
78Casa de Reinas
11.01 32.36Minise-
riesRCN
RCNTele-visión
PrivateCo-
lombiaColom-bia
79La Mari-
posa10.90 15.80
Tele-novela
TCFoxTele-colombia/RCN
PublicCo-
lombiaEcua-dor
80El man es Germán
10.90 15.50Tele-novela
TC RCN PublicCo-
lombiaEcua-dor
81Corona de lágrimas
10.90 18.53Tele-novela
Univi-sion
Televisa PrivateMe-xico
USA
48 | Obitel 2013
82Corazones blindados
10.87 32.80 Series RCN Teleset PrivateCo-
lombiaColom-bia
83Rafael
Orozco. El ídolo
10.76 32.55Tele-novela
Cara-colTV
CaracolTV PrivateCo-
lombiaColom-bia
84Mi Recinto (13th sea-son)
10.60 16.90 Series TC TC PublicEcua-dor
Ecua-dor
85¿Dónde
carajos está Umaña?
10.35 30.42Tele-novela
Cara-colTV
CaracolTV PrivateCo-
lombiaColom-bia
86Solamente milagros
(2nd season)9.96 35.64 Series
Améri-ca
Tele-visión
AméricaTelevisión
Private Peru Peru
87La que se avecina
9.60 22.70 Series Tele5Alba
AdriáticaPrivate Spain Spain
88 Rosa Fogo 9.60 26.60Tele-novela
SICSIC/SPTelevisão
PrivatePortu-gal
Portu-gal
89¿Dónde
está Elisa?9.55 32.36
Tele-novela
RCNTele-visión
RCNTele-visión
Private ChileColom-bia
90A mano limpia
9.54 30.95 SeriesRCNTele-visión
RCNTele-visión
PrivateCo-
lombiaColom-bia
91 Gamarra 9.47 31.38Minise-
ries
Améri-ca
Tele-visión
DelBarrioProducciones
Private Peru Peru
92Remédio
Santo9.40 28.60
Tele-novela
TVITVI/PluralEntertain-ment
PrivatePortu-gal
Portu-gal
93 Isabel 9.30 19.70 Series TVE1 DiagonalTV Public Spain Spain
94La reina del
sur8.90 29.28
Tele-novela
ATVTelemundo/
RTIPrivate USA Peru
95 El talismán 8.62 19.79Tele-novela
Univi-sion
Univisión/Venevisón
Private USA USA
96
Pablo Escobar: El patrón del
mal
8.54 8.54Tele-novela
Tele-mundo
CaracolTV PrivateCo-
lombiaUSA
97 Ellaberinto 8.40 24.93 SeriesCara-colTV
CaracolTV/SonyPictureTelevisión
PrivateCo-
lombiaColom-bia
98Doida por
Ti8.40 22.00
Tele-novela
TVITVI/PluralEntertain-ment
PrivatePortu-gal
Portu-gal
99 Mi gitana 8.20 19.40Minise-
riesTele5
ProduccionesMandarina
Private Spain Spain
Comparative synthesis of the Obitel countries in 2012 | 49
100Yo no me
llamo Nata-cha 2
7.99 30.92Minise-
ries
Améri-ca
Tele-visión
DelBarrioProducciones
Private Peru Peru
101 Aída 7.60 16.50 Series Tele5 Globomedia Private Spain Spain
102
Morangos com Açúcar IX: Segue o Teu Sonho
7.60 21.90 Series TVITVI/PluralEntertain-ment
PrivatePortu-gal
Portu-gal
103Con el culo
al aire7.30 17.20 Series A3 NotroTV Private Spain Spain
104 Fenómenos 7.20 16.60 Series A3ApartePro-ducciones
Private Spain Spain
105 Anjo Meu 6.90 28.30Tele-novela
TVITVI/PluralEntertain-ment
PrivatePortu-gal
Portu-gal
106 Gran hotel 6.40 14.70 Series A3Bambúpro-ducciones
Private Spain Spain
107Os Compa-
dres6.40 19.80 Series RTP1
RTP1/Cine-cool
PublicPortu-gal
Portu-gal
108Luna. el
misterio de Calenda
6.30 15.30 Series A3 Globomedia Private Spain Spain
109A Família
Mata6.30 19.10 Series SIC
SIC/SPTelevisão
Private SpainPortu-gal
110Corazón de
fuego6.23 22.52
Tele-novela
ATV GrupoATV Private Peru Peru
111Mi ex me
tiene ganas5.38 40.17
Tele-novela
Venev-isión
Venevisión PrivateVene- zuela
Vene- zuela
112 Flor salvaje 5.12 38.16Tele-novela
Te-leven
RadioTelevisiónInterameri-
cana
Private USAVene- zuela
113¡Válgame
Dios!4.64 32.38
Tele-novela
Venev-isión
Venevisión PrivateVene- zuela
Vene- zuela
114La casa de
al lado4.64 39.34
Tele-novela
Te-leven
Telemundo Private ChileVene- zuela
115La traicio-
nera4.57 40.32
Tele-novela
Venev-isión
FOXTeleco-lombia
PrivateArgen-tina
Vene- zuela
116Natalia del
mar4.44 30.71
Tele-novela
Venev-isión
Venevisión PrivateVene- zuela
Vene- zuela
117Abismo de
pasión4.06 32.49
Tele-novela
Venev-isión
Televisa PrivateMe- xico
Vene- zuela
118La que no
podía amar3.99 29.54
Tele-novela
Venev-isión
Televisa Private USAVene- zuela
119 Emperatriz 3.81 34.52Tele-novela
Venev-isión
TVAzteca PrivateVene- zuela
Vene- zuela
120Retrato de una mujer
3.74 32.94Tele-novela
Venev-isión
FOXTeleco-lombia
PrivateCo-
lombiaVene- zuela
Source:Obitel
50 | Obitel 2013
Ifsomethingstandsoutinthe120titlesthatmakeuptheabovetable,itisthefactthatthereoccursanexchangeofproductionsand/orscriptsamongtheObitelcountries,especiallyforthecreationofseriesandtelenovelas,whichdoesnotmeanthatagiventelenovelais equally successful in different countries. For example,Amores
verdaderos, from Televisa’s Canal 2, from Mexico, which wasamongthegeneraltopteninitscountryoforigin,onlyreachedthe27thspotwhenviewedonUnivisión,inthe United States.
Asitwasalreadypointedoutinthe2012Yearbook,transna-tionalizationof fictionproducts, inaway,conveysdynamism totheIbero-Americanfictionindustry,butatthesametimeitplaceseachcountryinaspot,whetherbecauseit isabornimporter-ex-porter,asitisthecaseofBrazil andMexico (althoughinthetableresults, the latter country confirms that its presence is becominglessandlessstrong);orbecausetheyareefficientinthecreationandexportofscripts,asitisthecaseofArgentina, ColombiaandSpain,which–inco-productionwithChile–managedtoplaceLos
80 más que una modaasthe11thmostviewedfictionintheObitelcountries;orbecausetheyarecountriesthat,inspiteoftheirindus-tries’growth,stilldependontitleimport,asitisthecaseofPeru, Uruguay, Venezuela and the United States. Ecuador has beendistancingitselfalittlefromthissectorofcountriesand,withaba-sisonthecomedygenre,ithashadanimportantupturninnationalfictionproduction.
Thesametableevidencesthealmostunilateralbusinessrela-tionshipbetweenBrazilandPortugal,whereitseemsthatlanguagereallyconditionstheexchange,theSouthAmericancountrybeingtheonethatprovidestheEuropeanonewiththemosttitles.InthecasesofMexicoandthe United States, thistypeofsymbiosisalsodominates,althoughtheLatinproductionthatismadeinthenorth-erncountryhasbeguntoexpandtheirbusinesstieswithothersfromtheSouth,suchasColombia,VenezuelaandPeru. This,however, hasnotmanagedtodistancetheUnited StatesfromthedominationthatthecompanyTelevisaexertsonitsTVindustry.
Comparative synthesis of the Obitel countries in 2012 | 51
This year the business flow occurring among the so-calledsmaller nations is worth-noticing, for the United States, Chile, Venezuela, Uruguay, Peru andEcuador havestartedtoimportandexporttittlesamongthemselves,whichopensuponemorespaceforreflectionbecausethiscouldresultintoanewpanoramainwhichBrazilandMexico(withtheirproductions)orArgentinaandCo-lombia(withtheirscripts)arenotanylongertheonlycountrieswithwhomthisgroupseekstomakeagreementstoimportfiction.
Table 10. Formats and time slots of the ten most viewed titlesCountry Formats Time slot
Tele-nove-
la
Se-ries
Mini-series
TV mo- vie
Uni-tary
Docu-dra-ma
Others Mor- ning
After-noon
Pri- me
timeNight
Argen-tina 5 0 2 0 0 0 3 0 0 10 0
Brazil 7 2 0 1 0 0 0 0 1 6 3
Chile 7 2 1 0 0 0 0 0 1 9 0Colom-bia 3 6 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 10 0
Ecuador 7 3 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 10 0
Spain 0 9 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 10 0
USA 10 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 9 1
Mexico 9 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 3 7 0
Peru 4 1 5 0 0 0 0 0 0 10 0
Portugal 7 3 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 9 0
Uruguay 9 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 2 6 2Venezu-ela 10 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 4 3 3
Total 78 27 10 1 1 0 3 0 12 99 9
Source:Obitel
Inrelationtothe2012toptengeneralreportofalltheObitelcountriesandincorrelationtotheformatandthetimeslotinwhichtheyareaired,themostviewedtitlescorrespondtothetelenovelaformat(78titles)andtheyareairedinprimetime.Itisfollowedbytheserieswith27titles,21ofthesewerealsoairedinprimetime,whichunderscorestheimportanceattainedbytheseriesnotonlyintermsofproduction,butalsointermsoftheacceptancethisformat
52 | Obitel 2013
hashadamongtheaudience,especiallyincountrieslikeSpain,al-though countries dedicated to the telenovela format, likeMexico andBrazil,haveincorporatedtheseriesformatsince2009totheirtop ten. Contrariwise, other countries stand out, like theUnited States, UruguayandVenezuela, wherethetelenovelahasastrongpresence.
OtherformatslikeminiseriesandTVmoviehaveincreasedthenumberoftitlesandtheyhaveevenreachedthetoptenincountrieslikeArgentina, Brazil, ChileandSpain; Perustandsoutbecausehalfofitsmostviewedtitlesareminiseries.
Inrelationtothetimeslot, itbecameevidentthatfiction,irre-spectiveofitsformat,isthegenrethatconcentratesthemostaudienceand,consequently,itmonopolizesthebestTVtime,theprimetime,inwhich99ofthe120nationaltitlesbroadcastin2012wereaired.Therestwasairedinthemorning(12)andinthenighttime(9).
Table11.Audienceprofileofthe10mostviewedtitles: gender, age, socioeconomic level4
Country Gender% Age range % Socioeconomic
level %Wo- men Men 4 to
1213 to
1819 to
2425 to
3435 to
44 45+ AB C D
Argentina 56.1 43.9 18.3 22.1 21.3 - 22.3 16.0 21.5 49.7 28.8
Brazil 63.7 36.3 8.8 8.7 9.1 33.7 21.3 18.4 33.1 52.0 14.4
Chile 64.0 36.0 8.0 7.0 10.0 15.0 24.0 36.0 36.1 7.2 50.7
Colombia 61.5 38.5 12.7 21.1 17.7 - 22.5 26.2 47.5 32.5 20.0
USA 61.3 38.7 13.5 5.4 8.8 17.7 25.2 29.4 - - -
Peru 60.7 39.3 15.8 15.7 14.3 18.5 14.7 21.0 20.9 35.1 44.0
Portugal 61.8 38.2 7.8 7.8 11.3 11.3 12.3 49.5 11.5 57.8 30.7
Uruguay 68.5 31.5 5.4 5.8 7.3 11.2 20.7 40.6 23.1 41.2 35.7
Venezuela 63.1 36.9 - - - - - - 23.1 32.5 44.4
Source:Obitel
4Itwasnotpossibletocomparesomecountriesinthistableduetothefactthattheinfor-mationwasnotmadeavailableorbecausetheinformationavailabledoesnotcorrespondtothedesiredindicators.ThecountriesthatwereleftoutareEcuador,SpainandMexico.ThespaceinhyphenscorrespondstodatathatwerenotreportedbytheObitelteams.
Comparative synthesis of the Obitel countries in 2012 | 53
AccordingtoTable11,itispossibletospecifythattheaver-ageaudienceoffictioninIbero-Americaisamiddle-classwomanolderthan45years,althoughthisindicatormayvaryincountrieslikeChile, PeruandVenezuela,wherethepeoplewhowatchthemost fiction belong to the lower class. On the other hand, it isworth of noting thatColombia,Chile and Brazil are the coun-triesinwhichthereishigherfictionaudiencebelongingtohigherclasses.
Inrelationtotheages,incountrieslikeArgentinaandBrazil, theaverageageoftheaudiencesisaround34and44yearsold.Ar-gentina, ColombiaandPerualsostandoutbecausetheypresentasimilarbalanceintheiraudiences’ages,Argentina isthecountrywiththelargestnumberofchildrenandyoungaudiences,whichisexplainedbythesuccessenjoyedbyitsfictionsaddressedtotheseagegroups.Intherestofthecountries,theseaudiencesdonotsur-passthe10%barrier.
4. Highlights of the year in the Obitel countriesThroughout2012,fictionproductionintheObitelcountrieshas
opened space for discussion of social problems that cause unrestamong thepopulace, aswewill see in the following country-by-countryanalysis.Theproximitybetween fictionand realitygainsrepercussionandcallsattentiontodiversesocialissues.
In thissense, thedebate that televisionencouragesinsocietybringstothesurfaceimportantissuesthatarenotalwaysdealtwithin other television programs or even other media. This scenariohighlightsthesocialroleoffictionasaninstanceofpublicdebateandofrepresentationofnational identity.Atthesametime, therewas a preference for the light form and humoristic tone of dailythemes.Astowhatconcernstheworkingofthetelevisionindustry,thehighlightwasforpoliciesfortheincentiveofproductionofna-tionalcontent.
54 | Obitel 2013
Social demands and “à la carte” fiction CountriessuchasChile, Colombia, EcuadorandMexicopre-
sentedintheirprogrammingastronginfluenceofthemesconnectedtodrugdealingandthedependencyonillegalsubstances,combatagainstdrugs,ortheyouthintheworldofdrugs,dealingthroughfictionwithproblemsofdailyreality.
“Àlacarte”fiction,sponsoredanddevelopedwithpoliticalintentions,hasonceagainbeenasubjectofinterestinMexico,asithadhappenedin2011.Articulatedalongsidepoliticalmarketing,drugdealingwasthethemeofLa teniente,whichdealtwithcombatagainstthetrafficarmy,makingthemilitaryasheroesinthatfight.AnothercaseofpoliticalmarketingwasexplicitintherealityshowLo que mis ojos ven y mi corazón siente,starredbythefuturefirst-lady,afamousTVactressinthecountry.Madeavailableduringtheelectoral campaign onYouTube, the 23 episodes of the programhadoveronemillionviewsandservedasanimportantcornerstoneforthecampaignofthecurrentpresident.Theshowpresented,asafictionalnarrative,thebackstageofthepoliticalcampaignandtheprivatelifeofthepresidentcandidate,mixingrealityandfiction.InMexico,therewasalsotheclosureoftherating-measurementcom-panyIbopeAGBandthecreationofNielsen-Ibope.
In2012,broadcastTV inChile continued toshowadrop inaudience,afactthathasbeenongoingsince2003.Therewasapref-erence for themes connected to reality, amongwhichwere high-lighted: pedophilia, drug dealing, the educational crisis, bullying,precariousness of family relations, social exclusion, and alcoholandchemicaldependencyrehab.Thebestexamplewas theseriesSolita camino,dealingwith thesexualabuseofminors,producedwithpublicfunds,anddespitenotreachinghighratings,wasoneofthehighlightsinthecountry.Asfortheform,theseriespresentedslower-pacedandintrospectivenarratives,withareducednumberofcharacters.
InEcuador, transmedia fiction has been gaining space. Toprovethis,themainhighlightwasnotinaconventionalformat,but
Comparative synthesis of the Obitel countries in 2012 | 55
in the first webnovela,Resaka, funded by TC Televisión, whichreached high ratings. Geared towards a teen demographic, eachtimemorepresentinthevirtualenvironment,thewebnoveladealswith themes related todrugdealing.AlsoworthyofattentionareskitscreatedbytheEcuadoriancollectiveEnchufetvinitsYouTubechannel,whichdealtwithdaily lifewithsarcasmandbecamethemostwatchedprograminthecountry.
InColombia, in 2012, the highlights were four productionsthatdealtwithsocialproblems.TheseriesEscobar, el patrón del
mal,withtheyear’shighestratings,La mariposa,andEl Capo II.Drug dealing, illegality and corruptionwere subjects that causedimpactandgenerateddebateamongthepopulace.Thefourthshowwas thepoliceseriesCorazones blindados,whichshowedpolice-menandagentsfightingorganizedcrimeandviolence.
Controversialthemesthatsoughttoportraysocietyalsowerethe target of productions inArgentina: pornography, psychologi-calproblems,spermdonation,theboxingworld,romancebetweenpeoplefromdifferentclasses,familycomedythatescapesfromtra-ditionalmolds,andpolicecomedy.Throughmelodramatheyhavequestioned classical molds of society and family. Examples are:Graduados,La Pelu andEl donante,thelatteraboutaspermdonorthatfindsout,yearslater,thathehas144children.
Exclusion,racism,violentandsocioeconomicissuesweresomeofthethemespresentinthefictionConversaciones con la luna fromPeru.Therewas theproductionof the telenovelaLa Tyson, a re-makeofthesuccessfulMuñeca brava.Theminiseries,whichweremany(6),hadshortduration,fewepisodesandastrongmelodra-maticcharge.Amongthethemes,themostnoteworthywere:biog-raphies,conflicts,fear,achieveddreams,immigrantstories.
TheyearlyhighlightforBrazilalsoinvolveddailythemes,es-peciallyreferringtothemiddleclass,whichgrewalotinthecoun-try.ThetelenovelaAvenida Brasilhaspolarizedtheattentionofnotonly the customary viewers or commentators of telenovelas, butalsointernationalcommunicationvehiclesthatsoughttounderstand
56 | Obitel 2013
the“phenomenon”ofAvenida Brasil.TheenormoussuccessofthetelenovelaresultedinuncommoneventssuchastheNationalElec-tricSystemtoredimensionenergysupplytodealwithanestimated5%increaseinenergyconsumptionduringthebroadcastofthelastchapteroftheshow.Therewerechangesandevencancellationsofpubliceventsscheduledforthesametimeastheairingofthelastchapter.Thehugesuccesswascreditedgreatlyduetotheplotfo-cusedoncustomsandpracticesofthelifeoftheso-called“newCclass”(aninnovationintelenovelafromGlobo),thehybridizationoftheserialformatmadebyitsauthor,andthecharacterizationofafortunatecastofactors.Theaudienceofthelastchapterreachedan81%share.AllthemediascenariothatwasbeingconstructedduringitsexhibitionmadeAvenida Brasil tobeconsideredasa“popularmediaevent”,which,amongotherthings,changesestablishedrout-ingandimprints ritualcharacteristics that favor the integrationofsocieties(Culdry;Hepp,2010).
The more laid-back daily issuesAnotherthematicaxisofIbero-Americanfictionreferstodeal-
ingwithlighterandmorelaid-backissues,sometimesbytheuseofcomedy,typicalofsitcoms.Unlikepreviousthemes,otherproduc-tionsaired in2012focused infantasy, romantic relationshipsandidealizedbiographies.
Argentina’s attempt to attract the audience is demonstratedthroughthepremieresofSupertorpeandVioletta,dedicatedtochil-drenandadolescents,airedinthemorningslot.InChile,themostwatchedproductionalsohadlighterandlaid-backthemes,likethetelenovelasDama y obrero,Pobre rico andSoltera otra vez.Thelattermixedthetelenovela,sitcomandunitaryformats,andinspiredthe Argentinian telenovela Ciega a citas. The romantic comedySoltera otra vezdealswiththechallengesofmodernlifeofaprofes-sionalthat,alongsidethreefemalefriends,facesamorousrelation-shipandinfidelityproblems.TheplotwasoneofthemostwatchedaudiovisualproductsinChileantelevision,reachinga90%share.
Comparative synthesis of the Obitel countries in 2012 | 57
Colombiahadamongitshighestratedshowsin2012lighterproductions connected to Caribbean culture, such as the minise-ries Casa de reinasandthetelenovelasRafael Orozco, el ídoloand¿DóndecarajosestáUmaña?.Thetelenovela¿Dónde está Elisa? and the seriesEl Laberinto also depicted adverse situations in alightheartedmanner,inwhichmoralvaluescomeoutontopattheend.TheseriesA mano limpiaescapesthesocioculturalstereotypes,portraying the union of social classes that overcomeprofessionalandeconomicdifferences.
ComedyisalsothestrongpointinEcuador,where,forthesec-ondyearrunning,telenovelasdidnotmakethetopten.Humorhasbeenthemostusedformoffictiontoreachaudiences,withsarcasmandirreverenceinitsplots,beitovertelevisionorInternet.
InSpain andVenezuela therewere strong fantasy themes in2012fiction.InVenezuelasomefictionshowedastronglinkwithmythicalandreligiousthemes,suchasTraición y perdón.InSpain,thenetworkthatranthemostself-producedtitlesin2012,Antena3,aired fiction shows that dealt with paranormal phenomena, were-wolves, and adventure. The other network of note is Tele5, witheightshowsin2012.Tele5’shighestratedfictionshowswereLa que
se avencinaandAída,whichdealwithlove,family,andfriendship.
The audiovisual production scenario and the audienceIn some countries, the year’s highlights do not refer solely
tofictioncontent,butalsochanges in theaudiovisualmarket, thetransnationalization, and audiencebehavior.Thatwas the case inSpain,wherethefictionproductionmarketfindsitselfininapro-cessoftransnationalization,withthesaleofshowsandformatsforseveralcountries.AmongthehighlightsisÁguilaroja,whichhadover sixmillionwatchers in the country andwas sold to twentycountries,followedbyCuéntame como pasó,another long-lastingsuccess,withoverfivemillionwatchers.
In theUnited States, the focus in2012wasnot on thepro-ductions themselves, but on the reorganization of the Hispanic
58 | Obitel 2013
television industry in the country through new alliances betweennetworks.Hispanicproductionfrustratedtheoutlookfor2012.TheprimetimetelenovelaEl talismán,aUnivisiónco-productionwithVenezuelanVenevisión,didnotreachexpectations.Morethanfivemillion spectators on its premiere were not enough to avoid theshorteneddurationor thechange toanafternoon slot.Other thanthat,themostdealtsubjectsbyHispanicmediaweretheOlympicsandthepresidentialelection.
InPeru,thetelenovelaAl fondo hay sitioreceivedinternationalattention,anditsfourthseasonreachedthe800chaptermark,whichreachedthehighestaudienceat50points,whichisuncommonforthecountry.Thisworkoffictionhasbeensoldtofivecountries.
OneoftheratinghighlightsinPortugalwastheremakeoftheBrazilian telenovelaDancin’ days, co-produced with Globo. Es-peciallynotablewas theproductplacementaction that tookplacewithin thework.Brazilian telenovelasalsohadgoodratingswiththererunofPáginas da vidaandthepremiereof Avenida Brasil.Itisalsoworthnotingthattheleadingfictionchannel,TVI,hadasahighlighttheairingof26TVmoviesfromtheFilmes TVIproject.
InUruguay the production of the first national sitcom andliterary adaptationswere the highlights in 2012,with the unitarySomosandtheseriesBienes gananciales,whichmixedfictionandreality.Theproductionswithinternationalfinancingorco-produc-tionswerestrategicforthecountry.InVenezuela,therewaspublicfinancing for fictionprogramming,whereprogramminghadbeendecreasingsince2010.
Public incentive and encouraging independent productionGovernment incentiveprograms in Ibero-Americancountries
haveincreasedthenumberofnationalproductionsandofferedmoresecuritytodeveloperstoworkinnewformats,narrativeandaesthet-icstyles,besidesencouragingindependentproductionorsmallpro-ductionstudios.Themainformsofincentivewerefund-gatheringassistance,sponsoringorfinancingoffictionworks.
Comparative synthesis of the Obitel countries in 2012 | 59
InPortugal, 2012productionhasundergone several chang-essuchasdecreaseintitlesperchannel,characteristicsoffictionworks and supply and demand, opening space for new forms ofproduction of fiction content in the country. The production ofpublicchannelRTPhasbeenmaintainedfromthepreviousyear,despite theeconomiccrisis.Dealingwithdiversified themeswasemployedasastrategytoreachdifferentaudiences.Byjoiningin-formation and fiction,RTP produced a series of 12TVmovies,Grandes histórias: toda gente conta.Another facthighlighted inPortuguesepublictelevisionwasthepartnershipwithuniversitiesfortheproductionoftheseriesContos de Natal,connectingmarketandacademia.FormatinnovationsalsohappenedinArgentina,infictionworkswithgovernmentfinancing,whichpresentednewfor-mats,stylesandgenres,expandingtheterritoryfornewproductioncompanies and increasing competition for audience.Meanwhile,inUruguay,aestheticinnovationhappenedduetolackofresourc-es.TNU,thecountry’spublicchannel,demandedREC: una serie
casera,markingitsreturntoproductionsinbroadcasttelevision.Intheseries,ayoungmancreateshisownvideowithaestheticsandstyle that, reflecting the title, refers to lackofmeans for amoreelaborateproduction.
InVenezuela,thehighlightscanbegroupedinfourtypes:1)nationalization of fiction; 2) fictional production from communalspaces;3)serialfictionlinkedtomythicalandreligiousaspects;and4)public financing for audiovisualproduction.Public funding fi-nancedthetelenovelaTeresa en tres estacionesthatportraysthelifeofVenezuelanwomen.Someseriesalsocountedonthatfinancing,amongthem:Barrio sur;Hotel de locura;Nos vemos en el espejo;La residencia;El diario de Bucaramanga.
AndinChile,thehighlightwastheseriesSolita camino,alsoproducedwithpublicinvestment.Evenwithoutreachinggoodrat-ingsduetocompetitionwithoneofthetopten,“El reemplazante”,theworkoffictionwasawatermarkallacrossthecountryfordeal-ingwiththemessuchaspedophilia,bullying,fearandpowerwith
60 | Obitel 2013
afoundationinaplotregardingtheworldofteenagers,withadeepemotionalcharge.
5. TV fiction and transmedia reception: interaction through net-works5
EversinceObiteldecidedtoincorporatetransmediareceptioninitsanalysisin2009,wehavereportedhowwhatstartedasamar-ginalpractice,encouragedbytheuseoftheInternet,butnotvaluedenoughpreciselyforitstransmediapotential,hasbecomeakeyele-mentfortheinterconnectionsthatareestablishedfromthefiction,bothwithotherscreensandwiththenewhabitsthattheiraudiencesare generating. These habits range from recognizing its widenedconsumption (OrozcoGomez, 2011) to their evenmore constantinteractivityactions(Lopes,2009).
Thisreflectsastrong,profoundsocioculturalchangethat,how-ever, still has not generalized in the type ofmedia-audiences in-teraction,sinceitisstillpossibletoobserveatransitmovementofmediaaudiencestousers/contentproducers.
Yearafteryear,theTVfictionfans–inthe12countriesmem-bers ofObitel– have been giving out signs that indicate little bylittle that theemotivenessthatmovestheminthesocialnetworks(Facebook,Twitter,YouTube,etc.)totalkabouttheirfavoritefic-tionsisleadingthemtogenerateanothertypeofcontentsthatarebeginningtosurpassmerecompilationpractices(editingvideosofthecrucialmomentsintheirtelenovelas,forexample,theromancebetween themain characters) to place themselves in the creationofanother typeof storytelling.Though theyare still far from thetransmedia storytellingthatisatpresentdevelopedwithmoviesandseries,especiallythosefromtheUnitedStates,thisisafirststepfortheaudiencestoendupappropriatingtheIbero-Americantelenove-lasandseriesfromtheproduction.
5WearethankfulforthespecialsupportgivenbyDarwinFranco,fromObitelMexico,onthissectionanalysis.
Comparative synthesis of the Obitel countries in 2012 | 61
Likewise,wehaveillustratedhowtheTVindustriesfromthe12Obitelcountriesaremakingmultipleefforts tomutate towhatScolari(2008)calls“hyper-television”,whichimpliessimulatingoremulatingtheinteractiveinterfacesthatareofferedbytheInternetatpresent.Inaspeciesof“Tvmorphosis”(OrozcoGomez,2012),televisionhasbeenlookingforwaystointeractfurtherwiththeirau-diencesandtogenerate,fromthatrelationship,multiplereceptionsthatwoulduseitasthemainreferentofthenewmediapractices.That iswhy, as itwasexplainedat thebeginningof this section,transmediareceptionhasbecomeanimportantlinkbetweenfictionanditsaudiences.
Transmedia reception in the Obitel countriesFor the2013Yearbook, theanalysisof transmedia reception
underwentsomechangesinitsmethodology,since,unlikethepre-viousyears,inthepresentyeartheanalysisdidnotcenteronpre-sentingallthetransmediaofferofthetoptenineachoftheObitelcountries,buton that fictionselectedamong the favorite fictions,whetherduetotheimportanceofthefictiontitleitselforbecausea title resulted into an interesting case because of its specificallydeployedtransmediaproposal.
Inanyofthecases,theanalysisconcentratedonthewayinwhichtheaudiencesinteractedwiththeirfiction,whetherthroughthesocialnetworksortheofficialwebsitesoftheseriesortelenove-lasselected.Thecenterofattentionfocusedontheanalysisofthecomments, opinions and practices the audiences made there, butalsoonthewaysofappropriationandontheproductionsthatmighthavebeengeneratedinthisrespect.
62 | Obitel 2013
Chart 1. The 12 titles selected and their transmedia offer
Country Title Format Top ten Transmedia offer
Argentina Graduados Series 1stplaceOfficialwebsiteFacebookpageTwitter
BrazilAvenida Brasil
Telenovela 2ndplace
OfficialwebsiteFacebookpageBrazilNovelaTwitterBlogOioioiStoreOutofHomemedia
ChileSoltera otra vez
Telenovela 1stplace
OfficialwebsiteFacebookTwitterYouTube
ColombiaEscobar, el patrón del mal
Dramatized 1stplace
FacebookOfficialwebsiteTwitterYouTube
Ecuador EnchufetvWeb-com-edy
No
OfficialwebsiteFacebookTwitterYouTube
Spain El barco Series NoOfficialwebsiteFacebookTwitter
USA El talismán Telenovela 9thplace
OfficialwebsiteFacebookTwitterYouTube
MexicoTe presento a Valentín
Webnovela NoOfficialwebsiteFacebookTwitter
PeruAl fondo hay sitio
Telenovela 1stplace
OfficialwebsiteFacebookTwitterYouTube
PortugalDancin´ Days.
Telenovela 1stplaceOfficialwebsiteFacebookpage
UruguayREC. Una serie casera
Series NoOfficialwebsiteFacebookFacebook
Venezuela Flor salvaje Telenovela 2ndplaceOfficialwebsiteFacebook
Source:Obitel
Comparative synthesis of the Obitel countries in 2012 | 63
One of the first elements to be underlined in the transmediaofferofthe12titlesselectedbytheObitelcountriesishowstrongthe social networks became as base platforms for the transmediaprocessesoftheIbero-Americanfiction.In2011,theofficialweb-sitewasthecentralnodeinthisprocess;however,nowayearlater,thatimportanceissharedbysiteslikeFacebook,Twitterand,toalesserdegree,YouTube,whicharenowsitesfromwhichtheIbero-American fictions seek to expand networks to interactwith theiraudiences beyond the TV set.Many titles inChart 1 establishedstrategies(basedonpromotionsandonvideo-chatswiththemaincharacters) thatconsisted incontests thatmade theaudiencesusetheirdifferenttransmediaofferstosolveonthemthequestionsoractivities thatwouldhave themparticipate in thechatswith theirfavoritecharacters/actors.
Inthisrespect,Avenida Brasilisoneofthebestexamplesoftheabove,sincethisGlobotitlemanagedanunheardofconnectionwithitsaudiencesviaTwitter,forinitslastfewbroadcaststhehashtag #AvenidaBrasilrankedasoneofthemostrepeatedonaworldwidelevel,whichmeansthattheinteractionatthemomentofthebroad-castofthetelenovelawasalsooccurringinparallelthroughtheso-cialnetworks.
This phenomenon, although to a lesser degree, is somethingthatisbeginningtooccurinalltheObitelcountries;however,thecaseofBrazilwassignificantbecause itconfirmsGlobo’sbet togeneratenotonlyamulti-platformstrategy,butalsoaninteractivitythatunfoldsinrealtimewiththeirtelenovelafansthroughplatformslikeYouTube.
Itmustbepointedoutthatthreeofthe12countriesanalyzedproductscreatedonorexclusivelyfortheInternet,whichisasec-ondstepforIbero-Americanfictionthatupto2011hadtransferreditsproductionstotheWeb,butfeweffortshadbeenmadetopro-ducefictionthatwouldbebroadcastsolelyonline.
Ecuador, in a format similar to the videoblogs, selected thewebcomedy Enchufetv. This proposal makes two-to-five-minute-
64 | Obitel 2013
longmicrofictionsthatareuploadedtotheTouchéFilmsYouTubechannel.Theyhaveover2millionsubscribersintheirsiteandtheirvideoshavebeenplayedover250million times.Thisnumberoffollowersistransferredtotheirprofilesonsocialnetworksanditisaveritablebetoninteractivity,butnotontransmedia.
Another novelty element for2012was the emergenceof thewebnovelas;countrieslikeMexicoandEcuador releasedtwo tele-novelasfortheirexclusivebroadcastontheInternet.Te presento a
ValentínwasthefirstproposalbyTelevisatoexploretheexpansionof its telenovelas on the Internet; in turn,Resaka, sponsored andfinancedbyTCTelevisión,was an experimental proposal by theInstitutoSuperiordeEstudiosdeTelevisión,ITV,basedonGuaya-quil,whichwaslateradoptedbytheEcuadorianTVnetwork.
Te presento a Valentín, aproductioncreated for its exclusivebroadcast on the Internet and for its distribution throughmobiledevices throughoutMexicoand inpartsof the United States,at-temptedtoestablishanewinteractivitywiththeMexicanaudiences;however,itspenetrationwaspoorbecause,beyondtheloveadviceitgaveonTwitter,itneverpromotedactualaudienceparticipation.Theeffectremainedjustintheviewing.ThesamethinghappenedwithResaka,whichhasnotmanagedtoachieveastrongpenetra-tion,asdidEnchufetv inEcuador itself.
Spain, with El Barco, explored the transmission of “twit-tersodes” that complemented the TV fiction plots by means ofthe tweets that the characters (not the actors) posted in real timeonTwitter,nodoubtaninnovativemodelwithintheObitelscopewherethoseconnectionsaremadefromtheproduction,butnotdi-rectlyfromwhatafictionalcharactermayfeelorthink.
Argentina, forexample,didconductadirectquestioningofitsfansonTwitterorFacebook,butitdidnotdosothroughitscharac-ters,butthroughquestionsthatfanscouldansweraboutwhatwouldhappenornotwithsomeofthecharactersofGraduados,thefictionselected.Nevertheless, little is known aboutwhatwas donewiththatinformationthattheseriesgeneratedwithover250,000tweets
Comparative synthesis of the Obitel countries in 2012 | 65
postedbyitsfollowers.MaybeinthisexampleandtheoneaboutSpain,itwouldbeconvenienttoaskourselves,whatistheuseofthesecomments forproduction?Could theybecomerawmaterialtochangetheplotsorthecharactersoreventhestorytellingitself?
Figure 1. Summary of the transmedia offer of the 12 titles selected in 2012
Source:Obitel
Asithadalreadybeenexplained,inthe12titlesselected,the
useofFacebook,Twitter,orYouTubehelppromotetheinteractionswith theaudiences,sinceit initiallyoffers themmorechannels towatchand learnabout the fiction,but italso indicates thegreaterinterestoftheproducersortheTVnetworksinmultiplatformstrate-gies,asithadbeenoccurringin2011.
However,theaudiencesthemselvesandthefansaretheoneswhohavegeneratedtheexpansionofthestorytelling,creatingpro-files, accounts,or#hashtagswhere their tastesor interactionsarewidened,butalsotheyhavebeencapableofcreating–outsidethesespaces–forumsandblogswheretheydonotonlytalkaboutwhat
• Character Profile
• Photos and videos
• Making-Of
• Viewing Chapters
• Test
• Games
• Making-Of
• Technical
• Contests
• Comments
• Chapters
• News
Wikipedia
• Official Profile
• Fan Pages
• Character Profile
• Central Page
• Official Chat
• Official Store
Official Website• Official Account
• Characters Account
• Director Account
Youtube
• Official Channel
• Fans Channel
• Video Fans
Foros e Blog
• Technical
• Synopsis
• Characters Blog
• Fans Blog
• Official Account
• Fans Account
66 | Obitel 2013
theywouldorwouldnotliketosee,butalsotheyhavefoundawaytodeviate thecontrols that theofficial sitesorYouTube itself,attherequestoftheTVnetworks,havebeengeneratingtoprotectthecopyrights.
Inresponse,thefanshavecreatedtheseothersiteswheretheythemselvesrecordthetelenovelaswiththeircellphonesanduploadthemso thatotherpeople canenjoy themwithout restrictions. Ingeneral terms, there is little interactivitywith theaudiences, foramercantilesensestillprevailsinthetransmediaoffersandtherearebutafewcasesthatinvitetheaudiencestocreateorbeanactivepartoftheproductions.
UruguaywiththeseriesREC,isapeculiarcase,becausefromitsFacebookprofile, theproduction invitedanybody interested toparticipateasanextra,publishingthedayandtimeofthelocationswhereshootingwouldoccur.
TheTVnetworks’skepticismandindecision,asVenezuela ex-poses,isoneofthemainproblemsconcerningthetransmediaoffersthatmaybefoundamongtheObitelmembers.Inthecaseof thiscountryand theselected titleFlor s alvaje, this“impasse”occursbecausewhatwasofferedontheofficialwebsiteandonitssocialnetworkprofilesstillhesitatedbetweentheideaofbeingtrulyin-teractive (the production used a game tomeasure howmuch theaudienceknewabout the telenovela),orusing these Internet sitesto facilitate viewing and exclusivematerials such as “behind thecameras”.
Inaddition,therewereotheroffers,likeinPortugal,withthe“FacebookHour”,aspacewhere theactors/charactersofDancin´
Days talked with the users about their lives and what would orwouldnothappenwiththecharacterthattheywereplaying.Inthesecases,justlikeithappenedinColombiawithEscobar, el patrón del
mal,priorityisgiventotheviewingaccompaniedbysomeinterac-tivityactions,astheabovementionedvideo-chat.
Inrelation to theColombianfictionthatportrayedthe lifeofdrugtraffickerPabloEscobar,theopportunitytoattainagreaterin-
Comparative synthesis of the Obitel countries in 2012 | 67
teractionwaswasted,because,sinceitdealtwitha“high-profilehis-toricalevent”,theproductiondidnotassesstheconflictingfeelingsthat itgeneratedamong the fans,whoweredivided in theircom-mentspostedonthesocialnetworksinto“theactivitiesperformedbythedruglordandthecharacterportrayedintheseries”.Perhapsthatwouldhavebeenagoodopportunitytomakeatransmediapro-posal inviting theaudiences togeneratealternativeendings in thefashionoffan-fiction.
InPeru,withthetelenovelaAl fondo hay sitio, thetransmediaoffersuffers fromthesameshortcomings,because theaudiences’involvementisnotfullyused,whetherbecauseinteractionfromthewebsites isdifficultorbecause theofficialpagedoesnotmake iteasyforfictiontointeractwithitssocialnetworks.
This step, as we had already announced, has not been fullyachieved,becauseasitisestablishedinthechapterabouttheUnited States,theTVnetworksseethefanswithanexclusivelymercan-tileinterest,whichavoidsrecognizingorrathermakesitdifficulttoacknowledgethatthroughtheirmediapracticesandmultiplerecep-tions the fans are “the best ambassadors of their contents”, sincetheyshareor retweet theircontents for free.That is, fansexpandpromotionandthatishealthy,asithappenedwithEl talismán,thetelenovelathatmanagedgoodInternettrafficduetothepromotionthatthefans(notsomuchtheproduction)madeonthesocialnet-works,generatingaconstantimpactbecausetheykeptthephenom-enon“talkingaboutthis”goingallthetime.
Thiscapacityofbringingbackandforthmediacontentsthroughthesocialnetworkshadcausedthefictionsorevensomecharacterstotranscendthelimitsoffictionandtoberegardedasopinionlead-ersinreality.InChile,ArgentinetelenovelaSoltera otra vez, star-ring the characterCristinaMoreno, became amedia reference aswellasareferenceinmattersoftheheart,sincefromherFacebookprofileaswellasinthecolumnswrittenbythischaracterinsomeChileanmedia,sheadvisedtheChileanpublicgivingthemtipsonhowtogetthe“idealman”.
68 | Obitel 2013
Nodoubt,skepticismandindecisiononthepartoftheTVnet-worksingeneralpreventedthetransmediareceptionfromfollowingnewpathsin2012,althoughinparticularthereareeffortsmadebylargeandsmallTVstationsnotonly tohavetheirfictionsplayedontheInternet,butalsotohavethemstartfromittogenerateatruetransmediation supportedby the interactionand interactivitywithitsaudiences.
Interaction, the opening up of the industry Since2011,ObitelhasbeenreportinghowtheIbero-American
audiencesgraduallybegantogenerateabiggercommitmenttotheirfictions,whichwasobserved in interactivityprocesses.However,thisemergingphenomenonhasbeenmeetingsomelimitsintheof-fers and real possibilities of interactionoffered from theTVnet-works,inadditiontothelimitsderivedofthecompetencesthattheaudiencesaredevelopingfromtheirinteractionswiththeso-callednewtechnologies.
Thestepweglimpsed,whichwentfromthetransmediaoffersupportedonmarketingstrategiesandpromotionofcontentstotherealincorporationofthefans’practicesontheInternet,issomethingthatdoesnotseemtohavebeenachievedin2012yet. Interactiv-ityandinteractionaretwophasesunderconstructionintheObitelscope.
InthemethodologyusedbyObiteltomeasurepreciselysaidin-teraction,commoncriteriawereproposedtomakeamorehomoge-neousclassificationamongthe12countriesthatarenowpartofthisYearbook.TheclassificationhasbeenguidedbytheObitelmethod-ologicalprotocolanditismadeupofthefollowingcategories:• Interactive: it is possible to interactwith respect of the fic-
tion’scontent,butthechapterscannotbewatched.• Interactiveinrealtime:itquestionstheaudiencesduringthe
fiction’stransmission.• Viewing: it is possible towatch the chapters, but comments
cannotbeposted.
Comparative synthesis of the Obitel countries in 2012 | 69
• Interactiveviewing:commentscanbepostedanditispossibletointeractwithotherpeoplewhovisitthesite.
• Networkinteractiveviewing:itispossibletowatchthefic-tion,postcommentsandredirectallthecontentsofthesitetotheusers’socialnetworks.
• Transmediaviewing: exclusiveproducts forviewingon thewebaswellasinteractiondynamicswiththefictionareofferedonthesite.
Amongthe12titlesselectedbytheObitelcountries,39itemswereobtainedinrelationtothetypesofmediainteractionthatwereofferedbytheproducersintheselectedtitles.
Graph 1. Types of interaction proposed by the producers in the titles selected
Source:Obitel
Unlike 2011, here other interaction levels stand out as pro-posed from the industry,which are closer toprocessesofgreaterdynamismamongthefictionsandtheiraudiences.Inthisyear,26%concentratedonthetransmediaviewing,whichpresupposesthatinmosttitles’sitesexclusiveproductsforwebviewingaswellasin-teractiondynamicswiththefictionareoffered,afactthatincoun-trieslikeMexicoandEcuadorwentevenfurtherwiththeestablish-mentofwebnovelasorinSpainwiththecreationof“tweetsodes”.
Thenetworkinteractiveviewing(20%),theinteractiveview-inginrealtime(18%),andtheinteractiveviewing(18%)continuewiththischangeofvisionfromtheproductionoffiction.Thisin-
Interactive
Interactiveinrealtime
Viewing
Interactiveviewing
Networkinteractiveviewing
Transmediaviewing
5%
18%26%
13%
18%20%
70 | Obitel 2013
creasewithrespectofthepreviousyearrespondstotheuseofso-cialnetworksasameanstoquestion–inrealtime–theaudiencesaboutwhat theyarewatchingon their screensandalsowhy they(accordingtodatadisclosedinalloftheObitelcountries)havein-creasedthetimetheydedicatetothesocialnetworks.Inthispoint,itisworthnoticingthatsaidinteractivityismoreincisiveincoun-trieslikeSpain, Brazil, Argentina, the United StatesandMexico,wherethelevelsofconnectivityaregreater.
The interactive and viewing proposals were left behind, al-though they prevailed years ago and dominated the transmediastrategiesofferedfromtheproductionandtheTVnetworks,whichpresupposesthatthetransmediationandtransmedialityprocessbe-tweentheTVandtheInternetinIbero-Americaisaphenomenonthat,thoughslowly,hasbeenmakingprogressyearafteryear.
Interactivity, what the audiences have achieved and what the pro-ducers permit
Theresultsinrelationtointeractionpresupposeanopeningupofthefictionproducerswithrespectofthewaysinwhichtheycanbecomeinvolvedwiththeiraudiences,butalsothewaysinwhichthe latter (outside theofficial proposals) areoperating tobecomeinvolvedandtoappropriateoftheirculturalproducts.
Thisstepormigration,however,isaculturalprocessthatdoesnotdevelopinthesamewayinalltheObitelcountries.Tomakeanapproximation tohow theprocessof interactivityoccurs, the fol-lowingcategorieswereestablishedinthemethodologicalprotocoltoanalyzeinteractivity.• Passive interactivity: when the user consumes the contents
withoutfeedback.Interactionis barely reactiveastothecon-tent.
• Activeinteractivity:theuserrespondstoastimulusgivenjustwithintheconditionsofferedbythebroadcaster,forexample,participationinsomesurvey.Interactionispropositiveorcriti-calastothecontent.
Comparative synthesis of the Obitel countries in 2012 | 71
• Creativeinteractivity:theuserbecomestheproducerofcon-tents,creatingsomethingnewfromthatwhichtheyweregiv-en.Stimulatedbytheoriginalproducerofthecontentstoissuesomeresponse,thewebuserproduces,transposinghiscondi-tionasreceiverandattainingthelevelofproducer.(Lopesetal.,2009).
Graph 2. Levels of interactivity proposed by the producers in the titles selected
Source:Obitel
The increase thatactive interactivityhad thisyear is remark-ablehere.Takingintoaccountthatnowtheanalysiswasconductedinjust12titlesandnotwithallthosereferredtointhetopten,78%oftheinteractivitybetweenfictionsandfansin2012wereactive,whichimpliedtheaudiences’responsetothemultiplestimulithatthe producers offered this year. Polls, surveys, games, dynamicstoobtainprizes,chatsandvideo-chats,inadditiontoparticipatingcommentingorgiving“likes”tothechapters,weresomeexamplesofthispractice.
Nevertheless,thisisstillanemerginglevelofinteractivityingeneral;perhaps,itismoreintenseorgeneralizedinsomecountriesthaninothers.Thesteptowards“creativity”(8%),thecategoryinwhichtheaudiencesbecomecontentproducers,creatingsomethingnewfromwhattheyweregiven,issomethingpracticallyinexistentintheObitelcountries,wherepassiveinteractivity(14%),themerereactiontowhatiswatched,isevengreater.Thisfactallowsusto
Passiveinteractivity
Activeinteractivity
Creativeinteractivity
8% 14%
78%
72 | Obitel 2013
observethat,eventhoughtheproducersoffernewways,participa-tion and creation of contents (in general) is not amedia practiceamongtheaudiences/usersinthe12participatingcountries.
However, it is necessary tomention that active interactivity,thedominantoneinthefictionsselected,mustbeexplainedfromwhateachfictioninparticularallowstheaudiencestodofromtheirofficialsitesorprofilesonthesocialnetworks,sincenotallthepro-ductionswerefullyopentoparticipatedirectlywiththeaudiences;ineachoftheObitelcountriesthesenuancesareperceived,ononehand,bywatchingtheproducers’offerand,ontheother,byanalyz-ing the audiences’ prevailing practices,which –in effect– are ac-tive commenting and exchanging aboutwhat theywatch, but notproducing unreleased contents of their own. The following chartillustratesthelevelsofinteractionandinteractivity,aswellasthepracticesthatprevailedamongtheaudiencesinrelationtoeachtitle.
Chart 3. The 12 titles selected, transmedia offer, types of interac-tion, levels of interactivity and the users’ prevailing practices
Country Title Transmedia offer
Trans-media
interaction types
Levels of inter-activity
Users’ prevailing practices
Argentina Gradua-dos
Officialwebsite
Trans-media viewing
Active
CommentInterpretationRemixParodyRecommendationImitationCelebrationCritiqueCollectionStorageSharingDiscussion
Facebook Interactiveinrealtime
Twitter Interactiveinrealtime
Comparative synthesis of the Obitel countries in 2012 | 73
BrazilAvenida Brasil
Officialwebsite
Networkinteractiveviewing
ActiveInterpretationSharingPlayfulnessRecommendation
Facebookpage
Trans-media viewing
Creative
InterpretationCommentSharingRecommen-dationDiscussionCelebrationPlayfulnessCollectionReviewParodyRemix
BrazilNovelaTrans-media viewing
Creative
InterpretationCommentSharingRecommen-dationDiscussionCelebrationPlayfulnessCollectionReviewParodyRemix
TwitterViewing
Interactiveinrealtime
ActiveInterpretationCommentSharingDiscussion
BlogOioioi Interactiveviewing
ActiveConsumptionRecommendation
StoreOutofHomemedia
Viewing Passive Interpretation
Chile Soltera otra vez
Officialwebsite
Trans-media viewing
Creative
CommentRecommendationCelebrationReviewStorageSharingDiscussion
FacebookNetworkinteractiveviewing
Active
TwitterViewing
Interactiveinrealtime
Active
YouTubeInteractiveviewing
Active
74 | Obitel 2013
ColombiaEscobar, el patrón del mal
Facebook Interactiveviewing Active Comment
InterpretationRecommendationCelebrationReviewCollectionSharingExtensionDebateInterpellation
Officialwebsite
Networkinteractiveviewing
Active
Twitter Interactiveviewing Active
YouTubeInteractiveinrealtime
Active
Ecuador Enchufetv
Officialwebsite
Viewing Passive CommentInterpretationRemixParodyRecommendationImitationCelebrationCritiqueCollectionStorageSharingDiscussion
FacebookTrans-media viewing
Active
TwitterViewing
Interactiveinrealtime
Active
YouTubeNetworkinteractiveviewing
Spain El barco
Officialwebsite
Trans-media viewing
ActiveHistoryInterpretersReviewsHumorCurrentissuesAudiences
Facebook Interactive Active
TwitterInteractiveinrealtime
Active
United States
El tal-ismán
Officialwebsite
ViewingPassive Comment
InterpretationRemixParodyRecommendationImitationCelebrationCritiqueCollectionSharingDiscussion
FacebookTrans-media viewing
Active
TwitterInteractiveinrealtime
Active
YouTubeTrans-media viewing
Active
MexicoTe pre-sento a Valentín
Officialwebsite
Viewing Passive
CommentDiscussionRecommendationImitation
NetworkinteractiveviewingTrans-media viewing
Active
Active
TwitterNetworkinteractiveviewing
Passive/Active
Comparative synthesis of the Obitel countries in 2012 | 75
Peru Al fondo hay sitio
Officialwebsite
Trans-media viewing
Active
CommentInterpretationRecommendationParodyCritiqueDiscuss
FacebookNetworkinteractiveviewing
Active
Twitter Interactive Active
YouTubeNetworkinteractiveviewing
Active
Portugal Dancin´ Days
OfficialwebsiteFacebook
Trans-media viewing
Active
CommentCelebrationRecommendationSharingInterpretationReviewCollectionStorageDiscussion
UruguayREC. Una serie casera
Officialwebsite
Interactiveviewing
Active
CommentCelebrationFacebook Interactive
inrealtimePassive
FacebookGroup
Interactive Active
Venezuela Flor salvaje
Officialwebsite
Trans-media viewing
ActiveCommentNewsSpecialannounce-mentsonthetele-novelaReviewsPollsRecommendation
FacebookInteractiveviewing
Active
Source:Obitel
In relation to theusers’prevailingpractices, theactivity thatstoodoutthemostinthe12fictionsselectedwas“comment”,fol-lowedby“sharing”and“discussion”.Thesethreeactivities,facili-tatedbytheinterfaceofthewebsiteswheresaidtitleswereposted,express that theusers arewilling to interactwith their series andtelenovelas,but thepoorofferon thepartof theproducersor thelack of capabilities prevent them from doing other activities like“remix”,“parody”or“imitation”.Althoughthistypeofactivityis
76 | Obitel 2013
performed in countries likeArgentina, Brazil, Ecuador, United States or Mexico,theirreferenceincludesreactiveratherthanpro-activeactivities,sincethemajorityofthefictionfansthatloginonthesitesthatofferseriesortelenovelasalmostexclusivelydosotowatch theirepisodesand, from time to time,commentsomethingabout them, as it happens inChile, Colombia, Spain, Portugal, Peru,UruguayandVenezuela.
Allinall,observingwhatisofferedandwhattheaudiencesdointhe12titlesselected,itisclearthattransmediareceptionwillbeareality,atleastintheObitelscope,notonlywhenthefictionproduc-ersattachmoreimportancetothecommentstheyreceiveonadailybasisfromtheiraudiences,butalsowhentheaudiencesrecognizetheircapacityasagentsandtheybegintoexplorenewwaysofinter-actingwiththeirfictions,and,whynot,whentheybecomeawareoftheircapacityascontentcreatorsandbecomeabletogeneratetheirownchannelstoproducefiction,asithappenedinEcuador.
6. Topic of the year: social memory and television fiction in Ibero-American countries
Thechoiceofinter-relationbetweentelevisionfictionandso-cialmemoryastopicofthe2012ObitelYearbookhadtheobjectivetorevealnewaspectsoftheimportanceoftelevisionfictionfortheObitelcountries,aswellasbringlightinthemannerbywhichtele-visionfictionparticipatesintheconstructionofsocialmemoriesandculturalidentitiesofthesenations.
Thetrajectoryoftheseinter-relationsineachofthecountriesreveals agreatdeal about the socialpractices, thediscoursesandtheirusesthatareproducedaroundtelevisionfiction.ThistaskhasturnedouttobecomplexnotonlyduetothesocialimportanceoftelevisionfictioninIbero-Americancountries,butalsodueto thedifferentperspectivesthatwereopenedbystudiesregardingsocialmemoryrelatedtothemedia.
Thestartingpointwastotaketelevisionfictionasa“placeofmemory”(lieu de mémoire,Nora,1989)anddocumentofatimeand
Comparative synthesis of the Obitel countries in 2012 | 77
understanditasnarrativeofconstruction,maintenanceanddiscus-sionofsocialmemory,thatis,as“communicativeresource”(Lopes,2009)ofconstructionofidentity.
Theinter-relationofsocialmemoryandtelevisionfictionwasobservedintheObitelcountriesinseveralways:(1)bygenreofhis-toricalfictionthatseekstoportraythepastinafictionalform;(2)ashistoricalarchiveinwhichfictionistransformed;(3)bythework-ingsof theplots,by theuseof self-referentialdiscourse, remem-beringthemselves;(4)throughresourceslikeremakesandreruns.Thesemeansof(re)constructionofadiscourseaboutthepastservedtorevealaspectsandusesrelatedtothefictiongenreand,inspecial,tomelodramaasa“culturalmatrix”(Martín-Barbero,2001).
“Televisionmemory”wasalsotakenaspartof“mediamemo-ry”(Neigeretal.,2011).Inthepermanentuseofcollectivememoryinpublicformsofritualsandceremonies,televisionoperatesasanagentofthismemorybyrecovering,throughnarratives,thememoryofhappenings.Thisresultsinanattempttocomprehendhowtelevi-sionfictionand,inspecial,thetelenovela,consideredasa“narra-tiveofthenation”(Lopes,2004),producemeaningsandfeelingsofbelongingandidentitythatanchorsocialmemory.
It is in this dialog between past and present that the fictiongenreactsasculturalmediation thatallowsmemory toact selec-tivelybringingthepasttothepresent,reassigningmeaning,show-ingnewsidesandforgettingothers.ThismovementofupdatingthepastishighlightedbyRicoeur(2004).Tohim,whilememoryworksbringing thepast to thepresent, historymakes theoppositepath.Evenifhistoryisacriticalinstanceregardingthepast,andmem-orypresents the tendency to interpret it frombothcategoriesandviewpointsof thepresent, there is interdependencybetweenboth.Memoryismorethanafundamentalsource,itistheverysourceofHistory,circulatingitsinterpretations.Inthisway,itisacomplexand conflicting relation between two forms of representation andinterpretationofthepast.
78 | Obitel 2013
The reconstruction of the past, according toMeyers (2007),presentsthreemainaspects:(1)theprocessofselectingsomeeventsandnotothersthatareomitted;(2)thequestionofauthorityofwhopresents thenarrative;and(3) theconsiderationof implicitmoraljudgment for the recovery of memory and institutionalization ofprocessofwhatwillmakeitintosocialmemoryornot.Referringmoredirectlytotelevision,Edgerton(2001)arguesthatitisameansthroughwhichpeoplecanlearnhistory.Inthisway,wecanconsider“televisionasahistorian”.
Televisionisapowerfulinstrumenttonarratethepastandin-fluence theway of thinking of the public, especially through thetelenovela, which is considered a cultural phenomenon in LatinAmerica.Thetelenovela,asapopulargenre,createsapublicspacetoshareanation’sexperiencesanddiscussions(Lopes,2009).Ac-cordingtoPorto(2011),representationoftelenovelastendstodrawaparallelbetweensocialandpoliticalrealities.Inthisway,themesacquire importanceandstart to influenceaudiences, since,asob-servedbyLopez(1995),livingthenationthroughthetelenovelaisaconcretepossibility.
TelevisionfictionanalysesmadebycountriesinthisYearbookshow telenovela narratives as agents of reconstitution of the pastthat constructs collectivememories.According to Jelin (2002, p.22),“thecollectiveofmemories is theentanglementof traditionsandindividualmemories,indialoguewitheachother,inaconstantstate of flux”. Sturken (1997) points that, unlike photographic orcinematographicimages,memoriesdonotremainstaticovertime–theyarereformulatedandreconfigured,disappearorarerewritten.
Wespeak,then,oftelevisionmemoryaspartofmediamemoryandtelevisionasahistorian.AccordingtoEdgerton(2001),televi-sion acts as historian andmust be seen asmeans throughwhichgreataudiencescanknowhistoriesandfiguresofthepast,andbecaptivatedby them.Memories are part of an archive that is bothpersonalandcollective,and,assuch,areportrayedandreproducedbythemediawiththeintentofmakingthemeternal.Inthisway,the
Comparative synthesis of the Obitel countries in 2012 | 79
mediageneratesnewmeansofmodelingmemoryandformaninev-itablepartofeverydaylife.Sowegetamixof“placesofmemory”(Nora,1989),“collectivememory”(Halbwachs,2006)workedbyinstitutions,andtheindividualmemoryofthe“reminder/narrator”(Benjamin,1986).
Andnow,weseektofind,basedontheprincipleofintercul-turalitythatrulestheObitel,somepathtrailedbycountries,anditisimportanttonotethatthedetailingofeachoftheanalysesheresummarizedcanbefoundonthechapterofeachofthecountriesinthisbook.
Television fiction and memory themesThe greatest highlight of the theme of the year in the 2012
ObitelYearbookwaspresent inthehistorical televisionfictionasameansofarchivingnationalityand/orquestioningofficialhistoryaswasdoneinChile, Colombia, Ecuador, Portugal, MexicoandUruguay.However, inmanycountries, theconstructionofsocialmemoryandofsharedknowledgeofthepastremainsthroughthehegemonicvisionofhistory.TheworksoffictionthatfollowthistrendwerehighlightedbySpain, Peru andPortugal.Theconstruc-tionofahistoricalmemory,whichexaltshappenings,reconstructscharactersand localizes references toexplaincurrentphenomena,isthewaythroughwhichfictionworksinChile, Peru, MexicoandVenezuelatotrytoreachatrueportraitofcurrentsocialmemory.It dealswithwaysofnarrating, comprehending, constructingandreconstructingnationalidentity,beitbyevokinghistoricalfactscir-cumscribedtoadeterminedhistoricalperiod,beitbyevokingandcounterpointingfactsofadistantpastwiththoseofamorerecentpast.These forms are directly related to theproductionofmean-ings of nostalgia in a time constantly consideredmore organizedandhappier.
Argentinatacklestheconstructionofsocialmemorythroughtelevisionbyhighlightingfiction’scapacitytoelucidateeventsfromthepast,discussingthememoriesproducedbytelevisionfictionand
80 | Obitel 2013
itsroleintheconstructionofthispast.Italsofiguresintothedebatethedistinctionbetweenmemorygeneratedbythemediaandthesememories that depend on an aesthetic, political or historical dis-course,andthatgobeyondthemediaitself.Inthememoriesgener-atedbyArgentiniantelevision,therearethreesidesbeingpresented.Thefirstof themrefers toreiterationofgenericmoldsofpopularcultureinwhichcharactersandtheatricalskitsarerecoveredwithamythicalatmosphere,withdisregardtotemporality,asisthecaseoftheseriesYo soy porteño(1962to1966and1976to1982).Thesec-ondiscomposedbymemorablemediacasesinwhichpolicenewsreportsorthrillersserveasabackdropforfictionalplots.Thatisthecase of the telenovelaVidas robadas (Telefé, 2008),which dealswithtrafficandmissingpersons.Andthethirdaspectreferstothecasesofmediarememberingitself,withtheuseofbiographic data of known people who gained recognition by doing fiction.ThatisthecaseofthetelenovelaLa dueña(Telefé,2012),inwhichthepri-vatelifeofactressMirthaLegrandpresentssomepointsincommonwiththelifeofthecharactersheplayedand,inthatway,realityandlifeareinterwoven.
The reconstructionof themost recentpoliticalperiodofAr-gentina is connected, in general, to government initiatives. Themannerinwhichhistoricaleventsaredemonstratedinfictionworksallowsfor thedisplayofdifferent forms throughwhichStateandsocietyconstructcollectiveidentity.Thehistoricalreconstructionsconnected to the traumaticperiodofdictatorshipshowthe forceddisappearanceofcommonpeople,asinTelevisión por la identidad (Telefé,2007).Inthisreconstruction,wefindtwoviewpoints:thatofdefendersofthedictatorshipandthatofitsvictims,whichwasthecaseoftheminiseriesVolver a nacer(TelevisiónPública,2012).Thisquestionacquiresrelevancenotonlyduetotheimpactfromasocialpointofview,butalsobecauseitisdirectlyrelatedtothelossand recoveryofnational identity. In thisway, thepast cannotbethoughtofasaclosedworldanylonger.
Comparative synthesis of the Obitel countries in 2012 | 81
Brazilhasasitsstartingpointtheanalysisoffictionairedsince2006,theyearofbeginningofObitelactivity,until2012.Inmeth-odological terms,whenanalyzingtherelationshipbetweentelevi-sionfictionandmemory,thiscountryishighlightedbythecapac-ityandauthorityof televisiontooperateasanagentofcollectivememorybythreeaspects.Twoofthosearerelatedtothemediumitselfasasystemofproduction:TVremembersfictioninrerunsandremakes;TVremembersthepastinhistoricalandperiodnarratives;andthethirdisrelatedtotheproductionofmeaningofmemorythatisanchoredinthereappropriationoftelenovelasbyasambaschoolinaparadeduringRiodeJaneiro’scarnival.
Thereruns,remakes,miniseriesandtelenovelasworkasmem-orydevicesof television fiction.Since1980,Globohasaired theprogramVale a pena ver de novo,whichrerunstelenovelasfromthenetwork.In2010,GlobolaunchedthesubscriptionchannelCanalViva,withprogrammingconstitutedofoldshowreruns,consideredTVclassicsandthathaveachievedsuccess,appearingamongthemostviewedchannelsofpayTV.Thisaudiencetranslatesmanyoftheprocessesofremembrance,memoryandhistoryinthelivesofitsviewers.OtherchannelslikeSBTandRecordalsoreruntelenovelasandminiseriesintheirprogramming.Theremakesallowtoviewerstheproductionofnewmeaningtopreviouslyseenstoriesthatarebeingretold.Theyalsoworkasawaytorescue“mediamemory”made of previously experienced sensations for peoplewho knewtheoriginalstoryandcompareditwiththeremake,debatingonso-cialnetworkswithpeoplewhohadnotseentheoriginalandwatchthe remake as a newwork. It is not only about recovering emo-tions, sensationsof the firstviewing,but also theconstructionofnewmeaningsthatareprocessedbytheconstantrelationofpresentandpast.In2012,Globoproducedtworemakesoftelenovelas:Ga-
briela,arunawayhitfrom1975,andGuerra dos Sexos,from1984.Also of note were narratives that remembered historical as-
pectsofBraziliansociety,showingthattherelationofmediawithhistory is built from the central role that television plays in cur-
82 | Obitel 2013
rentdays.Wenotice thememoryofhistorical facts inminiseriesthattacklehistorical,socialandpoliticalthemesofthecountry.Forinstance, themilitary regimewith JK (Globo, 2006) andAmor e
Revolução(SBT,2011),biblicaltimeswithA história de Ester, Rei
DaviandSansão e Dalila(Record,2011),andperiodbiographieswithMaysa–Quandofalaocoração (Globo,2009)andDalva e
Herivelto(Globo,2010).Telenovelasalsoofferedhistoricalthemes,beitfictionalorreal,likeCordel Encantado(Globo,2011),whichtookplaceinearly20thcenturyinafictionaltown,andLado a Lado (Globo,2012),withadetailedreconstitutionofthecityofRiodeJaneirointheearly20thcentury.Inthisway,thememoryofthepastis brought to current perception of the present through televisionfictionportrayal.
Brazil also noted that the recovery of the past of telenovelahassurpassedconventionalmedia(otherscreens,magazines,booksetc.)andwasathemeforthe2013carnivalinRiodeJaneiro.Grê-mioRecreativoEscoladeSambaSãoClementehasaparadeontheSambodromo(specificplacefortheparade)withitsversionofthehistoryoftelenovelainBrazil.Insymbolicterms,therewasthecon-junctionoftwoofthemainmatrixesofBrazilianculture,carnivalandtelenovela.Therewastheparadeofthemes,scenes,charactersand plots thatmarked thememory of audiences through 54 tele-novelas,allGloboproductions,pickedthroughpollingmadeontheInternetbythesambaschoolitself.Thisresultedinaretelling,fromtheaestheticsofcarnival,offivedecades(1960-2012)withempha-sisonthe70sand80s,throughsambatheme,music,dance,chore-ographyandallegories.Onecansaythatthetwomediaevents–tele-novelaandcarnival–haveintandemnarrateda“popularhistoryoftelevision”, activatingmechanismsofmemoryand recognition inmillionsofviewersthatwatchedtheparade.
Chile highlighted the productions of historical fiction of thecountry especially through TV movies and documentaries. Thethemesexploredwere:biographyofChileanpersonalitiesfromthefirst100yearsofthenation,thedailyroutineandmilitaryandpoliti-
Comparative synthesis of the Obitel countries in 2012 | 83
callifeofthesesubjects;thePacificWar;andthehistoryofChilesince itsdiscoverybySpainuntil the celebrationof100yearsoftheRepublic.Thecountryclassifiesinthreecategoriesitsfictionalproductionrelatedtomemoryinthelastthreeyears:(1)historicalfictionsthatrelatepastfactsfromthecountry’sdistantpast;(2)theperiodfictionsthatnarratethedictatorialpast;and(3)thefictionsthatportraymorerecentsocialmemory.
Chile’sdistantpastisportrayedthroughgroundbreakinghap-peningsforthenation,fromthepointofviewofmonumentalhis-tory(representationofhistoricalfactsthatfoundedthenation),re-coveringepisodesofcrisesandconflicts.WithinthiscategoryareworksoffictionlikeHéroes, Epopeya, PazandAlgo habrán hecho.Thememoryof themost recent dictatorial period is presented inperiodfictions,withoutthepresenceofrealcharactersoffact,likeinLos 80andLos archivos del cardenal.Bothseriesdealtwithhu-manrights’violations,defendingtheimportanceoftestimonialasdenunciationofthattime.Finally,contemporarymemoryisrepre-sentedbytheworkoffictionEl reemplazante,airedin2012.Ittakesplaceinaschoolinapoorneighborhood,anditsuggestsnewwaystorelatetothepastfromamemorythathasnotyetbecomehistory,involving thestudentmovement.All theseworksof fiction listedwerefinancedbytheConsejoNacionaldeTelevisión.
Colombiaalsoemphasizesthefactthattelevisionhas,throughthe years, portrayed the periods of discovery, conquest and inde-pendence,withaestheticrealism,mixingfictionandreality.Theseworksoffictioninvitedspectatorstoquestiontheirbeliefsaboutthecountry’shistory.Thecountryalsohighlightstherelationbetweensocialmemoryandhistoryfromabriefrecapofhowthepastwasrecreatedbytelevisionandwhichweretheirideologicalandpoliti-calreasonstodoso.
InColombia,historicalfictionsshowedhistoryfromprocessesand social, church, government or popular confrontations. How-ever,someportrayedhistoricalfactsinadifferentwaythanthatofhistorybooks, likeLa Independencia; La vida y obra de Bolívar;
84 | Obitel 2013
Los pecados de Inés de Hinojosa; andLa Pola.Italsohighlightsacontroversytothemannerinwhichtheproduceroftheshowsinter-pretshistoricalfacts,sincesuchapersoncouldprivilegevisionsofhappeningsaccordingtothepointofviewofsponsors.Thisraisesthe debate on the social and political commitment that televisionmusthavethroughthedebateregardingdemocracy,socialinclusionandculturaldiversity.ThisbringsexampleslikeLa Saga; Negocio
de familia; La historia de Tita;and Amar y temer.Inthe1990s,telenovelainColombiaattainsnotablerelevance
by regional and national representation, amplifying its influenceto a global level of promotionof the country’s image.With this,telenovelahasintensifiedthedebateregardingthemeaningof“na-tional”andtheroleofcultureaccordingtohistoricalpastandpres-ent.Agreatchallengefortheproductionoftelevisionfictionisthetreatmentofthepoliticalandsocialconflict,whichmarksandde-termines the historical and current development of each country.Fictionbecomesasymbolofconstructionofreality,sharedrepre-sentations,anddevelopmentofsocialmemory.
The United StateshighlighttherealityofMexico,transformedbythedrugdealersinanxietyandlossofhopeforMexicancitizens.Itemphasizeshowthesocialdishearteninghastakenplaceduetothesituationofviolenceandbrutalitythatthepresenceofdrugtraf-fichasbroughttothecountry,influencingthecultureandmodify-ingvaluesandtraditionsfromoldtimesbyanewtypeoforganizedcrime, inwhichmoneyreplacesoldvalues.Thispointofview isusedtodiscussthethemesoftelenovelasthatportraythelifeofdrugdealersinasubgenrechristened“narconovelas”,whichhavebeengarneringgreatsuccessinHispanictelevision,aswasthecaseofLa
reina del sur,airedduringthepreviousyearbyTelemundo.TheUnited States also remember the intrinsic relation be-
tweentelenovelaandsocialreality,sincefictionbecomesadrama-tizedreflectionofsocialrealityandthelatterinfluencesthethemesofplotsthatareairedinHispanictelevision.Inthiscontext,thereisadiscussiononhowthereconstructionofthepastofpopularculture
Comparative synthesis of the Obitel countries in 2012 | 85
is influencedby thevaluespresented inworksof fiction.Televi-sion, as themost powerful instrument to narrate the past, createsapublicspaceinwhichtheexperienceofanationistakenbythethemeofdrugdealing,imposinganewsystemthatdecharacterizesthetraditionalmelodramaandopenswayfortherepresentationofnakedrealityofLatinAmericaandtheUnitedStates.AcriticismismadetothethemespresentedbyTelemundo,especiallyconsider-ingthegreatsuccessofLa reina del surandthecontinuoususeofthethemeinfutureproductions.Consideringtheimmensesuccessofthethemeofdrugdealing,theprogramsbringglamourtothelifeofdrugdealersand,inaway,giveaveneerofinnocencetotheseillegalactivities.Intheirdefense,thenetworkarguesthatitisonlyofferingtoviewerswhattheywant.
Spain haswitnessed in the last fewyears an increase inpe-riodpieces,inaclearrecoveryofhistoricalmemory.In2012,theeconomic crisis has affected theproduction rhythm, especially inpublicnetworks.However,thecrisisitselfhasintroducedimportantinnovationsinthesenseofconstructingandreconstructingimagesof historical culture and its emblematic periods such as theHighMiddleAgesandreignofitsCatholickings.Thefourworksoffic-tionclassifiedashistorical(Toledo; Isabel; Concepción Arenal;andLa conspiracion)mix“past”and“pastime”(Silverstone,1999,p.132),thatis,raisingBuonanno’s(2012,p.200)questioning,accord-ingtoRicoeur’saffirmation,thatitisnecessarytothinkoftheowndistinctionbetweenpastandhistory.
Whenitcomestotheproductionofperiodfiction,SpainmadeitsdebutwithCuéntame cómo pasó (2001), the“groundzero”ofareflectionthatsplitsworks that takeplaceinapastby“before”and “after” the democratic transition. The country’s fiction trav-elsthroughhistoricalperiodsandphasesthat,bybeingportrayed,transformthemselvesintoolsofcomprehension,constructionandreconstruction of their identities. Thus, one can see Roman con-questinHispania, la leyenda(2010)andinImperium(2012),whileToledo(2012)andIsabel(2012)dealtwiththeconstructionofthe
86 | Obitel 2013
kingdomofSpain,mixingrealityandfiction.ThebaroqueSpainisportrayedinÁguilaRoja,aseriesairingforfouryears,takingplaceinthe17thcentury.The1920sareportrayedinLa memoria del agua and,mainly, inGran hotel, acarefulvisual recreationofSpanisharistocracyofthetime.Thenotablycostlyandlong-lastingCuén-
tame cómo pasótakesplaceinthetransitionalperiodattheendofthe1970sandisonits13thseason,reflectinganilluministpolicy.
ThesocialmemoryinSpanishfictionhadasanotableexampleAmar en tiempos revueltos,airedbetween2005and2012andthat,in2013,willreturninanewphaseasAmar es para siempre.Asaperiodpiece,thisisanexampleoftheeducationalcharacterthatfic-tioncanreach,dealingwithsocialissueshappeningbetween1936and1956,withagreatdealofarchivalfootage.Amar en tiempos re-
vueltosalsoresultedinspinoffsintheformofTVmoviesandthreetelenovelas,andalsobeingsoldtoseveralLatinAmericancountriesandtheUnitedStates.
Ecuadorhighlightstherelationbetweenmemoryandaudiovi-sualintwoways:fictionofferselementstorememberandservesasasourceofmemoryarchives.Despitetelevisionproductionthatdealswith past elements and stories being in short supply, the countryhighlightsthreemomentsoffictionrelatedtosocialmemory.Thefirstreferstothefirstexperiences,inthe1960stothe1980s,withtheseriesNarcisa de Jesús(1961)andEl Cristo de nuestras angus-
tias(1967)andthetelenovelaLa casa de los Lírios(1974).Thesefictionshaveworked thememory inamoreconservativemannerwith the intent of recovering Ecuadorian traditions and religiouscustoms.The secondmomenthappens in the1990s,with theen-counterofliteratureandtelevisionfiction.Thetimewastheheightoffictionrelatedtoelementsofsocialmemory,seekingtorecoverthememoryfromliteraryworksofnationalauthors.Sevenworksexpressthisfunction,allbyEcuavisa:Cumandá;Los sangurimas; A
la Costa;El Chulla Romero y Flores; 7 lunas, 7 serpientes;El cojo
Navarrete;andPolvo y Ceniza.Thethirdandlastnoteworthymo-mentinfictionisthe21stcentury,whichcouldbecalledamoment
Comparative synthesis of the Obitel countries in 2012 | 87
onnon-memory,sincethereislittlefictionthatrecoversthesocialmemory.Two titles canbementioned:Sé que vienen a matarme (2007)andOlmedo, el castigo de la grandeza(2009).
Ecuador highlights theimportanceofpublic televisionasanopportunity for socialmemory, since it does not suffer from thesamemarketpressurethatprivatetelevisiondoes.Thepublicchan-nel focuseson journalisticshowsanddocumentaries,but in2012nationalproducersweresummonedtopromotefiction,maybecon-figuringthechancetocreatefictionwithfocusonsocialmemory.
InthecaseofPeru,fictionregardingthepastistheresultofadaptation of literary works with popular elements. Among theworkshighlighteduntilthe1980sare:Tradiciones peruanas (1959),teleplaythatpresentsasetof traditions thatpassforwardthehis-toricalpastsincethecolonyuntiltheyoungrepublic,consideredamajorpieceintheconstructionofnationality;Matalaché(1964),re-gardinganinterracialaffairduringtheageofslavery;andNuestros
héroes de la guerra del Pacífico(1979),duringthecentennialofthewaragainstChileandthemilitarygovernmentinPeru.The1980sportray a tension in fiction between looking at a recent past andinterpreting a remote past. This tension between the two pasts isfoundintheworksoffictionGamboa(1983),whichrecreatesac-tualfilesfromPeru’sinvestigativepolice,Bajo tu piel(1986),andMalahierba(1987),withsocialthemessuchasmedicalnegligenceanddrugdealing.
However,itisintheminiseriesthatonefindsthebestlinkbe-tweentelevisionfictionandmemoryinPeru,especiallyinthelate1980sandearly1990s.Theminiseriesof thetimeimagineapastwithhistoricalcharactersandreportsandemblematicexperiences,like thewarbetweennativesandtheSpanish,classconflicts,andnarratives based on real characters from the country’s history. In1994,alandmarkforthecountry’sidentityinfictionwasthetele-novelaLos de arriba y los de abajo,whichhasportrayedPeru as a culturallydiversifiedcountry,unlikethehegemonicdepictionfrompreviousworks.
88 | Obitel 2013
Portugal highlighted productions that remember importantmoments in the country’s sociopolitical history. Themes such asthe fallof themonarchy, the first republic,and familyandsociallifeoftheNewStatewereturnedintofiction.Portugueseproduc-tionthatcanbeconsideredhistorical,withplotstakingplaceinpastperiodsand/orregardingreal themesandpeople, totaled35titles,fromwhich40%takeplace in therecentpast (between1930and1970),26%areadaptationsofworksfromcanonicalauthorsfromthe19thcenturyand20%takeplaceinthefirsttwodecadesofthe20thcentury(theFirstRepublicandsubsequentgovernmentinstabil-ity).In2012twohistoricaltitleswereidentified,Perdidamente Flo-
rbelaandBarcelona, cidade neutral(TRP1),andoneperiodpiece,Anjo meu(TVI).Comparingchannels,onecannoticethatthepublicchannelbetsinthiskindofcontent(27titles)whileprivatechanneldoessoirregularly.
Inaconstantnegotiationbetweenpastandpresent,televisionfic-tionfromMexicoreconstructsthepastfromtwonarrativeaxes:rurallifeandthegoldenyearsofMexicancinema.Thenetworks,inpartwiththesupportoflocalgovernments,haveemphasizedtheruralset-tingwheretypicalfamilydramasfromthecountry’snationalidentityinthe1940shavetakenplace.Theworksoffictionclearlyshowthetransitionfromthe ruralsetting, the infinitesourceof typical land-scapes,themesandstories,likeinAmor bravío andAbismo de pasión
fromTelevisaandLos Rey andLa mujerfromTVAzteca,andthecurrenturbansetting,withthemesrelatingtodrugdealing,abortionandhomosexuality,emphasizingthedramaofnationalidentity.Withgreatvisibility towards ranchmusicand incostumedesign, fictionhasbroughttothepresentaperiodenvironmenttoreassignmeaningtothecurrentlifeofthecountry.Therescueofruralpatrimony,thatoftherancher,wasalmostomnipresentintelenovelasfrom2012.Theconstantvisualsandsoundsshowthereturntothiselement,suchasrancherclothesandmariachimusic.Bothelementswerecentral inMexicancinemathroughoutthe20thcenturyandhadtheirmeaningsconstantlyreassignedbytheculturalindustry(especiallytelevision).
Comparative synthesis of the Obitel countries in 2012 | 89
Wecouldsay that the telenovelas inhabitasortof“differenttime”relatedtopre-revolutionaryMexico.Toussaint(2013)distin-guishesapast inwhich richeswere firmlyanchored to farmland,and extends thismovement from telenovela all theway to 2013,withexamplessuchasCorazón indomable;Amores verdaderos;andLa mujer del vendaval,allfromTelevisa.
Uruguay tackles the theme of the year by discussing socialmemoryandtelevisionfictionbasedontherelationbetweenfictionand reality, incorporating the complex relation between memoryand history.We chose a few imported television fictionalworkswith a historical basis such asPablo Escobar, el patrón del mal;
Cuéntame; Graduados;andContámela en colores.Suchworksoffiction are discussed considering the Aristotelian assumption ofthe limitbetween truthandplausibility in the formationof socialmemoryand,thus,acceptingthattherelevantelementinfictionisverisimilitude,inotherwords,thatitisnottrue,butseemstobe.Inthisway,fiction,throughplausibility,allowsviewerstoexperienceothersubjectivitiesthroughthecharactersand,inthisway,increasetheirsymbolicrepertoireaswellasshapecollectivememories.Inthissense,televisionfictioncanbeconsideredapartoftheprocessofconstructionofcollectivememoryforsociety.
Socialmemory,orthenarrativeofthepast,presentstwosideswhenoneobservestelevisionfictionfromVenezuela.Ononeside,thereisrecentmemory,connectedtothesociopoliticalsituationofthecountryrepresentedbythetelenovelasBarrio SurandTeresa en
tres estaciones,and,ontheotherside,thereisthehistoricalmemorywith the role of praising and exalting happenings and charactersfrom the pastwith the intent to comprehend current phenomena.This content are originated in the so called “cultural telenovela”,withexamples like:Por estas calles (1992);Amores de fin de si-
glo(1995);Ciudad bendita(2006);andAmores de barrio adentro (2004).Othercontentrelatedtosocialmemoryisbasedonpoliti-cal happenings likeEstefanía (1979);Gómez I (1980);Gómez II (1981);andLa dueña(1984);and / or based on important historical
90 | Obitel 2013
epochsas Pobre negro(1976);Sangre azul(1979);andGuerreras
y centauros (2012-2013). It isalsopossible tonotea typeofcul-turalmemorythatappearsinfictionalcontentrelatedtoimportanttimesofthehistoryofthecountryandthatdealwiththemessuchasheroism, ethnic issues and independencemovements. In2012,Venezuelantelevisionfictionhasresortedtoaromanticviewofthepastwithgrandiloquentnarrativesoffightandstruggleforpower.
Final considerations Withinthenewcontemporaryculturalandcommunicativesce-
nario, theObitelYearbookyearly themehasallowedus tonoticethatwe live throughanexplosionofmemory, aharkening to thepast,partlymarkedbythearchivingphenomenon.Fictionisthecre-atorofasharedrepertoireandwasunderstoodbythe12countriesasaplacewherememorycanbeexercised,asaplacewhererep-resentationsandimaginariesregardingthewayoflifeofaperiodareguardedforposteriorreappropriation.Itis,thus,simultaneously,memory,archiveandidentity,acomplexlocusofidentityconstruc-tionandreconstruction,aplacewhereisgatheredthenarrativeca-pacityoffictionaltelevisionnarrativetoconnecttemporaldimen-sions of present, past and future, (re)creating collective memorywithinthenation.
ReferencesBENJAMIN,Walter.ONarrador.In:WalterBenjamin.Magia e Técnica,
Arte e Política.SãoPaulo:Braziliense,1986.
BORELLI,SílviaH.S.Gênerosficcionais:materialidade,cotidiano,ima-
ginário.In:Sousa,MauroW.de(org.).Sujeito, o lado oculto do receptor.São
Paulo:Braziliense,1995.
BUONANNO,Milly.Italian TV drama & beyond. Stories from the soil,
stories from the sea.Bristol,Chicago:Intellect,2012.
CASTELLS,Manuel.Communication power.NewYork:OxfordUniver-
sityPress,2009.
CERTEAU,Michelde.A invenção do cotidiano:asartesdefazer.Petró-
polis,RJ:Vozes,2007.
Comparative synthesis of the Obitel countries in 2012 | 91
COULDRY,Nick;HEPP,Andreas.Introduction:Mediaeventsingloba-
lizedmediacultures.In:COULDRY,Nick;HEPP,Andreas;KROTZ,Friedri-
ch. Media Events in a Global Age.NewYork:Routledge,2010.
EDGERTON,GaryR.(2001).Televisionashistorian.Adiferentkindof
historyaltogether.In:Edgerton,Gary;Rollins,Peter(eds.).Television Histo-
ries. ShapingCollectiveMemoryintheMediaAge.Lexintong:TheUniversity
PressofKentucky,2001.
GUARINI,Carmen.Memoria Social e Imagen.UniversidaddeBuenos
Aires.ProgramadeAntropologíaVisual,2002.
HALBWACHS,Maurice.Memoria colectiva. PrensasUniversitariasde
Zaragoza.Zaragoza:2004.
JELIN,Elizabeth.Las políticas de la memoria,BuenosAires:SigloXXI,
2002.
LOPES,MariaImmacolataVassallode.Telenovelacomorecursocomu-
nicativo.MATRIZes.SãoPaulo,December3rd,2009.
LOPES,Maria ImmacolataVassallo.Telenovela: internacionalização e
interculturalidade.SãoPaulo:Loyola,2004.
LOPESetal.Transmediação,plataformasmúltiplas,colaboratividadee
criatividadenaficçãotelevisivaBrazileira.LOPES,MariaImmacolataVassalo
de(org).(Org.).Ficção televisiva no Brazil: temas e perspectivas.1sted.São
Paulo:GloboUniversidade,2009.
LOPEZ,A.Ourwelcomedguests:TelenovelasinLatinAmerica.InR.
Allen(Ed.),Tobecontinued…telenovelasaroundtheworld(p.256-275).Lon-
donandNewYork:Routledge,1995.
MARTÍN-BARBERO, Jesús.Dos meios às mediações: comunicação,
cultura e hegemonia.RiodeJaneiro:EditoraUFRJ,2001.
MEYERS,Oren.Narratingthe1960sviaThe‘60s:Television’srepresen-
tationofthepastbetweenhistoryandmemory.Paper presented at the annual
meeting of the International Communication Association, TBA, San Francis-
co, CA, May 23, 2007. Available in: <http://citation.allacademic.com/meta/
p168345_index.html>
MILLER, Jade. Ugly Betty goes global: Global networks of localized
content in the telenovela industry.Global Media and Communication, 6, p.
198-217,2010.
NEIGER,Motti,MEYERS,Oren;ZANDBERG,Eyal(eds).On Media
Memory.CollectiveMemory in aNewMediaAge.London:PalgraveMac-
Millan,2011.
92 | Obitel 2013
NORA, Pierre. Between memory and history: Les lieux de mémoire.
Representations 26,Spring1989.TheRegentsofdeUniversityofCalifornia.
Availablein:<http://www.history.ucsb.edu/faculty/marcuse/classes/201/articl
es/89NoraLieuxIntroRepresentations.pdf>
PORTO, Mauro. (2011). Telenovelas and representations of national
identityinBrazil.Media, Culture and Society, 33,p.53-69,2011.
OROZCOGOMEZ,Guillermo.(2011).“Delconsumoamplificadoala
participacióncreativadelasaudiencias”.ConferencePaperinCongreso Edu-
cación Mediática y Competencia Digital.Segovia,Spain,2011.
OROZCOGOMEZ,Guillermo.TvMórfosis: la televisiónhaciaunaso-
ciedadderedes.Mexico:Canal44UdeG/Tintable,2012.
RICOEUR,Paul.La memoria, la historia y el olvido.FCE.BuenosAires,
2004.
SCOLARI,Carlos.“Hacialahipertelevisión.Losprimerossíntomasde
unanuevaconfiguracióndeldispositivotelevisivo”inRevista Diálogos de la
Comunicación, n. 77, Brazil: Felafacs; pp. 1-9, 2008. Available in: <http://
www.dialogosfelafacs.net/77/articulos/pdf/77CarlosScolari.pdf>
SILVERSTONE,Roger.Why study the media? London:Sage,1999.
STURKEN,Marita.“Tangled Memories: The Vietnam War, the AIDS epi-
demia,andthepoliticsofremembering”.LosAngeles:UniversityofCalifornia
Press,1997.
TOUSSAINT,Florence.Amoresrancheros.Proceso,n.1896,March2nd,
2013.
1ArgenTInA: growTh oF nATIonAl
ProducTIon And ITs sTyles
Authors: GustavoAprea,MónicaKirchheimer
Team:MaríaBelzunces,MaríaVictoriaBourdieu,VictoriaDeMichele,
NoeliaMorales,LauraOszust,EzequielRivero
1. Audiovisual context in the country
1.1. Broadcast television in Argentina As from year 1990, Argentina’s broadcast television system
consists of approximately five networks with national coverage.Fourof thesenetworksaremanagedprivatelyandoneof themisowned and managed by the State. Digital Television (Televisión
Digital Terrestre or TDT,inSpanish)hasbeenoperatingsince2010andbytheendof2012itcovered80.6%ofthecountrythrough16networks(fiveofthemmanagedprivatelyandelevenstate-owned)thatreachthefullareacoveredbyTDT.
Chart 1. Broadcast televisions with nationwide coverage
PRIVATE CHANNELS (4 ) PUBLIC CHANNELS (1 )América 2
Canal 9Telefé
El TreceTelevisión Pública
TOTAL CHANNELS = 5Source:ObitelArgentina
96 | Obitel 2013
Three of the networks offer national coverage through theirpertainingsystemsofaffiliates:TelevisiónPública,TeleféandElTrece.Thestate-ownednetworkistheonethatreachesthehighestproportionof thenational territory(99.5%),althoughitsaudiencelevels in thegreatmetropolitancentersarenotcomparable to thelevelsreachedbycommercialnetworks.ElTreceandTelefécoveralltheprovincesthroughownershipof,orassociationwith,themainlocalnetworks.TelevisiónPública,Telefé,Canal9andAmérica2broadcasttheirprogrammingtotheentirecountrythroughDigitalBroadcastTelevision(Televisión Digital Abierta or TDA,inSpan-ish),thedigitaltelevisionsystemcreatedandsustainedbytheAr-gentineGovernment.NoneofthenetworkslocatedoutsidethecityofBuenosAiresmakesitsprogrammingscheduletranscendthelo-calboundaries.
During2012, theBoardofDirectorsofArgentineRadioandTelevision–StateSociety(RadioyTelevisiónArgentina–Sociedaddel Estado or RTASEinSpanish)wascreated,pursuanttothere-quirementsoftheAudiovisualCommunicationServicesLaw2010(Ley de Servicios de Comunicación Audiovisual 2010),with rep-resentatives from theArgentineExecutivePower (1), theFederalCouncilofAudiovisualCommunication(2)andthethreefirstpar-liamentaryminorities(3).ThisentitymanagesthecommunicationmediathatareunderthechargeoftheState.
América2formspartoftheAméricaMediosgroup,whichisthepropertyofbusinessmanDanielVilaandofUnogroup.Canal9isanintegralpartoftheAlbavisióninternationalgroup,ownedbyMexicanÁngelGonzález,whichmanagestentelevisionnetworksinCentral andSouthAmerica. InArgentina,Albavisión also ex-ploitstheradiobroadcastingstationLaRedandtheTDTnetworkSuri TV, which is devoted to rebroadcast programs from SouthAmericancountries.Telefé isownedbyTelefónicadeArgentina,asubsidiaryoftheSpanishcompanybearingequalcorporatename.InArgentina,thegroupcarriesoutactivitiesrelatedtolandlineandmobile telephoneaswellas Internet services,and it isassociated
Argentina – Growth of national production and its styles | 97
with several owners of domestic television networks.ElTrece isexploitedbyClarínholding,agroupthatownsnewspapers,broad-castTVnetworksandcableTVnetworksthroughoutthecountry,adigitalTVcompany,Internetserviceprovidersandwebsites,andthatco-ownsanewsagency,theonlyfactorymanufacturingnews-printpaperandalsoasignificantnumberofcompanieswhicharenotrelatedtomasscommunicationmedia.
During2012,thenetworkswithnationalrangemaintainedapo-sitioningsimilartothepreviousyearandgrantedasimilarspacetothefictionscope.TeleféandElTrecewerethenetworksachievingthehighestaudiencelevelsand,withintheframeworkofageneral-interestproposal,placedfictionasacornerstoneoftheirprogram-mingschedule.Telefébuiltitsfictionalprogrammingscheduleonthebasisofco-productionswithlocalcompanies,bearinginmindtheirinternationalsale,whileElTrececentereditsfictionprogramsonitscaptiveproductioncompany,givingprioritytothelocalmar-ket.1América2organizeditsofferbetweenentertainmentandinfor-mationandCanal9specializedintheareaofentertainmentandfic-tion.Withinfiction,Ibero-Americanproductions–severalofthemwerereruns–wereusedtocovertheeveningtimeslotsandsporadicpresencesintheprimetimeoflocalprogramsproducedwithGov-ernmentfunding.TelevisiónPública,inturn,grantedacentralspottoArgentinefictionproducedwithStatefunding,sharingitsplaceintheprogrammingschedulewithpoliticalinformationandsportsprograms.
1.2. Audience trends during year 2012Forthefirsttimeinseveralyears,thebroadcasttelevisionaudi-
encedidnotfallinrelationtothepreviousyear.In2012,theaverageratingperyear for theentirebroadcast televisionwas31.2 ratingpointsincontrasttothe30.8pointsachievedin2011.
1WhileTeleféContenidossoldintheinternationalmarketsevenofitsprogramsorcon-tentsgeneratedduring2012,ElTreceplacednoneabroad.
98 | Obitel 2013
Chart 2. TV audience
TV network %América2 13.3TVPública 8.3Canal9 14.6Telefé 34.4ElTrece 29.4
Source:IbopeArgentina-ObitelArgentina
Chart 3. Share
TV network Individual share %
Telefé 20,9 35%ElTrece 17,7 29%Canal9 8,8 15%
TVPública 4,9 8%
Canal2 8 13%
Source:IbopeArgentina-ObitelArgentina
ForthesecondconsecutiveyearTeleféwasthemostwatchednetwork.Notonlydidithavethehighestannualaudiencelevel,butitalsomaintainedthislevelthroughoutthewholeyearandairedtheprogramwith thehighestaverage rating: thedailycomedyGrad-
uados.
Chart 4. Offer by genre in TV programming
Genres Hours %Fiction 4,451:30 11.4
Journalistic 12,375:55 31.7
Entertainment 3,917:00 10.0Religious 493:30 1.3Sports 2,227:20 5.7Cultural 762:45 2.0Humorous 962:00 2.5Others 13,903:25 35.6Total 39,093:30 100
Source:IbopeArgentina-ObitelArgentina
13%
8%
35%
13,3% América2
TVPública
Canal9
Telefé
ElTrece
8,3%
14,6%
29,4%
34.4%
35%
Telefé
ElTrece
Canal9
TVPública
Canal229%
15%
13%
8%
31,7
Fiction
Journalistic
Entertainment
Religious
Sports
Cultural
Humorous
Others
11,4
5,7
35,6
10
1,3
2,52
Argentina – Growth of national production and its styles | 99
Eventhoughtherewasanincreaseinthenumberoftelevisionfictionprogramspremieredduring2012,thefictiontimeonscreendecreased4%withrespectto2011.Thedeepeningofthetrendtopresent short series and the appearance of programswith shorterdurationduring2011wasintensifiedin2012.
1.3. Investments of the year in TV advertisingDuring2012, the total investment inadvertising inbroadcast
televisionwasARS39,212,744,551.00.A75%ofsuchamountwasconcentrated in theBuenosAiresmetropolitan area,which com-prisesbarely35%ofthepopulation.2AccordingtothedataprovidedbytheArgentineChamberofMediaAgencies(Cámara Argentina
de Agencias de Medios Publicitarios),inabsoluteterms,theinvest-mentamountinTVadvertisinggrewinrelationto2011,althoughasfarasthephysicalvolumeisconcerned–amountofsecondsusedin television–, a decrease of 4.6%was recorded.3 Furthermore, alargerdecreaseisverifiedintheinvestmentinbroadcasttelevisionadvertising–particularlythedomesticone–ratherthanincableTV,InternetandCinema.
1.4. Merchandising and social merchandisingInfictionprograms,themerchandisingwasgreaterintheprime
timeprograms,particularlyinGraduados,thesuccessoftheyear.Inthecourseofthetransmissions,theproductplacementwasconsis-tentlypresent,thankstothefactthatoneofthemainsponsorswasadomesticappliancesstore.Theproductswerepromotedinthestoryscenesaswellas insequenceseparators thatwerenotpartof thecommercialbrakes,butwere includedwithin thefictionsegment.Inadditiontothisproveninclusion,othermoretraditionaltypesofpromotionappear,suchas theonesshowingstreetbillboards,ve-
2Accordingtodatafromthe“GlobalInvestmentReport2012”(Informe global de inver-siones 2012)preparedbyMonitorMediosPublicitariosS.A.3Accordingtothe“ArgentineAdvertisingActivityReportforYear2012”(Informe de la actividad publicitaria argentina del año 2012),availableathttp://www.agenciasdeme-dios.com.ar/inversiones-publicitarias/.
100 | Obitel 2013
hicles,andshopwindowsthatformpartof thecitylandscape.Atthesametime,owingtothesuccessobtained,Graduadosgeneratedaseriesofcommercialproductsthatrescuedconsumptionsfromthe1980s,duringwhichpartoftheplotunfolds:musicCD,concertsofartistsofthattime,an“eightyish”megaparty.Withinthescopeoftheusualmerchandisingin2012,thepresenceofproductsforchil-dren–magazines,albums,CDs–decreased,giventhefactthatonlyoneprogramofthisstylewaspremieredinamarginaltimeslot.
Asfarassocialmerchandisingisconcerned,during2012therewasnorecordofthepresenceofsocialproblemsincludedwithinapedagogicalordiffusionproposalasitoccurredinpreviousyears.However, the intentional inclusionofsocialmatters in the fictionplotswasoneoftheprevailingcriteriaintheselectionofprojectspresentedinthepromotionandencouragementsystemssponsoredbytheNationalInstituteofCinemaandAudiovisualArts(Instituto
Nacional de Cine y Artes Audiovisuales or INCAA,inSpanish).Thegender-basedviolence issue is theaxisaroundwhich theplotsofMaltratadasrevolved,thediscriminationproblemstakeupacentralspotinEl paraíso,Los pibles del puente or La viuda de Rafael.Bul-lyingandobesityareincorporatedinGraduados.
1.5. Communication policiesTheAudiovisualCommunicationServicesLawpassedin2009
isnotappliedinfullyet,mainlyregardingtheapplicationofthesec-tionthatregulatestheamountofnetworksalicenseholdercanownatthelocalandnationwidelevel.OnOctober1,2009,Claríngroupchallengedthisaspectofthelawandachievedtheorderingofapre-cautionarymeasurethatdelayedtheapplicationofthelawtilltoday.OnMay22,2012,theSupremeCourtofJusticeissuedanorderde-mandingtherelevantcourttodeliverjudgmentonthematter,withdeadlineonDecember7.Onthisbasis,theFederalAdministrationofAudiovisualCommunicationServices (Administración Federal
de Servicios de Comunicación Audiovisual) requested the twentybusiness groups thatwere in breach of the regulations contained
Argentina – Growth of national production and its styles | 101
in thementioned lawtosubmitanadjustmentplan toconformtotheconditionsrequiredbythementionedlaw.Nineteengroupsan-sweredtotherequestandonlyClarínappealedthemeasure,delay-ingonceagainthefullapplicationofthelaw.
Otherrelatedaspectsofthepublicpolicieshavehadagreaterapplication level.The INCAA continued todevelop theArgentin-eanAudiovisualBankofUniversalContents(Banco Audiovisual de
Contenidos Universales Argentino or BACUA, inSpanish) thankstothefactthatnewproductioncompaniesfromdifferentlocationsofthecountrymanagedtogetfundingtoproduceprogramsintheTDA.Severalof suchprogramswerebroadcast in theprime timebyTelevisiónPública.Thus,programsfromproductioncompaniesoftheinteriorofthecountrywereseenforthefirsttimeatthena-tionwidelevel.Inaddition,thecalltoindependentproductioncom-panies for the contestofminiseries andunitaries tobe shownbyprivatenetworkswasrepeated.
1.6. Public TVWithintheframeworkofthepublicpoliciesdefinedbytheAu-
diovisualCommunicationServicesLaw,thestate-ownedtelevisionsystemacquiresanactiverolethatmustcover33%oftheaudiovi-sualrangeavailablethroughnational,provincial,municipaloruni-versitynetworks.Since2008,thenetworksthatareunderthechargeof theArgentine andprovincialGovernments are gathered in theFederalCouncilofArgentineBroadcastTelevision(Consejo Fed-
eral de Televisión Pública),whichcomprisestwelvelocalnetworksandonenetworkwithnationwidecoverage.Inturn,since2006,theArgentineAudiovisualUniversityNetwork (Red Nacional Audio-
visual Universitaria) was created, which gathers the productioncentersfromnationaluniversitiestakingpartinseveralmannersinthedevelopmentofaudiovisualprojects.Withinthisgroupofinitia-tives, thecentralportion is theoneoccupiedbyRTASE,which ismanagedbytheArgentineStateandcoverstheentirenationalterri-tory.AlongwiththeTelevisiónPúblicanetwork,BroadcastDigital
102 | Obitel 2013
Televisionnetworksaredeveloped,insomecasesavailableinpre-pay television:Encuentro (educational),PakaPaka (forchildren),INCAATV(diffusionofcinema),Tecnópolis(scientificdiffusion)andDeportv(sportstransmissions).
Inthefieldoffictionproduction,thepublicsystemmaintainstheBACUA, inwhichprogramsfundedbytheINCAAareofferedthroughseveralpromotionways.Tenof themwerepremieredbyTelevisiónPúblicain2012.
1.7. Pay TVAccordingtothedatafromtheLatinAmericanMultichannel
AdvertisingCouncil4,paytelevisionin2012covers76%ofArgen-tinehomes;61%ofthecoverageisachievedwithdigitaltechnologyand39%withanalogicaltechnology.Themarketishighlyconcen-trated.Onlyoneoperator,CablevisiónfromClaríngroup,controls45%of themarket5 andhas237 licenses throughout the country.Thissituationcontradictsthepresentregulationthatadmitsonly24licenses per license holder and a share in 35%of the offer.ThismatterisoneofthemainaxesaroundwhichthedisputebetweentheArgentineGovernmentandthebusinessgrouprevolves.Asfarasfictionproductionisconcerned,nationalcablenetworksdonotusu-allyincludepremiereswithintheirprogrammingschedule.In2012onlyone fictionwasproduced forcable television.CosmopolitanTVbroadcastbetweenSeptemberandDecembertheminiseries30
días juntos,aromanticcomedystarredbyNicolásPaulsandMaríaEugeniaSuárezforProductoraGeneralownedbyDiegoVilla.
4Initsreportavailableathttp://www.lamac.org/argentina/publicaciones/investigaciones/informe-de-tv-paga-argentina-2013. 5AccordingtotheFederalAdministrationofAudiovisualCommunicationServices,tak-ingintoaccountthepopulationdensity,thecablenetworksownedbyClaríngroupcover58.1%ofthepaytelevisionmarket.
Argentina – Growth of national production and its styles | 103
1.8. Trends in Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs - internet, cell phones, digital TV, VoD, etc.)
In 2012Argentina exceeded 30million Internet users underdifferent connection modalities. According to data from InternetWorldStats6, in June201268%of theArgentinepopulationhadaccesstotheInformationandCommunicationTechnologies(ICTs).Onthebasisofofficialestimates,itisconsideredthatthispropor-tionreached75%bytheendoftheyear.Thereare40.1milliontele-phonelines,outofwhich12%areequipmentswithInternetconnec-tion.Itisestimatedthatthebasisofcomputersinuseis15.5million.Despitetheremarkablemarketenlargement,nofictionproductionfor that type of productswas consolidated yet.During 2012, themaininnovationsinthatregardwerecenteredintheconnectionpos-sibilityofTDAnetworkstotelephoneservicesandtheproductionofafifteen-chapterwebseries:Vera Blum.TeleféandTerraNetworklaunchedthisstorywithseven-minuteepisodesthattellthestoryofanArgentinerockbandofthe1980s.
2. Yearly analysis: premiere of national and Ibero-American fic-tion
Table1.Premierefictionsin2012perchannelandcountry
6Availableathttp://www.internetworldstats.com/stats2.htm#americas.
NATIONAL TITLES IN PREMIER –34
Telefé – 9 national titles1.Dulce amor(telenovela)2.El Donante(miniseries)3.El hombre de tu vida(miniseries)4.Graduados(comedy)5.La Dueña(telenovela)6.La Pelu*(comedy)7.Mi amor, Mi amor(comedy)8. Mi problema con las mujeres (miniseries)9. Supertorpe (comedy)
IMPORTED TITLES IN PREMIER – 12
Telefé – 2 imported titles1.El fantasma de Elena (telenovela–USA)
Canal 9 – 8 imported titles2. Amorcito corazón(telenovela–Mexico)3. Dónde está Elisa(telenovela–USA)4. Dos hogares (telenovela–Mexico)5. Eva Luna(telenovela–USA–Venezuela)
104 | Obitel 2013
Source:Obitel-Argentina
*La Peluisalivefictionthatcommentsondailynews.
El 13 – 7 national titles10.Condicionados(series)11. Herederos de una venganza (telenovela)12. Lobo (telenovela)13.Los únicos(comedy)14.Sos mi hombre(telenovela)15.Tiempos compulsivos (series)16. Violetta (comedy)
Canal 9 – 7 national titles17.23 pares (miniseries)18. Babylon(miniseries)19. Decisiones de vida (unitary)20.Los Sónicos(miniseries)21.Amores de historia(unitary)22. TV x la inclusión (unitary)23.Proyecto Aluvión (unitary)
Televisión Pública – 11 national titles
24.Perfidia (miniseries)25.El Paraíso(miniseries)26.En Terapia(series)27.Entre Horas(miniseries)28.Los pibes del puente(miniseries)29.Volver a nacer(miniseries)30.La defensora(miniseries)31.Muñecos del destino(miniseries)32.Memorias de una muchacha peronista (miniseries)33.La viuda de Rafael(miniseries)34.Rutas misteriosas(miniseries)
6. Los herederos del monte(telenovela–Colombia)7. Un refugio para el amor(telenovela–Mexico)8. La que no podía amar(telenovela–Mexico)9. Mañana es para siempre(telenovela–Mexico)
Televisión Pública – 3 imported titles10.Los misterios de Laura (series–Spain)11.Los hombres de paco (series–Spain)12.Amar en tiempos revueltos (telenovela–Spain)
TITLES IN RERUN – 12
Telefé1.Alma Pirata(telenovela)2.Casados con hijos(comedy)3. Floricienta(comedy)4. Los Simuladores(series)
Canal 95. María la del barrio (telenovela-Mexico)
6. María Mercedes (telenovela-Mexico)
7. Marimar (telenovela-Mexico)8. Rosalinda (telenovela-Mexico)9. Yo soy Betty, la fea (comedy-Colombia)
América 210.Mitos crónicas del amor descartable (series)
11.Maltratadas(unitary)12.Todas a mí(comedy)
TOTAL OF TITLES BROADCAST: 58
Argentina – Growth of national production and its styles | 105
Comparedto2011,Argentinepremierefictionincreasedaround50%(itgoesfrom22titlesto34titles).Nevertheless,thequantityofhoursonscreenhasbeensomewhatlowerthanthepreviousyear.IncontrasttowhathappenswithArgentinefiction,Ibero-Americanfictiondecreasesaround50%(itdropsfrom23titlesto12titles).
Table2.PremierefictionofIbero-Americanoriginin2013
Country Titles % Chapters/Episodes % Hours %
NATIONAL (total) 34 72.3 1260 59.5 965:30 58.8
IBERO-AMERICAN (total) 12 27.7 855* 40.5 677:25* 41.2
ARGENTINA 34 72.3 1260 59.5 965:30 58.8
Brazil 0 0.0 0 0.0 00:00 0.0
Chile 0 0.0 0 0.0 00:00 0.0
Colombia 1 2.1 42 2.0 23:00 1.4
Ecuador 0 0.0 0 0.0 00:00 0.0
Spain 3 6.4 122 5.8 99:05 6.0
USA (Hispanic production) 3 6.4 125 6.0 99:00 6.0
Mexico 5 10.6 500 23.6 404:10 24.6
Peru 0 0.0 0 0.0 00:00 0.0
Portugal 0 0.0 0 0.0 00:00 0.0
Uruguay 0 0.0 0 0.0 00:00 0.0
Venezuela 1 2.1 66 3.1 52:05 3.2
Latin American (Obitel) 46 100 2,115 100 1,642:55 100.0
Latin American (not Obitel) 0 0 0 0 0 0
Others (productions and co-produc.of other Latin Am./Ibero-Am. countries)
0 0 0 0 0 0
TOTAL 46 100 2,115 100 1,642:55 100
Source:IbopeArgentina-ObitelArgentina
*OnlythetotalnumberofIbero-Americantitles,chapters/episodesandfictionhoursarestated,countingoncepertitleinthetotalamounts,whereasinthepartialamountstheyarecountedrepeatingquantitiesforco-productionsaccordingtothemethodologicaldecisionofcountingtherecordofone and one.
106 | Obitel 2013
Eventhoughthetotalamountoftitlesofferedexceedsthetitlespremieredin2011,thetotalamountofhoursassignedtofictioncon-tinuestodrop.Theremaybetworeasonsforthat.Ontheonehand,the quick adoptionof theminiseries format –stimulated from thepoliciesofpromotionofstateproduction–,whichsupposesalowerquantity of transmissions for a single title and is the reasonwhyfiction premieres take placemore frequently, and thereforemoretitlesarepresented,buttheydonotcompensatetheprogrammingoffictionswithformatssuchascomedyortelenovela,whichsupposealongduration.Ontheotherhand,broadcastswithshorterchaptersappear,whichreinstatethehalf-hourbroadcasts.Thisway,agen-eralreductionofthespacesassignedtofictionintheprogrammingschedulesisobserved,whichareconcentratedintheprimetimeslot.
Argentina – Growth of national production and its styles | 107
Table3.C
hapters/episodesandhourspertimeslots
Tim
e sl
otN
atio
nal
Iber
o-A
mer
ican
Tot
al
C/E
%H
%C/E
%H
%C/E
%H
%
Mor
ning
(06:
00-1
3:00
)*245
19.4
184:20
19.1
424.9
23:00
3.4
287
13.6
207:20
12.6
Aft
erno
on (1
3:00
-21:
00)
00
00
785
91.8
624:30
92.2
785
37.1
624:30
38
Prim
e T
ime
(21:
00-2
4:00
)1,
005
79.8
773:30
80.1
283.3
29:55
4.4
1033
48.8
803:25
48.9
Nig
ht (0
0:00
-6:0
0)10
0.8
07:40
0.8
00
00
100.5
07:40
0.5
TO
TA
L12
6010
0965:30
100
855
100
677:25
100
2,115
100
1,642:55
100
Source:IbopeArgentina-ObitelA
rgentina
Table4.FormatsoftheNationalandIbero-Americanfictions
For
mat
sN
atio
nal
Iber
o-A
mer
ican
Tit
les
%Chap/Ep
%H
ours
%T
itle
s%
Chap/Ep
%H
ours
%
Telenovela
514.7
433
34.3
353:20
36.6
1083.3
827
96.7
647:25
95.6
Com
edy
617.6
529
42.0
421:50
43.7
00
00
00
Seri
es3
8.8
866.8
61:15
6.3
216.7
283.3
30:00
4.4
Min
iser
ies
1647.1
176
14.0
99:40
10.3
00
00
00
Telefilm
00
00
00
00
00
00
Uni
tary
411.8
372.9
29:25
3.0
0 0
00
00
Doc
udra
ma
00
00
00
00
00
00
Oth
ers
(soa
p op
era,
etc
.)0
00
00
00
00
00
0
TO
TA
L34
100
1,261
100
965:30
100
1210
0855
100
677:25
100
Source:IbopeArgentina-ObitelA
rgentina
108 | Obitel 2013
Table5.Formatsofthenationalfictionpertimeslots
Formats Mor- ning % After-
noon % Prime Time % Night % Total %
Telenovela 0 0 0 0 5 16.7 0 0 5 14.7
Comedy 2 100 0 0 4 13.3 0 0 6 17.6
Series 0 0 0 0 3 10.0 0 0 3 8.8
Miniseries 0 0 0 0 16 53.3 0 0 16 47.1
Telefilm 0 0 0 0 0 0.0 0 0 0 0.0
Unitary 0 0 0 0 2 6.7 2 100 4 11.8
Docudrama 0 0 0 0 0 0.0 0 0 ‘0 0.0
Others (soap op-era, etc.) 0 0 0 0 0 0.0 0 0 0 0.0
TOTAL 2 0 0 0 30 100 2 100 34 100
Source:IbopeArgentina-ObitelArgentina
Table 6. Fiction time period
Time period Titles %
Present 27 79.4
Period piece 0 0.0
Historical 3 8.8
Other 4 11.8
TOTAL 34 100
Source:Obitel-Argentina
In2012thenumberoffictionstakingplaceinmorethanoneperiodof timegrows. In thiswaysomestoriesappearcombiningthepresentwiththerecentpastfromdailylifespaces.Thestoryofyoungsters in theeightiesandnineties, rockmusiciansor thepri-vatelifeofdistinguishedcharactersinthesixtiesandseventiesareportrayedcombiningthepresenttimewithlinkstothatrecentpast.Thenarration“intwostages”makesthestructuremorecomplexandmakes itpossible toquestion therecentpast.Besides,some titlesaddressinghistoricalfacts,suchastheonesrelatedtoPeronism or socially-relevantcasesthathavemadethenews,aremaintained.
Argentina – Growth of national production and its styles | 109
Table 7. The 10 most watched titles: origin, format, share
Title
Country of origin of the original idea
or script
Producer Chan-nel
Name of the screenwriter or
author of the original idea
Ra- ting%
Sha- re%
1Gra- duados Argentina
UndergroundContenidos/EndemolArgentina/Telefé
Telefé
OI:SebastiánOrtegaS:ErnestoKorovsky,SilivinaFrejkesandAlejandroQuesada
23.60 33.43
2Dulce amor Argentina
LCAcciónProduccio-nes/Telefé
Telefé
OI:QuiqueEstevanezS:QuiqueEste-vanez,MarceloNacciandLauraBarneix
19.27 29.78
3
He-rederos de una ven-ganza
Argentina Pol-kaEl Trece
OI:AdriánSuarS:LeandroCalderone
19.07 30.17
4El hom-bre de tu vida
Argentina100bares/Telefé
Telefé
OI:JuanJoséCampanellaandMarcelaGuertyS:JuanJoséCampanella,MarcelaGuertyandPamelaRementeria
18.16 24.46
5La dueña Argentina Telefé Telefé
OI:MartínKwellerandNachoVialeS:MarceloCaamaño
18.12 25.83
6
Mi pro- blema con las mujeres
Peru
13 Mares Producciones&VincentEntertain-ment/Telefé
Telefé
OI:FrankPérezGarland,PaulVegaandChris-tianBucckeyS:SebastiánRot-steinandAlbertoRojasAspel
15.98 26.64
7Sos mi hombre Argentina Pol-ka
El Trece
OI:AdriánSuarS:LeonardoCalderone
15.27 21.86
8Mi amor, mi amor
Argentina
ElárbolEndemolArgentina/Telefé
Telefé
OI:PabloEcharriyMartínSeefeldS:MaxHoldo
14.59 22.44
110 | Obitel 2013
9Los únicos Argentina Pol-ka
El Trece
OI:AdriánSuarS:LeonardoCalderoneandMarianoVera
13.21 19.55
10 Lobo Argentina Pol-kaEl Trece
OI:LilyAnnMartin,CeciliaGuertyandPabloJunovicS:LilyAnnMartin,CeciliaGuerty
13.00 22.32
Total of productions: Original scripts: Foreign scripts::
10 90% 10%
Source:IbopeArgentina-ObitelArgentina
Table 8. 10 most watched titles: format, duration, time slots
Title Format Genre
Number ofchap./
ep.(in 2012)
Date of the firstandlast
issue(in 2012) (*)
Time slot
1 Graduados Comedy Comedy 178 12/3-19/12Primetime
2 Dulce amor Telenovela Melodrama 23523/1(contin-uesin2013)
Primetime
3Herederos de una ven-ganza
Telenovela Melodrama 249/1-13/2(startedin2011)
Primetime
4El hombre de tu vida Miniseries
Romanticcomedy
1122/4-5/7Secondseason
Primetime
5 La dueña TelenovelaMelodrama /Investigation
32 18/4-21/11Primetime
6Mi prob-lema con las mujeres
MiniseriesRomanticcomedy
13 10/9-27/11Primetime
7Sos mi hombre Telenovela Melodrama 89
21/8(continuesin2013)
Primetime
8Mi amor, mi amor Comedy
Romanticcomedy
1828/11-28/12(continuesin2013)
Primetime
9 Los únicos ComedyInvestiga-tion/Sciencefiction
5315/2-11/5Secondseason
Primetime
10 Lobo Telenovela Fantastic 53 6/2-16/5Primetime
Source:Obitel-Argentina
Argentina – Growth of national production and its styles | 111
All the top-ten fictionswereprogrammed in theprime time,which in the case of Argentine fiction ranges from 09:00 pm to00:00 am, after the central news shows. This space concentratesthelargestaudiencenumbersandfictionscompetewitheachotherwithinthistimeslot.
Just like inpreviousyears, thenetworks leading in audienceareTeleféandElTrece.UnlikeElTrece,whichonlyproducesfic-tionwithitscaptiveproductioncompanyPol-ka,Teleféhasastrongassociationwithmultipleproductioncompaniesandspacesforthegenerationof content. In thisway, the themeand style variety ismorerepresentedbyTelefé.
Table 9. Themes of the 10 most watched titles
Titles
PREVAILING THEMES
(UP TO 5 MORE REL-EVANT THEMES)
SOCIAL THEMES(UP TO 5 MORE RELEVANT
THEMES)
1 Graduados Identityproblems,familyrelationships,friendship.
Newfamilies,inter-generationalrelationships,adultpeopleimmatu-rity,nostalgiaofthepast.
2 Dulce amorPassionatelove,familylife,ambition,fightsforpower.
Disputesovercommercialinterests,businesswomen,familybusiness.
3Herederos de una venganza
Betrayals,hierarchystruggles,deceptions,mystery,personalcon-frontations.
Secretsocieties,betrayal,concen-trationofpower,economicandpoliticalcorruption.
4El hombre de tu vida
Misseddates,falsero-mances,everywoman’sidealman.
Middle-ageloneliness,parentingproblems.
5 La dueñaAmbition,familydisputes,adultery,ven-geance.
Familybusiness,questfortheeter-nalyouth,economicandpoliticalcorruption.
6Mi problema con las mu-jeres
Searchforthetruelove,professionalsuccess.
Emotionalimmaturity,psychologi-caltreatment,friendship.
7Sos mi hom-bre
Passionatelove,sacrificefortheothers,struggleforsurvival.
Boxingworld,helptothepeopleinneed,disputeforchildren.
8Mi amor, mi amor
Bigamy,deception,lovehesitancy.
Newgenderroles,socialdiffer-ences.
112 | Obitel 2013
9 Los únicosConfrontationbetweengoodandevil,crossedloves,superpowers.
Pursueofjustice.
10Lobo Lycanthropy,identity
problems,ambition,pas-sionatelove.
Laborconflicts,extortivekidnap-pings,geneticexperiments.
Source:Obitel-Argentina
Table10.Audienceprofileofthe10mostwatchedtitles: gender, age, socioeconomic status
Title Chan-
nel
Gender % Age group % Socioeconomic status %
Wo- men Men 4-12 13-
1819-24
35-44 45+ ABC1 C2 C3 D
1Gradua-
dos Telefé 55.4 44.6 17.4 23.7 22.2 21.9 14.8 24.4 24.7 25.8 25.2
2Dulce amor Telefé 55.2 44.8 19.1 23.3 22.1 20.6 15 26.4 23.2 23.7 26.7
3Herede-
rosEl Trece
55.2 44.8 17.8 17.7 21.6 22.9 20.1 12.7 22.3 31.2 33.8
4El hom-bre de tu
vida Telefé 51.5 48.5 14.5 25.9 25.3 19.7 14.6 19.6 27.6 25.4 27.4
5La
dueña Telefé 58.7 41.3 18.6 23.1 21.6 20.9 15.8 24.9 24 26.1 25
6
Mi pro- blema con las mujeres
Telefé 57.5 42.5 17.8 23.1 23.7 22.2 13.2 27.1 23.3 23.7 25.9
7Sos mi hombre
El Trece
54 46 16.8 19.5 16.9 25.7 21.1 19.7 21.9 27.7 30.8
8Mi amor, mi amor Telefé 56.8 43.2 19.3 24.5 22 21 13.1 21.1 22 27.1 29.7
9Los
únicosEl Trece
52.6 47.4 23.1 22.5 18.9 22.7 12.9 16 23 28.2 32.8
10 Lobo El Trece
56.1 43.9 19.3 17.7 19 24.6 19.4 23.4 24.5 23 29.1
Source:IbopeArgentina-ObitelArgentina
The female audience is the one prevailing in fiction propos-als. The titlesmore related to genres traditionally built were theonesmost chosen by the audiences of lower economic resources(HerederosandLobointhetelenovelaspaceandLos únicosinthecomedyspace,withsciencefictionandcomichints).Thejuvenileaudience,inturn,losesgeneralprominenceandfindsinLos únicos
Argentina – Growth of national production and its styles | 113
thespaceinwhichtotakeshelter,duetothefactthatithasstronggenres and schematic contents that are suitable for all audiences.Itmaybe thought that thedistancingof these segments from therating is due to new consumptionmodalities in other transmediascreens,whichdonotobeythebroadcastinglogic,buttoanaudio-visualmenu“ondemand”.
Themostwatchedfictionof2012,Graduados,givenitsthemeandtreatment,generatesabalancedaudiencebetweentheageseg-mentsrangingfrom13to44yearsold.
3. Transmedia receptionContinuingwithwhatTeleféproducedas institutionalspaces
foritspreviousfictions,Graduadoshadastrongpresenceandmajorparticipationin themostfrequentedsocialnetworks.Thecomedyhasitsownpagewithintheframeworkoftheinstitutionalwebsite,whichmakesavailableall thechaptersthenetworkhasinaYou-tube channel, and createdTwitter and Facebook accounts,whichremainedactiveaftertheendoftheshow.
Graduados’ Twitter accountThe activityofGraduados inTwitter explodedduring2012,
althoughitcommenceditsactivityin2011.Itservedthepurposeofpromotingtheseries,sharinginterviewstothecastortheproduc-ers,andpromotingthecharacters.ThisaccountiscurrentlyactiveandhighlysupportsTelefé’sfictionprogramming.Ithasmorethan17,000followers.
OnAugust21,2012,Graduadosreached251,319tweets,ac-cordingtothe#SocialTVreportofTribatics.7Asperthestudycon-ductedby@realtimerating,Graduadoswas themost twittedpro-graminSeptember2012,with244,459tweets,beatingShowmatch andLa Voz.TheactivityofGraduadosinTwitterremainsaftertheendoftheshow.
Available at http://blog.tribatics.com/2012/09/06/tribatics-presenta-la-edicion-agosto-de-su-estudio-de-socialtv-para-la-tv-argentina/.
114 | Obitel 2013
ThetransmissionofthelastchapterwasconstantlyanticipatedinTwitter(anditscontentwasreplicatedinFacebook)priortoandduringthetransmission.
Graduados’ Facebook accountThecomedyannounceditspremiereviathesocialnetworks.Its
FacebookaccountwasopenedinJanuary2012.Photos,recordingbackstage, chapters and interactive contestswere published thereforthefans.Thesiteexceededthe700,000followers.Theaccountisstillactive,evenaftertheendoftheseries,asacloselinkbetweenTeleféanditsaudiencewherethenetworkpromotesnewfictions.
As far as theGraduados’Facebook space is concerned, it isworth highlighting that it has 610,438 followers, exceeding the599,852followersreachedinyear2012(figureobtainedthroughastudyconductedbyhttp://www.socialbakers.com).
Among the multiple interchanges present in Facebook, thelinkagemodalitiesthefictionandnon-fictionrecordsundergohavebeengivenpriority.Ontheonehand,theprofilesofthefictionchar-actersareavailable,andontheotherhandtheactorsinteractwiththe comments posted by viewers.Alongwith these unfolded ap-pearancesofcharactersandactors, thefictionspace is filledwithbackstagephotographs, interviews to the actors, testimonies, etc.,particularlyaftertheendoftheshow.
Figure 1. Number of “likes”, comments and “shares” in Facebook
Date Number of comments Number of likes Number of shares
13/12/2012 723 3600 168
14/12/2012 938 9004 618
16/12/2012 419 3994 213
17/12/2012 903 7305 493
18/12/2012 3604 29010 2303
19/12/2012 66748 119526 9503Total of the week 73.335 172.439 13.298
Source:ObitelArgentina
Argentina – Growth of national production and its styles | 115
Theinterchangetheseriesproposesisassociatedwithadirectandpersonalquestiontothefollowers:“WhatdidGraduadosmeantoyou?AnswerandbepartofthespecialshowofGraduados”or“Gastónfromthepool!Hesayshi,look”.Thelinkleanstowardsthestorytellingspace,withafocusonaconativefunction.Inadditiontothesefeatures,themajorpartofthecommentsandmaterialsharedbythefollowersisstrictlyrelatedtothenarrationthemes.Althoughthere are comments exceeding the fiction space, these generatelowerinterestinthefollowers.Fromthestandpointofstorytelling,centralityiscenteredintheplotandnotinthefollowersthemselves,asproposedbythesite.
Duringthelastweektheprogramwasaired, itwasobservedthatthenumberofpostsfromtheshowincreased,exceedingthirtypostsonthelastday.Thisway,theamountofcomments,likesandsharedcontentalsoincreased.Afunnytipisthatmanyofthelastday’spostsaresharedwithTwitterandmadeduringthefinalshowanditsrun-up,inthetheateralongwiththecast.Thesepostsgener-atedplentyofonlineactivityinaveryshortperiodoftime.
Table 11. Transmedia proposal: types of interaction and prevailing practices
Fiction Broad-caster Web
Transmedia types of inter-
action
Interaction levels (active,
passive, creative)
Type of prevail-ing practices
Gradua-dos
Telefé
Officialpage
Facebookpage
YouTube
Transmediaviewing
spectatorship
Active
CommentInterpretationRemixParodyRecommendationImitationCelebrationCriticismCollectionStorageSharingDebate
Interactiveinrealtime
Source:ObitelArgentina
116 | Obitel 2013
Themostremarkablecommentsaretheonesreferringtojudg-mentsaboutthemaincharacters’activities.Thisisthewayfollow-ersapproveordisapprovethedecisionsthemaincharactersmake.Oneofthepostsstates“Idon’tthinksheisinlovewithpablo,it’sjustthatsincesheissoinsecure,asshehasbeenherwholelife.itishardforhertogetridofthatpartofherlifeandfacehowgoodandyis”.
Towardstheendofthecomedy,thepostsofGraduadosweremuchmorelikeadirectquestiontotheaudience.Oneoftheques-tionsrepeatedis:“WhatdidGraduadosmeantoyou?”AnswerandbepartofthespecialshowofGraduados”.Herewefindanswersfrom the audience’s biographies: “I felt very identified for livinghighschooltothefullandthosematterskillme”;“Iwentbacktothe80s,mychildhoodhownice,youaregeniuses,I’mgonnamissyou”.
Otherusers leavethank-youcommentstothecomedy:“ValeFaggianothanksvikiIwanttobeapsychiatrist”;“verygoooood……it’sapitythatitends”;“dudeIcrieeeeed,becauseit’sendingxP”;“Iwillmissyou…thebestofnationalrock!!!Thanksforthegoodmsgyouleftaboutschooldiscrimination!!!”.
Besides, due to the fact that the chapters have awide diffu-sionpolicyfortheironlinevisualization,thedelaysinthechapters’availabilitygeneratedclaimsbythefollowers,whofoundinthedif-ferentsitesapossibilityof recoveringepisodes theyhadnotseenoroffollowingthecomedyexclusivelyonline.Thisisrelatedtoadecreaseintheyoungaudience,whichprobablyemigratedtonewscreensinthesearchfortheirownprogramming.
4. Highlights of the yearThe broadening of the fiction offer in 2012 strengthens the
trendsinitiatedin2011onthebasisofhavingputintopracticethepromotionsystemsgeneratedbytheArgentineGovernment.Withinthiscontext,threestrategiesmaybeconsolidated.
Argentina – Growth of national production and its styles | 117
Undoubtedly, the most successful strategy was the one ap-proached byTelefé.Not only did it place the fiction programofgreateraudienceoftheyear,Graduados,butalsogeneratedanof-ferbasedonnationalpremieres,appealing toseveral formatsandgenres.Centeredina“familyTV”proposal,itworkswithinratherwidelimits.Someofitsprogramsmaintain,withoutfearofexagger-atingthem,proposalsthatappealtothemelodramaticmatrixforms.Dulce amor andLa dueña sustaintheirsuccessbasedonthisaes-thetics.Dulce amortransferstheafternoontelenovelamodeltotheprimetime;itsstoryisapassionatelovebetweenabusinesswomanandherdriver.La dueñamarksthereturntofictionofMirthaLe-grand,aformercinematographicstarwho,between1968and2011,anchoredAlmorzando con Mirtha Legrand,aTVprogramofinter-viewscenteredinherdivapersonality.InthenarrationofLa dueña,thereisamixbetweenanobsessionforeleganceandeternalyouth,familyfightsandotherparallelsbetweenthecharacterofthepro-tagonistandtheactresswhoincarnatesit.Inthisprogram,thetrendpresentinseveralshowsthatworkswiththeappearanceoffiguresofatelevisionintraandextrafictionworldreachesitstoplevelandendsuparticulatingthestory.
Besides,Teleféproposesacontinuationpolicyofprovenfor-mulae.Itbroadcastsasecondseasonoftheprevious’yearsuccessEl hombre de tu vida, buys a Peruvian format for theminiseriesMi problema con las mujeresandmakesanadaptationofahitoftheninetiesinMi amor, mi amor.Thisaspectoftheprogrammingscheduleistheoneachievinglowersuccess.El hombre de tu vida doesnotobtaintheaudiencelevelsreachedin2011andMi amor,
mi amordoesnotmeettheexpectationsgenerated.InGraduados,
El donante or La Pelu, Telefé seeks to renew the classicmoulds. Graduadosrecoversthefamilycomedygenre,butthroughfamiliesthatdonotrespondtoausualmodel:therolesoftheirmembersareconfusing,parentsdonotknowhowtoofferadvicetotheirchildrenand there are always problems to justify traditional values.Withthisshow,UndergroundContenidosconsolidatesafictionstylethat
118 | Obitel 2013
combinesthehybridizationoftraditionalgenresreadintheformofaparodywithacertainlevelofnarrativecomplexity.El donante is oneoftheprogramsfundedbytheINCAAthattellsthestoryofamanwhousedtodonatesperminhisyouthanduponmaturityhediscovershehas144children.Withminimalpromotionandbroad-cast in a network that puts into competition a project presentingseveralthematicandformalinnovationssuchastheintroductionofanimations, itachievesaudience levels thatalmost triple theonesobtained throughotherexhibitionchannels.Lastbutnot least,La
peluisafictionprogrambroadcastliveintheunusualtimeslotofthenoon.StarredbythetransvestiteFlor de la V,itnarratesafunnystoryinwhichcommentsandcharacterslinkedtothemediapresentareintroduced.
Canal9takesadvantageofthespaceleftavailableandmain-tains itsafternoonprogrammingscheduleon thebasisofproduc-tionsfromTelevisainwhichrerunsofprogramsofovertenyearsaremixedwith premieres repeating the formulae of the old tele-novelasuccesses.Atthesametime,during2012theonlypremieresdevotedtochildrenandadolescents,Supertorpe(Telefé)andViolet-
ta(ElTrece),areshiftedtothemorningslot.Thischangeimpliesatransformationoftheaudienceprofile,whichbeginstoconcentrateinchildren.
During2012,ElTreceanditsproductioncompanyPol-kare-peataproposal,whichhasbeensuccessfulsofar,thatcombinestheuseofclassicgenreswithanaestheticsoflocalcustomsandman-ners.However,thenewproductsarefarfrommeetingtheexpecta-tionsgeneratednotonlyasfarasaestheticsisconcerned,butalsointheaudiencelevelsexpected.Thisledtotheinterruptionofsomeprogramsaheadoftheinitialschedule.Theprimetimetelenovelassought originality, going back to the boxingworld, as inSos mi
hombre,orrehearsingrelationshipswiththeworldoffantasy,asinLobo.Notwithstandingallthis,theadoptionofamanner-likestylereducestheattractivesideoftheoffers.Thesamehappenswiththesecond seasonof adventures ofLos únicos and the seriesCondi-
Argentina – Growth of national production and its styles | 119
cionados, about thepornworld,andTiempos compulsivos,whichapproachestheuniverseofpsychiatricproblems.Thetwocasesim-plyingahigherrisk(i.e.,LoboandCondicionados)weretheonescancelled.
WithinthecontextoftheArgentinetelevisionfictionsofyear2012,thespaceinwhichmoreinnovationswereperceivedintermsof format –duration variety and quantity of episodes–, styles andgenresistheonethatreceivesGovernmentfundingandissustainedthroughcallstocontests.InthesecondeditionofthePrimeTimeContest,theINCAAsupportedproductioncompaniesalreadyestab-lishedandprogramswerebroadcastbyCanal9andTelefé.Thanksto the establishmentof a fund forTDA,TelevisiónPública airedprogramsof newproduction companies, several ofwhich are lo-cated in the interior of the country.Thisway, innovations in thetechnical and formal levelswere generated, alongwith a greaterthemerange8 (theTucumánproductionMuñecos del destino,Per-
fidia ¿Cuáles tu límite?,Ruta misteriosa or La viuda de Rafael).Certainstylesareconsolidated,suchastheonedefinedbyGastónPortalinLos sónicos,whichwascontinuedduring2012byBaby-
lon,astorythatcombinesthecomicaestheticswithadetectivestorypresentedasacomedy.
TheStatepromotionsustainstherenewaloffictionsinacon-textinwhichoneofthemainnetworks,ElTrece,closesthespacetoinnovationsaswellastonewproductioncompaniesandtheothermain network, Telefé, introduces successful innovations throughthealliancewithestablishedcompanies,suchasUnderground,En-demolorLC.Consequently,notonlydoestheStatewidenthespacefornewproductioncompanies–it fundedfifteenof thosecompa-nies–,butalsoopensawayforinnovation,whichisharderforthenetworkssubmergedinthedisputefortheaudience.
8Thenewproposalsdelimittheplaceofcertaindidacticismthatcharacterized,in2011,theselectionofprograms,especiallyinwhatisrelatedtoacertainideaofwhatis“politi-callycorrect”.In2012,theunitaryTelevisión por la inclusión,theonebettermadeandwiththehighest impactintheaudience, triumphedinthecontestandwontwoEmmyawardsfortheperformancesofCristinaBanegasandDaríoGrandinetti.
120 | Obitel 2013
5. Topic of the year: social memory and television fictionOvermore than sixtyyears, theArgentine television records
anon-continuouspresenceofnarrativeprograms that recover thepast,inrelationtothereconstructionofdifferentkindsofhistoricalfactsaswellasinthesettingoffictionstoriesindistanthistoricalperiods.Inrecenttimesthereisanexpansionofthistypeofworkswhichparticipateintheconstructionofsocialmemoryand,atthesametime,qualitative transformationsareobserved in theway inwhichtelevisionrecallspastevents.
Forthepurposeofdescribingtheformsinwhichsocialmemo-riesareshowninArgentinetelevision,themechanismusedtorecallaspectsof thepast in fiction televisionprogramsmaybeadoptedasorganizationalcriterion.Inthissense,afirstdistinctionmaybemade between those programs that are sustained on thememory
generated by the communication mediaandthosethatarefoundedonanideaofthepastthatgoesbeyondthemediaframeworkandfindssupportinthe aesthetic, political or historical discourses.
Within the first group, in turn, different types of approacharedistinguished.The firstway inwhichArgentine fictionswereconnectedwith this formofmediamemorywas appealing to therepetitionofgenericmouldscomingfromthepopularculture.Thefollowing titlesmaybecitedasexamplesof this strategy:Yo soy
porteño (Canal13,1962to1966and1976to1982)whichrecoverscharactersandsituationsofthetheaterinterludeslocatedinamythi-calenvironment,theconventillo(Argentina’soldtenementhouse),withoutworryingtoomuchfortimeframeprecisions.TelenovelassuchasMemorias del tiempo lindo(Canal9,1966)resorttoasimi-lar modus operandi:setatthebeginningofthe20thcenturyinBue-nosAires,itrebuildstheperiodthroughtheconventionsspreadbythetangomelodramasoftheArgentineindustrialcinema.Anothermodalityofthesocialmemoryisexpressedthroughtherecoveryofmemorablecasesfromtheinformationmedia.Withinthisperspec-tive,thereareanumberofunitaries:Cosa juzgada(Canal11,1969to 1971), Sin condena (Canal 9, 1995 to 1996),Botines (Pol-ka,
Argentina – Growth of national production and its styles | 121
2005)or the first seasonofMujeres asesinas (Pol-ka,2005).Thestories toldwere set in a recent past inwhich detective episodesserveasabasisforthedevelopmentofnarrationsappearingfilteredbydifferentgenericconventionssuchastheonesfoundindetectivestories or in suspense.Within this perspective, butwith a formatswitch, the telenovela Vidas Robadas (Telefé Contenidos, 2008)rebuildsacaseofpeopletraffickinganddisappearanceofpersonswithstrongnationwideimpact.
Evenwithintheframeworkofmedia memories,thetypeofpro-gramming schedule inwhich television reminds itself takes up aremarkableplace,especiallyoverthelastyears.9Withinthisscope,programssuchastheminiseriesMitos, crónicas de amor descart-
able(Rosstoc,2009)maybepointedout,inwhichthemainchar-acter,duetoafailedloveaffair,isobsessedwithhisteenagesexualfantasiesandgetsintouchwithsomeofthemostfamousTVfiguresofthe1980s.InthetwoseasonsoftheminiseriesTodos contra Juan (Rosstoc and Farfan Producciones, 2008 and 2009) the story re-volvesaroundthemisfortunesofJuanPeruggia,themaincharacterofaprogramoftheninetiesforchildrenandteenagers,interpretedandproducedbyGastónPauls(who,inturn,isaformermainchar-acterofaprogramofthesametypeandperiod).Theuseofthemaincharacter’sknownbiographicalfeaturesasakey–whoiseasilyrec-ognizable–isalsooneofthecoremattersofthetelenovela.InthecaseofLa dueña(EndemolArgentinaandTeleféContenidos,2012)theprotagonistisMirthaLegrand,anArgentinecinemaandtelevi-sionstar.There, thebiographyofSofíaPonte, interpretedbyLe-grand,hasmanypointsofcoincidencewiththeonesoftheactress,
9Asdataaccountingfortherelevanceoftheconstructionofatelevisionmemoryaboutitself,itisworthconsideringtheimportancethemetatelevision(Carlón,2004)haswithinthecontemporarytelevisioncontext,thepermanentrecallsofitsmostremarkablecharac-ters’careers,andtheimportancegiventothemaintenanceandcirculationoftheprogram-mingschedulealreadyairedinnetworkssuchasVolver–incableTVsince1994–whichareorganizedinamannerthatexceedsthemerererunofpastsuccesses(Kirchheimer,2003).
122 | Obitel 2013
whicharehighlightedwhenthefictioncharacterusesmanyphrasesthatbecamepopularduringtheprotagonist’sTVanchorcareer.
Over the last few years, on top of the intertextual referenceexposed, another distinctive feature in the setting of correlationsbetween the present and the past may be pointed out. A certainconsolidationof a typeof story is found inwhich–contrary to astrongtrendoftheTVprosefiction–thestoryisdevelopedintwotimeperiodsinparallel.Thisisthecaseofprogramsofdissimilargenresandstyles,suchthecomediesUn año para recordar (Under-groundContenidosandTeleféContenidos,2011)andGraduados
(UndergroundContenidos,EndemolArgentinaandTeleféConteni-dos,2012);theminiseriesappealingtocomedy,suchasLos sónicos
(GPproducciones,2011and2012)andBabylon (GPproducciones,2012);ortheonesthatfallwithinthesuspensegenre,suchasPer-
fidia¿Cuálestulímite?(Cisnefilms–BACUA,2012),ormakeahistoricalreconstruction,asEl pacto (Tostaki Oruga Films,2012).Inthereferred-tocases,apartfromthebreak-upofthenarration’schronologicallinearity,thevaluationoftherecentpastisrevealedasasourceofpersonalorgroupidentificationandthetrend–sharedbyotherdisplaysoftheaudiovisuallanguages–tomaketheactofthe recalland the recalled factsvisible in thedevelopmentof thestory.10
Beyondthevaliditygivenbymediamemorytothereconstruc-tionof thepast,Argentine televisionmaintainsversions that lookfor their authenticity following theguidelinesofdiscursive seriesexceeding the framework ofmassmedia.Within this scope, twotypesofproposalsmaybeidentified:fictionssetinatimedifferentfromproductionandfictionswithaprecise time anchoringrelatedtoidentifiablehistoricalfacts.
10Thedevelopmentof stories thatworkout thepresentand thepast inparallel isnotexclusiveofthereminiscentprograms.DuringthefourthseasonofCasi ángeles(CrisMorenaGroup,2007to2010)theactionfluctuatesbetweenthepresentandanearfuture.Aprea,GandKirchheimer,M.(2011).
Argentina – Growth of national production and its styles | 123
Periodpieceprogramshaveadoubleorigin.Ontheonehand,itisatrendshownduringthefirstthreedecadesofArgentinetele-visionwhich consists in the adaptation of famous literaryworks–especially romanticand realisticnovels–whosedramatization issetintheperiodwhentheyhavebeenpublished.ThemostvaluedexampleistheseriesLas grandes novelas (Canal7,1969to1971)directedbySergioRenán.Ontheotherhand,thetrendfinallypre-vailingisassociatedwiththeuseofperiodreconstructions,whichgivestheshareofexoticismrequiredinthenarrationoftelenovelas,thusfollowingafeatureof themelodramatic tradition.Alongthisline,itispossibletohighlightmilestonessuchasLa extraña dama (Canal9Libertad,1989),setatthebeginningofthe20thcenturyinArgentinaand Italy,orMás allá del horizonte (Canal9Libertad,1994),whichtakesplaceduringthesecondhalfofthe19thcenturyatbothsidesoftheborderbetweenaboriginalcommunitiesandtheArgentineState.Inlinewithanewboomperiodoffictionprogram-mingduringthefirstdecadeofthe21stcentury,greatperiodproduc-tionsappear:Hombres de honor (Pol-ka,2005), set in thecityofBuenosAireswithinamafiaenvironmentduringthe1940s,andPa-
dre Coraje (Pol-ka,2004),whichtakesplaceinthefictitiousvillageofLaCruzatthebeginningofthe1950s.Beyondtheuseofgenericconventions accepting double-personality heroes, secret societies,quasiBiblicalplaguesandmiraculouscures,historicalpersonalitiessuchasJuanandEvaPerón,ErnestoGuevara–beforebecoming“El
Che”–andboxerJoséMaríaGaticaare introduced.Thepresenceofpublic figuresactivelyparticipating inanadventurous story intheborderlinewithfantasyexpressesachangeofperspectiveintherepresentationofhistorical figures rather thananewconstructionmodeofperiodfictions.
In recent years a new type of period reconstruction appears,whichislinkedtoanearerpastintime.Withoneprecedent,there-constructionofthe1980sinCostumbres Argentinas(IdeasdelSur,2003to2004),thenearpastappearsinacomicaltone.Thisway,Los
sónicosshowsamythicaloriginforArgentinerock&rollandBaby-
124 | Obitel 2013
lon,whichisdescribedinacomic-likemanner,recallsthe1970s.Themostimportantsuccessofyear2012,Graduados,posestherootofitsplotinagroupofteenagersfromtheendoftheeighties.Thereconstructionof the recent past has to dowith aspects linked todailylifemorethanwiththerecallofahistoricalfact,characterorperiod.Fromaworldofupheaval,thefashion,dailybehaviorandmusic–especially rock&roll–arepickedup. InGraduados, thistype of reminiscence takes up a central spot in some episodes inwhichstarsfromtheArgentinerockinterpretthemselves.Thisway,adisplacementisobservedfromanexoticpast,whichisfarfromtheproductionmoment,toanotherpast,whichisclosetoandsharedbytheproducersandmostoftheaudience.
Historical reconstructioninArgentinefictiontelevision,eventhough it is present almost from its origin, ismore sporadic and,generally speaking, related to Governmental initiatives. A retro-spective lookon themanners inwhich televisionapproachedhis-toricalfactsmakesitpossibletoaccountforthedifferentwaysinwhichtheArgentineStateandsocietyimplementedtheconstructionofacollectiveidentity.Fromthisperspective,transformationsintheconstructionofanepicgenreareobserved.Inordertounderstandthelogicofthesechanges,thedifferencesbetweentwostoriesmaybepointedout;thesestoriesareBouchard. Un héroe del mar(Canal7,1964),centeredinthefigureofanindependencehero,andLos
gringos(Canal7,1984),centeredinthelifeofthreeimmigrantfam-iliesatthebeginningofthe20thcentury.Thepassagefromavisionlinkedtoanepicgenregovernedbytheschoolsystemtoanotherinwhichprominenceandheroismaretransferredtowardscommonpeopleisobserved.Thisway,thereisapassagefromaportraitofthosewhobuildthepoliticalhistorytoastoryinwhichhistoricalfactsframethelifeofthemaincharacters;thatis,apassagefrommaincharacterstowitnesses.
Since the Bicentennial of the Argentine Republic, in 2010historicalfictionswithstoriescenteredintheinfluenceofhistoriceventsinthelivesofcommonpeopleareencouragedagain.Among
Argentina – Growth of national production and its styles | 125
theprogramsproducedwithStatesupport,thisperspectiveappearsinfictionssuchastheminiseriesMemorias de una muchacha per-
onista (AlejandroRobino,OmarQuirogaandProyectoWeb,2012)inwhich,throughthelifeofaradiojournalist,socialandpoliticaltransformationsproducedduringthefirstPeronistgovernmentsareportrayed.InProyecto Aluvión (MCProducciones,2011to2012),episodesaretoldinvertingthesenseofsomeofthetopicsrelatedtoPeronism,misrepresentingPeronistcitizensfromvictimizers tovictims.IntheunitaryAmores con historia (TostakiOrugaFilms,2012)moments that are key to theArgentine history are revivedthroughlovestoriesaffectingfictionalcharactersorcharactersthathadasecondaryrolewithinpoliticalevents.
Withinthissameperiod,fictionsrecallingaspectsofthelivesoffigureswithastrongincidenceinpubliclifearefocusedonas-pectsmorerelatedtotheirprivatelifethantotheirrecognizedactiv-ity.InEl pacto,theappropriationofthecompanyPapelPrensaistoldthroughthepersonalstoryofthewidowthatlosesthepropertyandthefemalejudgewhoinvestigatesthecase.Thesixchaptersofthe unitaryLo que el tiempo nos dejó (UndergroundContenidos,EndemolArgentinaandTeleféContenidos,2010)showmomentsoflifeinwhichpoliticalfigures,suchasEvaPerón,areseenfromthe standpoint of common people, celebrities, such as the singerAdaFalcón,arepresentedin theirprivacyandhistoricalepisodesareseen throughwhathappens topeoplewithoutapubliccareer.TheunitaryHistorias clínicas(UndergroundContenidosandGrupoCrónica,2013)addresseshealthproblemsofcelebritiessodissimi-larasEvaPerón,thesingerandactressTitaMerello,thepresidentDomingoFaustinoSarmientoor thewriterHoracioQuiroga.Theclose-uptothepersonalproblemsofpublicfigureserasesthelimitsbetween“celebrities”and“people”.Allofthemseemtobememo-rable.
Within the frameworkofhistorical reconstructions, a specialplaceistakenupbythosewhichrecoverthetraumaticpastlinkedtothelastcivil-militarydictatorship.Thethemeoftheforceddisap-
126 | Obitel 2013
pearanceofpersonsstandsoutwithintheArgentinecinematogra-phy.However, in television–although there isaprecedentdatingfromyear1984,Dar el alma(Canal9)–thistypeofstoriesappearswithstrengthonlyin2004,with thesuccessful telenovela Monte-
cristo(TeleféContenidos).ThetelenovelaisafreeadaptationofthenovelbyAlejandroDumasandincorporatesthesubjectofmisap-propriationofchildrenduringthedictatorshipperiod.ThematterisresumedbytheunitaryawardedanEmmyin2008,Televisón por la
identidad(TeleféContenidosandAbuelasdePlazadeMayo,2007).This program is based upon the impact achieved byMontecristo intheprocessofrecoveryofappropriatedchildren’sidentitiesandformspartofawiderprojectthatincludesactivitiesinotherspacessuch asTeatro por la identidad or Rock por la identidad.Volver
a nacer (Astro Films andAtuel Producciones, 2012) fallswithinthe productions funded by the State and broadcast by TelevisiónPública.Ittellsthestoryoftwotwinsisters,oneofwhichremainsinthehandsofappropriatorsandtheotheroneisgiveninadoptiontoafamily.Inthisway,thetraumaticstoryisshownfromtwoop-posedstandpoints:thedictatorship’sadvocatesandvictims.Gener-allyspeaking,addressingthissubjectacquiressignificancenotonlybecauseoftheimpactitmayhavefromasocialstandpoint,butbe-causeamongthedramaticquestionsthatcharacterizetheArgentinerecentpast,theappropriationofchildrenisdirectlyrelatedtooneofthekeyreasonsofthetelenovelatradition:thelossandrecoveryoftheidentity.
After a summaryof themain variationswhich over timede-votedthemselvestothereconstructionofthepastinArgentinetele-vision,itisworthmentioningsomesignificantdifferencesthatmakeitpossible todescribe thegreat trends in theconstructionmodali-tiesofsocialmemory.Withinthecontextofacomplexprocess,itisworthcharacterizingthefeaturesoftwoimportantmannersofre-constructingthepast.Inafirststage,thedifferenthistoricstagesarepresentedthroughadistantlookthattendstoseparatethemomentofevocationfromtheperiodevoked.Fromthisperspective,therecon-
Argentina – Growth of national production and its styles | 127
structionmayactasanornament tostrengthen theconventionsofcertaingenresorconstituteabackdropforthedevelopmentofaplotinwhich theperiodenvironment is sustainedespeciallyby theat-tractionprovidingitwithanexoticismthatgetsawayfromdailylife.Atthesametime,thereisamarkeddifferencebetweenthefictionsappealingtoperiodreconstructionaspartoftheshowlogicandtheonesthat,basedonhistoricalevents,trytosetacollectiveidentitymodelfromaperspectivethattendstoaneducationalstance.
Overthelastfewyears,adifferenttrendisconsolidated.Theperspective changes frombeingglobal anddistant to being closeandnearintime.Therepresentedpastcannolongerbethoughtasaclosedworld.Itisnowaconstructionthatgathersfragmentarylooksandisfocusedonindividualcases.Proximityisbuiltonthebasisoftwomechanisms:ontheoneside,theapproachoverthecharac-tersthattakepartinevocationemphasizesaspectsoftheireverydaylifeand,ontheother,inmanycasesitemphasizesaspectsoftheirprivacy.Thisimpliestheexistenceofatypeofcharacterwhosepsy-chologicaldimensionbecomesmorerelevantthanitssocialmodelcondition.Inthissense,anidenticalstandpointissustainedfortheintroductionofcharacterswhoseactionisdevelopedinthepublicsphere,the“celebrity”,andthosewhoappearas“ordinarypeople”;differenthistoricalcharactersarematchedwithothercharacterscre-atedforfiction.
6. ReferencesAPREA,G.(Comp.)(2011)Filmar la memoria. Losdocumentalesaudio-
visualesylareconstruccióndelpasado,LosPolvorines:UniversidadNacional
deGeneralSarmiento.
APREA,G.YKIRCHHEIMER,M.(2011)“Argentina:Continúalacaída
de la ficción, crece laproducciónnacional”enOrozcoGómez,Guillermoy
VassallodeLopes(coord.),Anuario 2011 del Observatorio de Ficción Iberoa-
mericana,OGloboUniversidad,SanPablo,Brasil.
CARLóN,M.(2004)Sobre lo televisivo. Dispositivos, discursos y suje-
tos,BuenosAires,LaCrujíaEdiciones.
JELIN,E.(2002)Las políticas de la memoria,BuenosAires,SigloXXI.
128 | Obitel 2013
KIRCHHEIMER,M.(2003)“Memoriayrecuerdo:lasformasdelpasado
enla televisión”,enRevista Figuraciones 1/2,BuenosAires,AsuntoImpreso,
2003.
LATINAMERICANMULTICHANNELADVERTISINGCOUNCIL–
LAMAC(2013)“InformedeTVPaga–Argentina2013”.http://www.lamac.
org/argentina/publicaciones/investigaciones.
NICOLOSI,A.(2006)“Merchandisingsocialycotidianoenlatelenovela
brasileña.Apuntesteóricossobreeldiálogoentrelaficciónyrealidad”,enRe-
vista Questión,FacultaddePeriodismoyComunicaciónSocial,UNLP.
POLLACK,M.(2006)Memoria, olvido, silencio. La producción social
de identidades, LaPlata,AlMargen.
TRAVERSO,E. (2005)Lepassé,modesd’ emploi.Histoire,mémoire,
politique,París,Lafabrique.
2brAzIl: TelenovelA As medIA evenT
Authors:MariaImmacolataVassallodeLopes,
MariaCristinaPalmaMungioli
Team:ClaudiaFreire,ClariceGreco,LigiaMariaPreziaLemos,
IssaafKarhawi,HelenN.Suzuki
1. Audiovisual context in the countryDuringanotheryearof television,2012wasthestageof two
meaningfulfactsthatwillleaveamarkbothontheindustryandtheBrazilianaudience.OnbroadcastTV,itwasthethunderousnationalphenomenonofthetelenovelaAvenida Brasil,amajormediaevent,aTVfictioncornerstone, inshort,a“narrativeof thenation”.OnpayTV,we saw thegrowthof nationalTVproduction inside aninternationalspacesuchisthesubscriptionTVservices’.Resultofthe“newcablelaw”,thisproductionhasahistoricalopportunitytocreateanewstandardoftelevisionfictioninBrazil.Certainly,thesearethemajorhighlightsin2012.
1.1. Broadcast TV in Brazil InBrazil,wehavesixnationalbroadcastnetworks,fiveprivate
ones–Globo,SBT,Record,Band,andRedeTV!–andapublicone–TVBrasil–.In2012,withtheexceptionoftwoofthem(TVBrasilandRedeTV!),alltheotherproducedandairedtelevisionfiction.
130 | Obitel 2013
Graphic 1. National broadcasting television networks
PRIVATE NETWORKS ( 5 ) PUBLIC NETWORKS ( 1 )
Globo TVBrasil
Record
SBT
Band
RedeTV!
SUM OF NETWORKS = 6
Source:ObitelBrazil
Broadcast TV ratings in 2012 2012wasmarkedbyexperimentationofnewmethodsofview-
ershipmeasurementduetoanenvironmentthathadgreatmobilityandsegmentationoftelevisionaudiences,especiallyofmobileTVinmediasuchascellphonesandInternet1.
Graphic 2. Individual TV audience by network (TL)23
Network Individual rating %
Globo 6.03 40.7
SBT 2.10 14.2
OCN 2.09 14.1
Record 2.06 13.9
Band 0.77 5.2
RedeTV! 0.24 1.6
TVBrasil 0.15 1.0
Other3 1.37 9.3
TOTAL 14.81 100.0
Source:Ibope
1 Ibope measures mobile TV in partnership with Video Research, from Japan, andNielsen,throughmethodsfromtheUnitedStates.2TL(TotalLigados):thesumofviewershipofallTVnetworks.DatafromtheNationalTelevisionPanel(PainelNacionaldeTelevisão,PNT),from7amtomidnight.3 “Other” includesdata fromMTV,RecordNews,otherdevices,and frequencies thatcouldnotbeidentifiedorwerenotregistered.
SBT14%
TV Brasil1%
OCN14%
Other9%
Globo41%Record
14%
Band 5%
Rede TV2%
Brazil – Telenovela as media event | 131
Regardingindividualaudience,Globoisstilltheleadingcom-panywith40.7%ofbroadcastnetworks.SBTcomesinsecond,with14.2%,followedbyRecord,with13.9%.Theclosecompetitionforsecond place shows, for the first time since 2008, SBT ahead ofRecord.Wealsonotice,inthelastfewyears,theincreaseofOCN(otherchannels)viewership,whichincludespayTV.Thesegmentgrew 16%when compared to 2011 and 60% compared to 2009,fragmenting the audience and affecting broadcast TV, which nolongergetsthehighratingsobtainedtenyearsago.
Graphic 3. Individual share by network in 201245
Total television sets (TLE)4
Individual share %
Globo 44.6Record 15.4OCN 14.8SBT 14.7Band 5.6
RedeTV 1.7TVBrasil 1.2Other5 2.0
TOTAL 100.0
Source:Ibope
Amongviewerstunedexclusivelytotelevisionchannels(TLE),Globohas44.7%oftheshare,aslight decreasewhencomparedto2011.InsecondplaceisRecord,with15.4%,alsoasmalldrop.SBTappears in third place,with 14.4%, somewhat stable since 2010.Bandplacedfourth,followedbyRedeTV,whichhadthebiggestdrop,32%whencomparedto2011.TVBrasilcomesinsixth,with1.2%.Globoalsoconfirms itshegemony inprogramming, taking
4 TLE (Total Ligados Especial): the sum of rating of all TV networks and excludesVCR,pay-per-view,videogame,DVD,Internet,CCTV,audiochannels(AM/FMradioprogramming),andcomputermonitor.TLEallowsforthecalculationofnetworksharebasedon“pure”ratingoftelevision.DatafromPNT,from7amtomidnight.Individualuniversein2012:57,936,745.5“Other”includesdataregardingMTV,RecordNews,otherdevices,andfrequenciesthatcouldnotbeidentifiedorwerenotregistered.
Record15%
TV Brasil1%
OCN15%
Outros9%
Globo45%
SBT 15%
Rede TV2%
Band 5%
132 | Obitel 2013
intoconsiderationthatthe47mostviewedshowsof2012belongtothebroadcasting.Thefirstshowfromanotherchannel,in48thplace,istheminiseriesRei Davi,fromRecord6.
As to audience by medium, broadcast TV still leads in thecountry (96%), followed by extensive media and radio. Internetis now fourth (56%), leapfroggingpayTV (40%) andmagazines(36%)7.Withoutadoubt,thegrowingpurchasingpowerofthe“newmiddleclass”isadeterminantfactorforthepenetrationofmedia.BroadcastTVstillleadsthesegment(98%),evenwiththeincreaseofpayTV,games,andDVD.Themediathathadthemostgrowthinpenetrationinthissocioeconomicgroupweredigitalout-of-home8,payTV,andmagazines.
Graphic 4. Genre and hours offer on TV9
Broadcast genres Broadcast hours %Information 12,917:00 25Fiction 10,083:55 19Entertainment 9,296:45 18Religious 4,800:45 9Sports 2,672:05 5Educational 312:45 1Political 107:55 0Other 12,271:35 23TOTAL 52,462:45 100
Source:Ibope
Theinformationandfictiongenreshave, together,respondedfor44%ofprogramming.Fictionrepresented19%ofthetotal,withadropsince2010,whenitwas21%.
6Withroomtospare,Globohasthetop47showsmostwatchedin2012. Portal UOL. 06/11/2012.7DatafromTargetGroupIndex,researchdonebyIbope.8Strategicallyplacedmonitorsthattransmitsegmentedprogramminginplaceslikesu-permarkets,malls,elevators,buses,subway,trains.9 Genres: Entertainment: live studio audience, game show, comedy, musical, realityshow,show,prizes,female,fashionandmakingof;Sports:sportsandsoccer;Fiction:telenovela,series,miniseries,movies,cartoons,childprogramming;Information:docu-mentary,interview,news,reporting;Other: infomercials,rural, tourism,health, lotterydrawing,entrepreneurialspace.
Other23%
Information25%
Fiction19%
Entertain-ment18%
Religious9%
Sports5%
Political0%
Educa-tional1%
Brazil – Telenovela as media event | 133
1.2. Advertising investment: in TV and fiction Totaladvertisinginvestmentinmediain2012reached94.9bil-
lion reais (about45billionUSdollars), a7%growth from2011.From that total, 54% were directed towards broadcast TV, 10%morethan2011.Newspapersfollowed,with18%ofthetotal,payTV,with8%,andmagazines,with7.2%.ThebiggestgrowthwasthatoftheInternet,with7%(a21%increasefrom2011)10,reflec- tingnewhabitssuchase-commerceandthegrowingengagementofusersonsocialnetworks.
Table 5. Advertising investment by medium in 2012
Medium Investment (R$) %
TV 51.3 54Newspaper 16.8 18PayTV 8 8Magazine 7.2 8Internet 6.5 7Radio 4.2 4UrbanMobile 0.5 1MovieTheater 0.3 0Billboard 0.1 0
TOTAL 94.9 100
Source:Ibope
The segments that received the biggest chunk of advertisingbudgetintelevisionwereretail,responsiblefor25%ofallinvest-ment,followedbypersonalhygieneandbeauty,financialservicesandinsurance,drinks(beer),andservices11.
1.3. Merchandising and social merchandising in fictionProductplacementisstillpresentedinfiction.In2012,asinthe
yearsbefore,themainadvertisingsegmentswerecosmetics,retail,vehicles,food,andfinancialservices.
10EvolutionMonitordata,fromIbope.Valuestakeintoconsiderationthepriceofeachmedia.11Source:IbopeMedia–MonitorEvolution.
4%
54%
18%
7%
8%
8%
TV
Newspaper
PayTV
Magazine
Internet
Radio
UrbanMobile
MovieTheater
Bollboard
1% 0% 0%
134 | Obitel 2013
Weknowthat the insertionof scenes that, inanexplicitandpedagogicalsense,exposesocialproblemsofthecountryisauniquetraitofBraziliantelenovela.Duetothis,in2012,thesocalledsocialmerchandising12,orsocio-educationalactions,wasagaindisplayedon thecountry’sTV.Social approachonGlobo telenovelasdealtwith:childabandonmentandlabor,inAvenida Brasil;culturaldi-versity,illegaladoptionandhumantraffickinginSalve Jorge;work-ing conditions andmaid’s rights inCheias de Charme; historicaleventsfromtheearly20thcenturyandtraditionsoftheblackpopula-tioninLado a Lado;missingchildreninAmor Eterno Amor;childrightandprejudicedue tosexualorientationinAquele Beijo;andinclusionandrightsforpeoplewithdisabilities,bullyingandyouthengagementinsocialactionsinMalhação.Recordhasshownseg-mentsaboutdomesticviolence,Downsyndrome,AIDSprevention,andadoptioninVidas em Jogo;andbullyingandalcoholisminRe-
belde.OnSBT,Corações Feridosdealtwithalcoholism,domesticviolenceanddruguse.
OneexampleofsocialactionthathasreverberatedbeyondfictionhappenedwiththecharactersPenha(TaísAraújo)andLygia(MaluGalli)whowere,respectively,maidandemployerinthetelenovelaCheias de Charme.Theactresseshaveparticipatedona campaignaboutdomesticworkers’rightspromotedbytheUnitedNationsfortheEqualityofGenderandFemaleEmpowermentandtheInterna-tionalWorkers’Organization.Anotherexampleisthethemeofhu-mantraffickinginSalve Jorge,whichmobilizedmediaandsocialnet-workswithdebateonthetopicandinternationalpressrepercussion.
1.4. Communication policies Aswehadforeseen,the“newpayTVlaw”or“newcablelaw”
hasmadeitsimpactondiscussionsregardingtheConditionedAc-cessService(ServiçodeAcessoCondicionado/SeAC)13onbroad-castandtelecommunicationpolicies.Suchrulesarealreadydeeply
12Currentlynamed“socialresponsibilitythemes”byGlobo.13Lawnumber12,485wassanctionedinSeptember2011.
Brazil – Telenovela as media event | 135
changing the audiovisualmarket throughout the countrywith theentryoftelecommunicationcompaniesasoperatorsandthemanda-toryminimumsofnationalcontentinpaychannels.
Wehavewitnessedthebeginningofanotabletransformationin the Brazilian audiovisual market because, with this new law,paychannelswillhavetoair210minutesofnationalcontentdur-ing prime time by 2015 (half ofwhichmust bemade byBrazil-ianproductioncompanies).Thisprogressiveimplementation14hasalreadysown importantchanges in theaudiovisual field, suchas:increaseinthenumberofnationalindependentproductioncompa-nies15;migrationofprofessionalsfromadvertisingandcinemaintoTV;proportionalityofnationalandindependentchannelsinopera-torpackages16;andtheincreaseofavailableresourcesfortelevisionproductions.Andstillin2012therewerethefirstdebatesregardingtheInternet Civil Framework17,whichintendstoestablishrightsanddutiesofserviceprovidersandusers,aswellasdiscussingnetneutralityissues.
1.5. Public TVIn2012,TVBrasil’sfictionprogramming,theonlypublicnet-
work,wascompletelyfocusedonyoungerdemographics,withthefirstrunofimportedfictionfromcountriesbeyondtheObitelscope.Thechannelstillpresentstechnicaldifficultiesintuningitsanalogsignal, but in itswebsite, throughWebTV, it offers24hourpro-gramming,aswellashavingapresenceonsocialnetworks.Mean-while, TVBrasil-Canal Integración, the only public internationalchannelinBrazil,broadcastsviasatelliteforLatinAmerica,UnitedStates,PortugalandAfrica.
14Mandatoryairingof70minutesofnationalcontentperweekduringprimetimeinthefirstyearofthelaw’senactment(Sept.2012toSept.2013)and140minutesonthesecondyear(Sept.2013toSept.2014).15In2011therewere170independentproductioncompaniesassociated;in2012,therewere265.Data:ABPITV.16 For every three channels offered in a package, at least onemust beBrazilianwithqualifiedspace.17Internetregulationthatisalreadypresentinseveralcountriesthroughouttheworld.
136 | Obitel 2013
1.6. Pay TVPayTVchannelsareundergoinggreatchangesduetothe“new
cablelaw”thatwassanctionedtostimulatenationalproductioninthisenvironmentgreatlyoccupiedbyinternationalchannels.Ifwealsotakeintoconsiderationtheaccessbyconsumersfromthe“newCclass”(anupward-movinglower-middleclass),interestedinpayTVandInternet,onecannoticethat2012wasnotablyproductive.PayTVreached16.2millioncontracts,whichwouldamounttoac-cessby53millionBrazilians18,a28.3%yearlygrowth.Fromthetotalnumberofsubscribers,morethan40%belongtoCclass,andit isworthnoticing that numberwas just 22% in200819.Despitethisandthestrongexpectationofgrowth,IbopedatashowthatthepenetrationofpayTVinBrazilisstillshy,with30%ofallhouse-holds,whencompared tootherLatinAmericancountries suchasArgentinaorColombia,whicharearound81%ofallhouseholds.
Fiction on pay TVDuetothistransformingenvironment,itisinterestingtoshow
somedataregardingnationalTVproductiononpaychannels.Na-tionalchannelsthatproducedfictionforpayTVin2012wereMul-tishow,GNT,Futura,andTBSBrasil20,whiletheinternationalones,FoxandHBO,haveshownco-productions.
18Anateldata.IBGEassumesanaverage3.3peopleperhousehold.19Obiteldata,2009Yearbook.20Brazilianpaychannel,partnerofTVBandeirantes,airingcomedy,moviesandseries.
Brazil – Telenovela as media event | 137
PREMIERE NATIONAL TITLES – 18 FICTIONS
Multishow – 10 national titles1.Adorávelpsicose(3rdseason)2.Doamor(1stseason)3.Meupassadomecondena(1stseason)4.Malícia(2ndseason)5.Morandosozinho(3rdseason)6.Openbar(1stseason)7.Osbuchas(1stseason)8.Querosersolteira(1stseason)9.OscarFreire,279(1stseason)10.EdMort(1stseason)
GNT – 1 national title11.Sessãodeterapia(1stseason)
Canal Futura - 1 national title12.Famíliaimperial(1stseason)
TBS – 1 national title13.ElmiroMirandaShow(1stseason)
FOX – 1 national title14.AvidadeRafinhaBastos(1stseason)
HBO – 4 national titles15.Destino:SãoPaulo(1stseason)16.Mandrake(3rdseason)17.FDP(1stseason)18.Preamar(1stseason)
LATIN AMERICAN TITLES (Obitel ambit) – 2 FICTIONS
HBOLatino–2fictionshows1.Capadócia–Mexico(3rdseason)2.Prófugos–Chile(1stseason)
TOTALNATIONALTITLES:18TOTALLATINAMERICANTITLES:2
Source:ObitelBrazil
Regardingcontent, therewasapredominanceof thecomedygenreforateen/adultdemographic,withexperimentsinproductionformatsasderivationsfromblogsandwebseriesandacollaborativetelefilm.Alsoofnoteweredramaseries,likeSessão de terapia,aBrazilianversionoftheIsraeliBe Tipul, extremelywellreceivedbythecritics;Destino: São Paulo,whichpresentedthedailylifeoffor-eigncommunitiesinthemetropolis;andFamília imperial, a series geared towards children that revisitsBrazilianhistory.As ratingsgo21,theyareratedfrommostvieweddown,asfollowing:A vida de
Rafinha Bastos;Oscar Freire, 279;Adorável psicose;Meu passado
me condena;andEd Mort.
21Source: IbopeMedia–MediaWorkstation–Paytv.Householduniversedata2012:5,226,185.
138 | Obitel 2013
1.7. ICTs (Internet, mobile, Digital TV, VoD)Brazilregisteredin2012morethan90millionInternetusers22.
Facebookhas35millionpeople23andhasbecomethemostaccessedsocialnetworkinthecountry.OnTwitter,Braziliansaccountforthesecondbiggestaudienceintheworld,with33millionusers24.TheCclasshasbeenresponsiblefor56%ofallaccesstoFacebookand55%onTwitter.Wenoticedtheeverincreasinguseofnetworkstodiscuss television fiction, especially the telenovela. The finale ofAvenida BrasiloccupiedsevenofthefirsttenTrendingTopicsBra-sil25onTwitter,makingitintotheworldwidelist.Datashowsthat73%ofviewersaccesssocialnetworkswhilewatchingTVshows26.Inthisway,thetendencyoftheaudiovisualmarketistoofferpro-gramming on multiple screens: tablet, smartphone, smartTV, orevenregularTVconnectedtoagamingconsole.
On this path areGlobosatwithMuu, andNet ServiçoswithNow,seekingtosatiatethepublic’sdesireforondemandcontent(VoD),inthesamewayasUSA’sNetflix,whichhasBrazilasitsmainmarketinLatinAmerica.Theofferingofamenuwithmov-iesandTVshowsonlineforsubscribersconfirmsaworldwideten-dency,anticipatingproductionspecificallyforthissegment.Globo,BandeirantesandRedeTValsooffertheirradioandTVprogram-minginmobilephonesandtablets.Therefore,inthisenvironmentofmediaconvergenceandtransmediation,weseetelevisioncompa-niesactingwithInternettechnologyand,atthesametime,InternetcompaniesproducinganddistributingTVcontent.
22Brazilreaches94.2millionInternetusers.INFO Online.12/14/2012.23Facebookleadsdisplayofadvertising.Meio e Mensagem.02/08/2012.24BrazilisthesecondcountrywithmostusersonTwitter.Exame.02/02/2012.25AvenidaBrasil’sfinaledominatessocialnetworks.A Tarde.10/20/2012.26 In the world, 62% of people use social networks while watching TV. Teletime.08/28/2012.
Brazil – Telenovela as media event | 139
2. Yearly analysis: premiere of national and Ibero-American fic-tion
BrazilianTVnetworks invested in traditional formats, keep-ing the telenovela as itsmain representative.Other formats, suchasseriesandsoapopera(Louco por elasandMalhação)presentedrenewedseasons,confirmingthechoicefortitlesknownbythepub-lic.Theseasonrenewalalsocovered the telenovelaRebelde(twoseasons),ararefactinBrazilianTV.Twonetworks(BandandTVBrasil)didnotpickanynewfictionshowsandtheabsenceofim-portedpremieretitlesconfirmsthepredominanceof100%nationalproduction.
Table 1: Productions broadcast in 2012 and its respective networks
NATIONAL PREMIERE TITLES – 35
Globo - 23 national titles1. A grande família –12thseason(series)2. A vida da gente (telenovela)3.Amor eterno amor (telenovela)4.Aquele beijo (telenovela)5.As brasileiras (series)6.Avenida Brasil (telenovela)7.Cheias de charme(telenovela)8.Como aproveitar o fim do mundo (miniseries)9.Dercy de verdade (miniseries)10.Doce de mãe(telefilm)11.Fina estampa (telenovela)12.Gabriela (telenovela)13.Guerra dos sexos (telenovela)14.Lado a lado (telenovela)15.Louco por elas –1stseason(series)16.Louco por elas –2ndseason(series)17.Malhação –19thseason(soapopera)18.Malhação –20thseason(soapopera)19.O brado retumbante (series)20.Salve Jorge (telenovela)21.Suburbia (miniseries)
IMPORTED PREMIERE TITLES – 0
RERUN TITLES – 20:SBT1. A usurpadora (telenovela-Mexico)2.Amigas e rivais (telenovela) 3. Canavial de paixões(telenovela)4. Fascinação (telenovela)5.Gotinha de amor (telenovela-Mexico)6.Maria do bairro (telenovela-Mexico)7.Maria Mercedes (telenovela-Mexico)8.Marimar (telenovela- Mexico)9.Marisol (telenovela)10.Pequena travessa (telenovela)11.Pícara sonhadora (telenovela)
Globo12. Da cor do pecado (telenovela)13.Mulheres de areia (telenovela)14.Chocolate com pimenta (telenovela)
Record15. A história de Ester (miniseries)16.Rei Davi (miniseries)
2. Yearlyanalysis:premiereofnationaland Ibero-Americanfiction
140 | Obitel 2013
Source:ObitelBrazil
ThemostinterestinghappeningonBraziliantelevisionfictionin2012mightbe the fact that100%of thepremiere showswerenationalproductionswithnoimportedproduction.Ingeneral,Bra-ziliannetworkshaveinvestedintraditionalfictionalformats,keep-ingthetelenovelaastheirmainrepresentative.Otherformats,likeseries(A Grande Família,Louco por Elas,Tapas & Beijos,Globo)andsoapopera(Malhação,Globo), receivednewseasons.Ararefactoccurredintheairingofasecondseasonofatelenovela(Re-
belde,Record).BandandTVBrasildidnotairfirstrunfiction.Thesum(ofpremiereandreruns)addsupto55fictionshows
in2012,downfrom67thepreviousyear,witha17.9%drop.Astopremierefiction,Globostillleadsthepackwith65.7%,followedbyasignificantmarginbyRecord,with25.7%,andSBTinthird,with8.5%.Astothe20reruns,thenumberhasnotchangedfromthepre-viousyear,15beingnationaland5imported.Allimportedreruns(fromMexicannetworkTelevisa)wereairedonSBT.Thenetworkwasresponsiblefor55%ofreruns,followedbyGloboandRecord,bothwith15%,TVBrasil,with10%,andBand,with5%.
22.Tapas&beijos–2ndseason(series)23.Xingu (miniseries)
Record - 9 National titles 24. Balacobaco (telenovela)25.Fora de controle (series)26.Máscaras (telenovela)27.Milagre dos pássaros (telefilm)28.Rebelde –1stseason(telenovela)29.Rebelde –2ndseason(telenovela)30.Rei Davi (miniseries)31.Tragédia da rua das flores (telefilm)32.Vidas em jogo(telenovela)
SBT - 3 National titles33. Amor e revolução (telenovela)34.Carrossel (telenovela)35.C orações feridos (telenovela)
17.Vidas opostas (telenovela)
TV Brasil18. Brilhante F. C.(miniseries)19.Vida de estagiário (series)
Band20. Julie e os fantasmas (series)
TOTAL AIRED TITLES: 55
Brazil – Telenovela as media event | 141
Table2.Premierefictionin2012:countriesoforigin
Country Ti-tles %
Chap-ters/
Episodes%
Broad-cast
hours%
NATIONAL (total) 35 100% 2,186 100% 1,503:40 100%
IBERO-AMERICAN (total) 0 - 0 - 0 -
Argentina - - - - - -
BRAZIL 35 100% 2,186 100% 1,503:40 100%
Chile - - - - - -
Colombia - - - - - -
Ecuador - - - - - -
Spain - - - - - -
USA (Hispanic production) - - - - - -
Mexico - - - - - -
Peru - - - - - -
Portugal - - - - - -
Uruguay - - - - - -
Venezuela - - - - - -
Latin American (Obitel scope) - - - - - -
Latin American (Outside Obitel scope) - - - - - -
Other (productions and co-productions from other LatinAmerican/Ibero-American countries)
- - - - - -
TOTAL 35 100% 2,186 100% 1,503:40 100%
Source:ObitelBrazil
Withthetotalofnationalproductionsin2012,thecountryhad35premieres,downfrom41in2011,a14.6%drop.Twonetworks,BandandTVBrasil,hadnopremieres,whileGlobodecreaseditsproduction.Despitethedropintitles,therewasaslightincreaseinrunningtime,about2.7%.
142 | Obitel 2013
Table3.C
hapter/Episodesandbroadcasthoursbytimeslot
Tim
e sl
ot
Nat
iona
l
Ib
ero-
Am
eric
an
Tot
al
C/E
%
H%
C/E
%H
%C/E
%H
%
Mor
ning
(6:0
0-12
:00)
00
00
--
--
00
00
Aft
erno
on (1
2:00
-19:
00)
573
26.2
312:20
20.8
--
--
573
26.2
312:20
20.8
Prim
e tim
e (1
9:00
-22:
00)
1,081
49.5
826:45
55.0
--
--
1,081
49.5
826:45
55.0
Nig
ht (2
2:00
-6:0
0)
532
24.3
364:35
24.2
--
--
532
24.3
364:35
24.2
TO
TA
L21
8610
01,
503:
4010
00
00
02,
186
100
1,50
3:40
100
Source:O
bitelB
razil
Table4.FormatofnationalandIbero-Americanfiction
For
mat
Nat
iona
l Ib
ero-
Am
eric
an
Tit
les
%C/E
%H
%T
itle
s%
C/E
%H
%
Tel
enov
ela
1851.4
1,739
79.6
1,275:55
84.9
--
--
--
Seri
es7
20.0
131
6.0
74:35
4.9
--
--
--
Min
iser
ies
514.3
522.4
39:15
2.6
--
--
--
Telefilm
38.6
30.1
10:40
0.7
--
--
--
Uni
tary
00
00
00
--
--
--
Doc
udra
ma
00
00
00
--
--
--
Oth
er (s
oap
oper
a, e
tc.)
2 5.7
261
11.9
103:15
6.9
--
--
--
TO
TA
L35
100
2,18
610
01,
503:
4010
00
00
0Source:O
bitelB
razil
Brazil – Telenovela as media event | 143
Nationalprime timewastheleaderwhencomparedtootherslots,concentrating49.5%ofchapters/episodesand55%ofbroad-casthoursin2012.Duringtheafternoon slot,valuesdidnotchangeinfictionproductionwhencomparedto2011.Inthenight slottherewas a drop in almost 10% in hours due to the decrease in seriesusuallybroadcastatthattime.In2012therewasnoairingforIbero-Americantitles.
Onceagain,themostprominentformatisthetelenovela with18titles,fourmorethanin2011.TheincreaseisduetothefactthatSBTandRecordproducedanextratwotelenovelasthanusual.Glo-bokeptthe10telenovelasbroadcastasin2011,representingmorethan55%ofthetotalofshowsinthatformat.Theincreaseoftitlesdidn’tinfluencethetotalofhours(withanextra50hours).Thisisdue to the twoseasonsofRebelde,whichchanges thenumberoftitles,butnothours,andduetotheshorterdurationofchaptersandtelenovelasonSBTandRecord.
Thetotalamountofserieshadamajordecreaseoffiveshowswhencomparedtothe13titlesofthepreviousyear.In2011,Glo-boproduced11series,whileitonlymadesixin2012.Miniseries,on the other hand,were basically stable; five in 2012 and sevenin2011.Thetelefilmandotherformatsmaintainedthreeandtwotitles,respectively.Therewerenounitaries or docudramas.
Table5.Formatofnationalfictionbytimeslot
Format Mor- ning % After-
noon % Prime time % Night % To-
tal %
Telenovela - - 3 60.0 10 100 5 25.0 18 51.5
Series - - - - - - 7 35.0 6 17.1
Miniseries - - - - - - 5 14.3 6 17.1
Telefilm - - - - - - 3 15.0 3 8.6
Unitary - - - - - - - - - -
Docudrama - - - - - - - - - -
Other (soap opera, etc.) - - 2 40.0 - - - - 2 5.7
TOTAL 0 0 5 100 10 100 20 100 35 100
Source:ObitelBrazil
144 | Obitel 2013
Telenovelashavedominatedtheprime time,reaffirmingitselfasthemostimportantformatonBrazilianTV.Thediversificationofformatsonceagainispresentonthenight slot,withtelenovelas,series,miniseriesandtelefilms.Prime timewashometo10tele-novelas,sixfromGlobo(Aquele beijo, Cheias de charme, Guerra
dos sexos, Fina estampa, Avenida Brasil, and Salve Jorge).RecordairedtwoseasonsofRebelde,and SBT,whichdidnotproducefic-tion in2011,aired two telenovelason this slot (Corações feridos
and Carrossel).Thenight slotconcentratedthebiggestnumberofnationalfic-
tion,consolidatingthesametendencysince2010,theslidingprimetime into later hours. The slot presents the biggest concentrationofseriesandminiseries.In2012,sevenserieswereaired,sixfromGlobo(A Grande Família, As Brasileiras, Tapas & Beijos, O Brado
Retumbante, andtwoseasonsofLouco por elas)andonefromRe-cord(Fora de controle), aswellasfiveminiseries,fourfromGlobo(Como Aproveitar o Fim do Mundo, Dercy de Verdade, Suburbia,
and Xingu)andonefromRecord(Rei Davi).Stillonthenightslot,ofthe20showsaired,fiveweretelenovelas–onefromGlobo(Ga-
briela),onefromSBT(Amor e revolução),andthreefromRecord(Vidas em jogo,MáscarasandBalacobaco)–andthreeweretele-films–twofromRecord(Milagre dos pássaros andTragédia da rua
das flores)andonefromGlobo(Doce de mãe)–.The afternoon slot,beforeprimetime,wasoccupiedbyGlo-
bowiththreetelenovelas(A vida da gente, Amor eterno amor, andLado a lado)andtwoseasonsoftheteensoapopera Malhação.Themorning slot stillhasnofiction.
Table6.Timeperiodoffictionalprogramming
Time period Titles %Present 29 83
Period 5 14
Historical 1 3Other - -TOTAL 35 100
Source:ObitelBrazil
Brazil – Telenovela as media event | 145
Since the start of Obitel research in 2006, there has been apredominanceoffictionsetinthepresent.In2012,thetrendwasmaintainedwith83%ofnarratives.Unlike thenotablenumberofhistoricaltitlesfromlastyear(six),in2012therewasonlyone,theminiseriesXingu.Mostfictionsweresetinthepresent or period,thislastcategoryrepresentedbytheminiseriesDercy de Verdade,
O Brado Retumbante, Suburbia, andthetelenovelas Gabriela and
Lado a lado,allfromGlobo.
Table 7. The top ten most watched titles: origin, rating, share
Title
Country of origin
of original idea or plot
Produc-tion
company
Net-work
Scriptwriter or author of the original
idea
Rating Share
1Fina estampa
Brazil Globo GloboAguinaldoSilva
42.12 67.3
2Avenida Brasil
Brazil Globo GloboJoãoEmanu-elCarneiro
41.51 66.5
3Che-ias de charme
Brazil Globo Globo
FilipeMiguezandIzabeldeOliveira
33.92 58.3
4Salve Jorge
Brazil Globo Globo GloriaPerez 32.80 56.4
5Tapas & beijos
Brazil Globo GloboClaudioPaiva
27.83 48.0
6Aquele beijo
Brazil Globo GloboMiguelFalabella
27.49 50.3
7A grande família
Brazil Globo GloboOduvaldo
ViannaFilho27.48 48.4
8Amor eterno amor
Brazil Globo GloboElizabethJhin
26.16 49.6
9Doce de mãe
Brazil Globo Globo
JorgeFurtadoandAnaLuizaAzevedo
25.60 47.4
10Guerra dos sexos
Brazil Globo GloboSilviodeAbreu
24.92 48.2
Total production: 10 Foreign scripts: 0
100% 0%
Source:ObitelBrazil
146 | Obitel 2013
For thesixth runningyear,Globo titlesmakeup the top ten most watched fictions,withnationalproductionsandoriginalplots.Inthefirsttwopositionsarethe9pmtelenovelas,Fina estampa andAvenida Brasil. Alsonotable,inseventhplace,isthelengthoftheseries A Grande Família,airingsince2001,andthefactthatithasbeeninthetoptenofeveryyearresearchedbyObitel.Newauthorsmake the list, like FilipeMiguez and Izabel deOliveira (Cheias
de charme),joiningfamousnames,likeAguinaldoSilvaandJoãoEmanuelCarneiro.Alsoimportantistheaverageratingofthetemmostwatchedfictionshows,up5.4%whencomparedto2011.Theshare,whichindicatesaudiencefidelity,hasstayedstable.
Table 8. Top ten most watched titles:
format, duration, time slot
Title Format Genre
Number ofchap./
ep.(in 2012)
First and last airing (in 2012) (*)
Time slot
1Fina es-tampa
Telenovela Drama 72 01/02to03/24Primetime
2Avenida Brasil
Telenovela Drama 179 03/26to10/20Primetime
3Cheias de charme
TelenovelaRomanticComedy
143 04/16to09/29Primetime
4 Salve Jorge Telenovela Drama 62 10/22(cont.)Primetime
5Tapas & beijos
SeriesRomanticComedy
37 04/03to12/18 Night
6 Aquele beijo TelenovelaRomanticComedy
74 01/02to04/14Primetime
7A grande família
Series Comedy 37 04/05to12/20 Night
8Amor eterno
amorTelenovela Romance 161 03/05to09/08
After-noon
9Doce de
mãeTelefilm Comedy 1 12/27 Night
10Guerra dos
sexosTelenovela
RomanticComedy
80 10/01(cont.)Primetime
Source:ObitelBrazil
Brazil – Telenovela as media event | 147
Table 8 shows seven telenovelas among the top ten most watched titles in 2012, confirming theBrazilian predilection forlongseriality;twoareseriesandoneisatelefilm,Doce de mãe,aformatthatgracesthetoptenforthefirsttime.
Whenitcomestogenre,onecanobservethestrongpresenceofromanticcomedies,followedcloselybydrama.Amongthero-mantic comedies are three telenovelas and one series; while thethree9pmtelenovelasarefromthedramagenre.Comediesarerep-resentedbyaseriesandatelefilm.Romanceisrepresentedbya6pmtelenovela.
Sixtelenovelasfromthetoptenarefromtheprime time,be-ing the two topmost ones and the fourth place occupied by 9pmtelenovelas.Thenight slothasshowntwoseriesandatelefilmandtheafternoon slotalsopresentedatelenovela.Referringtotogenre,thereisanongoingtraditioninBraziliantelenovela:6pmtelenovelaisaromance;7pmtelenovelaisaromanticcomedy;9pmtelenovelaisadrama.Amongthetoptentherewasanexpressivedropintheaveragenumberofchapters/episodes:64.6against92.1in2011.
Table 9. Themes on the top ten titles in 2012
Titles MAIN THEMES(UP TO FIVE)
SOCIAL THEMES(UP TO FIVE)
1Fina estampa
-Honestyandworkassocialvalues-Inequalityandconfrontationbetweensocialclasses-Secretsofthepast-Childdispute-Extrasensorialperception
-Domesticviolence-Childandteenrights-Incentivestoreadingandwriting-In vitrofertilizationandassistedreproduction-Prejudiceandsexualdiscrimina-tion
2Avenida Brasil
-Marriageofinterestandinfidelity-Revenge,secretsofthepastandidentitychange-Dailylifeoflower-middleclass(Cclass)-Theuniverseofsoccer-Firstlove
-Identityoftheascendinglower-middleclass(Cclass)-Incentivetoreading-Childabandonment
148 | Obitel 2013
3Cheias de charme
-Folksyshowbusiness-Dailylifeofmaids-Maid/employerrelations-Workandfamilyofthecontemporarywoman-UseoftheInternet
-Maidworkers’rights-Graffiticulture-Fatherlyresponsibilityinraisingchildren
4 Salve Jorge
-Interculturality-Organizedcrime-Searchoffamilyroots-Illegaladoption-Familyrelationships
-Humantrafficking-Sexualexploration-SecuringtheMorrodoAlemão-Parentalalienation-Oniomania(compulsiveshop-ping)
5Tapas & beijos
-Friendship-Extramaritalaffairs-Friendshipamongwomenover30
-Suburbanculture
6Aquele beijo
-Identityplottwists-Transsexuality-Socialandracialprejudice-Corruptionandorganizedcrime-Childabandonmentandabuse
-Childandteenrights-Cultureandartdissemination-Formaleducation/literacy-Sexualharassment-Illegalactivitiesandcorruption
7A grande família
-Familyrelationships-Neighbourlyrelationships-Dailylifeoflowerclassfamilies
-Femaleprotagonism-Suburbanculture
8Amor eterno amor
-Pastlives,regression,spirits-Childhoodlove-Searchforasoulmate-Kidnapping-Greedandmoney
-Missingchildren-Spirituality
9Doce de mãe
-Oldage-Family,friendshipandcamaraderie
-Problemsofoldage
10Guerra dos sexos
-Genderrelationsanddisputes-Splittinginheritances-Inequalityandsocialconflict-Ambition
-Genderrelationships-Tobaccocontrol
Source:ObitelBrazil
Mostofthedominatingthemesinthetoptenfictionsof2012re-fertothematrixofmelodramaticgenreasfamilyrelations,revenge,ambition,adultery,identityplottwists,socialdisputes,racial,gen-derandsocialprejudice,childabandonment,andcorruption.How-ever,inthedevelopmentofthesethemesanditsappropriationinthe
Brazil – Telenovela as media event | 149
Braziliansocialuniverse,wenoticetheappearanceofapproachesthat,ifnotmarkedbytheirinnovation,attheveryleastquestionthestatusquo.Thiscanbeseeninthemessuchas:homosexualityandtranssexuality,childrightsorcorruption,oreventherecognitionofnewsocialactorswiththeascensionofasignificantpartoftheBra-zilianpopulaceknownasthe“Cclass”.Therefinementofthesedis-cussionsandtheirsocialimplicationsgainsstrengthbydealingwithsocialthemesinfictionalplots,especiallyintelenovelas,afactthatcharacterizesthemas“communicativeresource”(Lopes,2009).Bydoingthis,notonlyissueslikewomen,domesticworkers’andchil-drenrightsgainspace,butalsobringtolightnewconsumptionhab-itsandsocialpracticesoflayersofsocietythatwereforgotteninthenationaleconomicenvironment.Thisapproachtakenbytelenovelas(suchasFina Estampa, Cheias de Charme, Avenida Brasil, Salve
Jorge), and also series (A Grande Família, Tapas & Beijos), en-ticesdebatesthatcharacterizethecurrenttransformationofcurrentBrazilian society.Considered a defining element in theBraziliantelenovelanarrative, social themeshavedevelopedalong theplotindifferentcores,allowingittodealwiththesubjectfromseveralperspectives,complementaryandantagonistic,whichconferstothetelenovelatheconditionof“complextelevisionnarrative”(Mittell,2012)sincethe1970s.
Table10.Audienceprofileofthetoptenmostwatchedtitles: gender, age, socioeconomic class
Title Net-
work
Gender % Age % Socioeconomic class %
Fe-male Male 4-
1112- 17
18- 24
25- 34
35- 49 50+ AB C DE
1Fina es-tampa
Globo 62.95 37.05 8.9 8.5 9.7 17.1 23.5 32.1 32.0 52.7 15.3
2Avenida Brasil
Globo 62.23 37.77 8.9 8.5 9.7 17.7 24.0 31.2 33.6 52.3 14.1
3Cheias de charme
Globo 65.66 34.34 9.6 8.8 9.7 16.3 22.9 32.7 31.5 52.7 15.8
4 Salve Jorge Globo 62.20 37.80 8.6 8.8 9.6 17.2 23.9 31.9 33.4 51.7 14.9
150 | Obitel 2013
5Tapas & beijos
Globo 62.40 37.60 9.3 9.5 11.4 19.1 24.4 26.2 35.4 51.3 13.2
6Aquele beijo
Globo 65.89 34.11 8.1 7.6 9.2 15.6 23.4 36.1 31.0 52.6 16.4
7A grande família
Globo 61.91 38.09 9.5 9.6 10.5 19.0 24.3 27.1 35.5 51.8 12.6
8Amor eterno amor
Globo 67.11 32.89 7.6 8.2 9.7 14.7 22.6 37.2 31.3 52.0 16.7
9Doce de mãe
Globo 62.93 37.07 8.6 9.2 11.2 16.2 23.7 31.2 36.4 52.2 11.4
10Guerra dos sexos
Globo 64.49 35.51 9.1 8.8 9.4 15.6 22.8 34.3 31.8 51.6 16.6
Source:ObitelBrazil
Thesampleofaudience profile for the top tenmostviewedtitlesshowsthatthefemale audience isstillpredominantintelevi-sionfictionand,despite6pmand7pmtelenovelasattractingtheirattentionmorestrongly,itcanbeobservedthatthereisanincreaseonthepercentageofthemalepubliconthecompositionoftheaudi-enceafter9pm(thetelenovelasAvenida BrasilandSalve JorgeandtheseriesA Grande Família and Tapas & Beijos).ThedatafromA
Grande Famíliacontinuestoshowanincreaseonmaleaudienceformorethanthreeyears.
Abouttheage groups,Cheias de Charme,the7pmtelenovela,hasreachedthesameaudienceasthe9pmone–withmorethan70%oftheover25public–.TheseriesA Grande FamíliaandTapas &
Beijos,despitetheirlatehours,bringmorediversifiedageranges,withanotableyoungerdemographic.Thoseover50preferredtheplotsofthetelenovelasAmor Eterno AmorandAquele Beijo.
Regardingtosocioeconomic level,theCclasswasthepredom-inantaudienceinallfictioninthetopten.SpecialattentionshouldbepaidtoDoce de mãe,atelefilmairedinlateDecember,whichcalledtheattentionoftheABclass,followedbytheseriesA grande
família andTapas & Beijos.
Brazil – Telenovela as media event | 151
3. Transmedia receptionThe telenovela Avenida Brasil has marked Brazilian televi-
sionhistorywhen it comes to theway it engagedaudienceswithitsprimetimefictionplot,reverberatinginasurprisingwayonthecurrentcontextofspreadingaudiencesandtheconsumptionofmul-tiplatformcontented.Oneofthereflectionsofthissuccesswasthevolumeofcontentgeneratedbyproducersandusersontheshow,propagatedbysocialnetworks,afactthatwasnoticedbytheinter-nationalpress27.The#avenidabrasiland#oioioi(+chapternumber)hashtagswere,duringthelastweekofitsrun,toptrendsonTwitterworldwide.Changestothepresident’sscheduleandtheoverflowofthetelenovela’sthemesonallofGlobo’sprogrammingreinforcesexpectationsbyviralizationof shows,on theeveof theairingofthelastchapteronTV,whicharealsoindicativeofthephenome-non.OntheInternet,twofactorscontributedtotheengagementandtransmediationofthecontentofAvenida Brasil:BraziliancustomsofwatchingTVwhileseekingandgeneratingcontentregardingthescheduleonsocialnetworks,28andthevolumeofcontentgeneratedbytheproducerontheRedeGlobofanpage29andonthetelenovela’sofficialFacebookpage30thathadapproximatelyhalfamillionfans.
27Source: Groundbreaking soap opera grips Brazil.Availableat:http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-latin-america-20001198.Accessedon:10/19/2012.28Accordingtothe“SocialTV”researchbyIbope,amongBrazilianInternetusers,43%havethehabitofwatchingTVwhilesurfingtheInternet.Youngadultsbetween20and24arethemostadepttothisbehavior,whileteensbetween15and19aretheonesgener-atingmostTV-themedcontentontheInternet.Telenovelasarethesubjectthatreceivedmostcomments.29Availableat:http://www.facebook.com/RedeGlobo.Accessedon:03/12/2012.30 Available at: www.facebook.com/AvenidaBrasilNovela. Accessed on: 12/15/2012.Morethan2,700postsand4thousandpicturesweremadeavailablebyproducersonthefanpageduringtheairingofAvenida Brasil.
152 | Obitel 2013
Table11.Transmediafiction: types of interaction and dominating practices
Chosen title
Net-work Internet page
Types of transmedia interaction
Level of interac-
tivity
Users’ dominating practices
Avenida Brasil
Globo
Officialwebsitetvg.globo.com/novelas/aveni-da-brasil/
Networkinteractivevisualization
Active
InterpretationSharingPlayful
Recommendation
Facebookpagehttp://www.facebook.com/AvenidaBrasil-
Novela
Transmediavisualization
Creative
InterpretationCommentarySharing
RecommendationDiscussionCelebrationPlayful
CollectionCriticismParodyRemix
Twitter@Globo_Av-
Brasil
Transmediavisualization
Creative
InterpretationCommentarySharing
RecommendationDiscussionCelebrationCriticismParodyRemix
OioioiBlogInteractiveinrealtimevisualization
Active
InterpretationCommentarySharing
Discussion
StoreInteractivevisualization
ActiveConsumption
RecommendationOutofHome
MediaVisualization Passive
Interpretationinbusesandsubway
Source:ObitelBrazil
Virals31 intheformatofphoto-messagesplacedonFacebookwere appropriated anddisseminated by users on social networks.
31Source:NovelanaInternet:relembrealguns“virais”deAvenida Brasil.Portal Terra.10/09/2012. http://diversao.terra.com.br/tv/novelas/avenida-brasil/novela-na-internet-relembre-alguns-virais-de-avenida-brasil,ab09c1851366a310VgnCLD200000bbcceb0aRCRD.html?vgnextfmt=fmtExpandedPics.
Brazil – Telenovela as media event | 153
Another importantpoint referred to appsdevelopedbyproducersthatgeneratedahugevolumeofappropriation:themostfamousonewas“CongeleseuAvatar”32,whichallowedfanstofreezephotosontheirprofile.
The telenovela’sofficialwebsiteoffered thenationaland in-ternational soundtracks and theOioioiBlogbroughtupdatedplotpointsasanimatedGIFs,allowingaccesstoscenesandcommentar-ies.GamesandcharacterrecipesfromNina,afictionalcharacter,weresharedwith thepublic through theofficialwebsite.Avenida
Brasilwastransformedinthewebseries Novela Brasil withalmost2millionviewsonYouTubeandlateradaptedintoaplaywiththesamename33.ThetelenovelawasalsothethemeofSãoClementecarnivalsambaschoolinRiodeJaneiroin2013.Oneshouldnotethemanytransmediaoperationsthatthetelenovelausedtoengageproducers,fans,actors,andculturalagents.
EmpiricalresearchconductedonYouTubeduringthelastweekofairingoftheshow(10/15/12to10/20/12)revealed37publishedvideosby23users.Thesevideoshad1,254,011views,5,927likesand441dislikes.Asumof2,082commentswereposted.Apostedvideo of the show’s last episode (ÚltimoCapítulo daTelenovela[Avenida Brasil]34) wasthemostviewedoftheweek,beforebeingremovedduetocopyrightclaims.However,creativeYouTubeap-propriationshappenedthroughfanworkintransposingthecharac-ter’sstoriesintoRio’sfunkmusic.
AccordingtoLaignier(2012),Rio’sfunkischaracterizedbythemusicalappropriationofpopularcharacterthatincludeselementsfortheunderstandingofcertainurbancontemporarycontexts.Despitethat,theseappropriationsareseveraltimesseenfromafaranddis-criminatedassuperficial.Theappropriationsofstoriesofcharacters
32Source:http://tvg.globo.com/novelas/avenida-brasil/Fique-por-dentro/noticia/2012/08/me-congela-transforme-suas-fotos-com-o-efeito-do-final-de-avenida-brasil.html. Ac-cessedon:08/22/2012.33Source:http://televisao.uol.com.br/noticias/redacao/2012/09/14/aprovada-pelo-elenco-de-avenida-brasil-parodia-da-novela-vira-peca-de-teatro.htmAccessedon:14/09/2012.34 http://youtu.be/kHZvj4KFAPQ.
154 | Obitel 2013
inAvenida Brasilintofunkhasbroughtupdiscussionsaboutbetray-al,polygamy,beautystandardsoftheBrazilianwoman,andworkingconditionsofdomesticworkers inDança do Amendoim35, starringthecharacterZezé,whichworkedinTufãoandCarminha’shouse.ThecharactersNinaandCarminhaalsoreceivedthefunk Me Serve
Vadia, Me Serve36andFunk da Carminha37,whichdealtwithven-geanceamongprotagonists.Othercharactersalsoreceivedhomagesthroughfunk,amongthemareTufão,Suélen,Ágata,andCadinho.
4. Highlights of the year“ThereneverwasatelenovelalikeAvenidaBrasil.”38
Sinceitspremiere,Avenida Brasil (Globo,2012)–writtenbyJoãoEmanuelCarneiroanddirectedbyRicardoWaddington,Amo-raMautnerandJoséLuizVillamarim–wasahighlightonallmedia(radio,TV,Internet,socialnetworks39)thataffectedtheimpactofthe9pmshow.Thisimpactgainedstrengthduringits179chapters,culminatingwith the polarizationof attentionnot only of regularaudiencesorcommenters,butalsointernationalmedia(Forbes,TheGuardian,LeFigaro),whichsought tounderstand the“phenome-non”ofAvenida Brasil.Amongthemanyfactsthatallowtofullytakeinthe“socialcommotion”(Mulgan,1990)causedbythetele-novela,twoofthemare:(1)theactionsoftheOperadorNacionaldoSistemaElétrico(theNationalElectricServiceSuperintendency)todealwith anestimated increaseof5% inelectric consumptionduring theairingof the last chapterof the show; (2) thechangesandevencancellationofplannedpubliceventsforthesametimeasthetelenovela’sairing.Ofspecialinterestisthecancellation,during
35 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZSYUc_8P4b8.
36 http://youtu.be/BHLCMZYT34s.37 http://youtu.be/6Z1uhIgmkBY. 38Anovelaquemudouoespectador, Época,10/18/2012.http://revistaepoca.globo.com/cultura/luis-antonio-giron/noticia/2012/10/novela-que-mudou-o-espectador2.html.39 Considered a true event in social networks during its run, the telenovela swampedsocialnetworksinitslastepisode(10/19/2012).Therepercussionoftheshowinsocialmediaisanalyzedinthethirdpartofthischapter.
Brazil – Telenovela as media event | 155
mayoralcampaignseason,ofanimportantpoliticalrallyinwhichthe Presidentwould participate. This scenariomakes us considerthe“phenomenon”of Avenida Brasilasa“popularmediaevent”,thatis,asaneventthat,amongotherthings,“breaksthedailyrou-tine,butinaroutinelyway”withritualcharacteristicsandhavinga role in the integrationof societies (Couldry;Hepp,2010,p.8).We observe in these relationswith the telenovela the creation ofcommunitiesof feelings (or collective feelings) throughmedia intheconstitutionof“conditionsofreading,criticismandcollectivepleasure”(Appadurai,2004,p.20).
Itisalsoimportanttohighlighttheimportanceoftheso-calledBrazilian“newCclass”onthis.IsitafictionalconstructionelementoramirrortoarealitythatbloomsinthecountryandredimensionseconomyandBraziliansociety?Thiswasthemajorthemeanddrivefor several articles regarding customs and consumption habits ofcharactersineconomyarticlesonnewspapersandmagazines40.Theconstantgrowthofengagementofaudiencethroughouttherunofthe showhas resulted in the development of ad campaigns up tosixmonthsaheadoftimetotapintotherecord-breakingaudienceexpectedforthefinalchapter.Thischapterhadover500national,regionaland localadvertisers,whohad theiradsairedamongthe122stationsofthenetwork41.Intermsofhouseholdaudience,thelast chapterhad56%of ratingand81%of share,data thatmakecleartheimportanceoftheplotinthe2012BrazilianTVenviron-ment.Numbers,percentages,investmentdataandaudiencethatontheirownright translate theengagementofmillionsofBraziliansaround theplotofAvenida Brasil,but that,even then,need tobeanalyzedintermsofdiscourseandsymbologysowecandimensiontheimpactofthistelenovela.
40 In the2011and2012Yearbooks, thequestionof theriseof the“newCclass”washighlightedinouranalysis.Amongseveralarticles,"AvenidaBrasil":umretratodoBra-silemergente, Exame.com,10/10/2012.Availableat: http://exame.abril.com.br/estilo-de-vida/entretenimento/noticias/avenida-brasil-um-retrato-do-brasil-emergente.41'AvenidaBrasil':QuemmatouoMax?Sódepoisdelongoscomerciais.O Estado de S. Paulo,10/19/2012.
156 | Obitel 2013
Avenida Brasil is the Divino suburban Weunderstand the telenovela and its effect from the quality
ofproductiveenvironmentbasedonBuonanno(2004),LopesandMungioli(2011)andintheroleofTVproductionincontemporarysociety (Mulgan, 1990) and more specifically of the telenovelaonBraziliansocietyanditsconstitutionasnarrativeof thenation(Lopes,2009).
TheplotofAvenida BrasilhasasitsmainarctherevengeofRita/Nina(MelMaia/DéboraFalabella)againsthermother-in-law,Carminha(AdrianaEsteves).Undertheclassicguiseofrevengeandseekingreparation, theplotofAvenida Brasilpresentsanarrativeandaesthetictreatmentthatgarneredattentionofaudienceandcrit-ics alike since its first chapter.However, the success and impactofAvenida Brasilareduetoaseriesoffactorsthat,toourunder-standing,haselevatedthedemandoftheaudienceandcritictonewheights.Thislevelischaracterizedbytheadoptionofnarrativeandaesthetic tools thatmakesAvenida Brasil asawatershedevent intermsofthetelenovela.AsithappenedwithBetoRockfeller(Tupi,1968)–telenovelaconsideredresponsibleforthecreationofanewparadigmbytheadoptionofanewwayofnarrating(Lopes,2009)andrepresentingtheBrazilianpeopleonTVfiction–,Avenida Bra-
sildealtwiththemesandproblemsalreadyseenonothertelenove-las.Butitdidsoincorporatingandtranslatinginasuperbmannertheesprit du tempsofacountryinwhichgreatsocialchangesthatcreatesymbolicspacesthatreverberatethediscoursesofnewpro-tagonistshappen.AmongthesesocialchangesistheriseofmillionsofBrazilianintothe“Cclass”.
Thisascensionisrepresentedinthetelenovela,despiteitsste-reotypicalportrayal, fromtheenunciationofsuburbancharacters:thefictionalDivino.Thiswastheplacewherealmostallcharacterslivedandinwhichpulsatedgreatpassionofitsinhabitants,theDi-vino FutebolClube (Divine SoccerClub).A suburb that did notworkasabackdropfor theunfurlingof theactions,but that tookitselftheconditionofprotagonistandthat,alliedtothediscourses
Brazil – Telenovela as media event | 157
ofcharacters,constitutedarhetoricsystemstructuredwiththestyleofuse,wayofbeingandwayofdoing(Certeau,2007).Inthisen-vironment,wecanseetheenunciationoftheidealizedsuburb:bartalksaboutsoccerandwomen,thecurbsideseating,thesolidarityamongneighbors,thefolk“pagode”music,theintensityoffamilydrama,butalsothesuburbofviolenceandpovertyrepresentedbythelandfill,aplaceofentryandexitofprotagonists.
InAvenida Brasil,andintheDivino,thesoccerteam,themeet-ingsof theboardofdirectors, the landfill, thepopular stores, theloudspeakers announcing promotions and playing popularmusic,and the popular language of conversations update the imaginedspace and confront the practiced space allowing for the observa-tionofthelayersofculturalpalimpsestthatcomposethegreatur-bancentersofthecountry.Thecomplexityofthetessitureofthisimagined/practicedsuburballowsustoanalyzeitasamatrixspace(Martin-Barbero,s/d) thatanchors itself inacomplex intertextualandinterdiscoursivenetwork.
ItisinthisspacethattherevengeofNina/Rita(DéboraFala-bella) againstCarminha (AdrianaEsteves) gains its body,which,despitehavingasitsmainnarrativearconeofthemostcommonandsuccessful of feuilleton andmelodrama, incorporates the ambiva-lenceaskeypointoftheprotagonists,givingthemhuesthatarenotrestrictedtothegoodandevildichotomy.Itshouldalsobenotedtheoutcomeoftheplot,Carminha’sarrestconviction,andafterhersen-tenceisfinished,theostracisminthelandfill–thehomeofhersuf-feringandtormentasachild–.Aself-imposedexileaspenanceforhersins.ThemelancholycurtaincalloftheambitiousandcriminalwomanisfilledwithsymbolismandpointsforareckoningnotonlybetweenNinaandCarminha,butbetweensocietyandthevillain.Itisalsoworthmentioningthatthestructureofthescriptischaracter-izedbythequickrhythmofactionsandagiledialogue.Also,strongdramatichooksareemployedattheendofeachchapter(recoveringandupdatingacommontechniquefromtelenovelasfromthe1970-1980),whichconferredauniquecharacterintermsofimpact.
158 | Obitel 2013
5. Topic of the year: social memory and television fictionNowadays,digitalmediaallowsustofindartifactsandnarra-
tivesofourculturalheritageinunimaginablemediaandplatforms.Accessibility to written, visual, sound and audiovisual resourceshasincreasedatanastoundingpace.WewouldliketopointoutinthisObitelYearbook about televisionmemory as part of “mediamemory”(Neigeretal,2011).Theseare,forastart,acomplex,mul-tidimensionalandinterdisciplinaryphenomenonintegratinglargerfieldsofstudyofmemoryandmedia.
Accordingto thehistoryofmentalities,oralmemoryandthestoriesoflifeactuponofficialhistorysincetheycanbringuphid-den and contradictory viewpoints. In “sites of memory” (Nora,1989),“collectivememory”(Halbwachs,2006),workedbyinstitu-tions,andindividualmemoryof thereminder/narrator(Benjamin,1986)aremixedandmakethedescriptionofnarrativetobediffer-entiatedandalive,showingthecomplexityofthehappeningbeingremembered.Thebloomingofthepastcombineswiththepresentprocessofperception,sinceitisfromthepresentthatstartsthecalltowhichremembranceresponds.Thesearethe“worksofmemory”(Bergson,2000).
Collectivememoriesdonotexistinabstract.Itspresenceandinfluencecanonlybeperceivedthroughitspermanentuse,suchaspublicformsofrituals,ceremonies,commemorationsandmeansofcommunication.
Sohereareplacedthequestionsofcapacityandauthorityoftelevisiontooperateasacollectivememoryagentandthebordersofcollectivitiesbecominginseparablefromtheuseofthismedium.Ingenres(news,documentary,docudrama,fiction),inproduction-reception processes (cultures and social classes), and in differentmedia(television,press,radio,newmedia)arethespacesandplacestonarratethememoryofanation.
Brazil – Telenovela as media event | 159
Television narratives and social memoryTheroleofmemoryinBraziliantelevisionfictioncanbeex-
plainedfromthesignofrevivalofsocialandaffectivememories.We seek to comprehend how television fiction and telenovela inparticularcreatethroughtracksleftbynarratives–butalsobychar-acters and social time (Elias, 1983) and its representations– pro-ductionsofmeaning that resize feelingsof belonging, of identitythatanchor theconstructionof socialmemory.Barbosa (2007,p.25)arguesthat“tracksaresignsofrepresentation.Followingtracksmeanswalkingthroughapathalreadycrossedbymenofthepast”.Thetrackswefollowleadustopathsthatblurandcrossatseveralmoments,butitscharacteristicsallowtheobservationoflayersofpalimpsestthatcomposethem;asaprivilegedplacetodimensionhownarrativesofBraziliantelenovelasfulfilltheroleof“narrativeofanation”(Lopes,2004).
Throughoutthelast50years,televisionfictionhascometotheforefront, amongother aspects, as a “formofmemory that regis-ters,throughthecourseoftime,theprocessofchangeinBraziliansociety”(Motter,2000-2001,p.76).Suchmemoryelaboratesitselfthroughtheconstantinterplaybetweenpresentandpastthatenunci-atesitselfthroughdiscourses,butalsobyfictionalspacesandtem-poralitiesthatremits,inaninerasableway,toahistoricalandsocialmoment.Thisgameallowsforthecreationofa“complexrhetoricalstrategyof social reference” (Bhabha,2003,p. 206). It is on thisaspectofprocessualconstructionofcollectivememoryandmean-ingofbelongingthatLopes(2004,p.135)emphasizes“thecapacityof television toconnect temporaldimensionsofpresent,past andfuturethroughthecelebrationandconstructionofacollectivemem-ory(…)provoking,evenifelementary,afeelingofbelonging”.
Thememoriesarepartofanarchive that isat thesametimepersonalandcollective,andthiswaytheyareportrayedandrepro-ducedbythemediawiththeintentofmakingthemeternal.Thus,beyondthehistoricalanddocumentalfactsanddailyculturalprac-tices,memory can appearor be reactivatedby television that, by
160 | Obitel 2013
participatingactivelyof theprocessofconstructionandrescueofaspecificmoment,createsastrongeremotionalandaffectiverela-tionship.Thisaffection,inthecaseoftelevision,acquirescollectiveproportions.Nowadays,theinfluenceofmediationofnewtechnol-ogyandmediaworks“asavehicleforallformsofmemory”(Huys-sen,2000,p.20-21).
TV remembers fiction: reruns and remakesOneofthemosttraditionalmemorydevicesoftelevisionfic-
tion is thererun.Globoairseveryafternoonsince1980theshownamed Vale a Pena Ver de Novo,whichrerunstheirowntelenove-las that were important in past times. From 2006 to 201242 thatamountedto17telenovelas.AlsoamongtheinitiativesofGloboforthepreservationofthenetwork’smemoryistheProjetoMemóriadasOrganizaçõesGlobo (GloboMemory Project), hosted on theMemóriaGlobo43website asitsonlinearchive.Throughitonecanaccess scenes, facts, trivia and information regardingproductionsairedsince1965.Theprojectalsopublishedfivebooksregisteringshows,testimonialsandabiography.
Globoreleasedin2010CanalVivaonpayTV,airingrerunsofminiseries,series,films,telenovelasandavarietyofshowspro-ducedbythenetwork,mostofthembeingiconsoftheirtime.Thechannelhasalreadyaired12telenovelasfromthe80sand90s.Try-ingtocatertoanaudiencecomposedofhousewivesandthegrowingCclassdemands,whichisconstantlymigratingtopayTV,thechan-nel has among teens a considerable audience that comments andsharestheprogrammingonsocialnetworks.Currently,CanalVivaisabovetheaverageofgrowthofthepayTVmarketandthegrowthofsubscriptions,beingpartofthetenmostwatchedpaychannels44.
42Forthedevelopmentofthisyear’stheme,wetookthetimetoanalyzetheyearsbetween2006a2012,whichis thetimeof theObitelmonitoringsurvey,reportedinthesevenYearbooksreleasedsofar.43http://memoriaglobo.globo.com/.44CanalVivacresceemcoberturaeaudiênciaeentranoTOP10daTVporassinatura.UOL.04/18/2012.
Brazil – Telenovela as media event | 161
SBTandRecordalsoreruntelenovelasandmiseries,evenonprimetime,sometimeseveninthesameyearasitspremiere.ItisworthnotingthatSBThadrerunmemorabletelenovelasfromthedefunctManchetenetwork:in2008theyairedPantanal(1990);in2009-2010,Dona Beija (1986); and in 2010-2011,A História de
Ana Raio e Zé Trovão(1990-1991).Throughtheproductionofremakes,audiencesareledtopro-
ducenewsignificationsofstories toldandalso to therescueofamediamemorymadeofsensationspreviouslyexperienced.In2006,Globoproducedtwotelenovelaremakes,O Profeta(1977)andSin-
há Moça (1986), andRecord aired the telenovelaBicho do Mato (1972).In2008,GloborerecordedthetelenovelasCiranda de Pedra (1981),in2009,Paraíso(1982),andin2010,Ti-ti-ti(1985).Stillin2010,RecordadaptedtheminiseriesA História de Ester(1998)andSBTadaptedthetelenovelaUma Rosa com Amor(Globo,1973).In2011,Globoairedaremakeof the telenovelaO Astro,writtenbyJaneteClairin1977.
In2012,GloboproducedremakesofthetelenovelasGabriela,basedonJorgeAmado’snovel,andairedwithenormoussuccessin1975,andGuerra dos Sexos,originallyairedin1984.In2013,twogreatsuccessesfromthe1970sshouldfollowthetendencyofbeingremade:GlobowithSaramandaia(Globo,1976)andRecordwithDona Xepa(Globo,1977).
TV remembers the past: history and time Sincethemediasystemhastakenadecisiveroleintheprocess-
esofconstructionofsociety(itsomnipresenceinourdailylife,itspredominanceincurrentcollectivememory),onecanponderovertherelationshipbetweenmediaandhistory,asEdgerton(2000)didinhisarticle“TelevisionasHistorian”:
Television is themainmeans bywhichmostpeoplelearncurrenthistorysincetelevisionhasdeeplyaffectedandchangedallaspectsofcon-
162 | Obitel 2013
temporarylife–family,education,government,businessandreligion–thenon-fictionalandfic-tionalportraitsofthisvehiclehavetransformedequally themannerof thoughtof tensofmil-lionsof spectators regardinghistorical figures(2000,p.1).
ThenarrationoffactsfromBrazilianhistoryappearswithmorefrequency in theminiseries format aired byGlobo, the so-called“Brazilianminiseries”,thoughthisformatisnotbeingexclusivelydedicatedtoperiodorhistoricalnarrative.Withadifferentaesthetictreatment,fromitsfirstproduction,Lampião e Maria Bonita(1982),Globo’sminiseries tackle, in productionswith original scripts oradapted from literary works, social and political facts that havemarkedthehistoryofthecountry.
Let’s lookat the2006-2012period.In2006,Globoairedtheminiseries JK, which portrayed the life of ex-president JuscelinoKubitschek,fromtheyears1902to1976.In2008,anotherminise-ries fromGlobo,Queridos Amigos, takingplace in1989, remem-beredthefightingagainstthemilitaryregimeinBrazilduringthelate1960s.SBTaired,in2011,thetelenovelaAmor e Revolução,dealingwiththemilitarydictatorshipinBrazil.Theplotsettinginthepastwithhistoricalrootisfoundinfictionfrombiblicalthemes,like in theminiseriesA História de Ester,Rei Davi, andSansão
e Dalila, airedbyRecord in2011.Other examplesarebiograph-icminiseries of singers, reconstructing certain times ofBrazilianmusic.GloboproducedMaysa– Quando Fala o Coraçãoin2009,basedonthelifeofsingerMaysa,portrayingthedecadesof1950an1970;andDalva e Herivelto,airedin2010,showingnotonlythelovelifeofprotagonists,butalsothe“EraoftheRadio”inBrazilbetween1930and1960.AlsofromGloboistheminiseriesChico
Xavier,aboutthemediumwhospreadthespiritdoctrineinBrazil,andthedocudramaseriesPor Toda Minha Vida,which,since2006,hasshown15biographiesofpersonalitiesofBrazilianfolkmusic.
Brazil – Telenovela as media event | 163
Fictionalsoremembersthepastwhenittellsstoriesthattakeplaceinothertimesandportraysitscustoms.In2006thetelenovelaAlma Gêmea(Globo)wasaired,takingplacein1920,whileBang
Bang (Globo) dealt with the North AmericanWildWest. OthertelenovelaswereOs Ricos Também Choram(SBT),portrayingthe1930s;Paixões Proibidas(Band)withanearly19thcenturysetting;andCidadão Brasileiro (Record),whichchronicled the lifeof itsprotagonistthroughthesecondhalfofthe20thcentury.
In2007,GloboairedtheminiseriesAmazônia,whichportrayedthe establishment of the region and its environmental problemsthroughoutthe20thcentury,aswellasA Pedra do Reino,setduringthe14thand19thcenturies.ThenetworkalsoairedthetelenovelasDesejo Proibido,depictingthecoffeecrisisofthe1930s,aswellasEterna Magia,whichtookplaceinthemiddleofthe20thcentury.In2008,GloboairedtheminiseriesCapitu,adaptedfromMachadodeAssis’novel,takingplaceinthe19thcentury,andthetelenovelaCi-
randa de Pedra,whichportrayedthe1950s.Asforspecials,Recordaired OsÓculosdePedroAntãoandSertão: Veredas,adaptationofliteraryclassics,whileGloboairedO Natal do Menino Imperador,portrayingthearrivalin1808ofthePortugueseroyalFamilyinBra-zil.In2009,GloboairedthespecialandminiseriesDecamerão–AComédia do Sexo, basedon the short storiesofBoccaccio,whileRecord aired the telefilmUns Braços, adapted fromMachadodeAssis’shortstorythattakesplacein1875.
In2011,GloboairedthetelenovelaCordel Encantado,setinthebeginningofthe20thcenturyandtheminiseriesO Bem-Amado,remakeofastorysetinthe1970s.RecordairedtheunitaryAs Mãos
de Meu Filho,adaptationofÉricoVeríssimo’sshortstorydepict-ingthe1920s,aswellasthetelefilmMenino Grapiúna,basedonJorgeAmado’snovelsetinthe1920s.In2012,throughthecarefulreconstitutionofthecityofRiodeJaneirointheearly20thcentury,thetelenovelaLado a Lado(Globo)tackledthesocialconflictsre-sultingfromtheabolitionofslaveryandfemaleemancipation.Thegoodratingscertainlywerealsoduetothememoryofthepastseen
164 | Obitel 2013
initsconfluencewiththeperceptionofthepresent(Bergson,2010).Finally,theminiseriesSuburbia (Globo)showedthedailylifeofablackcommunityinRiodeJaneirointhe1990s.
The spectacle of memory: carnival remembers the telenovelaGoingbeyonditspresenceinseveralmobilemedia,ontheIn-
ternet, inmagazines,booksandpayTV,thetelenovelawashigh-lightedduringcarnivalinaconvergence,ifwemaysayso,oftwotrue “media events” in the country’s culture. The samba schoolGrêmio Recreativo Escola de Samba São Clemente became thememoryplaceoftelenovelawhenitusedsocialandaffectivemem-ories in its parade at the Sambódromo. Even before, it producedawebsite and an electronicmagazine45 revealing all the retrievalprocessoftelenovelasindetailaboutthecriteriaforthisselectionofmemory.Thesambaschool researchedmost remembered tele-novelas(duetotheaffectiontheyreceive)fromthepublicaskingabout200peopleon the streets,onFacebookandon thewebsite“Whichtelenovelaleftamarkinyourlife?”.Withtheseanswers,remembrancewas reelaborated, resemanticized, reappropriated inthe creation of a theme: after all, “bymemory, the past not onlycomestothesurfaceofpresentwaters,mixingitselfwithimmediateperceptions,butalsopushes,‘dislocates’those”(Bosi,1987,p.9).Portrayingcharactersandsituationsoftheuniverseoftelenovelas,thethemespokeofspectators,producersandartists,aswellasoftitles, chapters, scenes andcharactersof54 telenovelas.AllwerefromGlobo, being 28 produced in the 1970s (Selva de Pedra,O
Bem-Amado,Roque Santeiro,Dancin’Days)andthe1980s(Ti-ti-
ti,Sinhá Moça,O Salvador da Pátria).Thisfactinitselfonlyre-iterates the importanceof thisperiod fornational teledramaturgy.
45 Link: <http://www.saoclemente.com.br/>Retrieved onApril 6th 2013.Revista ele-trônica G.R.E.S. São Clemente: <http://www.eupensomais.com.br/revista/saoclemente/?pg=auth&evento=revista&id ConviteDestino=saoclemente#/SAO%20CLEM-ENTE/14>.Accessedon:04/06/2013.
Brazil – Telenovela as media event | 165
Ahistoryoftelenovelawasrememberedandairedanditpre-senteditselfasasung,danced,choreographedandparadednarrativebya sambaschool. Itwouldbe important to speakof a“populartelevision history”, configured through the intersection of exer-cisesofdramatization,argumentativecondensation,simplification,ductiletreatmentofthepastandsharing,asaspaceofmediation,ofan“imaginedcommunity”,ofacertaincommonmemory.Thismemoryisnaturallyfedbyexistentialreferential,whichallowsforpracticesofidentificationguidedbymechanismsofremembranceandrecognition.
ReferencesAPPADURAI,Arjun.Dimensões culturais da globalização: a moderni-
dade sem peias.Lisbon:EditorialTeorema,2004.
BARBOSA,MarialvaC.Meiosdecomunicaçãoehistória:umuniverso
depossíveis. In: RIBEIRO,AnaPaulaGoulart;FERREIRA,LuciaMariaA.
(orgs.)Mídia e Memória:aproduçãodesentidosnosmeiosdecomunicação.
RiodeJaneiro:MauadX,2007.
BENJAMIN,Walter.ONarrador.In:WalterBenjamin.Magia e Técnica,
Arte e Política.SãoPaulo:Brasiliense,1986.
BERGSON,Henri.Matéria e memória: ensaio sobre a relação do corpo
com o espírito. SãoPaulo:MartinsFontes,2010.
BHABHA,Homi K.O local da cultura. BeloHorizonte: Ed. UFMG,
2003.
BOSI, Ecléa.Memória e sociedade: lembranças de velhos. São Paulo:
T.A.Queiroz,Editor,1983.
BUONANNO,Milly.Laqualitàdellafiction.Dalprodottoall’ambiente
produttivo.In:BUONANNO,Milly(org.)Realtà multiple. Concetti, generi e
audience della fiction tv.Napoli:Liguori,2004.
CERTEAU,Michelde. A invenção do cotidiano:1.Artesdefazer.Petró-
polis,RJ:Vozes,2007.
COULDRY,Nick;HEPP,Andreas.Introduction:Mediaeventsingloba-
lizedmediacultures.In:COULDRY,Nick;HEPP,Andreas;KROTZ,Friedri-
ch. Media Events in a Global Age.NewYork:Routledge,2010.
EDGERTON,Gary.Televisionashistorian:anIntroduction,In:EDGER-
TON,G.R.;ROLLINS,P.C.(eds)(2001)Television Histories: Shaping Collec-
tive Memory in the Media Age.Lexington,KY:UniversityPressofKentucky.
166 | Obitel 2013
ELIAS,Norbert.Sobre o tempo.RiodeJaneiro:JorgeZahar,1984.
HALBWACHS, Maurice. A Memória coletiva. São Paulo: Centauro,2006.
HUYSSEN,Andreas.Seduzidos pela memória.RiodeJaneiro:Aeropla-
no,2000.
LAIGNIER,PabloCezar.Pedagogiasdofunkcarioca:DeuseoDiabona
terradosom.MATRIZes,v.6,n.1,2012.
LOPES,MariaImmacolataVassallode.Telenovelacomorecursocomu-
nicativo.MATRIZes,v.3,n.1,2009.
LOPES,MariaImmacolataVassallode.Telenovela: Internacionalização
e Interculturalidade.SãoPaulo,Loyola,2004.
LOPES.MariaImmacolataVassallode;MUNGIOLI,MariaCristinaPal-
ma.Brasil,Caminhosdaficção:entrenovosevelhosmeios.In:LOPES.Maria
ImmacolataVassallode;Orozco-Gómez,Guillermo.Anuário OBITEL 2011:
qualidade na ficção televisiva e participação transmidiática das audiências. SãoPaulo:EditoraGlobo,2011.
MARTÍN-BARBERO,Jesús.Entreurbaníasyciudadanías. Mimeo, (s/d).MITTEL,Jason.Complexidadenarrativanatelevisãoamericanacontem-
porânea.MATRIZes, v.5,n.2,2012.
MULGAN, Geoff. Television’s Holy Grail: seven types of quality.In:
MULGAN, Geoff. The question of quality. London: British Film Institute,
1990.
NEIGER,Motti,MEYERS,Oren;ZANDBERG,Eyal(eds).On Media
Memory.CollectiveMemory in aNewMediaAge.London:PalgraveMac-
Millan,2011.
NORA,Pierre.Betweenmemoryandhistory:Leslieuxdemémoire.Re-
presentations 26,Spring1989.
3chIle: chAnges In The IndusTry1
Authors:ValerioFuenzalida,PabloJulioPohlhammer
Team:VerónicaSilva,ConstanzaMujica,LuisBreull,AlejandroBruna
1. Audiovisual context in the country
1.1. Broadcast TV in the country
Chart 1. Broadcast TV national channels in the country
Public University Private – University Private
TVN UCVTV Canal13
TelecanalRed
ChilevisiónMega
Number of channels: 7
Chart 2. TV audience per channel (households)
Channel Household rating (%)
Household share (%)
Canal13 7.4 25.7TVN 6.3 22.0CHV 5.9 20.6Mega 5.6 19.4LaRed 2.3 7.8UCV 0.8 2.7Telecanal 0.5 1.8
Source:TimeIbope
1ThisreporthadthefinancialsupportofthecontestCreación y Cultura sponsoredbytheDirectorateofArtandCulture(DAC)oftheVicePresidencyofResearch(VRI)attheUniversidadCatólicadeChile.
Canal13
TVN
CHV
Mega
LaRed
UCV
Telecanal
3%
22%
2%
19%
26%
22%
8%
168 | Obitel 2013
Chart 3. TV audience per channel (individuals)
ChannelIndividual
rating (%)
Individual share (%)
Canal13 2.7 25.3
TVN 2.4 22.5CHV 2.1 20.1Mega 2.1 19.8LaRed 0.8 7.7UCV 0.3 2.7Telecanal 0.2 1.8
Source:TimeIbope
Chart 4. Offer by genre in TV programmingGenre Hours (%)
Fiction 19,653 36%Information 11,120 20%Entertainment 11,418 21%Service 5,822 11%Sports 1,111 2%Others 5,396 10%Total 54,519 100%
Source:TimeIbopeandObitelChile
1.2. TrendsTheChileanbroadcastTVhaschangeddramaticallyinthelast
twodecades.First, therehasbeenanevolutiontowardsprivatiza-tion;broadcastandmassiveuniversityTVhasalmostdisappeared(Canal13oftheUniversidadCatólicadeChileandCanal11oftheUniversidaddeChile);bothchannelshavebeenprivatized:Canal11becomesTurner’sCHV;Canal13isprivatizedina67%,andthatprivatepercentagecouldincrease.Thesevenbroadcastchannelsarenow broken down into a completely university channel (UCV –TV),apublicchannel(TVN)and5privatechannels,3ofwhicharelargechannels,thatcompeteamongthemselvesandwiththepublicchannelTVN.Theothertwoprivatechannelsaresmaller(TelecanalandLaRed).Thus,thereisagroupoffourhighlycompetitivechan-nels:3privateandthepublicone.
Canal13
TVN
CHV
Mega
LaRed
UCV
Telecanal
3%
22%
2%
20%
25%
20%
8%
Fiction
Information
Entertainment
Service
Sports
Others20%
2%
11% 36%
21%
10%
Chile – Changes in the industry | 169
Secondly,theshifttowarddigitalizationiscomingandtheonlythingdefined is theJapanese-Brazilianstandard; the legislation isstill under discussion and there are no known plans of the chan-nels for this new technological scenario. If newdigital broadcastchannels,segmentedbytheme,areimplemented,therewouldbeanewcompetitionscenariowithpayTV,astherewouldbetwotech-nologicallycompetitiveofferingswithsegmentedemissions.Thisquestion arises: is theChilean advertisingmarket able to supportmorechannelsinbroadcastTV?
Thirdly,ontheindustrialscenariooftheChileanaudiovisualahugechangehasoccurred.CHV(formerchanneloftheUniversidaddeChile)wasacquiredin2010byTurnerBroadcastingSystemofTimeWarner. In the comingmonths,CHVwillmove to its newstudios in therefurbishedoldlocalof theMachasaIndustry.Thissubstantialinvestmentinnewstudiosistheresultofanevaluationwhich aims to turnCHV into a producer/exporter companywithinternationalhorizons,firstlytotheHispanicmarket.CHVisthusthe first project inChile in the audiovisual sectorwhich aims toovercomethenationalproductionandbroadcastinordertoinsertit-selfintoaglobalaudiovisualmarket.Theprojectseekstoovercomethemerenationaladvertisingfundingofbroadcasttelevision.Mega,privatechannel,islookingforastrategytoenterintothetelephonymarket;Canal13,oftheLuksicGroup+UCconsidersopeningintothestockexchangeasastrategyforraisingcapitalandfacethenewformsofcompetition;thisgrouphasalsoexpandedagroupofradiostations. This new economic-industrial scenario poses challengesandquestionstoTVN(thepublicchannel)regardingitsfinancingandcapitalization.
170 | Obitel 2013
1.3. Investment in media advertising
Table A. Distribution of advertising investment – 2011
Share (%) 1985 1990 1995 2000 2005 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011
Television 46.3 44.2 46.3 42.8 47.4 48.2 48.4 51.5 48.2 44.9
Newspapers 35.0 34.5 35.3 34.5 29.4 28.6 28.7 25.9 27.0 26.6
Radios 10.5 10.9 7.9 10.5 8.2 6.9 7.2 7.5 6.8 6.8
Magazines 5.8 7.3 3.5 5.0 3.2 3.1 2.9 2.3 2.2 1.9
Thoroughfare 2.2 2.9 6.7 6.7 8.4 9.5 8.7 7.6 7.5 8.6
Cinema 0.3 0.2 0.2 0.4 0.3 0.3 0.2 0.3 0.3 0.3
CableTV 1.7 1.9 1.7 2.0 3.9 4.6
Onlinemedia 1.4 1.6 2.3 2.8 4.1 6.2
Source:ChileanAdvertisingAgenciesAssociation(ACHAP)
TheChileanAdvertisingAgenciesAssociation(ACHAP)datafor 2012 are not yet available,which iswhywepresent data for2011.Between 2005 and 2011,TV cable and onlinemedia haveaugmentedtheirparticipationinadvertisingtoa10.8%altogether;thisgrowthissustainedandwithlessannualfluctuations,whicharedisplayedbythepercentageparticipationofothermedia.
1.4. ICT trendsAccordingtoinformationoftheSub-SecretaryofTelecommu-
nicationsofChile(Subtel), toMayof2012mobile telephonyhashadan importantdevelopment: there is apenetrationof130%ofmobiledevicesintheChileanpopulation.Onthecontrary,fixedte-lephonymaintainsaslowbutsteadydecline,reachingonlya19.4%penetrationper100inhabitants.Fixedandmobilebroadbandreachaltogether 50%of households; 3Gmobile broadband has alreadyexceeded fixed connections, and4G is being introduced. Internetaccess,accordingtoSubtel,reached40.7%oftheChileanpopula-tionin2012.
Chile – Changes in the industry | 171
Theimportationofcomputerequipmenthasadaptedtomobili-ty:desktopPCshavedescendtoasecondplaceamongtheimportedequipments,andthefirstplaceisnowheldbynotebooks(64%ofthe imported equipment), but tablets have had a huge percentageincreasethatplacestheminthirdplace,beatingnetbooks(ChamberofCommerceofSantiago).
According to the II Census of Education Computing of theMinistryofEducation(www.Enlaces.cl/Mineduc), Internetaccessinmunicipal schools rose to66% in2012, reducing thegapwithprivateschools.Thecomputationalequipmenthasalsoincreasedinpublicschoolsandthereisnowonecomputerforeverysixstudents.
2. Yearly analysis: premieres2 of national and Ibero-American fic-tion
Table 1. TV Fiction premiere programs broadcasted in 2012
NATIONAL TITLES WITH PRE-MIERES – 23
IMPORTED TITLES WITH PRE-MIERES – 45
Canal 13 – 4 national titles with premieres
Canal 13 – 4 imported titles with premieres
Los 80 más que una moda(series) Insensato corazón(telenovela-Brazil)Peleles(telenovela) Mujeres apasionadas (telenovela-Brazil)Soltera otra vez(telenovela) Passione(telenovela-Brazil)
Vida por vida(series)Tititi la pasarela del amor(telenovela-Brazil)
CHV - 4 national titles with pre-mieres CHV - 6 imported titles with premieresGordis la gorda más rica del mundo (telenovela) Amar de nuevo(telenovela-Mexico)La Doña(telenovela) Aurora(telenovela-USA-Hispanic)
La Sexóloga(telenovela)Corazón apasionado(telenovela-Vene-zuela)
Violeta se fue a los cielos(TVmovie)El fantasma de Elena(telenovela-USA-Hispanic)
Mega - 5 national titles with pre-mieres El talismán(telenovela-USA-Hispanic)
Bkn el campamento(series)Una maid en Manhattan(telenovela-USA-Hispanic)
2ThetermpremiereisreferredtothefirstexhibitionoftheprogramonTV.
172 | Obitel 2013
Cobre poder y pasión(miniseries)La Red – 14 imported titles with premieres
Decibel 110 el amor suena fuerte (telenovela) Amorcito Corazón(telenovela-Mexico)Maldita(telenovela) Como dice el dicho(series-Mexico)Solita Camino(series) Cuando me enamoro(telenovela-Mexico)TVN - 10 national titles with pre-mieres El secretario(telenovela-Colombia)
Aquí mando yo(telenovela)Hasta que el dinero nos separe(telenove-la-Mexico)
Dama y obrero(telenovela)La rosa de Guadalupe(docudrama-Mexico)
El diario secreto de una profesional (series)
Las muñecas de la mafia(telenovela-Mexico)
El reemplazante(series) Mar de amor(telenovela-Mexico)Escena del crimen(docudrama) Mi pecado(telenovela-Mexico)
Esperanza(telenovela)Mujer casos de la vida real(docudrama-Mexico)
Pobre rico(telenovela)Operacion jaque(miniseries-Colombia/Spainco-production)
Reserva de familia(telenovela) Rafaela(telenovela-Mexico)Separados(telenovela) Soy tu dueña(telenovela-Mexico)Su nombre es Joaquín(telenovela) Triunfo del amor(telenovela-Mexico)
Mega - 10 imported titles with pre-mieresAbismo de pasión(telenovela-Mexico)Amor bravío(telenovela-Mexico)Amores verdaderos(telenovela-Mexico)Dos hogares(telenovela-Mexico)La diosa coronada(telenovela-Colombia)La fuerza del destino(telenovela-Mexico)La que no podía amar(telenovela-Mexico)Mi corazón insiste(telenovela-USA-Hispanic)Por ella soy Eva (telenovela-Mexico)Relaciones peligrosas(telenovela-USA-Hispanic)Telecanal - 5 imported titles with premieresEl último matrimonio feliz (telenovela-Colombia)La vida es una canción(series-Mexico)Pasión morena(telenovela-Mexico)Pecados ajenos(telenovela-USA-His-panic)
Chile – Changes in the industry | 173
Sortilegio(telenovela-Mexico)TVN- 5 imported titles with premieresContra viento y marea(telenovela-Mexico)Heridas de amor(telenovela-Mexico)La esclava Isaura(telenovela-Brazil)Los plateados(telenovela-USA-Hispanic)Niñas mal(telenovela-Colombia)
TOTAL TITLES WITH PRE-MIERES: 68
Source:ObitelChile
Table2.Premierefictionbroadcastedin2012bycountryoforigin
Country Titles % Chapters/Episodes % Hours %
NATIONAL(total) 23 34 1,014 20 631:05 17
IBERO-AMERICAN(total) 45 66 3,961 80 2982:30 83
Argentina 0 0 0 0 0:00 0
Brazil 5 7 386 8 407:35 11
CHILE 23 34 1,014 20 631:05 17
Colombia 4 6 281 6 190:40 5
Ecuador 0 0 0 0 0:00 0
Spain 1 1 121 2 14:00 0
USA–Hispanic 8 12 485 10 368:50 10
Mexico 25 37 2,608 52 1,950:00 54
Peru 0 0 0 0 0:00 0
Portugal 0 0 0 0 0:00 0
Uruguay 0 0 0 0 0:00 0
Venezuela 1 1 79 2 49:20 1
Co-production 1 1 1 0 2:05 0
LatinAmerican(Obitel) 68 100 4,975 100 3,613:35 100
LatinAmerican(notObitel) 0 0 0 0 0:00 0
Total 68 100 4,975 100 3,613:35 100
Source:ObitelChile
174 | Obitel 2013
Consideringthenumberoftitlesreleased,Chileanfictionpre-mierehasshownadownwardtrend:29titlesintheyear2006,31in2008,29in2009,24in2010,25in2011,and23in2012.Intermsofhours,nationalpremierefictionproductionhasalsoundergonefluc-tuations:667hoursintheyear2008,644hoursin2009,707hoursin2010,717hoursin2011,and631hoursin2012.Whilepremieretitlesinnationalfictionrepresenta34%,innumberofhourstheyrepresentonly17%(631hours).AccordingtoTable4,intheIbero-Americanpremiereproduction,39of45titlesaretelenovelas,witha totalof2,416:30hours. In the totalof23Chilean fiction titles,only14aretelenovelas;i.e.,nationalproductionreaches9titlesinotherfictionalgenres(6seriesand3othergenres).
TVNisthechannelthatpremieredmoreChileantitlesin2012:10of23titles,doublinginnumberthenextchannel(Mega,with5titles).Mexicoremainsas themost importantexternalsupplieroffiction:25 titlesagainst21 in theyear2011.AfterMexico is theUSA-Hispanicproductionwith8 titles.ChannelsexhibitingmoreimportedfictiontitlesareLaRed,with14titles,andMega,with10titles.
Chile – Changes in the industry | 175
Table3.C
hapters/Episodesandhoursbroadcastedbytimeslot
Tim
e sl
otN
atio
nals
Iber
o-A
mer
ican
Tot
al
C/E
%H
%C/E
%H
%C/E
%H
%
Morning(6:00-12:00)
242
14:25
266
26:30
090
220:55
1
Evening(12:00-20:00)
175
17122:50
193,343
842,595:45
873,518
712,718:35
75
PrimeTime(20:00-24:00)
749
74447:00
71541
14373:05
131,290
26820:05
23
Night(24:00-6:00)
667
46:50
711
07:05
077
253:55
1
Tot
al1,
014
100
631:
0510
03,
961
100
2,98
2:25
100
4,97
510
03,
613:
3010
0
Source:T
imeIbopeandObitelC
hile
Table4.FormatsofnationalandIbero-Americanpremierefiction
For
mat
sN
atio
nal
Iber
o-A
mer
ican
T%
C/B*
%H
%T
%C/B
%H
%
Telenovela
1461
910
90552:05
8739
873,116
792416:30
81
Series
626
879
66:00
103
7341
9156:40
5
Miniseries
14
101
6:35
11
21
02:05
0
TVmovie
14
20
2:40
00
00
00:00
0
Unitary
00
00
0:00
00
00
00:00
0
Docudrama
14
50
3:50
12
450
313
407:15
14
Others
00
00
0:00
00
00
00:00
0
Tot
al23
100
1,01
410
063
1:05
100
4510
03,
961
100
2982
:25
100
*Chapter/Broadcast
Source:T
imeIbopeandObitelC
hile
176 | Obitel 2013
Bothevening(12:00–20:00)andprimetime(20:00–24:00)increasingly concentrate the broadcast of the fiction premieres: a98%ofthehoursofexhibition.But,asinpreviousyears,Chileanfictionismostlybroadcastedinprimetime(447:00hours);the71%oftheChileanfictionpremieresoccursinthistimeslot.TheIbero-American fiction keeps the tendency of settling in the afternoontelevision: 2,595:45 hours broadcasted in this time slot show theconcentrationthereof87%ofitsexhibition;accordingtoTable4,telenovelaisthemorebroadcastedgenrewith39ofthe45importedtitles.
Telenovela is the imported genre overwhelmingly present on the screen:ofthe45importedtitles,39aretelenovelas.Ofthepreviousyear’s46importedtitles,36weretelenovelas.Thenumberofhourswhenimportedtelenovelasarebroadcastedincreasedfrom1,924:57hoursin2011to2,416:30hoursin2012.
Previously, in 2009 therewere 40 telenovelas of the 50 im-portedtitles;in2010,22of30importedtitlesweretelenovelas;36in2011;and39 in2012.Thisshows thesuccessof telenovela inthe internationalscenario,butalso thedifficultyofcreatingotherfictionalgenresthatwereacceptedandcouldcirculateintheIbero-Americanscenario.ThisdifficultymaybeanobstaclefortheexportofthecurrentChileanproductioninotherfictionalgenres;ifthereisnointernationalcirculation,theeconomicsustainabilitybasedonlyintheinternalChileanaudiencebecomesdifficult.
Table5.Formatsofnationalpremierefictionbytimeslot
Formats Mor- ning % Eve-
ning % Prime Time % Night % Total %
Telenovela 1 100 2 67 10 59 1 50 14 61
Series 0 0 1 33 4 24 1 50 6 26
Miniseries 0 0 0 0 1 6 0 0 1 4
TVmovie 0 0 0 0 1 6 0 0 1 4
Unitary 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
Docudrama 0 0 0 0 1 6 0 0 1 4Others 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0Total 1 100 3 100 17 100 2 100 23 100Source:TimeIbopeandObitelChile
Chile – Changes in the industry | 177
Placingeachnational titleinthepredominanttimeslotwhereitisbroadcasted,wecanseethatthedominanttimeslotfornationaltelevisionpremierefictionisprimetime.Fourteenof23titlesaredisplayed inprimetime,which isdominatedby telenovela:11of14titlesdisplayedinthistimeslotaretelenovelas;butprimetimeisalso thespaceofseries,miniseriesandTVmovies.During theevenings,twonationalpremieretelenovelashavebeenbroadcasted(accordingtoTable8,oneofthemamongTopTen)onatimeslotoncesuccessfullycolonizedbyLatinAmericantelenovela3.
Table6.Historicaltimeofthefiction
Time Titles %
Present 19 83
Past 2 9
Historical 2 9
Other 0 0
Total 23 100Source:TimeIbopeandObitelChile
Weconsideredhistoricalthosefictionssetmorethan50yearsinthepast.
Ingeneral,thepredominanttendencyremainstolocatefictionsinthepresent.Buttwoserieswithabigaudience–oneofwhichhas5seasons(“Los80,másqueunamoda”)–refertothedictatorshipyears(1973–1990).Thesecasesareanalyzedinthefollowingsec-tionsofthisChileanchapter.
3NationalproductionoftelenovelaforthistimeslothashadCNTVcontributionsspecifi-callydesignedtoenhancethattimeslot.
178 | Obitel 2013
Table 7. The 10 most viewed titles: origin, rating, share
Title
Country of origin
of the original idea or script
Pro-ducer
Chan-nel
Name of the screenwriter or author of the original
idea
Rat-ing (%)
Share (%)
SOLTERA OTRA VEZ
Argentina Canal13Canal
13Marcelo Castañon
26.8 37.0
LOS 80 MAS QUE UNA MODA
Spain/Chile
Canal13andA.Wood
Canal13
RodrigoCuevas
25.8 37.5
POBRE RICO Chile TVN TVNAlejandroCabrera
20.7 33.7
SEPARADOS Chile TVN TVNDanielaCast-agno
19.5 27.5
PELELES Chile Canal
13RodrigoCuevas
17.3 25.8
RESERVA DE FAMILIA
Spain TVN TVNPabloIllanes,LarissaCon-treras
16.3 22.4
AQUI MANDO YO Chile TVN TVNDanielaCast-agno
16.3 30.9
DAMA Y OBRERO ChileTVNandAlce
TVNJoséIgnacioValenzuela
15.5 33.0
EL REEMPLA-ZANTE
Chile Parox TVNHernánRodrí-guez
15.4 22.5
VIOLETA SE FUE A LOS CIELOS
Chile A.Wood CHV AndrésWood 14.1 19.2
Total of productions: 10 Foreign scripts or ideas:
100% 30%
Source:TimeIbopeandObitelChile
ThreeofthetoptenfictionsareformatsororiginalideasfromSpainandArgentina.Fourof the top ten fictionsareproductionsbetween TV channels and independent producers, including twoproductionsofaudiovisualproducerAndrésWood.TVNremainsasthemostsuccessfulchannel,exhibitingsixofthetoptentitles,followedbyCanal13,withthreetitles.
Chile – Changes in the industry | 179
Table 8. The 10 most viewed titles: format, length, time slot
Title Format Genre C/Bin2012
First and last broadcast
Time slot
SOLTERA OTRA VEZ Telenovela Comedy 4427/05/12-05/09/12
Primetime
LOS 80 MAS QUE UNA MODA
Series Drama 1223/09/12-16/12/12
Primetime
POBRE RICO Telenovela Drama 17823/04/12-Continuesin
2013
Primetime
SEPARADOS Telenovela Comedy 3922/10/12-Continuesin
2013
Primetime
PELELES Telenovela Comedy 9Comes
from2011-15/01/12
Primetime
RESERVA DE FAMILIA Telenovela Drama 12319/03/12-22/10/12
Primetime
AQUI MANDO YO Telenovela Comedy 80Comes
from2011-23/04/12
Primetime
DAMA Y OBRERO Telenovela Drama 14111/06/12-Continuesin
2013Evening
EL REEMPLAZANTE Series Drama 1201/10/12-17/12/12
Primetime
VIOLETA SE FUE A LOS CIELOS
TVMovie Drama 203/04/12-04/04/12
Primetime
Source:TimeIbopeandObitelChile
Ontheotherhand,telenovelaremainsthegenreofnationalfic-tionwithhighestratesofaudiences:8ofthetoptenbelongtothisgenre.
Table 9. Themes in the 10 most viewed titles
Title Dominant themes Social themes
SOLTERA OTRA VEZ
love-lifecycle-friendshiprela-tionships–familyrelationships
conceptionoffamilyandmar-riage–socialnormsregardinglifecycles–economicproblems
LOS 80 MAS QUE UNA MODA
militarydictatorship–humanrights–love–familyrelation-ships–friendship
militarydictatorshipinChile-hu-manrights–politicalmovements-economy–socialroleofwomen
180 | Obitel 2013
POBRE RICOconsanguineousrelations–fa- milyorigin-love–socialin-equality–familyrelationships
socialinequality–conceptionoffatherhood–economicpower–medicalmalpractice
SEPARADOSlove-divorce-friendship–mas-culinity
divorce–alimony-homosexuality–genderroles–identity
PELELESmasculineidentity–love-labor–crime
masculineidentity–laborcon-flicts–crime–socialinequality
RESERVA DE FAMILIA
familyrelationships–winegrowing-love–resolutionofcrimes-revenge
wineproductionandculture–am-nesicdisorder–familytraditionsandlegacies
AQUI MANDO YO
love-familyrelationships–developmentofprofessionalpractice(HR)–genderroles
genderrolesathomeandworking–professionaldevelopmentandinsertioninthelaborworld-divorce–roleofhousekeepersinthefamilies
DAMA Y OB-RERO
love–socialinequality–deve- lopmentofprofessionalprac-ticesandtrades(construction)
socialinequality–constructionasatrade-socialconventionsaboutmarriage-disease–incest
EL REEMPLA-ZANTE
Publiceducation–youthidentity–socialmarginal-ity–professionaldevelopment(teaching)–love
Academicandsocialdeficienciesinpubliceducation–youthsocialmarginality–crisis-teacher'srole-studentmovement–teachersandstudentsrelationships
VIOLETA SE FUE A LOS CIELOS
BiographyofChileansingerVioletaParra–developmentofprofessionalpractice(popularsongandfolklore)–amorousdisappointments
folkloreandpopularsongculture–Chileancountryside–position-ingoftheartistintheinternation-alpoliticalcontext–depressionandsuicide
Source:ObitelChile
Thethematicanalysisshowsthattelenovelaisintroducingcur-rentsocialaspectsofthenationaldebate,likeinequalityinsocietyandineducation,identityandfamilycrisis;theseriesgenreof“Los
80”hasallowedforseveralyearstoshowinfictionthehistoricalpe-riodofthedictatorship.Inallfictions,themesarerepresentedfrommelodramapointofview,i.e.,fromtheprivateandeverydayexperi-encesofafamily.
Chile – Changes in the industry | 181
Table10.Audienceprofileofthe10mostviewedtitles: gender, age, socioeconomic status
Title Chan-nel
Genre Age group Socioeconomic status
F M 04-12
13-17
18-24
25-34
35-49
50-64
65-+ ABC1 C2 C3 D
SOLTERA OTRA VEZ
Canal13
69 31 7 10 16 21 24 14 8 11 29 29 31
LOS 80 MAS QUE UNA MODA
Canal13
65 35 6 6 13 18 28 18 11 11 27 31 32
POBRE RICO
TVN 64 36 16 8 8 15 22 17 15 6 17 29 48
SEPARADOS TVN 63 37 8 5 9 15 21 20 22 8 21 28 43
PELELESCanal
1359 41 9 10 10 22 25 16 8 6 24 34 36
RESERVA DE FAMILIA
TVN 64 36 6 4 6 10 23 26 26 7 19 24 50
AQUI MANDO YO
TVN 67 33 9 7 9 14 22 22 18 6 17 29 48
DAMA Y OBRERO
TVN 69 31 8 4 8 12 23 21 24 5 18 27 50
EL REEM-PLAZANTE
TVN 59 41 7 6 14 13 24 18 17 8 21 27 44
VIOLETA SE FUE A LOS CIELOS
CHV 59 41 5 5 10 13 26 25 17 11 15 33 41
Source:TimeIbopeandObitelChile
In 2012, the general proportion of telenovela viewing was56.9%forwomenand43.1%formen.Inthecaseofthenationaltopten, theproportionofwomenexceeds thegeneralaverage,whichindicates theattractionofnationalproductions.Three top ten fic-tions break the proportion ofmore than 60%of female audienceandattractamenpercentageofmorethan40%(“Peleles”,“Elre-emplazante”, and “Violeta se fue a los cielos”). In general, it isconfirmedthatmassive fictions attract audiences of all ages and social segments.
182 | Obitel 2013
3. Transmedia reception 4
InChile,oneofthe2012phenomenawastheadaptationandbroadcast by Canal 13 of the successful Argentinean telenovela“Soltera otra vez”.ThestoryofCristinaMoreno,awoman look-ingfortheidealmanafterdiscoveringthatherpartner,Monito,de-ceivedherwithanotherwoman,wasthemostviewedfiction,with26.8ratingpointsinprimetimeandashareof37.0,fromMay2012toSeptember2012.
However,itwasnotonlyaboominmediaterms:withonly44chapters,itwasoneofthemostcommentedtelenovelaoftheyear,earningcoversofnewspapersandmagazines; themaincharacter,CristinaMoreno,evenended“writing”acolumnaboutdatesandalsohadherownFacebookpage,withmorethan120,000follow-ers.“Soltera otra vez”wasarealphenomenoninthevarioussocialnetworks.
Whenanalyzing the typeof transmediatic interactionofferedby the producers’websites,we have to keep one factor inmind:unlikeprimetimetelenovelasofTVN,broadcastedfromMondaytoThursday,“Soltera otra vez”ofCanal13wasbroadcastedfromSundaytoWednesday.Wewillanalyzeitslastweekonair,whenthelastchapterwasbroadcastedandtheonline“finalcountdown”tookplace.Theanalyzedperiodgoes,then,fromThursdayAugust30 toWednesdaySeptember 5, date inwhich the telenovela fin-ishedairing.Therefore, therearethreedayswithouttransmission,andfourdayswithtransmissionofthetelenovela.
“Soltera otra vez”hasanofficialpageonthewebsiteofCanal13,anofficialFacebookpage,anaccountonTwitterandaYouTubechannel.Therearealsothefanpages,butthesearenotincludedintheanalysis.TheofficialFacebookpagehad357,986followersor“fans”,and621peopletalkingor“commenting”onthepage.Thefollowingtablebreaksdownthetotalnumberofcommentsmadeintheweek,thetotalnumberof“likes”,thenumberofcomments,and
4ContributionofAlejandroBruna,journalistandscreenwriter.
Chile – Changes in the industry | 183
thenumberof“shares”oftheposts.Intotal,fromThursday,August30,toWednesday,September5,therewere8.127“shares”,187.331“likes”,35.679commentsand126reviews.
Table 11. Activity on the Facebook page of “Solteraotravez”
Date Posts Comments Likes Share
30-ago-12 14 4,995 23,976 1,432
31-ago-12 14 1,303 8,420 590
01-sep-12 15 213 2,961 0
02-sep-12 15 3,517 871 0
03-sep-12 24 5,498 24,353 0
04-sep-12 18 3,630 29,867 599
05-sep-12 26 16,523 96,883 5,506
Total 126 35,679 187,331 8,127
Source:Facebookpageoftheseries
TheofficialFacebookpageof“Soltera otra vez”functionsasan interactive online viewing,with a level of active interactivity.Thepostsare,ingeneral,contentoftheofficialwebsiteorrelatedtweetsfromtheTwitteraccount,i.e.,whatistweetedinrealtime,inmostofthecases,alsoisreplicatedintheofficialFacebookpage.
Theparticularityof“Soltera otra vez”isthat,forthefirsttime,thecontentoftheofficialwebsiteisinpartcreatedbytheviewer:there is a section called “Upload your story” and another called“Yourstory”,wheretheaudiencecanwritetheirstoriesofrelation-ships,or things thatarehappeningwith theircurrentpartners, re-latedtothesubjectofthetelenovela,andifitisapprovedtheyarepostedinthespace“Yourstory”withthenameofitsauthor.Thismakes theofficial page a transmediaticviewing (it allowsdown-loading images and there ismore thanmere viewingswith com-ments),witha“creative”levelofinteractivity,asusersbecomepro-ducersofcontent,creatingsomethingnewfromwhatwasgiventothem(the“mainproduct”,i.e.,thetelenovela).
184 | Obitel 2013
Table12showsthedominantpracticesofusers;whatwasmoreabundant in the different spaceswere comments about situationsofCristina“Cristi”Moreno,recommendationsonhowtofindtruelove,criticisms,eventsandcontentsshare,withdiscussions(some-timesbetweentheviewers).Thecharacter,sobelovedbyviewers,neverraisedaparodyorhostility,althoughthecommentscouldbenegativefortheirrepeatedquestioningofherrelationshipsandemo-tions,called“clumsy”and“basic”.
Table 12. Online practices of Canal 13’s “Solteraotravez”
WebsitesType of
transmedia interaction
Interactivity levels Dominant users’ practices
Officialwebsite
Transmediaviewing
CreativeComment,recommendation,celebration,criticism,share,magazine,discussion
Facebookpage
Interactiveonlineview-
ingActive
Comment,recommendation,celebration,criticism,contentshare,discussion
TwitterRealtimeinteractivity
ActiveComment,interpretation,parody,recom-mendation,celebration,criticism,content
share,discussionYouTubechannel
Interactiveviewing
ActiveComment,recommendation,celebration,
criticism,contentshare,discussion
Source:ObitelChile
4. Highligths of the year
4.1. Innovation from hybrid and versatile portraits 5
Watchingthe2012ChileanTVfictionsinperspectiveisload-edwithsensationsofpleasureanddispleasure.Somefictionscausedisturbingandattractivepainbytherawnessoftheirthemes(espe-ciallytheseries);othersarehilariousanddistendedportraitsofso-cialstereotypes,thatrangefromlightcomedytelenovelastomelo-dramasinthepurestLatinAmericanclassicstyleofthe1960–70.
WhilebroadcastTVhadanotheryearofgeneraldeclineinitsratings(anaverageof29ratingpointsin2012,inconstantdecline
5ContributionofProfessorLuisBreull.
Chile – Changes in the industry | 185
since2003whenitreached37.3points),fictionhadanambivalentmedialimpact.Someprojectswereamongthemostviewedintheindustry;otherswereinabsoluteinvisibilityastheywereofferedinchannelsnotfavorableforthatkindofcontent.Seriesandtelenove-lasweretransformedintoa“place”–undertheconceptualizationoftheanthropologistofhypermodernity,MarcAugé6–,asaspaceofcommonrecognitionoftheaudiencesaroundwaysoflifeandtrans-versalidentitythemes.“Places”astheantithesisof“non-places”orpublicareasofanonymoustraffic,empty,regardlessoftheotherortheothernessasabasisforintegratedandproactivesocialization.
4.2. The overwhelming other side of school educationTheburstinoftheseries“El reemplazante”ofParoxproduc-
tions,onMondaysat11pmonTVN(11episodesof60minutes,broadcastedfrom08/10to17/12),allowedustoconnectascitizen-shipwithasymbolicspacefulloftheurgentneedofgivingsensetoourcountry.Thecitizens’proteststoimprovethequalityofedu-cation have been part of the hegemony of social demands of thepastdecade,especiallyintheyears2011and2012.Adramaticandoverwhelmingreality,focusedinasubsidizedschoolinapopulardistrictofSouthSantiago,where theeducationsystemreveals itsmoreviolent,exclusionary,shameless,miserableandantagonisticface.Theplotisaboutaneducationalmodelofdisguisedachieve-mentsinadespicablebusinessofdeceptionsandself-deceptions,ofundoubtedscarcity,wheretheleadingrolelieswithasuccessfulandsnobbishengineerdedicatedtolargespeculativeinvestments,whofailfruitofhisambitionandwho–afterastintinprison–redeemsworkingassubstitutemathematicsteacher.
This fiction catches in its absolute displeasure. It has a darkvisual format and it is realistic,mixing a cast ofprofessional ac-torswithnon-actors,asstudents.Theuseofsubjectivecamerasorinmovement prevails, aswell as a dramatic structure that stands
6Augé,Marc."Lavidaendoble:Etnología,viaje,escritura",chapter11.BuenosAires,EditorialPaidós,2012.
186 | Obitel 2013
on permanent conflicts such asmarginality, exclusion, drug traf-ficking,nonsense,crisisoftheeducationalmodelasabusiness,theprecarious nature of family relationships in homes at social risk,deceptionanddisillusion.Littlespaceisleftfortheconstructionofloverelationshipsandpositiveemotions;however,theseriesshowswaysout of those realities, like self-improvementof the studentsinavertiginousenvironmentwhere–slowly–hopeisrevealedasaresultofpersonalandcollectiveeffort.
4.3. Pedophilia, bullying, fear and power“Solita camino”wasanotherof theoutstandingexponentsof
the year, despite the little audience obtained in its broadcasts onMondaysat11:15pm,inMega,inthesametimeslotthat“El re-
emplazante”. Itwasa seriesof twelve60-minutechapters,onairfrom01/10to17/12,madebytheproductioncompanyCircusanddirectedbyCristiánMamani.ItwonpublicfundsofCORFOandCNTV,andtoldthestoryofateenagegirlofanupperclassfamilywhoisabusedbyherstepfather,asuccessfullawyeranduniversityteacher,whoultimatelyturnsouttobehisbiologicalfatherandusesallhispowertosilenceher.Theplot,abouttheworldofteenagersinextremelifesituations,washighlyemotionalandrequiredasixmonth investigation, including interviewswith psychologists andpsychiatrists,tobuildthelifeofManuelaIzquierdo,theprotagonist.
Theformatalsousedaworkingmodelthathasbeguntosettlein the fieldofnationalseries in recentyears:acast limited tonomore than20characters,halfof themstable.Thiswas functionaltothecharacterof thisseries,withaslow,introspectivenarrationandastrongpresenceofincidentalmusic,reinforcingtheintimateandoverwhelminglookoftheexperiencesofvictimsofpedophiliaorchild/adolescentabuse (sensitive topicon thepublicagenda inrecentyears,withhighimpactcomplaints).Evenso,itdidnotstayinthevictimizedmelancholy,butitdidinstallthestorywithabe-lievableclimax.
Chile – Changes in the industry | 187
Somethingthatdrawsattentionisthattheserieswasscheduledon the sameday and time slot as “El reemplazante”–both co-fi-nancedwithpublicresources–andhadlittleaudience(athirdoftheoneofitscompetitor).Anadditionalfactorthatmighthavecontrib-utedtothiswasthechannelonwhichitwasbroadcasted,special-izedinmasscontents,mostlyofpopularhumororaction,farfromthecharacterofthisfiction.Itshardnessrememberedof“Volver a
mí”,seriesof2010onCanal13–broadcastedonSundaysmidnight,after“Los 80”–aboutpatientsinarehabilitationcenterforalcohol-icsanddrugaddicts(ithadoneseasonandleftthestorytruncated).
4.4. Love, commitment, bachelorhood and freedomInthefieldoftelenovelastherewerethreemassiveexponents
ofverydifferentcharacter:thepostmeridiemmelodrama“Dama y
obrero”andtheeveningcomedy“Pobre Rico”inTVN,andthewin-nerinaudiencesandinnovation“Soltera otra vez”onCanal13,oneofthemostviewedprogramsoftheyearinallthelocalTVindustry(broadcastedonSundaysat11pminitsfivefirstchaptersandafterfromMondaystoThursdayswith44episodesfrom27/05to05/09).Thisproductioninnovatedfromtheromanticcomedy,mixingthetelenovela,seriesandsitcomformatswithunitarychapters,orcasesresolvedin twoepisodes,plusa transversalplot thatgaveconsis-tencytothestory.
“Soltera otra vez”wasaproductofhighimpactinthegeneralaudience,buttargetedinyoungwomenandyoungadultsofhighso-cioeconomicsegments,whereitobtainednearly90%ofshare.Thisshows the effectiveness and focus of its plot around a post-mod-ernprofessional, living invertiginousandverycurrentexistentialcodes:difficultytohaveacouple,infidelity,desiretobelongversuslonelyutilitarianismandPresentismfruitofinhabitingintheuncer-tainty.Otheraspectsofthecharactermakeherhumanandlovableasanti-heroine,clumsy,absent-mindedandcleveratthesametime.Sheusestosolveherlifewiththeadviceofthreefriendsofherageandprofilesorlifechoicesquitejuxtaposed.Thestorywasinspired
188 | Obitel 2013
by“Cita a ciegas”,telenovelaoftheArgentinepublicTVbasedontheblogoftheArgentineanwriterCarolinaAguirreandwillhaveasecondseasonin2013,reaffirmingitsinnovation:telenovelawithserialtreatmentandevolutionbyseasons.
4.5. SynthesisChileanfictionof2012–beyond“Los 80”,aserialblockbuster
thatalreadyhasfivesuccessfulseasons–hadinnovationwithimpactonthesocialagenda,moreabilitytosettleonhumorandsensitiveandhardissues.Itportrayedthecurrentlifestylesandalsoperme-atedwithitscodestherealityTV.Makingseriesortelenovelashasnotbeennorwillbecheap.Also,itisnotrisk-free,butitprovedtobeamassive, powerful and truthful window to reality.
5. Topic of the year: social memory7 and television fiction
5.1. The images of memory 8
ThemainspacewhereWesternculture relatesand lives itscommunitymemoryistherealmofimages.Thewayweinteractwith everyday life and its evolution is visual,mediated by im-ages:imageisnolongerjustapartofeverydaylife,itbecameitscenter.
Kineticandphotographic image isoneof themost recurrentspaces of interpretive tension and assignment ofmeanings to thepast.ThestoryofthepastinvisualimagesandfilmsisstudiedwithenthusiasmandinterestfromtheemergenceoftheCulturalStudies.However, this assault of imageswasunderstood as a speech thatextendedthehegemonicinterests.
The image appears to replace the memory. “Unlike photo-graphicor filmimages,memoriesdonot remainstaticover time,
7ContributionofProfessorConstanzaMujica,PhD.8This section is taken fromConstanzaMujica's thesis to obtain thePhD inSpanish-AmericanLiterature, "Paisajes de lamemoria chilena en telenovelas de época (1995-2005)".
Chile – Changes in the industry | 189
theyarereformedandreconfigured, theyvanishorare rewritten”(Sturken,TangledMemories:21[CM]).Hence,Sturkendescribestheimagesasspacesofemission,butalsoreplacement,deformationandblockingofuncomfortablememories thatwouldwork as thefalsememorieshidingtraumasdescribedbyFreud’spatients.Thisreplacementpowerassignedtophotographicandaudiovisualrepre-sentationswaslinkedtotheillusionoftransparencyofthe“natural-izing”representationofitsconnotativenature.
Cinematographic and television images built plots and argu-ments(inthesensethatWhiteunderstandsthem)thatcollideamongeachotherandmove.Thesecontents(articulatedthisway)canbere-experiencedassocialmessagesthatapprehendtheexperienceasanacceptableaccountoranactivere-elaborationofthe“difficult”culturalmemorycontents.
Inthiscontext,Sturkenestablishesthatoneofthecoreelementsof the relationshipbetween television languageand thepast is re-enactment:thecreationofnarrativesfromthepastthatgivesensetotraumaticepisodesasawayofpromotinghealingofpsychicwounds(Sturken,TangledMemories24).Thisnewexperience transformsimagesintoaspaceinwhichthetraumaticeventisexperiencedandre-elaboratedinaspaceofcatharsis,whichenablesitsinsertionintothestoryofculturalmemory,conceivedasHalbwachsdoes.
ChileanTV fictionof thepast fiveyearshasproduced threetypesofmemorynarratives:historicalfictionschroniclingthedis-tantChileanhistory,epochfictionsnarratingthedictatorialpastandfictions that elaborate recent socialmemory. The first two typeshadalreadybeendiscussedinpreviousreportsofObitel(2009and2012)andthelastisjuststillaseed,onlydetectedthisyear.
5.2. The memory of the distant pastHistorical fictions are those depicting historical events “sig-
nificant” for the nation (RodríguezCadena,Histories ofMexico:Personification6).Theyincluderealhistoricalcharactersandrelatethemwithcompletelyfictionalcharacters.
190 | Obitel 2013
In these fictions the foundationalmoments of the nation areseenfromtheperspectiveofthemonumentalhistory,asNietzscheunderstoodit,i.e.,asarepresentationofthepastfromthegreatnessthatitisbelievedexisted.Thisrepresentationrecoversepisodesofcrisisandconflict,soittendstofocusontheactionsofaheroicfig-urethatembodiesthatfoundingmoment.Thatcharacterisportrayedasarolemodel,similartowhatschoolhistorybooks,oralhistory(cf.RoweandSchelling50–111)and thepopularsocial imagina-tiondoontheseepisodes(cf.RodríguezCadena,“Contemporaryhi(stories)ofMexico:Fictionalrecreation”49).
InthecaseofChileandasstatedonObitel2009report,alreadyin 2007 –driven by the closeness of theBicentenary of the FirstGovernmentJunta–themainchannelslaunchedprojectssetinhis-toricaleventsofthecountry.
In 2007 and 2008, Canal 13 broadcasted the TV movies“Héroes”,withlongdurationunitaryepisodesthat toldthelifeofsixcharactersfromthefirsthundredyearsoftheChileannation,inadoublecode:thegreatmilitaryandpoliticalheroicdeedmixedwithdailyanddomesticlifemarkedbymelodramaticcodes.TVNbroad-castedthedocu-report“Epopeya”(2008)andtheminiseries“PAZ”(2009),abouttheWarofthePacific,andproducedtheArgentineanformat“Algo habrán hecho”(2010),narratingthehistoryofChilefromtheSpanishdiscoverytothecelebrationof thefirsthundredyears of theRepublic. The latter program, aswell as theArgen-tineanoriginal,mixedrecreationsofepisodeswithrealactorsandcartoonswithinterventionsofcontemporarywriterswhotravelledtroughthepast,thusjoiningtogetherthedescriptionofpasteventswiththeperceptionsofthecitizensofthepresent.Itsconcern,then,wasnotthereproductionofhistoricalfacts,butmakingthemdia-loguewiththerecentmemory.
Inthelastyear,Megaalsobroadcastedahistoricalseries,“Co-
bre”(2012),setatthebeginningofthetwentiethcentury.Thefic-tion,whichdidnot succeed in rating, narrated thebeginning and
Chile – Changes in the industry | 191
consolidationofthecopperindustryfromthepersonalepicofthefirstworkersandentrepreneurs.
5.3. Recent memoryInthelastfewyears,epochfictionshavebeenbroadcasted,i.e.,
setinthepast,butwithouttheinterventionofrealhistoricalcharac-tersandsetinthemilitarydictatorship.Thechannelsbroadcastingthemare,again,Canal13withtheseries“Los 80”,whichisprepar-ingitssixthseason,andTVN,producingthesecondseasonoftheseries“Los Archivos del Cardenal”.
Aswealready stated in the2012 report, these series showachangeinthemechanismsofrepresentationofthepast.Theyseemtobemanifestingthetransitfromafearfulmemory,expressingthetrauma of dictatorship throughmelodrama, to amemory thatwedescribedasopenly.Ifinthefirstseasonsof“Los 80”melodramaconstitutedas“astrategyofmediationthatallowedthenarrationoftraumaticmomentswhoseviolencewasnotyetintegratedtoChil-eandailyroutine”today,thatmediationlosesvalidityandscenesofkidnapping,tortureandconfrontationareexplicitlyshown.
Aswe said in 2012, both series are pluralist since they col-lectmanyof the subjectivepositionsagainstviolationsofhumanrights–thevictim,theonewhodoesnotknow,theonewhoseeks,theonewhotortures–,butsuggestaclearethicalposition:theneedfor testimony.Aviewercannot stayneutralwhenhewatches thepainofthetortured,theconcernofafamilybytheexiledormissingdaughter,thetearingofthewomanwhoselovehasbeenkilled.Thisknowledgeforceshimtotakeresponsibilityfortheother’sterror,tobecomeawitness.
That testimony becomes more powerful by the inclusion ofthesefiguresinthedailylifeoftheviewer,acharacteristicofbroad-casttelevision.Thescenesofpain,then,involvecontemplatingtheterrorofsomeonewhoisappreciated.Forthisreason,refusingtobeawitnessisimpossible.
192 | Obitel 2013
5.4. Contemporary memoryThe broadcast during 2012 of the series “El Reemplazante”
(TVN),setinasubsidized9schoolinapopularneighborhood,sug-gests the seed of a newway of relatingwith the past, by takingcharge of amemorywhich is not yet history, that of the studentmovement.
Theseries,whichwillalsohaveasecondseasonduring2013,tells thestoryofastockagentwho,afterbeingaccusedof fraud,is forced tomake classes in a school.His students, like him, aredisenchanted,andaretherebecausetheyhavenootheroption.Theschool isa spaceofcontrol,whichprevents the students tobe incontactwithcrime.Butschoolisnoteventhat,becauseattheexitpupilstrafficandgettogetherwithgangmembers.
Theschoolisownedbyarealestatebusinessmanwhodivertsfundsfromtheschoolforhisownbenefit.Whiletheinfrastructureoftheschoolisbecomingmoreprecarious,hefillshispocketswithpublicfunds.ThisprofitformisoneofthemaincriticismsofthestudentmovementinChile,veryactivefrom2011.
Thenew teacher andhis students overcome themutualmis-trustandseeapossibilityofchange.Theyunderstandthattheycandreamaboutdifferentthings,withbeingprofessionalsor,atleast,haveaschoolthatgivesthemopportunities.Thesolution:purchas-ing the school through a cooperative formedby students, parentsandteachers.
Thedemandsofthestudentmovementareembodiedthroughthesestudentsfightagainstabusesoftheowneroftheschoolandagainsttheapathyofsometeachers.Someofthemostemblematicimagesofthismovementarerescued:studentsmakingaflashmobandprotest.
9Theseareprivateschools,buttheyarefinancedwithStatefundsandamonthlypaymentbythefamiliesofstudents.
Chile – Changes in the industry | 193
5.5. To end...Inthissectionwehavefocusedonthefictionsthatexplicitly
describe phenomena of Chilean cultural memory. This analysisdemonstratesthatthistypeofstorieshavebecomeawidespreadandlong-standingphenomenon.
AlloftheseproductionshavebeenfundedbytheChileanStatethroughitsNationalTelevisionCouncil(CNTV).Discussionaboutthepossibilityoftheexistenceofthesestoriesiftherewerenosuchsupport–towhichitisnecessarytoapplyprojectbyproject,yearbyyear–isstillpending.Despitethesuccessinaudiencesofthesebets,channelshavestillnotbetwiththeirownfunds.
ReferencesFUENZALIDAV.,CORROP.,MUJICAC. (2009).Melodrama, Subje-
tividad e Historia en el cine y televisión chilenos de los 90.Santiago:Consejo
NacionaldelaCulturaylasArtes–FacultaddeComunicacionesUC.
HALBWACHS,M.(1992).TheSocialFrameworksofMemory.On Col-
lective Memory (pp. 37-167).Ed.LewisCOSER.Chicago:TheUniversityof
ChicagoPress.
InformeObitel2009.
InformeObitel2012.
MUJICA,C. (2010)Paisajes de la memoria chilena en telenovelas de
época (1995-2005).ThesistoobtainthePhDinSpanish-AmericanLiterature
atPontificiaUniversidadCatólicadeChile.Santiago.
RODRÍGUEZCADENA,M.delosA(2004).Contemporaryhi(stories)
ofMexico:Fictionalre-creationofcollectivepastontelevision.Film and his-
tory.34:49-55
RODRÍGUEZCADENA,M.delosA.(2002).HistoriesofMexico:Per-
sonificationofthePastinHistoricalNovelsandHistoricalSoapOperas.PhD
thesis.UniversityofMichigan.
ROWE,W.,SCHELLINGV. (1991).Memory and modernity. Popular
culture in Latin America.London:Verso.Impreso.
STURKEN,M.(1997).Tangled Memories: The Vietnam War, the AIDS
epidemia, and the politics of rememberin.LosAngeles:UniversityofCalifor-
niaPress.
4colombIA: vIolence, enTerTAInmenT
And AudIovIsuAl sPecTAcle1
Authors:BorysBustamante,FernandoAranguren
Team:HernánJavierRiveros,AlejandraRusinque,DianaMendoza.
1. Audiovisual context in the countryTheyear2012representedforthecountrytheproblematiccon-
solidation exercise of government, led byPresident JuanManuelSantos,varyingbydistancefromthepositionsoftheextremerightcharacteristics(suchasthemandateofhispredecessorAlvaroUribe“inherited”)toacenter-rightpolicy,capableofdialogueandconsul-tation,bothinternallyandinternationally,withthosesectorsiden-tifiedas theirmainenemiesand/oropponents.We referhere, forexample,tothebeginningofthepeacetalkswithFARC,andalsototheredefinitionofrelationswiththenowdefunctPresidentHugoChavezandgenerallywiththeleftistgovernmentsintheregion.
Inthissociopoliticalcontext,inturn,verypositivemacroeco-nomicindicatorsarerecorded,withwhomthecountry’simagewinsintheinternationalarena,whichbecomesoneofthemostprofitableinvestmentsforinternationalcapital,inadditiontothenumbersofeconomicgrowthandfinancialsecurityguarantees.Butalongsidetheseindicators“tobeshown”,alsoslipthosenegativerecordsthatindicatethewideninggapbetweenrichandpoor(Colombiaisoneof thecountrieswith thehighest levelsof inequality in theconti-
1ForthedevelopmentofthisacademicresearchwehavetheinvaluablecontributionofIBOPEColombia,acompanythatkindlyprovideduswithdataandstatisticalstatementsthatsupportedthisstudy.
196 | Obitel 2013
nent),the“statisticalformalization”ofemploymentandunderem-ployment,theintensificationofbureaucraticandpoliticalcorruptioncases,aswellasthealreadybustledinformationaboutparapoliticsinthecountry.
Thisparadox,whichmarksthepresentandtheimmediatefu-tureofColombia,ispartandcontinuesinthehistoricalandpoliticalprocessinrecentdecades,inwhichviolenceinitsvariousmanifes-tationsandimpactshasemergedasacorecomponentoftheback-groundofnationalevents.Neithereconomicgrowthnorthecurrentgovernment’spoliticalshiftmanagetoreducetheindicesandmani-festations of violence (conflictwith the guerrillas, paramilitaries,drugtrafficking,criminalgangs,commoncriminals,etc.).
Andthisisthebackgroundthatholdsanddeterminesthedy-namicsoftheColombianaudiovisualproductionasdemonstratedinthischapter.Inthecaseoftelevision,whichremainstobetheenter-tainmentmediumwithincreaseddemandandimpact,therecreationofviolenceinitsepisodeshasbecomeoneofthetopicswhosepro-grammingoffersbetterresultsintermsofaudienceandprofitabil-ity.Accompaniedbyinformationproductionandrealityshows,theymonopolizethemostsuccessfulareasofthesmallscreen.However,becauseof theeffectof technologicalconvergence,drivenby theaccelerateddigitizationofmediaprocesses,thetelevisioncontentsexpandtheirflowandamplifyitsresonanceinvirtualplatforms(in-ternet,mobilephone,digitalTV,socialnetworks,etc.)inwhichthenationalquotidianisincreasinglyrepresentedwithculturalpower..
1.1. The open television in ColombiaThelandscapeofopentelevisioninColombia,involvingfive
nationalchannels,providesthefollowingcomposition:
Colombia – Violence, entertainment and audiovisual spectacle | 197
Graph 1. National channels of television in Colombia
PRIVATE CHANNELS (3) PUBLIC CHANNELS (2)RCNSnail
CanalUnoSeñalColombia
CanalInstitucionalTOTAL CHANNELS = 5
Theexistenceof these fivechannels,distributed in3privateand2publicones,functionallyisfartoachievearepresentativebal-ancesinceduetotheamountofbroadcastcontentandtheconsolida-tionoftheratings,theprivateonesalmostcompletelymonopolizetheattentionfromtheaudience.
Graph 2. TV audience per channel
TV network %Caracol 51.2RCN 45.8
CanalUno 1.6SeñalColombia 1.0
CanalInstitucional 0.4
As shown inGraph2, the indicesof theTVaudience in thecountry are distributed quite unequally amongprivate and publicchannels,tothepointthatthelatteronerarelyregistersindicatorsfor1-2%.Inturn,thiswilldirectlyimpactonboththequantityandqualityofTVproductionthatisgeneratedinbothfields,withthecorrespondingdecreaseintermsofthecapacityofpublictelevisionto competewith theprivateone (while recognizing theeffortsofSeñalColombiatoimprovethequality,originalityandauthenticityoftheprogramsproducedandbroadcast).
Caracol
RCN
CanalUno
SeñalColombia
CanalInstitucional
2%
51%
1% 0%
46%
198 | Obitel 2013
Graph 3. Share by Channel
TV network Individual share %
Caracol 73.54 51.7RCN 65.39 46
CanalUno 2.38 1.7SeñalColom-
bia0.66 0.4
CanalInstitu-cional
0.18 0.2
The figures in this case confirm the abovementioned findingastothepredominantroleofprivatetelevisioncomparedwiththepublicone.Thetworangesthatdominatethetelevisionmarketinthecountry,CaracolandRCN,arefightingallkindsofpublicpref-erences, thereby encouraging open competition between the twochannels,whichalsoinvolvesthecompetitionforformatsinnova-tion,qualityandnumberofprograms,formulaspursuitofpartner-shipswith international channels, etc.And as for the preferencesoftheyear,itshouldbenotedthatforthefirsttimeinalongtimeCaracolmanagedtounseatRCNbyissuedfictionprogrammingintheperiod.
Graph 4: Genres offer in TV programming
Broadcast genres
Exhibition hours %
Information 4,029:15:37 10.8Fiction 4,957:55:10 13.2
Entertain-ment
12,622:03:34 33.7
Religious 88:47:52 0.2Sport 1,379:58:26 3.7
Educational 1,895:17:57 5.1Political 2,281:28:26 9.0Others 9,121:09:59 24.3Total 37,462:17:48 100
AsshowninGraph4,themajorgenresinTVprogramming–entertainment,fictionandinformation–accountforthehighestrates
2%
52%
0% 0%
46%
Caracol
RCN
CanalUno
SeñalColombia
CanalInstitucional
0%
34%
%
11%
9%
4%5%
24%
Information
Fiction
Entertainment
Religious
Sport
Educational
Political
Others
Colombia – Violence, entertainment and audiovisual spectacle | 199
intheofferofthemedium,andthiscorrespondstothehighestlevelsofdemandbytuning.
1.2. Audience trends in 2012ThestructureoftheColombiantelevisionprogrammingshares
many issueswithother countries in the region,whichbecomesafortressandalsoareasonforpromotingwhatisspecificinnationalproduction.Inthislineofthought,alsoonaudiencetrendsitispos-sible tonotesimilaritiesanddifferences thathelp tohighlight theimportanceofthemediainitssocialandculturaldimension.
TheColombiantelevisionaudiencein2012focusedprimarilyontelevisionblockssuchasinformation(privatechannels),enter-tainmentandfiction(privatechannels),sportsandotherentertain-mentprograms(publicandprivatechannels).Asforentertainmentandfiction,itisimportanttohighlightthemarkedpredominanceoftherealities(notlessthan10highimpactprograms,9ofthemis-suedbythetwobigchannelsandanotheronebychannelCityTV),alongwithfictionprograms:series,telenovelasanddramatized,inwhichit isworthnotingthat thisyear theseriesoutnumberedthetelenovelasregardingaudience,whichisaconditionthatdeservesthecorrespondingmonitoringandanalysis.Theotherbigblockoftelevisioncontentwhichisrelevanttoaudienceisthesportsbroad-castinbothnationalandinternationalorder.
Whatdoesthisrevealregardingthetrendsontheaudience?Inouropinion,thefirstthingthatcanbenotedisthecloseharmonybe-tweenthemedia’scapacitytointerpretthetastesandexpectationsoftheviewersandofferandprovidefeedbackofaprogrammingthatmeetsthesedemandsandconsolidatestheloyaltyofaudiences.Thisisclearlyreflectedintheopenconfrontationthatoccursbetweenthetwolargechannelstoofferprogramsthatensurethehighestpossi-blelevelsofaudienceaswellasthefeedbackofthetransmediationpractices,whichincreasinglymakecareerinthemedia.Thesecondthinghadtodowiththeaccommodationand,somehow,thesatisfac-tionof largeaudienceswiththeofferedcontentandthetreatment
200 | Obitel 2013
ofthemmoreandmoretechnicallyrefined,socommunicativeandculturalexperienceofthemediawouldbe,apparently,sufficientlyrewarded.
1.3. Advertising investment during the year: in TV and fiction2
Theinformationrelatedtothemanagementofthenamedad-vertisingpie(investmentonadvertisingpermedia)clearlyconfirmsthetendencytoconcentrate thehighestpercentagesof investmentintelevision(national,48%;regional,2.9%),followedbyradioandnewspapers (eachwith 21%), andmagazines (with 5.1%),whichcoincideswiththehighdegreeofpositioningandimpactthatisat-tributedtotelevisioninthisarea.
IfweaddtothisthefactthatinColombia,during2012,adver-tisinginvestmentonmediagrew1.3%comparedwiththepreviousyear,itisobvioustoseethatthisgrowth,becauseofthevolumeofinvestment,thatintelevisionwas0.7%,exceedshighparticipationrecords,of4.9%inradioand3%innewspapers.
In turn, regardingadvertising investmentconcentratedon thetimeslots,programsandformatsoftelevisionfictionitispossibletoinfer,byaudiencesvolumeandvarietyofprogramsoffered,highlysignificantfigures,sincefictionformatscover30%oftotaladvertis-inginvestmentontelevision,wellabovethe21%thatarehandledforinformationalandtheaveragelessthan10%ofotherformats.Thisrecognizesthat,bypresentingthecentralfictioninprimetime,facedbymajorbroadcastchannels,bothadvertisinginvestmentanditsoutputachieve thehighestbenefits in termsof theseprogram-mingspaces.
1.4. Merchandising and social merchandising InColombia,mediahasdevelopedanorganicrelationshipwith
themerchandisingandthepositioningoftheirproductionsbeyond
2Thedataused todevelop this sectioncomes fromASOMEDIOSandANDIARIOS.Consolidatedofadvertisinginvestmentinmedia2012.
Colombia – Violence, entertainment and audiovisual spectacle | 201
thescreens.Thus,thetelevisionprogramsarepartoftherangeofproductsthataredisplayed,negotiatedandpromotedwithintheso-ciety’sdynamicsofconsumption.This,addedtothesensationalismofitsdiscoursesandaggressivecampaignsinitsowncommercialspaces,involvesothertypesofmediasuchastheuseofpublictrans-portation,billboardsandmultitudinousreleasestopromoteaudio-visualproductions.
Recently,thepromotionalandvisibilityspaceofmediaprod-uctshasbeenexpanding inaconsiderableextentwith the impactandcommercialbenefitbythesystematicuseofvirtualnetworks.This isespecially recognizable in thecaseof television fiction inwhichtheproductionsarereleasednotonlyaspartofthechannel’sprogramming,butbecomeaspectacletomatchinformationallevelsandintegratesvariousbusinesssegmentsinthechainandintheme-diaandvirtualspacesnetworkassociatedtherewith.
Now,intermsofsocialmerchandising,initstwodimensions,theone thataims torespondtosocialcontextsaswellas theonethatdevelopsthroughnetworks,televisionhasimplementedaseriesofcampaignsseekingsupportandawarenessaboutdifferenteventsandissuesofsocialconcernbothnationallyandlocally.Thisisthecaseoftheparticipationofstarfiguresofthesmallscreenineventsof importanceas theSolidarityWalkForColombia, theCarnivalofBarranquillaandsimilarcelebrationsthatarepresentwithfloatsand alluding to television productions.Also they do the same inconductinghigh-impactsocialprogramsasTelethonandcampaignsto raiseawarenessandcitizensolidarityaroundhumanitarianand
socialcauses.
1.5. Communication policies (laws, reforms, incentives, digital TV, etc.)
TheColombianlegislationfor2012openeddefinitivespacefordigitizationasoneofthemajorobjectivestomeetinasocioculturallevel.Inthiscontext,itisofvitalimportancetodevelopthe“ViveDigital”plan,whichbecomesthemaininitiativepromotedbythe
202 | Obitel 2013
Ministry of InformationTechnologies andCommunication (Min-isterio de las Tecnologías de la Información y la Comunicación,MINTIC), inwhich the objective is to achieve not only a higherInternet penetration in the nation, but also establish the essentialfoundationsofadigitalcultureinthenation.
On theotherhand, in thecaseof theaudiovisual circuit, theincentivepromotedtofilmproductionintermsofcostsandtaxesishighlighted.Thus,theLaw1556promotesthecountryastheset-tingforthefilmingofcinematographicworks,forwhichprovidesaconsiderationof40%oftherecordingservicechargesand20%inlogisticscostsinordertoreducecostsandencouragethenationasaspaceforfilmproduction.
Inregardtospecificpoliciesaroundthetelevision,in2012,thenullityoftheadjudicationprocessofthethirdchannelwasdeclared,relegatingthepossibilityofanewtenderuntil2013.Thedecisionwasmadeafterhavingasingleproposerandconcludingwith theneedtostartagainthequestionofadjudicationsinceitsinception.Moreover, regarding the implementation of the digital terrestrialtelevision,itisinfulldevelopmentandwithcoveragethatextendsonlytothemostimportantcapitalsofthecountryandintermsofchannelshasonlynationwidesupplyoftheprivateones,whilethepubliconeslimittheirspectrumonlytoBogotaandMedellin.
1.6. Public TV Thepublictelevisionlandscapeinthecountryhasnotsubstan-
tiallychangedinrecentyears,whichaffectsitsverylittlepresenceand influenceon its ability to reachand impact larger audiences.Undoubtedly in recent years, public communicationpolicy statedtheimportanceofstrengtheningthismedia,toincreaseitscoveragetoprovideitwithasecuretechnologyandresourcesallowingittopromoteanambitiousprogramthatmakesitcompetitive.However,betweenthewillandthewordsandtheconcreterealityofthemar-ketandtheenvironment,thereisafarinsurmountablebarrierthatmakesourpublictelevision,exceptforsomecontentandprograms
Colombia – Violence, entertainment and audiovisual spectacle | 203
committedtoregionalculturalidentitiesandtheaudienceawarenessaround values and customs of the great national tradition, some-what diminishedbefore the avalancheof supplyof entertainmentandspectacleof theprivatechannels.It isnecessary,however, torecognize the educational value and cultural bet exhibited by the
programmingofSeñalColombia.
1.7. Pay TVDuring2012thewayhowColombiashowedalargeincrease
incoverageandnumberofsubscribersmemberstopayTVishigh-lighted.Largeconglomeratesofthissystem,dominatedmainlybythecompaniesClaroandDirectTV,reportedsharpincreasesintheirprofitsandanopeningtoamarketinwhichtheimportanceofsuchsystemshasbecomeclear.Also,withintheirservices,thesupplyofchannels,suchasHBOandMoviecity,alsorecordedasignificantincreaseinsubscribers,demonstratinganinterestintheaudiencesbytheofferedcontentthroughthesechannelsandcoveringawiderangeofgenresandformats.Infact,withinthecurrentshapeofthetelevisionsysteminColombia,thepaymentappearsasthestrongestcontenderincompetitionwithlargeprivatechannelsforcontrolofmassivetuning.
1.8. Trends of the ICTs (Internet, mobile phone, digital TV, VoD, etc.)
On innovationanddigital technologydevelopment, it isper-tinent to emphasize the continued and accelerated expansion ofvirtualplatformsand,thereby,theoperationalconcurrencyoflead-inginformationandcommunicationtechnologiesthatpopulatethenationalmediahorizon.So,itisworthmentioningthatthemobilephonecoveragepointtoppedalmostalltheterritorywitharecordclose to fifty million subscribers, along with the super dynamicgrowthoftheacquisitionofsmartphonesandothernextgenerationmobiledevices.ThegrowthandexpansionofbroadbandInternet,
204 | Obitel 2013
landlineandmobileiskeptintheorderof18.2%annuallyinclud-ingmore than7millionsubscribers (according to theMinistryofInformationandCommunicationTechnologies).Itisalsothecasetoemphasizethatthemainexpectationinthisarealiesintheim-minentarrivalof4GtechnologywhichissupposedtocauseamajorreconfigurationinthemarketbecauseClarohasbeenrestrictedtoparticipateonit.
Astheabovefiguresindicate,theexpansionofInternetinthecountry,althoughcenteredinlargecities,isindicativeofprofoundchangesandtransformationsinwaysofsocialinteractionandpar-ticipation.ThemainusesoftheInternet(MINTIC)showthefollow-ing composition: access to social networks: 96%; searches: 94%;multimediacontent:78%;email:72%;information:70%;interac-tioningroupsandcommunities:68%.Associalnetworkingiscon-cerned,accordingto thesource,Facebookis the leaderwith90%market shareandanaverageof492.5usersperminute, followedbyWindowsLivewith26%andTwitterwith21%.Thesenumbersrankthecountryin14thplaceinworldwidelevelintheuseofFace-book,andBogotainninthplace.Finally,inthecaseoftheuseofVideoonDemand(VoD),itbecomesnoticeabletheexpansionthatthepaytelevisionindustryhashadregardingtheprivatebroadcastchannels,inwhich,aswithCaracol,thecontentisofferedthroughthissystem.
Colombia – Violence, entertainment and audiovisual spectacle | 205
2. Yearly analysis: premiere of national and Ibero-American fic-tion
Table 1: Fictions broadcast in 2012 (national and imported ones; premiere and reruns, co-productions)
Source:Ibope-Colombia
PREMIERE NATIONAL TITLES – 16CARACOL – 7 national titles1.El Laberinto (dramatized)2.Escobar, el patrón del mal(dramatized)
3.Rafael Orozco, el ídolo(dramatized)4.Amor de Carnaval(telenovela)5.¿Dónde carajos está Umaña?(tele-novela)6. Mujeres al límite(dramatized)7.Tu voz estéreo(dramatized)
RCN – 9 national titles8. Historias Clasificadas(dramatized)9. asa de reinas (dramatized)10.Corazones blindados (dramatized)11.¿Dónde está Elisa? (dramatized)12.El Capo 2 (dramatized)13.La Mariposa (dramatized)14. Pobres Rico (telenovela)15.A mano limpia (2ndseason) (series)16.Infieles anónimos (dramatized)
PREMIERE IMPORTED TITLES – 13Caracol – 8 imported titles1. Los simuladores(series-Mexico)2.Familia moderna(series-USA)3.Corazón Apasionado(telenovela-Ven-ezuela-USA)4.El Cuerpo del deseo(telenovela-USA)5.Emperatriz(telenovela-Mexico)6.Relaciones peligrosas(telenovela-USA)7.Blanco humano(series-USA)8.Engáñame si puedes(series-USA)
RCN – 7 imported titles9. Abismo de pasión (telenovela-Mexico)10.Abrázame muy fuerte (telenovela-Mexico)
11.Por Ella soy Eva (telenovela-Mexico-Televisa)12. Un refugio para el amor (telenovela-Mexico-Televisa)13.Triunfo del amor (telenovela-Mexico-Televisa)
RERUNS – 20
CARACOL – 5 titles1. Los caballeros las prefieren brutas II (series)2. Casados con hijos (dramatized)3.Nuevo rico, nuevo pobre (telenovela)4.Nadie es eterno en el mundo (tele-novela)5.Niní (telenovela)
RCN – 14 titles6. Alicia en el país mercancías(drama-tized)7.Así es la vida (dramatized)8.Enigmas del más allá (dramatized)9.Carolina Barrantes (telenovela)10.Me llaman Lolita (telenovela)11.Milagros de amor (telenovela)12.El ultimo matrimonio feliz (tele-novela)13. Las trampas del amor (series)14.Como dice el dicho (series)15.La rosa de Guadalupe (series)16.María la del barrio (telenovela)17.Aquí no hay quien viva (telenovela)18.Las noches de Luciana (telenovela)19.Tan cerca y tan lejos (telenovela)
CANAL UNO – 1 title20. Hombres de honor (dramatized)
TOTAL BROADCAST TITLES: 49
206 | Obitel 2013
It is pertinent to highlight, as illustrated inTable 1, that thebroadcastfictionduringtheyearwassupportedfundamentally,bothbythenationalaswellasimportedone,intheformofseriesandminiseries(dramatized),whichisaninterestingvariationinrelationtotheprevalenceinthislinethattelenovelaalwayshad.
Table2.Thepremierefictionin2012:countriesoforigin
Country Titles % Chapter/Episodes
% Hours %
NATIONAL 16 55.2 1,533 62.3 1,252:20 64.7IBERO-AMERICAN 13 44.8 927 37.7 682:40 35.3Argentina - - - - - -Brazil - - - - - -Chile - - - - - -COLOMBIA 16 55.2 1,533 62.3 1,252:20 64.7Ecuador - - - - - -Spain - - - - - -USA(Hispanicproduction) 5 17.2 240 9.7 177:40 9.2Mexico 7 24.1 593 24.1 448:00 23.2Peru - - - - - -Portugal - - - - - -Uruguay - - - - - -Venezuela 1 3.5 94 3.9 57:00 2.9LatinAmerican(Obitel) 29 100 2,460 100 1,935:00 100LatinAmerican(notObitel) - - - - - -Other(productionsandco-productionsfromotherLatinAm./Ibero-Am.countries)
- - - - - -
TOTAL 29 100 2,460 100 1,935:00 100Source:Ibope-Colombia
Regardingpremierefictioninthecountry,itispertinenttonotehownationalproductionisalmostsimilarquantitativelytotheLatinAmerican(Obitelscope)one; thismayresult inacomplementarybettingintreatmentandrealizationofthethemes,aswellasprefer-encesregardingtheadoptionofcontentandformatsprovidedwithhighpreferencefornationalaudiences.
Colombia – Violence, entertainment and audiovisual spectacle | 207
Table3.C
hapters/episodesandhoursbroadcastbytimeslot
T
ime
slot
sN
atio
nal
Iber
o-A
mer
ican
Tot
alC/E
%H
%C/E
%H
%C/E
%H
%M
orni
ng (6
:00
to 1
2:00
)38
2.5
34:00
2.7
250
27.0
236:00
34.6
288
11.7
270:00
14.0
Aft
erno
on (1
2:00
to 1
9:00
)567
37.0
510:20
40.8
450
48.5
304:10
44.6
1,017
41.3
814:30
42.1
Pri
me
tim
e (1
9:00
to 2
2:00
)678
44.2
566:10
45.2
10.1
1:15
0.2
679
27.6
567:25
29.3
Nig
ht (2
2:00
to 6
:00)
250
16.3
141:50
11.3
226
24.4
141:15
20.7
476
19.3
283:05
14.6
TO
TA
L15
3310
01,252:20
100
927
100
682:40
100
2,460
100
1,935:00
100
Source:Ibope-Colom
bia
Table4.N
ationalandIbero-Americanfictionform
ats
For
mat
sN
atio
nal
Iber
o-A
mer
ican
Tit
les
%C
hap.
%H
ours
%T
itle
s%
Cha
p.%
Hou
rs%
Tel
enov
ela
318.8
363
23.7
255:25
20.4
969.2
808
87.2
608:50
89.2
Seri
es1
6.3
140.9
16:00
1.3
430.8
119
12.8
73:50
10.8
Min
iser
ies
--
--
--
--
--
--
Telefilm
--
--
--
--
--
--
Uni
tary
--
--
--
--
--
--
Doc
udra
ma
--
--
--
--
--
--
Oth
er (d
ram
atiz
ed)
1275.0
1156
75.4
980:55
78.3
--
--
--
TO
TA
L16
100
1,533
100
1,252:20
100
1310
0927
100
682:40
100
Source:Ibope-Colom
bia
208 | Obitel 2013
Itshouldbenoticedthattheprimetimeslotisfullyoccupiedbytheexhibitionofnationalproduction,which,inrelationtoTable3,breakstheabovetrendfromthequantitativepointofview,andmakesus thinkabout therecompositionoffictionalprogrammingaccordingtothepreferencesoftuning,inthiscaseclearlyinclinedbythenationalone.
Weinsistonthefactthatthelargestnumberofformatsusedinnationalfictionthisyearwastheseriesand/orminiseries(catalogedbythechannelsasdramatized),withtheresultingchangeinimpor-tanceandacceptanceorderofthisformatopposedtothetraditionaldominanceofthetelenovela.
Table5.Formatsofnationalfictionpertimeslot
Formats Mor- ning % After-
noon % Prime time % Night % To-
tal %
Telenovela - - - - 2 10 1 50 3 18.7Series - - - - 1 10 - - 1 6.3Miniseries - - - - - - - - - -Telefilm - - - - - - - - - -Unitary - - - - - - - - - -Docudrama - - - - - - - - - -Other (drama-tized) - - 4 100 7 70 1 50 12 75.0
TOTAL 0 - 4 100 10 100 2 100 16 100
Source:Ibope-Colombia
Accordingtowhatwasobservedearlier,theprimetimeinCo-lombiain2012wasdominatedbythefictionformatseries/minise-ries(catalogedbythechannelsasdramatized).
Table6.Timeperiodoffiction
Time period Titles %Present 13 81Epoch 0 0Historical 2 13Other 1 6TOTAL 16 100
Source:Ibope-Colombia
Colombia – Violence, entertainment and audiovisual spectacle | 209
Thetrendofthebroadcastproductionsremainsregardingthepredominanceof topics, areas and situations, recreated in fiction,alwaysaroundpresenttime,makingthetreatmentofthepastsome-thingalmostexceptionalinthiscase.
Table 7. The 10 most watched titles: origin, rating, share
Title
Country of the
original idea/script
Producer Channel
Name of the scriptwriter or author of the original
idea
Ra- ting Share
1
Esco-bar el patrón del mal
ColombiaCaracol Televisión
Caracol Televisión
JuanCamiloFerrand
14.95 38.15
2La mari-posa
ColombiaFoxTeleco-lombia
RCN GerardoReyes 12.49 34.78
3El capo II
ColombiaFoxTeleco-lombia
RCNGustavoBolívar
11.63 35.06
4Casa de reinas
ColombiaRCNTele-visión
RCNMiguelAngelBaquero,Eloí-saInfante
11.01 32.36
5
Cora-zones blinda-dos
Colombia Teleset RCN
RafaelNoguera,AnaMaríaLondoño,JuanAndrésRendón
10.87 32.8
6Rafael Orozco, el ídolo
Colombia CaracolTVCaracol TV
AndrésMar-roquín
10.76 32.55
7
¿Dónde carajos está Umaña?
Colombia CaracolTVCaracol TV
JohnnyOrtiz 10.35 30.42
8¿Dónde está Elisa?
ChileRCNTele-visión
RCNTelevisión
PabloIllanes 9.55 32.36
9A mano limpia
ColombiaRCNTele-visión
RCNTelevisión
DiegoViv-anco,AndrésGuevara,JulioContrearas.
9.54 30.95
210 | Obitel 2013
10El la-berinto
Colombia
Co-pro-ductionofCaracolTVandSonyPictureTelevision
Caracol TV
MauricioMiranda
8.40 24.93
Total of productions: 10 Foreign scripts: 1
100% %10
Source:Ibope-Colombia
Whenreviewingthe10mostwatchedtitlesinColombia,itisinterestingtoconfirmthatCaracolmovedRCNfromthefirstplacein termsofdrama televisionproductionswith the seriesEscobar,
el patrón del mal.Thisisofinteresttotheextentthat6ofthetoptenprogramscomefromRCN,channelthathastraditionallymain-taineddominanceinthisfield.
Table 8. The 10 most watched titles: format, length, time slot
Title Format GenreNumber of chap./ep.(in 2012)
Date of the firstandlastbroadcast (in
2012) (*)
Time slot
1Escobar, el patrón del mal
SeriesAction-Drama
72chapters28/05/12to19/11/12
Prime
2La mari-posa
SeriesAction-Drama
48chapters16/01/12to
22/03/12Prime
3 El capo II SeriesAction-Drama
76chapters 17/09/12to31/12/12(cont.)
Prime
4Casa de reinas
Minise-ries
Comedy 43chapters19/11/12to
31/12/12(cont.)Prime
5Cora-zones blindados
SeriesAction-Drama
100chapters(cont.)
03/09/12to31/12/12(cont.)
Prime
6Rafael Orozco, el ídolo
Tele-novela
Drama 81chapters20/11/2012to31/12/12(cont.)
Prime
7
¿Dónde carajos está Umaña?
Tele-novela
Comedy178chapters 07/05/2012to
31/12/12(cont.)Prime
Colombia – Violence, entertainment and audiovisual spectacle | 211
8¿Dónde está Elisa?
Tele-novela
Action-Drama
115chapters12/03/2012to02/09/2012
Prime
9A mano limpia
Series Drama27chapters(cont.)
10/12/12to31/12/12(cont.)
Prime
10El laber-into
Series Suspense 76chapters10/01/2012to
03/05/2012Prime
Source:Ibope-Colombia
Amongthe10mostwatchedtitles,itisconfirmedtheriseofseries(dramatized)withinfictiontelevisionproductioninColombiain2012.This,asalreadynoted,makestothinkaboutthewaytheseformats,seriesandtelenovela,arerelatedtoeachother,tothepointthatsometimesthedifferenceseemspointlessandwouldbeessen-tiallydependentofcriteriathatareonlyestablishedanddeterminedby theproductionhousesaccording to theirownparameters. It isworthmentioning,insomeoftheproductionsofthislist,asortofcombination between action and drama resources,which becomekeyfactorforevaluatingthecharacteristicsofthemostwatchedfic-tion.Itisalsopossibletohighlightthetrendtowardscomedy,mys-teryandsuspense,therebydetermininghowfictionislocatedintheentertainmentfieldasakeydriveroftheproductionsofthismassmedia. In termsof length,8programsare located in the segmentlengthof50minutes to1hourand two in the formatof30min-utes,andwithoutexceptiontheyarepartoftheprimetime(18:00to21:00).
Table 9. Themes in the 10 most watched titles
TitlesKEY TOPICS
(UP TO 5 MOST IMPOR-TANT THEMES)
SOCIAL TOPICS(UP TO 5 MOST IMPOR-
TANT THEMES)
1Escobar, el patrón del mal
Death,cheating,drugs,vio-lence,illicitenrichment
Drugtrafficking,crime,smug-gling,emergingColombian
cartels,justice
2 La mariposaLove,embarrassment,easymoney,deceit,betrayal
Moneylaundering,justice,policepersecutions,family
212 | Obitel 2013
3 El capo IIViolence,love,death,re-venge,familybreakdown
Drugtrafficking,functioningofJustice,subcultureofcontract
killings,mafialife
4 Casa de reinasLove,revenge,intrigue,
jealousy,cheating
Socioeconomicascent,justice,singlemothers,smuggling,
corruption
5Corazones blindados
Love,crime,cheating,revenge,death
Policelife,kidnapping,prostitu-tion,justice
6Rafael Orozco, el ídolo
Love,intrigue,violence,revenge,fame,power
culturaltradition,personalovercoming,infidelity
7¿Dónde carajos está Umaña?
Love,cheating,escape,intrigue
Familyunion,survival,failure,bureaucraticobstacles
8¿Dónde está Elisa?
Money,power,forceddisappearances
Paranoia,revelationsofstoriesfromthepast,recriminations
9 A mano limpia Violence,intrigue,cheatingAttemptedmurder,despair,
judicialinvestigation
10 El laberintoLove,sex,infidelity,
revenge,deathSeduction,inefficientjustice,
lossoffreedom
Source:Ibope-Colombia
In this list,wemustnote thecontinuityas in recentyears intermsofmoresuccessfulthemesandcontent,withmoreacceptanceandharmony, among thepredominantdrug-relatedviolence in atleast4or5oftheseprograms.Asdiscussedindetailelsewhereinthisreport,therecentColombianpastisgreatlyinfluencedbytheimprintofthedruganditsabilitytonegativelyinfluencevariousas-pectsofsociallife.Also,contentsrelatedtootherformsofviolence,fromtheworldofillegality,commoncrime,traffickingofpersonsandtheirrespectivevariantsarewarned,whichthemediakeepsde-velopingandmakingakindofimmediatemirroronwhichaudienceswatchsomesensationalismanddramatizationoftheproblem.Otherissuesarerelatedtothesomewhatromanticandmelodramaticexal-tationoftheroleoflawenforcementandtheirprivatelivesturnedintomatterofpubliccommentfollowingthefiction.Also,otheris-suesarepresentsuchastherecreationofsocialinteractionbetweenindividualsfromoppositesocialclassesorsectorsand,finally,the
Colombia – Violence, entertainment and audiovisual spectacle | 213
retakingofregionalfolkloreelementslinkedtolocalidiosyncrasiesortheatmosphereofthelifeofapopularcharacterconsecratedbysuccessasamusicalperformer,whichisthecaseofRafaelOrozco,thevallenatosingerwhoissopopularandhaslotsofremembranceamongthecrowds.
Table10.Audienceprofileofthe10mostwatchedtitles: gender, age, socioeconomic level
Titles Chan-nel
Gender% Age groups%Socioeco-
nomic level%
Wo-men Men Chil-
dren12-17
18-24
25-39
40 + AB C DE
1Escobar, el patrón del mal
Caracol TV
49 51 14 16 15 21 34 50 30 20
2 La mariposa RCN 58 42 12 18 20 22 28 45 35 203 El capo II RCN 56 44 13 23 19 21 24 50 30 20
4Casa de reinas
RCN 59 41 20 24 16 20 21 60 25 15
5Corazones blindados
RCN 59 41 11 25 23 21 20 40 40 20
6Rafael Orozco, el ídolo
Caracol TV
58 42 16 20 14 20 30 60 25 20
7¿Dónde carajos está Umaña?
Caracol TV
53 47 17 17 15 19 32 55 25 20
8¿Dónde está Elisa?
RCN 63 37 12 17 20 24 28 40 50 10
9 La mariposa RCN 56 44 20 27 16 17 20 40 35 25
10 El capo IICaracol TV
48 52 12 24 19 20 25 35 35 30
Source:Ibope-Colombia(thereporteddataistheclosestonetotheavailablerecords)
Table10referstothetypesofaudiencesthatprevailinrelationtothetenmostwatchedtelevisionfictionprogramsin2012,andthefirstaspectwecancompareinthisrespecthastodowiththegendercompositionoftheseaudiences,amongwhichthefemaleviewingstandsoutin8outofthe10selectedprograms,insomecaseswithafairlyhighpercentagecomparedtothemale,asthecaseof¿Dónde
214 | Obitel 2013
está Elisa?withadifferenceof26points.Itisintheprogramdedi-catedtoEscobarwherethemaleaudienceexceedsthefemaleinjust2points,raisingthequestionofhowrelevantisthatspecificdiffer-ence.Asfortheagegroupsitisnoteworthythatthegroupofpeopleover25yearsoldandthegroupof40y.o.ormorealwaysmakeuphalformoreoftheaudienceofalltheprogramsthatintegratethislist,whichcorrespondstothecharacteristicofbeingamainlyadultprogramming.Attheoppositeextremeisthechildaudiencewatch-ingtheseprograms,withanaverageof14%to16%oftheaudience,a trend that also applies to all programs.And finally there is theaudiencebetween12and24yearsoldrepresenting25%to35%ofaudienceofthesespaces.
3. Transmedia receptionWith the current scenario of digitization as an essential and
centralelementofcommunicationprocesses inColombiaand theworld,thephenomenaoftransmediationbecomefundamentalsce-nariostoresizetheculturalroleoftelevisionfiction.Thisstrength-ensandpromotes televisionandreaffirmsitsdiscursivepotential.SocialnetworkslikeFacebook,TwitterandYouTuberedefineandaltertheroleoftheaudience,openchannelsforinteractivity,feed-backandpublicinvolvement,allowingthemtoexpressoutopenlyabouttheirprogramsandfavoritesubjects.Withthis,notonlytheaudiencegainsbutmainlytheproducers,whousethisinformationtoleveragetransmediamarketingyields.
Inourcase,andfortheyear2012,inthistopicthechosenfic-tionwasthemostwatchedandlikewisethemostrepresentativeintermsof their commitmentand transmediaoffer.ThisproductionwasEscobar, el patrón del mal,onwhichaninformationresearchwas carriedout basedon Internet different digital platforms.Theresearchwasconductedinordertoidentifythetypesandlevelsofdominantinteractivity,activeorpassive,theinteractionswithothersupportsandmedia,notonlyaudiovisualbutalsoprintmedia,thecharacteristicviewingsofthisprogramontheseplatforms,andthe
Colombia – Violence, entertainment and audiovisual spectacle | 215
effectthatthisphenomenon,relativelynew,hasamongthepublic,givenitsconnectionwiththeissueofviolenceandtherecreationofoneofthemostdramaticmomentsofourhistory.
Forthisresearch,thesocialnetworkFacebookwaschosen,asthisprovidestheopportunityforfanstoparticipateactively.Noin-teractionoccursinrealtime,thoughtheirservicesmayonlybeclas-sifiedasinteractiveviewing,withsomefeaturesand/orelementsofinteractiveviewingonthenetandtransmediaviewing.Regardingkeylevelsofinteractivity,wecansaythatthereisactiveinteractionbecauseusersmayparticipatebymakingcommentsandrespondingtoconversationthreadsandthediscussionaboutthecontentsoftheseries.
Now,inadditiontotheitemsthathavebeenlinkedpreviouslyontelevisionfictionanditstransmediation,herewecanseethepre-vailingpracticesofusersintheprocessofinteractionwithalldigitalplatformsfromwhichitispossibletomakeadvanceinsuchactions,asrecordedinTable11.
Table11:Thetransmediafiction:
types of interaction and key practices
Selected fiction Channel Web pages
Types of transmedia interaction
Levels of
inter-activ-
ity
Key practices from users
Escobar, el patrón del mal
Caracol Tele-visión
Facebook page
Interactive viewing
ActiveCommentInterpretationRecommendationCelebrationReviewCollectionSharingExtensionDebateInterpellation
Official website
Interactive viewing on the net
Active
Twitter page
Interactive viewing
Active
YouTube page
Interactive in real time
Active
Duringtheobservationweek,themonitoringofthesocialnet-workFacebookcorrespondingtothelastdaysoftransmissionofthe
216 | Obitel 2013
selectedprogram,fromNovember14thtoNovember19th,allowedto observe the following quantitative movement: on the numberoffans,86,471peoplelikethispageand465aretalkingaboutit.Abouttheposteddatapublishedduringtheweek,thebusiestdayswereNovember16th,with9posts,and19th,with11;othersdonotexceed3postperday.Thetotalis27postspublishedduringthefi-nalweekoftheseries.Abouttheresultsofthenumberoftimesthatfansshared,likedandcommentedoneachpostduringeachofthefourdays,thefollowingnumberswereobtained:November14th:Ilike:1.108;share:205;comments:245;November15th:Ilike:155;share:13;comments:35;November16th:Ilike:1,793;share:132;comments:289.November17th:Ilike:246;share:35;comments:70;November19th:Ilike:5.022;share:509;comments:1,290.Fora total ineach interactionoptions: I like:8.324;share:894;com-ments:1,929.
Turningtothequalitativeanalysis,allcommentspostedduringtheweekwerecollected,chosenandselectedaccordingtothethemostfrequenttypes,whatgavestarttoataskofdiscourseanalysisofthefansinordertounravelindividual,social,virtualandpublicbehaviorpresentedonthispage.
ForbeingaseriesbasedonahistoricalfactofhighimpactforColombians,fansreflectedcontradictoryfeelingsabouttheactionsofthetrafficker,fuelingthedebateaboutthemeaningofthefactandofthemaincharacterforthecountry.Thediscussionalsodrewfrompresssourcesofthetime,commentsfromwebsites,andmaterialsthatcirculateonnetworks(YouTube,DiscoveryandElEspectador).
Thefictionremainedfaithfultotheofficialreportsofthetime,aboutcircumstantialfactsastheendofthe“capo”.However,acriti-cal attitude is evidencedandparticipantsopenlyexpressed suspi-cious about information from the news transmitted by themediaandthedifferentwaysitcandistortthatinformation.Thetopicalsoledtoflashpointsclashesbetweenantagonisticpoliticalpositionsinconnectionwithwhat thefigureof this“capo”anditsdestructiveconsequencerepresentsfortheaverageColombian.Itisimportant
Colombia – Violence, entertainment and audiovisual spectacle | 217
to state here that this research showed some transnationalization,with somepublished posts fromother countries such asArgenti-na,Mexico,PeruandChile,wheretheserieshasarrivedonDVD,through cableTV, or is about to premiere on openTV, fact thathighlightsthequalityoftheseriesandtheactors.
4. Highlight of the yearAsindicatedintherespectivetable,Escobar¸elpatrondelmál
wasthemostsuccessfultelevisionfictionproductioninColombiain2012notonlyforthereachedratingsbutalsobythesocialandculturalimpactthatthisserieshadforthecountry.Thestagingofthelifeandthelethalactionofthebossofthebossesalsohadanout-standing technicalachievementandconsiderablenarrativebreath,agileandconvincing,withconstantuseofexternallandscapesandtheconditionsofthecinematographictreatment.Thesesetoffac-tors,coupledwiththedisastrousculturalimprintofdrugtraffickingandparticularlyofPabloEscobar,withthesequelofpain,tearingandtragedythatconnotesforColombians,actedasaprotrudingfac-tortograbtheinterestoftheaudience.Inturn,therewereepisodi-cally some debates and controversies,manywith emotional toneaboutapossiblevindicationofthemaincharacterandhisnegativeinfluenceontheyoungergeneration.Itisessentialtonoteherethatin-depthdiscussionaboutthedrugproblemanditsimpactonsoci-etyandcultureofColombiaisstillapendingtasktoperform.
La Mariposa, a series thatwas the secondmostwatched oftheyear, ispartofthetelevisionproductionsinvolvingfunctionalswiftlyanddifferentcomponentsofanaudiovisualnarrativesetontheaxisofviolencethatincludedrugtrafficking,corruption,moneylaunderingandindiscriminatepenetrationofvaluesandidealsasso-ciatedwiththissubcultureamongpopulationgroupswhicharevul-nerabletothem.Itisnoteworthyhowthisprograminsistsonshow-ingtheinternationalillegalanchorsofdrugtraffickingnetworksandallthepracticesassociatedwithit,involvedinafunctionalstructureinwhichofficials,bureaucrats,lawenforcementofficersandcrimi-
218 | Obitel 2013
nalsofalltypeconcur,whobecomeimpregnatedbythesamespiritofthebody.
El capo IIrankedthirdandalmostintegratesablockwiththetwopreviousprograms,theblockinwhichthedominantthemeinColombiantelevisionfictioncondensesarounddrugviolence.Thisrecreationsummarizesandresizeswhatthefirstparthadadvancedaroundthefigureofthe“capo”ofthefictionastheprototypeofma-fiaman,notonlyColombian,butalsoLatinAmerican,withinter-nationalinterestsandwithafrontalfightwiththeU.S.authorities.Theseries,basedonthefreerecreationgrantedbyfiction,isabletoengageelementsandreferencesofareality taintedbythespecterofconstantillegalityunfoldedbydrugsubculturebetweendifferentsectorsofthepopulationandinstitutionsandauthorities.Somehowitwarnswith thedevelopmentof theworkthat thestainofdrugshasspreadandembeddedineverydaylifeinbroadsectorsofsoci-ety.Fromthis,itconstantlydevotesspacestorecreateissuesrelatedwiththeintimateandemotionallifeaswellaswiththefeelingsofthecharacters,sotheatmosphereissaturatedandsomehowshowsthattheboundarybetweenwhatisforbiddenandwhatispermitted,whatisillegalandlegal,isasfragileasitcanbeatcertaintimesandcircumstancesunderlyingmoralvaluesandethicsofindividuals.
Skippingtheorderofthemostwatched,Corazones Blindados
isinfifthplace,aseriesprogramwithrelativesuccessfulacceptanceandimpact,despiteitsprominentlocationwithinfictionprogram-ming,whichacclimates and recreates the rolesof security agentsandpoliceofficersofcombatingdifferentformsoflawlessnessandcrimepresentintheurbanenvironment.Beautifulpolicewomenandsecretofficersandagentsembodytheheroicfigureofselflessof-ficerswillingtoovercomeallobstacles,outragesandinjusticesthatareabletoprovoketheiropponents,whoareevil,uglyandwicked,andalso,onmanyoccasions,theirsuperiorsorsubordinates,withdifferentkindsof intrigues, jealousiesandbetrayals.Finally, inamixtureofhappyending,good tension andmelodrama, thegoodones,andwiththemthegood,theorderandthejustice,imposeforsocialbenefit.
Colombia – Violence, entertainment and audiovisual spectacle | 219
Thisblock,besides the thematicsimilaritiesandgoodaccep-tancebytheaudience,letsusclearlyseehowfictiontelevisionwithmoredemandandrecognitionofaudiencesidentifiesitselfwiththeexposedcontents,withthetypesofenvironmentsandbuiltcharac-ters andwith the framesand solutionsprovidedby the televisionmediatosocialandculturalissuesthatonewayoranotherarein-volvedinsuchprogramsdevelopmentandvisualtreatment.
Asecondblockamongthemostwatchedreferstoplaces4,6and7,correspondingtoaminiseries,Casa de reinas, andtwotele-novelas,Rafael Orozco, el ídoloand¿DóndecarajosestáUmaña?.HerethefictionrevolvesaroundthesettingoftheparticularitiesoftheColombianCaribbean regional culture, using for this, amongotherpretexts,theexegesisofthelifeoftheidol,performerofval-lenatoRafaelOrozco,orthestories,adventures,setbacksandsatis-factionsofanindividualnamedUmaña,aroundwhomtheeventsofatypicalpopulationoftheregionreconfigure;storytellingthroughwhichtheaudiencegetscaughtbythedetailsofthesocialeverydayexposed.Casa de reinastakesadvantageofthefreeuseofhumor,saturatingitandtakingittoastageofculturaldeformation,whichcausedacentraldebateabouttheexhibitionthattookplaceinthecoastalculture through thecharacters, their look,expressionsandhowtodealwithinacompletelycrazy,overdoneandoverloadedenvironment.
Athirdblock,places8,9and10,composedby¿DóndeestáElisa?, A mano limpiaandEl Laberinto,atelenovelaandtwoseries,referstotherecurrentuseofintrigueononesideandtherecreationofsocialinteractionbetweensectorsofthepopulationfromoppos-inglayers.Theintrigue,inthecaseofEl Laberintoand¿DóndeestáElisa?, allows tacking storiesdedicated to acclimate the conflict-ingpresenceoffate,chance,misfortuneand,occasionally,fortune,goodluck,sothemaincharacters,usuallyvictimsofthesiege,oftheinsecurity,oftheenvyandoftheirownweaknesses,havetogothrough awhole series of adverse and painful circumstances andsituations,which are like the litmus test to finally overcome and
220 | Obitel 2013
reach theotherend,at theendof theprogramwhen thesenseofrightandorderisrestoredandthecommitmentwiththehonestyandtruthismorallyretrieved.
ThecaseofA mano limpia, secondseason, shows–ina for-tunate version,with agile andwell-conceived narrative, far fromcultural stereotypesor socialcaricatures– thedetailsof thesocialinteractionthatcanandoftendoeshappenfordifferentreasonsandmotivationsbetween individualsandgroups fromdifferent socio-economicclasses,differentiatedprofessionalrolesandidentityas-criptionsclearlyestablished.Whatinreallifebindsthemtogether,partlyshowingtheirvulnerabilityandthehumanfaceoftheends,istherolegiventothefeelingsandtheemotionsofthecharactersto thepoint that in this area social andeconomicdifferencesandprofessionalexclusionsareovercome:surelyalwaysinthefieldoftelevisionfiction.
Withthischaracterizationofthemostwatchedfictiontelevisionprograms,wecanconcludethat,finally,thelinkbetweentheenvi-ronmentandtheaudienceisfunctionalandoperational,althoughitsociallyandculturallylacksoftranscendence,oftheresonancethatthetelevisionmessagecouldhaveinotherconditionsofownership,use,discussionandcollectivecriticismheadedtosocietyasawhole.
5. Topic of the year: social memory and television fictionInthehistoricalconfigurationofsociallifeevents,thetime,as
suggestedbyPaulRicoeur1, is thedetermining factor toestablishtheirmeaning.Itisintimeand,naturally,inaspecificspacewherehumanexperienceunfoldsasalifeexperience,asanactofproduc-ingtheexistenceofsubjectsgatheredaroundasamepurpose:theactivationofconsciousnessasthebasisofsubjectivity,offinitudeandthesignificanceofthepracticeofman.
Pastandpresentareessentialdimensionsofthehistoricalbeingofthemanintheworld,aswellasmemoryandforgetfulnessascar-riersofmeaning, inseparablefromthesociopoliticaldevelopmentinwhichthehumanactionsubscribes.Ifexperienceisnurturedand
Colombia – Violence, entertainment and audiovisual spectacle | 221
structuredbyfactsandknowledgesharing,thelatter–theshared–ismediatedorconstructedonthebasisoftheexistingpowerinaso-cietyorcommunity,andthewayofdistributionandcontrolofthatknowledgeismodeledbythesamepower,inahegemonicandim-positiveway,inwhichuprisingandresistancestrategiesunfoldandfeedotherwaystoevoke,rememberandbuildmemory.It’swhatHalbwachs2mentionsintermsofcollectiveandindividualmemoryand real or imaginary acts and representations, based on the his-toricalmemoryasa formof sharedknowledge,and theselectionmechanismsofmemoryorforgetting,ofwhatisessential,meaning-fulandtranscendentormerelycircumstantialandmarginal.
Incountrieslikeours,theconstructionofsocialmemory,thesharedknowledgeofthepast,areinseparablefromthehistoricalstruggles andconfrontations around themanagement andgover-nance3.Focusedonrulingcircles,ithasalwaysbeencharacterizedbythedesiretoformalizeversions,systemsofintegratedreportsto the worldviews and presented as “history”, the “memorableversion”ofwhathappenedandthankstowhichtheexistingcon-ditions are sustained and reproduced.However, this trend is in-creasinglymore limited regarding its ability to hegemonize andcontroltheviewandinterpretationofthepast,giventheprocessofempowermentandredefinitionthatemergingsocialmovementsperformtothatsamepast4,thedifferentsocialandculturalgroupsthat,throughtheirpoliticalaction,claimotherperspectives,read-ingsandreinterpretationsofthepasttense,ofthenationalorre-gionalhistoricalhappeningtowhichtheyhavebeensubjectedto oppression, exclusion or marginalization by established powercircles.
However,themassanddiffusionoftheseversionsordominantreadingsofthepastfound,atleastuntilrecentdecades,animportantsupportinschoolandteachingtextsonhistory,aswellasintheworkofschoolsandclosedcirclesofopenlyconservativecommentators.But social unrest and political turmoil of the popular sectors, itsmobilizationofprotestanddenunciationoftheprevailinginjustice,
222 | Obitel 2013
theeconomicandtechnologicalmodernizationandtheanarchicandoverflowedgrowthofthelargecities,withconsequentsocioculturalchangesandtransformationsbroughtwiththemselves,includingthemassivepresenceofthemediaandinformationandcommunicationtechnologies,allcontributedtothecurrentdevelopedcrisisofsto-riesthataffectsnationalidentities,convulsesstereotypicalversionsofthepastandcontributestotheopeningofconflictingviewsandinterpretationsofourhistoricalpastandpresent.
So, in theColombian case, dealingwith the relationship be-tweensocialmemoryandtelevisionfictionwouldmean,accordingtotheassumptionsabove-mentioned,togothroughabriefhistori-caljourneybywhichitwouldbepossibletoillustratethewaysthepasthasbeenthemedandrecreatedbytelevisionandspecificallybytelevisionfiction,andfromtheretoestablishandcriticallyanalyzethetypeortypesofsocialmemorypromotedbythemediaandtheideo-political reasons involved in thisbetormediaexegesiswiththerespectiveimplicationsofthisforthesocietyasawhole,fortheobjectiveassessmentofthefunctionsandsocialandculturalrespon-sibilityofthesmallscreen.
From an idealized heroic past to one of recurrent conflict and human heroes
As stated byMartinSerrano5, in contemporary societies, thecommunicationmediaandparticularlythetelevisionare themainprovidersofmythsandritualsaroundwhichsocialcognitionisbuiltandthesocialandculturalfundamentalrepresentationsareshared.It happens that, for our case as a nation and for better orworse,televisionhasbeeninrecentdecadestheleadingproviderofsharedsocialknowledgeaboutthedistantandrecentpast,viathecomple-mentarityofthepredominantofficialversionor,insomemoments,by itscontradictionanddemystification,without leading toa fullinterpretativeopennessortotheinclusionandtotalclaimofthesys-tematicallyignoredandsilencedviewsandreadingsofthepast.Butforthesakeofacriticalbalance,itispertinenttoemphasizetheim-
Colombia – Violence, entertainment and audiovisual spectacle | 223
portantroleoftelevisioninthedemocratizationandmodernizationofourperceptionofthenationalpast.
Inproductivepartnershipwithdifferentsectorsofthearts,liter-atureandacademy,bothnationallyandinternationally,theperiodsofdiscovery,conquestandindependencecomebacktotelevision,recreatedwithaestheticrealismandanadequatemixoffictionandreality,inherenttothenarrativetreatmentofthehistoryintelevisionfictionanditsaudiovisualrecreation.Fictionalizedversionsofthenationalhistorythat,whenrevisingitself,invitedtheaudience,thegreatpublic,toreviewandquestiontheirsystemsofbeliefsaboutthepast,theirjudgmentsandfindingsoffactsandcentralfiguresintheshapingofourhistoricalandculturalheritage.Itcouldbesaid,parodyingMartin-Barbero6, thatforColombiatheculturalmoder-nityhasahighdegreeontelevision,aswellasithappenedwiththecinemaforMexicoandArgentina.
Inthenewtelevisionproductionsdevotedtonationalandre-gional past, the “conquerors” are also somehow conquered, theiractions and positive achievements aremixedwith errors and ex-cessesofdifferentorderandalthoughthefacesandvoicesoftheseancestrallandsemergewithnotenoughpower,theyarenotignoredorarbitrarilyrelieved.Epochdocumentariesandtelevisionfictionsareloadedofthisaestheticrealismtoexpandthehistoricalhorizonand sponsor constructive debate around historical consciousness,the decanting of socialmemory in its diverse forms and aspects,inseparable,asmentionedabove,fromtheemergenceofdebateinthecountryaboutthenatureandproblematicconformationofouroriginsandevolutionasanation.
ThesagaofLa Independencia,byEduardoLemaitreProduc-tions,La vida y obra de Bolívarandotherheroes,includingSantand-er,showtheaudiencehumanandsocialaspectsofthefoundingfa-thers far away from those stiltedand idealizedvisions, typicaloftraditional historiography .Los pecados de Inés de Hinojosa notonlystrippedthebodiesandsecretpassionsof thecharactersandactors,buttookusbackintimetothoseshockingcenturiesofthe
224 | Obitel 2013
“cundiboyacense”highland,fullofsilentbutviolentconfrontationbetweenclergyand laity,between royalists andpatriots, betweenthetroopsandgovernmentexcessesandthesocialrepudiationandupheaval.La Pola,epochfictiononthecommemorationoftheBi-centennial,foritsexcellentaudiovisualproduction,veryclosetothemovies,hadinthebeginningahighandgoodimpactontheaudi-ence,thankstowhichitwaspossibletoplungeintotheinsurrection-alatmospherethatframesthelifeofthemaincharacter,despitetheexcessiveweightthatwasconferredinsomesectionstoemotionalandpassionateaffairs.
The “classic violence” and the explosion of “other” readings and interpretations of the period
Thetwentiethcenturywasforthecountryaworseningscenarioofstructuralconflictsthathaveaccompaniedourformationasana-tion.Violence is installedasacrossvector throughout theperiodandbecomesacauseandconsequenceof themultiplicityofcon-frontationsandmilitaryactionsthathavenotyetceasedandputthecountryintoasevereandunremittingparadox:bleedinamercilesswar,withmultiple actors in combat, amid thematerial, technicaland instrumental progress. This paradox permeates the historicalconsciousness,installsitselfasalatentphantominpublicopinion,itisinspirationofdiversetypesofspeechesandexplanationsand,likewise, it is subject of different government initiatives, of frus-trated solutions, of debateswithout end and continuity, includingthecurrentpeacetalkstakingplaceinHavanabetweenthegovern-mentandtheFARC.
Ithasbeencovered,directlyorindirectly,bythefictionthathasdealtwiththistimeperiod,althoughitshouldbenoticedthatherethenarrativetreatmentoftheeventsandcharacters,itsaudiovisualfictionalization,shows thediscrepancybetween thepointofviewthatpresidesthemediaconductionandthesocialexpectationsthataremovedbecauseoftheprogramortheadvertisedproduction.Thecontroversy liesgreatly in themedia’sorproduceranddirector’s
Colombia – Violence, entertainment and audiovisual spectacle | 225
decision–what results in distant sponsors– about privileging cer-tainvoicesandfigures,certainviewsofeventsratherthanothers,tominimizemismatchedpositionsordifferentpositionsfromtheonesassumedbythemedia,andeventoignoreormakeinvisibleactorsandactionsthatareatoddswiththeversionofferedbytheprogram.Anditisatthisstage,therefore,wheretherealismandsocialandpoliticalengagementofmediathroughthecreationofanappropri-ate environment for democratic deliberation, social inclusion andculturaldiversityaremostdiscussed.Amongtheproductions thatinthisregardmaybementioned,aretherecreationsofBogotazo,
La Saga, Negocio de familia, La historia de Tita and Amar y temer.
Telenovela, regional memory and national identityIntheninetiesinColombiathetelenovelaacquiresaremark-
ablepeakandresonancewhenencouragingthemeetingandrecog-nitionofregionalandnationallevelsthroughtelevisionfiction,inwhichthecountry’sculturaldiversitywasvirtuallyrecreated.Thisnotonlypositionedthetelenovelaitselfastheleadingrecreationalgenreofmedia,tothepointofextendingitsinfluencetocontinentalandgloballevel,becomingaboundexportandpromotionproductofour imageintheworld,but,assaidMartinBarbero7andotherauthors,causedadynamizationofinternalsocioculturalprocesses,accompaniedbytheacademicresearch,theanalysisandthedebateon themeaningof thenationaland the roleofculture in shapingthehistoricalpastandpresent.Television,withthetelenovelafor-mat,ledtoakindofrediscoveryoflocalandregionalparticulari-ties,propellingtheminafriendlyandentertainingwayforallandthroughoutthecountry,sothat,accordingtothefictionoftheday,thefactofbeingnational,thefashion,theprevailingenvironmentinthecollectivespirit,derivedandwasanchoredintheidiosyncrasiesoftherecreatedregionalbeing.
ThesocialandculturaldiversityofthecountryemergedwithunavoidablestrengthinlinewiththepoliticalopeningembodiedintheConstitutionof91,andfedthenewplatformoftheColombian
226 | Obitel 2013
multiculturalismasthebasisofitsoriginsanditscontemporarybe-inganddoing.Itwasasifthewholecountrywerewakingupfromalongsleepandopenedtotherecognitionofconstituteddifferencesof its ancestral communities.On the small screen some titles pa-radedwithanairofsustainedpermanenceoftheCaribbeanmagic,basedonmultipleethnicrootsandmigrants,theyareCaballo Vie-
jo, Gallito Ramirez, Escalona and other similar productions.Theproductivevigorandstrengthofthecoffeecultureareaswerepre-sented,betweenhighmountainsandslopesrevegetatedwithcropsofcoffeeandtherootsofthepaisamuleteerinLa Casa de las dos
palmas and Café, con aroma de mujer.Thevalley,theforceofthecanefields,thewarmaromaoftownsandvillageswhereMaríawasimmortalizedresurfacedinAzúcar and Cóndores no entierran todos
los días.Theplainandthejungle,thewarmclimatesandthehugerivers,thetamingofcattleandtheendlesssunsetswiththeharpandthemooninacontinuingdialoguewereimmortalizedinLa Potra
ZainaandLa Voragine.
Theemergenceofasocioculturalpluralityasaclearsignofthenewtimesinthecountrywasimposedwithaprofoundimpactonallaspectsofpatrioticevents.Socialmemory,imbuedwiththeculturaldiversityrepresentedeffectivelybythesuccessfulfictiontelevision,becameavarietyofmemories,allcomplementaryintheirsocialdif-ference,summarizingalargeandshowyColombianbeing,a“Co-lombianidad”thatinitsmulti-ethnicandculturalwealthstillhastofightforachievingreal,permanentandlastingpeace.And,doubt-lessly,asubstantialaspectofacollectiveaspirationpassesandwillpassthroughtherecognitionandlegitimizationofthisdiversity,ofthesedifferentsocial,culturalandpoliticalexpressionsbywhicharemadethe“Colombianidad”andthesocialmemoriesthatmakeitup.
Recent past and social memory, sense of the current television fiction
Amajorchallengefor today’s televisionproductionandspe-cificallyforthedevelopmentofnewlinesoffictiontelevisionhas
Colombia – Violence, entertainment and audiovisual spectacle | 227
todowiththetreatmenttobegiventosocialandpoliticalconflictthatmarksanddetermines thehistoricalandcurrentdevelopmentofthecountry.Inresponsetothesocialfunctionofthemedia,asinthecaseoftelevision,anditskeyroleintheprocessesofsocial-izationincontemporarylife,they,throughtheirmessages,becomeessentialbuildingblocksforsocialconstructionof reality, for theassimilationof social representationsshared individuallyandcol-lectively,forthedevelopmentofsocialmemorythatregistersitselfasaframeworkandconditionforliving,acting,feelingandpartici-patingasanation.Inthissense,itisclearthatinthissocialmemoryvariousexistingmemories–ethnic,fromsocialandculturalminori-ties,nativeislanders,diverseingender,occupationorcreed–mustcoexist,withoutwhichthenationassuchprojectwillnottakeoffinthetermsofbeingtheappropriateremedyforthefullintegrationoftheColombian.
ReferencesRICOEUR,P.(2004).La memoria, la historia y el olvido.FCE:Buenos
Aires.
HALBWACHS,M.(2004).Memoria colectiva. PrensasUniversitariasde
Zaragoza:Zaragoza.
GUERRAG.,F.(2009).Las luchas por la memoria. UniversidadDistri-
tal:Bogota.
JIMÉNEZB.,A.(2009).Las luchas por la memoria. UniversidadDistri-
tal:Bogota.
MARTÍNSERRANO,M.(1985)La mediación de los medios. In:DeMo-
ragas,M.Sociología de la comunicación de masas.GustavoGili:Barcelona.
MARTÍN-BARBERO,J.(2000)De los medios a las mediaciones.Nor-
ma:Bogota.
MARTÍN-BARBERO, J.; Muñoz, S. (1992) Televisión y Melodrama.
TercerMundo:Bogota.
5ecuAdor: FIcTIon And humor move
To The web
Authors:AlexandraAyalaMarín,CésarHerrera
Team:PamelaCruzPáez,JoséLuisBedón,
AdrianaGarrido,JoséRivera
1. Audiovisual context in the countryAscomparedtotheformeryear,thenumberofInternet
usersin2012increasedin20%andtodayexceedninemil-lionEcuadorians,i.e.,58%ofthenationalpopulation.Thishasundoubtedlyinfluencedfictioncreationfortheweb,nolongerfortelevision.Infact,thefirstEcuadorianwebnove-la,Resaka.tv,1appearedincyberspaceatthesametimean-othernationalfictionalproductionwasconsolidatinginthatenvironment,Enchufetv, whichturnedintoanaudiencehitin itsYouTubechannelwheresomevideosexceedsevenmillionvisitors.
Whiletheincreaseofusersofthenetworkofnetworksmaybeexplainedwiththerelatedpublicpolicies,theupsurgeofthemiddleclassin35%between2003and2012mustalsobeconsideredsinceit has resources to purchase newdeviceswith access to Internet,particularlysmartphonesandtablets, whicharethestimulusforthefiction programs’ transmedia leap in digital TV channels, as theabovementionedwebnovelashows,andparticularlyEnchufetv. The
1 The producers say that it is the first in Latin America. See details in https://www.facebook.com/Resaktvhttp://www.quebakan.com/2012/08/30/noticias/fotos-resak-tv-la-primera-web-novela-producida-en-ecuador-el-itv-y-tc-mi-canal-siempre-a-la-vanguar-dia-de-la-evolucion.html.
230 | Obitel 2013
audiovisualconsumptiontrendisconfirmedwithpayTVthat,ac-cordingtotheSuperintendenceofTelecommunicationsofEcuador(SuperintendenciadeTelecomunicacionesdelEcuador–Supertel),in2012recordedmorethan500,000subscribers.
1.1. Open Television in EcuadorEcuadorstillhassevenopenVHFTVstations:TelevisoraNa-
cionalEcuavisa,Teleamazonas,RedTelesistema(RTS),andCanalUno,whichareprivatestations,andECTV,astate-ownedchannel,aswellastwoseizedchannels2thatarebeingadministeredbytheEcuadorState,TCTelevisiónandGamaTV,althoughsomesharesbelongtothechannels’workersandtheirprogrammingisinconsis-tentwithpublicmediacontents.
Chart 11 Open TV National Networks
Private stations (4) State-owned stations (1) Seized stations (2)
Teleamazonas EcuadorTV(ECTV) TCTelevisiónRedTelesistema(RTS)
TelevisoraNacional(Ecuavisa)TelevisióndelPacífico
(GamaTV)CanalUno
Total 7Source:Supertel-ObitelEcuador
1.2. Audience trends in 2012 InthisyearTVfictionprogramconsumptionwas49.3%.Co-
lombiantelenovelaEl capo 2 toppedEl combo amarillo, whichhasstrongpresenceasthenationalsitcom,whileTCTelevisiónappearstobetheleaderoffictionaudienceswithsevenworksinthetopten.Teleamazonas’realityPequeños gigantesholdsthethirdplaceinthe
2ThisclassificationisexclusivetoEcuadorandcorrespondstosuchTVchannels(GamaTV andTCTelevisión) that, as explained in 2011 and 2012ObitelYearbooks, wereseizedbytheStatein2008fromitsformerowners.EstéfanoandHenryIsaíasDassum,formershareholdersofFilanbanco,havenotpaidtheirdebtswiththeStateafterthe1999financialcrisis,knownas“feriado bancario”thatendedwiththeclosingofseveralbank-ingentities.
Ecuador – Fiction and humor move to the web | 231
generallistofpreferences,aftersoccer;however,comedyseriesarestillEcuadorianTVproduction’shighlight.
Onlytwositcomsareamongthetopten:Ecuavisa’sEl combo
Amarillo,3rdand2ndseason,rankedsecondandthird,respectively,withwhichiteliminatedTeleamazonas’La pareja felizfromthelistandpositionedMi Recinto(13thseason)last.CanalUnoreleasedthe2ndseasonofLos Compadritos; TeleamazonasreleasedAída,withaSpanishscript,adapted;andTClauncheditsweeklysitcomLos
Tostadams.GamaTVcontinuedwithitsweeklysketchesofPuro
Teatro andbroadcastinprimetimeEscobar, el patrón del mal(Car-acolTV),whichisthebiographyofoneofthebiggestColombiandruglords,andcompetedwithEl Capo 2, broadcastbyTC.
Ecuavisacontinuestobethechannelwiththehighestratings;and it improved itsposition in the fiction top tenbyrankingsec-ondandthirdwithEl combo amarillo,andseventhwithBraziliantelenovelaFina estampa. Ecuavisaalsoratifieditsrelevanceintheinformativegenrewithpoliticalprograms that reachedhighaudi-ence ratesdue to thecountry’s electoralperiod.3TCTelevisión’snewscast,wheresensationaljournalismprevails,alsorankedamongthetopten.
Chart 2. TV Channel Audience
Channel %Ecuavisa 7.0Teleamazonas 6.3GamaTV 3.6TCTelevisión 6.4RTS 6.1CanalUno 2.1Cable,otherdevicesandnetworks
14.0
Source:IbopeMedia-ObitelEcuador
3Inthelastquarterof2012EcuadorunderwentanelectoralcampaigntorenewnationalandparliamentaryauthoritiesonFebruary17,2013.Governmentpropagandaexpendi-tureescalated.InanotewritteninHoy(November2011),RafaelDávila,memberoftheAssembly, (fromMovimiento Conciencia Ciudadana) stated that theGovernmenthadprojectedUS$295.3million foradvertisingandpropagandaexpenditures in theStateGeneralBudgetfor2012.
14,0
6,3
6,4
7,0
ECUAVISA
Teleamazonas
GamaTV
TCTelevisión
RTS
CanalUno
Cable, other devices
andnetworks6,1
2,1 3,6
232 | Obitel 2013
Resak.tv,thefirstEcuadorianwebnovela,wasreleasedonAu-gust28,2012.ItwasproducedbyITV(InstitutoSuperiordeEstu-diosdeTelevisión)andTC,andincludes40chaptersthatlastafewminuteseach.4Itistargetedtoanaudiencerangingbetween14and22yearsold,asanewofferinaschedulewatchedbyyoungsters.ItwasalsoreleasedinFacebookandTwitter.
Ecuadorian Internet broadcasting began in December 2011withthetransmissionofshortfictionfilmsproducedbyEnchufetv,
whicharethemostwatchedinthecountry.Theshortfilmsboldlyandsarcasticallyparodydifferentday-to-daytopicsthatfilmmakerCamiloLuzuriaga (Chasqui, 2012:53) qualifies a cultural anthro-pophagicphenomenon.
Chart 3. Percentage Share
Channel Share %
Ecuavisa 15.5
Teleamazonas 13.8
GamaTV 8.0
TCTelevisión 14.0
RTS 13.5
CanalUno 4.6
Cable,otherde-vicesandnetworks
30.6
Source:IbopeMedia-ObitelEcuador
4Thescarceminutes(8-12)devotedtoeachchapterofwebnovelaResak.tv,aswithotherproductions,arerelatedtothefactthatInternetinEcuador“isnotfastenoughyettoup-loadlongvideos.”Seedetailsinhttp://www.elcomercio.com/entretenimiento/television-crea-programas-Web-jovenes_0_775722609.htmlaccess16-04-2013.
30,6
8,014,0
15,5
Ecuavisa
Teleamazonas
GamaTV
TCTelevisión
RTS
CanalUno
Cable,otherdevices
andnetworks
4,613,5
13,8
Ecuador – Fiction and humor move to the web | 233
Chart 4. TV Program Genres
Broadcast genres Broadcast hours %
Information 19,840:40 19.5
Fiction 44,936:05 44.7
Entertainment 12,528:25 12.3
Religious 2,041:30 2.0
Sports 6,042:10 6.0
Education 3,010:15 2.9
Politics 889:05 0.8
Others 10,821:25 1.7
Total 100,108:35 98.95
Source:IbopeMedia-ObitelEcuador
1.3. Advertising Investments of the Year: in TV and FictionAccording to the estimatesmade by Infomedia, an advertis-
ing statistics firm, in 2012 television captured 60%of the year’sadvertisinginvestment;thepress,23%;andtheradiobarely5%ofanestimatedtotalofUS$213millionofwhich13.2%,thesecondhighestexpenditureamount,wasusedtopromotepublicandsocialservices.Publicinstitutionsrankasthehighestinvestmentlevelpercategory,with11%,andtheNationalGovernmentwiththehighestexpenditureperadvertiser,7.2%,whichexceedsthefigurerecordedin2011(6.9%).5
Inastudyonadvertisinginvestmentsbetween2007and2011,theContentsGroupof theTechnical InterinstitutionalCommitteefortheIntroductionoftheDigitalTerrestrialTelevisioinEcuador(Grupo de Contenidos del Comité Interinstitucional Técnico para
la Introducción de la Televisión Digital Terrestre en Ecuador, in
5Itisimportanttoconsiderthatin2012,anelectionsyear,themaininvestorinadvertis-ingandpropagandawastheGovernmentandotherStateinstances.Inthefirstquarter,theGovernmentspentUS$12millioninadvertising,accordingtothereportofParticipación Ciudadana (PC), a monitoring NGO. http://www.participacionciudadana.org/pc10/in-dex.php?searchword=monitoreo+de+gastos&ordering=&searchphrase=all&Itemid=1&option=com_search.
234 | Obitel 2013
Spanish,orCITDT)concludedthattelenovelascaptured33%oftheresources,whichexplainswhyfictionshowsthehighestbroadcast-inghourlypercentage(Chart4);theinformativegenreappearswith20%followedbysportsprograms(nofiguresarepresented),6series,featurefilms,contests;andcomedies,barely4%.7
Besides traditional techniques, no merchandising strategieshavebeenused for thenational fictionprograms, i.e., advertisingproductsorservices.8
1.4. Communication PoliciesIn2012, the fourthversionof theCommunicationsLawwas
notpassedduetodiscrepanciesamongthedifferentpoliticalstake-holders and the obstinate polarization among the media and theholderoftheExecutiveFunction.Themainpublicpolicy,scarcelydisseminated, is the conversion to Digital Terrestrial Television(Televisión Digital TerrestreinSpanish,orTDT).TheMasterPlanfortheTransitiontoDigitalTerrestrialTelevisioninEcuadorwaspassed inOctober 2012,9 and the above-mentionedCITDT10wasestablished.Ciespal,throughtheAdvisoryCommitteeonResearch,Development,andInnovation(Comité Consultivo de Investigación,
Desarrollo e Innovación),supportsthisprocessandpromotestrain-ing on TDT audiovisual projects prior to analogical switch-offplannedfor2016.
6BoththeGovernmentandimportantnationalcorporationsusuallyadvertiseduringsoc-cergames’transmission:in2012,theGovernmentpaidsignificantamountsinadvertisingforthebroadcastingoftheLibertadoresdeAméricaCupandtheSouthAmericanCup.7SeeChart1 - Investment inAdvertising in2011 in theCITDT-GAC-2012-001RE-PORT,CurrentstatusoftheproductionofcontentsinEcuador,April19,2012.8Itmustbenoted,however,thattheprotagonistsofTeleamazonas’ssitcom La pareja felizparticipateaspersonsorintheroleofothercharacterstheycreatedintheadvertis-ingofanelectricalappliancestorethatisbroadcastbyalmostallopensignalchannels.9RESOLUTIONRTV-681-24-CONATEL2012issuedbyConsejoNacionaldeTeleco-municaciones.http://www.conatel.gob.ec/site_conatel/index.php?view=category&id=619%3Aresoluciones-2012&option=com_content&Itemid=61010CITDTisthetechnicalcoordinatingentityofalltheTDT’simplementationprocessinEcuadoruntiltheanalogicalswitch-offestablishedfor2016.
Ecuador – Fiction and humor move to the web | 235
AccordingtotheCITDT,oneaspectofpassinganalogicalTVtodigitalTVisaudiovisualcontentproductionforwhichitreliesontheContentsGroup.ThroughsamplingperformedonMarch2012,the Group deemed that the national TV operators’ programmingprivilegesforeignproductions,andthistrendhasstartedtoberati-fiedbyregionaltelevision.11DuringTDT’sadoptionprocess,publicchannelECTVandprivate regionalchannelOromar (provinceofManabí)turnedouttobethefirsttooperatewithdigitaltechnologyin2012.
1.5. Public TVIn2012theonlypublicchannel,ECTV,celebratedfiveyears
ontheair.Inthatyear,ISDB-T12wasadoptedfordigitalTVbroad-castingandthechannelbecamethefirsttotesthighdefinition(HD)signalsinQuito.TheGovernment-promotedtransitionprocessmustbeunderlined in thisprocesswith theestablishmentof theafore-mentionedCITDT;nevertheless,boththeofficialandthemedia’sinformationontheso-calledanalogicswitch-offhasbeendirectedtothetechnicalmattersofthelaunchingmorethantoinformingthecitizensontheimplicationsoftheconversion.
Thepublicchannel’s fictionprogramming included threeUSandCanadianseries,aswellasoneKoreanandoneJapanesetele-novela.13With regards tonationalproduction,ECTV included23programsindifferentformats,whichturneditintothechannelwiththehighestlevelofEcuadorianprogramming.Inthissense,thesta-
11Theregionalchannelprogramming isaddressedmostly tonews,sports,andvarietyshows;however,channelManavisión(provinceofManabí,Coast)hasnegotiatedthefirsttransmissionofaColombiantelenovela;in2011,anotherregionalchanneltransmittedanotherColombiantelenovela(Anuario Obitel 2012).CITDT’sGroupofContentsstatesthatthisprovince’sproductionofaudiovisualsandfictionfilmsisincreasingbutdonotreach themediaorconventionalbroadcastingandcommercializationcircuits.CITDT-GAC-2012REPORT.12ISDB(IntegratedServicesDigitalBroadcasting)isasetofrulescreatedbyJapanfordigitalradioandTVbroadcasting.13Unfortunately,IbopedoesnotincludeECTVamongitsclientsforbroadcastingmea-surement.
236 | Obitel 2013
tionissuedaninvitationtoproducefictionaudiovisualsanddocu-mentariesintheWorldConferenceINPUT2012,“TowardsSmartTV” (Conferencia Mundial INPUT 2012 “Hacia una televisióninteligente”).14
Ontheotherhand,althoughbothTCandGamaTVareadmin-isteredbytheState,theydonotworkwithintheconceptofpublictelevisionand,thus,showednochangeintheirprogrammingtrends,exceptforEduca TV.15Bothchannelsputtheaccentontelenovelas,particularly Venezuelan, Colombian (both by TC), andMexicanproductions(GamaTV).
Wemust stress that this year TC concentrated seven fictionprogramsamongthetopten.Itcontinuesproducingandbroadcast-ingtheseriesMi Recinto,anovelofmannersinits12thseason;ithashighratingsforthenationalfictionandhasbecomeapioneerwebnovelachannel(Resaka.tv). Likewise,GamaTVhasproducedthesecondseasonofPuro Teatro,fictionsketchesthatareairedev-erySaturdayat10PM.
1.6. Pay TVAccordingtotheNationalStatisticsandCensusInstitute(In-
stituto Nacional de Estadísticas y Censos,orInecinSpanish),in2012,1,906,670EcuadorianshadaccesstopayTV;16265compa-niessuppliedtheservicesnationwide.SuchcorporateproliferationgaverisetoSupertel’senactingaresolutionaimedtoeliminatepi-racycompanies;17suchactionleadthebigpaiyTVcompaniesun-
14InternationalPublicTelevision(INPUT)hastheworld’sbestaudiovisualproductionsandisavailableinEcuadorsince2008.15 Educa TV isproducedby theMinistryofEducationand transmittedby12nationalchannels.ItisalsopartofNCI,anIbero-Americancooperationentityforeducation,sci-ence,andculture,whichfacilitatesthedisseminationofnationalchannelsforeducationalpurposes.Seedetailsinhttp://www.nci.tv//index.phphttp://educacion.gob.ec/educa-tele-vision-para-aprender-iniciara-en-octubre/16Lastyear’samountofpayTVsubscriberswas453,969ofwhich10.5%usedterrestrialtelevision,20%usedsatellitecodifiedTV,while69.5%usedcableTV(Ecuadorinmedi-ato.com,2013).17Thename“pirates”referstoillegalcompaniesthatdonotpaytaxes.TheuseofthisservicewaspenalizedthroughArticle325oftheIntellectualPropertyLawwitharrestfrom
Ecuador – Fiction and humor move to the web | 237
dertakingstrategiestocapturetheaudiencethatleftillegalservices.TwentypercentofthetotalnumberofcompanieswasdominatedbyDirectTV18(Ecuadorinmediato.com,2013).
Thisyear,payTV’spublicsupply,throughagreementexecutedwithCorporaciónNacionaldeTelecomunicaciones (CNT)by theend of 2011, was provided under themodality of satellite-codedtelevision(CNTTV,2013).Thesupplyincludesnationalandinter-nationalTVchannelsatlowerpricesthanthoseofferedbyprivatecompaniesandwithcoverageintheentireEcuadoriancontinentalterritory.
1.7. Information Tecnology (IT) TrendsIn December 2012, the country’s Internet users reached
9,011,105(Supertel,2013.)Theriseinthenumberofhomeswithwirelessaccesswentfrom8.4%in2011to20%in2012,while,ac-cordingtoInec(2012),cableconnectiondroppedinusersperhome(from46.8%to24.5%).Inthisperspective, theMintelpositionedthecountryas theonewith the“highest Internetusabilitygrowthbetween2005and2012”,andstressedonthe10%riseofbroadbandpenetrationthroughouttheyear.Thisresultedfromtheimplemen-tationofMintel’s ITUniversalAccessProgramand theNationalBroadbandPlan,whichaimtoreach75%ofthepopulationby2017.
AccordingtoInec(2012),watchingtelevisionisthesecondac-tivitytowhichEcuadoriansdevotemostof their time,with12.75weeklyhours.Nonetheless,thenumberofhomesthatownacolorTVin2012droppedinrelationto2011,whichsuggestsachang-ingtrendtowardsInternet,1973.6%ofhomes.20Inecstatesthat36%
onemonthtooneyear,andfinesbetweenUS$657andUS$6,570(Ecuadorinmediato.com.)18SatellitetelevisioncompanymemberoftheDirectTVGroupInc.(DirecTV.com.ec).19 In this regard, theproductionof InstitutoSuperiordeEstudiosdeTelevisión (ITV)fromGuayaquilstandsoutasthefirstEcuadorianwebnovelapremieredinAugust2012byTCTelevisión.20AccordingtoRichardCruz,frommarketingfirmInTouch,theincreaseduseofInternetinEcuadorhasresultedin31%ofEcuadorianswatchinglesstelevision(DoctorTecno.com).
238 | Obitel 2013
of the population accesses the network for information purposes;28.2% for general communicationpurposes; 27.5% for educationandlearningpurposes;4.4%forotherpurposes;andonly3.8%forwork purposes. Likewise, the users of social networks place thecountryasnumber37intheworld’sFacebookusers,withoverfourmillionpersons(ElDiario.ec,2012);over700,000ofTwitterusers;and284,000inGoogle+users(DoctorTecno.com).
ThenationalsurveyonITs(Inec,2012)showedthat6.8millionEcuadorianshadatleastoneactivatedmobilephoneintheyear,i.e.,anincreaseof10%withregardsto2011.Theuseofsmartphonesroseto839,795persons,whichmeans60%inoneyear,641,914ofwhichusethemtoaccesssocialnetworksandtoaccessaudiovisualcontentsaswell.
2. Yearly analysis: premiere of national and Ibero-American fic-tion
In2012,106fictionproductionswerebroadcastin6ofthe7opensignalVHFchannels.Theyincluded4nationalseries,7inter-nationalseries,1nationaltelenovela,and44importedtelenovelasthatwere reruns; 7 national sitcoms, 1 national series, 5 interna-tionalseries,and40foreigntelenovelaswerepremiered.
By comparing the former year’s premiered productionswiththoseof2012,weseefictionhaslostonetitle.Innationalproduc-tions,comedyseriescontinued:La pareja feliz, Mi recinto, El com-
bo AmarilloandLos compadritos withnewseasons.Aída, Míster
Juramento and Los Tostadams were created, but La tremebunda
corte wastakenofftheair.
Ecuador – Fiction and humor move to the web | 239
Table 1: Fiction programs broadcast in 2012 (national and imported programs; premieres and reruns)
PREMIERE NATIONAL TITLES – 8
TC Televisión – 3 national titles1. Mi recinto–12thseason(sitcom)2.Míster Juramento(series)3.Los Tostadams(sitcom)Teleamazonas – 2 national titles4.La pareja feliz–3rdseason(sitcom)5.Aída(sitcom)Canal Uno – 1 national title6. Los compadritos–2ndseason(sitcom)Ecuavisa – 2 national titles (dos seasons)7. El combo amarillo - 2ndseason(sitcom)8. El combo amarillo 3D – 3rd season(sitcom)
PREMIERE IMPORTED TITLES – 45
TC Televisión – 17 imported titles1. La viuda joven(telenovela-Venezuela)2.El Joe, la leyenda(telenovela-Colombia)3.Natalia del mar(telenovela-Venezuela)4.Retrato de una mujer(telenovela-Colombia)5.Corazón apasionado(telenovela-Venezuela-USA)6.El man es Germán- 2ndseason(telenovela-Colombia)7.El árbol de Gabriel(telenovela-Venezuela)8.A mano limpia(telenovela-Colombia)9.¿Viejayo?(telenovela-Venezuela)10.El capo 2(telenovela-Colombia)11.Tres milagros(telenovela-Colombia)12.La Mariposa(telenovela-Colombia)13.La promesa(telenovela-Colombia)14.Dónde carajos está Umaña(telenovela-Colombia)15.La traicionera(telenovela-Colombia)16.Historias clasificadas(series-Colombia)17.Las profesionales a su servicio(series-Colombia)Teleamazonas - 4 imported titles18. Flor salvaje(telenovela–Venezuela,Colombia,USA)19.Por ella, soy Eva(telenovela-Mexico)20.La teniente(telenovela-Mexico)21.Amar y temer(telenovela-Colombia)Ecuavisa – 11 imported titles22. Rebelde(telenovela-Mexico)
RERUNS – 52
Gama TV1. La Rosa de Guadalupe–1stseason(series-Mexico)2.Marimar(telenovela-Mexico)3.Tu voz estéreo–4ªseason(series-Colombia)4.Un gancho al corazón(telenovela-Mexico)5.Mañana es para siempre(telenovela-Mexico)6.La Lola(telenovela-Peru)7.María Belén(telenovela-Mexico)8.Un cuento de navidad en Ecuador (series-Ecuador)9.Escalona(telenovela-Colombia)10.Rosa salvaje(telenovela-Mexico)11.Soy tu dueña(telenovela-Mexico)12.La ex(telenovela-Colombia)13.María Mercedes(telenovela-Mexico)14.María la del barrio(telenovela-Mexico)15.Mundo de fieras(telenovela-Mexico)16.Mujeres al límite(series-Colombia)17.Teresa(telenovela-Mexico)18.Tu voz estéreoII(series-Colombia)Teleamazonas19. Rosario tijeras(telenovela-Colombia)20.Oye bonita(telenovela-Colombia)RTS21. A cada quien su santo(series-Mexico)22.Lo que callamos las mujeres(series-Mexico)TC Televisión 23. Mi recinto–3rdseason(series-Ecuador)24.Alma indomable(telenovela-Venezuela)25.La mujer de mi vida(telenovela-Venezuela,USA)26.La dama de rosa(telenovela-Venezuela)27.Valeria(telenovela)(Venezuela-USA)28.Me enamoré de una pelucona(series-Ecuador)29.Fanatikda(telenovela-Ecuador)30.A mano limpia(telenovela-Colombia)31.Doña Bella(telenovela-Colombia,USA)32.Kassandra(telenovela-Venezuela)33.Rebeca(telenovela-Venezuela)
240 | Obitel 2013
*Specialcases:productionsbefore2012butpremieredlastyear.Source: Ibope Media - Obitel Ecuador
Inwhatconcernsrebroadcasting,TCTelevisiónleadthewaywith23 reruns.CanalUno inaugurateda spacecalledMujeres al
control inwhichitaired telenovelasproducedin1988,2003,and2004.TCalsohadmorepremieredfictionproductions:3nationalseriesand17importedtelenovelas.RTSwasattheotherend,withonlyonepremiere telenovela.Teleamazonas reduced itspremierefictionprogramming:threetitleslessthanin2011,butadaptedtheSpanishseriesAída.
23.La casa de al lado(telenovela-USA)24.Cuchicheos(telenovela-Brazil)25.Fina estampa(telenovela-Brazil)26.Relaciones peligrosas(telenovela-USA)27.El rostro de la venganza(telenovela-USA)28.El astro(telenovela-Brazil)29.Una maid en Manhattan(telenovela-USA)30.Maysa(series-Brazil)31.Los victorinos*(telenovela-USA)Gama TV – 13 imported titles32.La fuerza del destino(telenovela-Mexico)33.La que no podía amar(telenovela-Mexico)34.Dos hogares(telenovela-Mexico)35.Los canarios(telenovela-Colombia)36 Mariana y Scarlett(telenovela-Colombia)37.Tu voz estéreo(series-Colombia)38.Esperanza del corazón(telenovela-Mexico)39.Escobar, el patrón del mal(telenovela-Colombia)40.Abismo de pasión(telenovela-Mexico)41.Amor bravío(telenovela-Mexico-Chile)42.Primera dama*(telenovela-Chile)43.Como dice el dicho*(series-Mexico)44.Un refugio para el amor(telenovela-Mexico)RTS – 1 imported title45. Secretos del alma(telenovela-Mexico)
34.La traicionera(telenovela-Colombia)35.Natalia del mar(telenovela-Venezuela)36.El secretario(telenovela-Colombia)37.Historias clasificadas(series-Colombia)38.Válgame Dios(telenovela-Venezuela)39.Las santísimas(telenovela-Colombia)40.El Talismán(telenovela-Venezuela)41.Sacrificio de mujer(telenovela-Venezuela)42.Corazones blindados(telenovela-Colombia)43.La intrusa(telenovela-Venezuela)44.Entre tú y yo(telenovela-Venezuela)45.Mi ex me tiene ganas(telenovela-Venezuela)Canal Uno46.Estrambótica Anastasia(telenovela-Venezuela)47.Trapos íntimos(telenovela-Venezuela)48.Los compadritos(series-Ecuador)49.Juana la virgen(telenovela-Venezuela)50.Padre coraje(telenovela-Argentina)Ecuavisa51. Sin senos no hay paraíso(telenovela-Colombia,Mexico,USA)52.Oye bonita(telenovela-Colombia)
Total broadcast genres: 105
Ecuador – Fiction and humor move to the web | 241
Table 2. Fiction premiered in 2012: countries of origin
Country Titles % Chapters/Episodes % Hours %
NATIONAL 8 15.0 358 13.9 234:00 8.0IBERO-AMERICAN 45 85.0 2,206 86.1 2,686:45 92.0Argentina 0 0 0 0 0 0Brazil 4 7.5 219 8.6 237:00 8.1Chile 2 3.8 110 4.2 112:55 3.9Colombia 17 32.1 1,124 43.9 1,083:10 37.0ECUADOR 8 15.0 348 13.6 234:00 8.0Spain 0 0 0 0 0 0USA(Hispanicproduc-tion)
7 13.2 264 10.2 266:05 9.2
Mexico 11 20.9 389 15.2 883:50 30.2Peru 0 0 0 0 0 0Portugal 0 0 0 0 0 0Uruguay 0 0 0 0 0 0Venezuela 4 7.5 110 4.2 103:00 3.6LatinAmerican(Obitel) 40 72.7 1,917 74.8 1,962:45 67.2LatinAmerican(notObitel)
0 0 0 0 0 0
Otherproductionsandco-productionsofotherLatinAmericancountries
0 0 0 0 0 0
Total 53 100.0 2,564 100.0 2,920:45 100.0Source:IbopeMedia-ObitelEcuador
AsTable2shows,premierenationalfictionwasbroadcastinatotalof234hours,thatis,morethan40hoursabovetotalhoursin2011.Thepremierefictionbroadcasttimewas8%.
Within92%ofthetotalbroadcastimportedfiction,2,686hoursand 45minutes were accounted for Ibero-American productions.Thetotalof2,920:45includesadvertising,whichmustbesuitableforallaudiencesfrom6AMto9PM.
Whilethereisnoregulationinplacetosetanadvertisingper-centageperprogram,CITDT(2012:9)determinedthattelenovelasconcentratearound33%oftheadvertisinginvestmentwithregardstoothergenresandformats,suchasnews,comedy,varietyshows,sports, information magazines, children’s programs, movies, andcontests.
242 | Obitel 2013
Accordingtotheorigin,Colombiarankedfirstwith17produc-tions(1,083:10),broadcastbyTC(13),GamaTV(4)andTeleama-zonas(1);itwasfollowedbyMexico,with11productions(883:50),broadcastbyGamaTV(8),Teleamazonas(2),EcuavisaandRTS(1each);Brazil,with4(237:00),broadcastbyEcuavisa;Venezuela,with4(103:00),broadcastbyTC;USA,inco-productionwithVen-ezuelaandColombia,with4(152:40),broadcastbyTeleamazonasandTC;USA in Spanish,with 3 (161:00), broadcast byTC andEcuavisa.
Ecuador – Fiction and humor move to the web | 243
Table3.C
hapters/episodesandhoursbroadcastpertimeslot
Tim
e sl
ots
Nat
iona
lIb
ero-
Am
eric
anT
otal
C/E
%H
%C/E
%H
%C/E
%H
%Morning(06:00–12:59)
00
00
5524
48:10
1.7
552.1
48:10
1.7
Afternoon(13:00–18:59)
00
00
299
13.7
313:15
11.6
299
11.7
313:15
10.7
Primetim
e(19:00–22:59)
358
100
234:00
100
1,685
76.3
2,216:45
82.7
2,043
79.7
2,450:45
83.9
Night(23:00–02:00)
00
00
167
7.6
108:35
4.0
167
6.5
108:35
3.7
Tot
al35
810
023
4:00
100
2,20
610
02,
686:
4510
02,
564
100
2,92
0:45
100
Source:IbopeM
edia-ObitelE
cuador
Table4.N
ationalIbero-Americanfictionform
ats
For
mat
sN
atio
nal
Iber
o-A
mer
ican
Tit
les
%Chap/Ep
%H
ours
%T
itle
s%
Chap/Ep
%H
ours
%T
elen
ovel
a0
00
00
043
91.4
1,988
90.2
2,510:00
93.5
Seri
es8
100
358
100
234:00
100
48.6
218
9.8
176:45
6.5
Min
iser
ies
00
00
00
00
00
00
TVfilm
00
00
00
00
00
00
Uni
tary
00
00
00
00
00
00
Doc
udra
ma
00
00
00
00
00
00
Oth
ers
00
00
00
00
00
00
Tot
al8
100
358
100
234:
0010
047
100
2,20
610
02,
686:
4510
0Source:IbopeM
edia-ObitelE
cuador
244 | Obitel 2013
Onceagainprimetime(19:00–22:59)outdidothertimeslotsinbothbroadcasthours(2,450:45)andchapters(2,043).Allnationalcomedies,whichheldthreeofthetoptenpositions,werebroadcastinthistime.Inthemornings,atimeslotwithlessconcentrationofchapters and hours, two telenovelas (¿Vieja yo?andSecretos del
alma)werebroadcast,with55chaptersand48:10hours.Fourpro-ductionswerebroadcast in thenight slot (Los Victorinos, Maysa,
Las profesionales a su servicio, and Tu voz estéreo), with299chap-tersand313:10hours.Theaveragedurationperchapterinnationalserieswas40minutesand61minutesforimportedtelenovelas.
Asin2011,thisyeardidnotshowformatdiversityinthena-tionalfictionproduction,sinceTCTelevisión,Teleamazonas,Ecu-avisa,andCanalUnowerelimitedtoseries.Theinternationalpro-ductionpresented43telenovelasand4series.
While telenovelas confirmed its supremacy, Ecuadormovedawayfromfictionproductions,unlike theneighborcountries.21 In2011,televisionbroadcastsincluded49importedtelenovelas,1im-portedseries,3nationalseries,and1nationalfictioncomedy.NoneoftheEcuadorianproductionsweretransmittedabroad.
Table5.Nationalfictionformatspertimeslot
Formats Mor-ning % After-
noon % Prime time % Night % To-
tal %
Telenovela 2 100 11 100 29 100 1 100 41 77.3Series 0 0 1 0 8 100 3 100 12 22.7
Miniseries 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0TVfilm 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0Unitary 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0Docu-drama 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
Others 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0Total 2 100 12 100 37 100 4 - 53 100
Source:IbopeMedia-ObitelEcuador
21AccordingtothedatafromAnuario Obitel 2012, Colombiaproduced10telenovelasandVenezuela6.
Ecuador – Fiction and humor move to the web | 245
Consideringfictiontimeperiod,thepresentconcentrates87.2%ofproductions.Thefollowingproductionsaresetinthepast:Co-lombiantelenovelasAmar y temer, Escobar, el patrón del mal, and
El Joe, la leyenda; BrazilianseriesMaysa; andthenationalproduc-tionsMíster Juramento and Los Tostadams. TheColombianproduc-tion La Pola ishistorical.
Table6:Timeperiodoffiction
Time period Titles %Present 46 86.8Epochal 6 11.3Historical 1 1.9Others 0 0.0
TOTAL 53 100.0Source:IbopeMedia-ObitelEcuador
Colombian productions, and RCN as the producer, continueleadingtheratingswithsixofthetenmostwatchedsoapoperasinEcuador.Nationalproductionsheld threeplaces and improved inrelationto2011:El combo amarillo(Ecuavisa)heldthesecondandthird places, deletedLa pareja feliz (Teleamazonas) from the listanddisplacedMi Recinto(TC)tothelastplace.
Table 7. The 10 most watched titles: origin, rating, share
Title
Country of origin
of original idea or sketch
Pro-ducer
Chan-nel
Name of original idea’s scriptwriter or
author
Rating Share
1 El capo 2 Colombia RCN TC GustavoBolívar 13.7 21.5
2
El combo amarillo 3D(3rdseason)
Ecuador EcuavisaEcu-avisa
ChristianCortés,MiguelCalero,Cecil
Estacio
13 22.2
3El combo amarillo(2ndseason)
Ecuador EcuavisaEcu-avisa
ChristianCortés,
MiguelCalero,CecilEstacio
12.9 21.3
246 | Obitel 2013
4El Joe, la leyenda
Colombia RCN TCAndrésSal-gado,Natalia
Ospina12.2 17.4
5Corazón apasionado
Venezuela-USA
Ve- nevisiónInterna-cional
TC AlbertoGómez 11.9 17.3
6Tres Mila-gros
ColombiaTeleset/RCN
TCCarlosDuplatLuz,MarielaSantofimio
11.7 16.2
7Fina estampa
Brazil OGloboEcu-avisa
AguinaldoSilva 11.3 16.9
8La Mari-posa
ColombiaFoxTele-colombia/RCN
TCAugustoRamírez
10.9 15.8
9El man es Germán
Colombia RCN TC
JuanManuelCáceresNiño,HéctorAlejan-droMoncada
10.9 15.5
10Mi Recinto (13th sea-son)
Ecuador TC TCFernandoVil-
larruel10.6 16.9
Total Productions: 10 Foreign Scripts: 7
100% 70%
Source:IbopeMedia-ObitelEcuador
Sitcoms prevail in the top ten national productions and tele-novelasininternationalproductions.Thetenwerebroadcastatpeaktime,i.e.,7:00PMto10:59PM.
Table 8. Top ten: format, length, time slot
Title Format GenreNumber of chap./ep.(in 2012)
Datesoffirstand last issue
(2012)
Time slot
1 El capo 2Tele-novela
Drama 3407/08-
31/12(cont.)Primetime
2El combo amarillo (3rdseason)
SeriesCom-edy
8701/09-31/12
(cont.).Primetime
3El combo amarillo (2ndseason)
SeriesCom-edy
76 02/01-31/08Primetime
4 El Joe, la leyendaTele-novela
Drama 6 01/01-09/01Primetime
Ecuador – Fiction and humor move to the web | 247
5Corazón apasio-nado
Tele-novela
Ro-manticdrama
114 09/01-25/06Primetime
6 Tres MilagrosTele-novela
Drama 54 06/02-05/06Primetime
7 Fina estampaTele-novela
Drama 631/10-
31/12(cont.)Primetime
8 La MariposaTele-novela
Drama 59 23/04-16/07Primetime
9El man es Germán (2ndseason)
Tele-novela
Drama38 01/01-24/02
Primetime
10Mi Recinto(13th season)
SeriesCo- medy
37 22/04-31/12
Primetime(Sun-days)
Source:IbopeMedia-ObitelEcuador
Regarding the prevailing topics, love, friendship, disillusion,intrigueandhatearepresentinthefivemostwatchedimportedpro-ductions.Butaudiencesarealsoattractedtothelaughablesituationsofthenationaltoptensitcoms.
In2011theprevailingsocialtopicswereviolence,familynon-communication and machismo; while in 2012 the attraction wasaround drug traffic and its influence in a country’s political life.Thiswas the social problematic addressed inColombian produc-tionsEl Capo andLa Mariposa. El Joe, la leyenda changed thistrendtotheconsequencesoffameandpower,as wellas theeco-nomicpowerofrecordlabels.
Table 9. Prevailing themes in the 10 most watched titles
Titles Prevailing topics Social topics
1 El capo 2
Thelifeofadrugtraf-ficker,policeinvestigation,personalandaffectionate
relations,violence
Drugtrafficanditseffect,influ-enceinColombia’spolitics,
socialviolence
2El combo ama-rillo 3D(3rd season)
Laughabledailylifeandurbanworksituations
andanecdotes;companyhabitationofyoungsters,
friendships
Workrelations,waysoflivinginthepoorestsectors,regionalandlanguagedifferences
248 | Obitel 2013
3El combo ama-rillo (2ndseason)
Laughabledailylifeandurbanworksituations
andanecdotes;companyhabitationofyoungsters,
friendships
Workrelations,waysoflivinginthepoorestsectors,regionalandlanguagedifferences
4El Joe, la ley-enda
Biographyofthefamoussinger,salsamusic’s
success,love,disappoint-ments,rivalry
Musicalcareercompetition,casesofsuccessandfame,
recordlabels’economicpower,socialdifferences
5Corazón apasio-nado
Lovedisappointments,loverivalry,socialclass
differences
Rurallife,familyrelations,con-sequencesofastricteducation
inpsychology
6 Tres MilagrosLoveandhate,superstition,
intrigue,passion
Representationofsocialclassesandtheirconflicts,relevance
offamily
7 Fina estampaDailylife,love,hate,
familyandworkrelations,differencebetweenwomen
Socialmobilityandpromotion,breakinggenderstereotypesinwork,struggleforsurvival,life
ethics
8 La MariposaUnexpectedlove,passion,money,power,police
investigations
Drugtrafficandmoneylaun-dering,internationalizationofabusinessinallsocialclasses
9El man es Germán (2ndseason)
Friendship,loveintrigue,adventures
Popularandneighborhoodcul-turefullofmachoexpressions,
father-sonrelations
10Mi Recinto(13thseason)
Humor,adventures,wayoflivingintheruralCoast,interpersonalandmanand
womenrelations
Coastpeasant(Montubios)customs,knowledgeofthecountry,approachtonational
problems,machismo
Source:IbopeMedia-ObitelEcuador
In the gender audience profile,El Capo capturedmoremen(5.8points) thanwomen (4.7points);womenappear as themainconsumersoftelenovelas,mainlyofTres milagros.
Regardingage,thereweredifferencesamongthegroupsrang-ingbetween3-11,12-17,andabove18yearsold.Thefirst,upperandupper-middleclass,preferrednationalproductionEl combo am-
arillo.Adultsoptedforforeigntelenovelas:upperclasswomen(A)anduppermiddleclasswomen(B)optedforBrazilian telenovelaFina estampa,whilemenpreferredColombiantelenovelaEl Capo,
whichwastheexception,sincewomenaudiencesprevailedintheothertoptenproductions.
Ecuador – Fiction and humor move to the web | 249
Table10.Audienceprofileforthetop10titles: gender, age, socioeconomic level
Titles Chan-nel
Gender per age group Socioeconomic levelM/W3-11 Total
M/W12-17 Total
Women 18+
Total
Men 18+
Total
AB 3-11
AB 12-17
W AB 18+
M AB 18+
El capo 2 TC 4.3 4.8 4.7 5.8 2.7 3.2 3.3 4.2El combo amarillo 3D
Ecua- visa
6.3 5.5 5.4 3.1 5.6 4.5 5.2 3.2
El combo amarillo (2nd sea-son)
Ecua- visa
6.3 6 5.3 2.8 6 5.4 5.3 2.9
El Joe, la leyenda
TC 4.7 3.6 5.9 4.4 2.1 2.9 4.4 2.7
Corazón apasio-nado
TC4.7 4.4 5.9 4.2 2.5 1.8 3.5 1.7
Tres Mila-gros
TC3.8 5.4 6.5 3.9 2.7 3.2 4.9 2.1
Fina estampa
Ecua- visa
2.5 2.2 6.1 3.3 2.2 2.6 7.64.1
La Mari-posa
TC2.8 3.3 5.8 4.6 1.9 1.4 4.3 2.3
Source:IbopeMedia-ObitelEcuador
3. Transmedia receptionIn 2012, a phenomenon of audience capture beyond the formal
audiovisual environment took place. The most innovating trend in Ecuador is fiction and comedy produced for Internet and its new audiences, i.e., an online fiction production that takes advantage of the new ITs and the new media.
The sketches ofTouchéFilms, producedbyEnchufetv, havecrossed borders and received comments from several Spanish-speakingcountries.Theyarerenewedtwiceperweek:onTuesdaysandSundaystheyuploadanewfictionprogramandonThursdaystheypromotewhatwillcomenext.These fictionproductions lastfrom2 to5minutes, besides those that last less thanoneminute
250 | Obitel 2013
called microyapas,22andreachalmost2million YouTubesubscrib-ersandvisitorswhohavereproducedthedifferentvideos250mil-liontimes.23ThesefigureshaveturnedEnchufetv intothemostpop-ularchannelinEcuadorandLatinAmerica,includingvisitorsusingcloudcomputing.
Itsmembers,peoplespecializedinthefilmindustry,areunder30yearsoldwhohaverapidlyconsolidatedaninnovatingproposalin fictioncomedybeyondborders–critical ironyofcustomsandthoughts.
ThisnewpathfollowedbyEcuadorianfictionproductionandbroadcasting is largelydue to theopportunities thatweb2.0pro-vides in publishing videos in cost-free available platforms and isalsosubjecttotransmediationtootherdigitalmeans,reproductionsorlinks.
The creators ofEnchufetv studied at Instituto Superior Tec-nológico de Cine y Actuación, Incine, with its headquarters inQuito.MartínDomínguez,CristianMoya, JorgeUlloa,LeonardoRobalino andAndrésCenteno said that their productions seek to“takemoviestoInternet”,toend“traditionalhumor”andremindedthat“theworstsituationsinlifearethefunniest”.24Theyalsosaiditishardtomakeourwaywithnewideasintraditionalmedia.Infact,theysubmittedtheirproposaltothetelevision,butforsomechan-nelsitistoobold.
ThefirstYouTubebroadcastingwasonNovember13,2011,withthetitle“El peor casting”.Uptodate,25theyhave138videosthatincludethefollowing:
22“Yapa”isaKichwatermthatmeansincreaseorhelp;usedinEcuadorasanadditionalamountofproductdeliveredbythesellertothebuyeratnocost.InotherLatinAmericancountriesitisknownas“ñapa”.23OnApril22,2013,at theclosingof thisobservation,YouTube recorded1,795,270subscribersand246674,862reproductions;500,000dailyvisitsareestimated.24“TVsaidno,but78milliondevisitorssayyes”.Revista Expresiones, Diario Expreso. October22,2012.http://www.expresiones.ec/ediciones/2012/10/23/gente/nacional/la-tv-les-dijo-no-pero-78-millones-de-vistas-les-dicen-si/.25ThelastobservedweekwasonSunday,April14,2013.ThelastdayofobservationwasonSaturday,April20,2013.
Ecuador – Fiction and humor move to the web | 251
• Promos:Brieftrailers(45secondslong)ofthesketchestobebroadcastinthenextdays;
• Sketches:Fictionproductionsfrom3to7minutesand30se- conds.
• Microyapas: Short sketches ranging between 20 and 60 se- condslong.Theyalsohaveawebpage(www.enchufe.tv),aFacebookac-
countwith745,724likes,andaTwitteraccountwith148,153fol-lowers,allofwhichhavehighinteractionlevels.Nevertheless,wecould not speakof transmediation itself – the producer links onenetwork to anotherwithout adapting its fiction programs to eachone’sspecialfeatures.
Table11.Transmediafiction,typesof interaction and prevailing practices
Se-lected fiction
TV sta-tion(pro-
ducer)
Internet sites
Types of transmedia interaction
Interac- tivity levels
Users’ pre- vailing prac-
tices
En-chufetv
TouchéFilms
Officialwebpagewww.enchufe.tv Facebook ac-countwww.facebook.com/enchufetvTwitter accounthttps://twitter.com/enchufetvYouTubehttps://www.youtube.com/user/enchufetv
Viewing PassiveCommentsInterpretationRemixParodyRecommenda-tionImitationCelebrationCritiqueCollectionStorageCompartmentDiscussion
Transmedia viewing
Active
Real-time interactive
Viewing Network
interactive
Creative Interactiv-
ity
Source:Internet-ObitelEcuador
Thefollowingaretheweeklyobservationresults:VideoAntes y ahora–Average:126,802dailyviews.“Like”:
3.345dailyaverage.“Don’tlike”:62dailyaverage.Weeklycomments:1.938.(https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YzWR3mGMzS0)
252 | Obitel 2013
VideoEl ahorcado(microyapa)–Average:47.237dailyviews.“Like”:807dailyaverage.“Don’t like”:48dailyaverage.Week-ly comments: 602. (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QFNK vgTFGqk).
3.1. Selected comments, interpretation, and qualitative analysisTherearecommentswithcongratulationsandcritiques.They
mostlyrefertothepartofthesketchtheythoughtwasthefunniest:theyalsocongratulateorquestionthequalityofthecontents.Amongthe1,938commentsofthevideoAntes y ahora, whichcomparesthechangesincustomsandrelationships–theproducer’sfavoritetopic,whichitaddressesinaboldway–,somearerelatedtomachismo.
Commentsfromothercountriesarealsoregistered,particularlyfromPeru,Mexico,andColombia.Theinteractionisrelevantbe-causeitisnotlimitedtocommentsorlaughswrittenintext(haha-ha),butestablishesdialoguesthatreachlevelsthatdifferfromwhatiscommonlyseen insocialnetworks,as these twofromSuperY-apitaandZeroz45.
“It’s not that women sleep with men. BOTH MEN ANDWOMEN rushwithout consideringwe could catch venereal dis-eases…Andit’snotonlyyouwhoenjoy;womenarealsohumanwithorgasmsanddesires,andwealsoenjoy…let’savoidmachocomments.”
“Every change came fromwomenwhen theyacquiredmorepower…more freedom…theyreally care less what society thinks and fuckand fuck nonstop hahahaha... any problem?Noooo,it’sbetterforusmen.”
Thepromovideoshows602comments,mostofwhichexpresslaughsorexpectationsonthefictionthatwillbepublished.Inthiscase,thoserelatedtoonecomment’sspellingerrorsdrawouratten-tion,e.g.:
Ecuador – Fiction and humor move to the web | 253
“Sorry, but I think you made some mistakesin Spanish: “BilingÜe” [Bilingual] is writtenwithadieresis;“Hablas”[talk]iswrittenwithan H before the A; “te Ves”[see yourself] is writtenwithaV,notwithaB;and,ofcourse,“inglés”[English] has an accent. I don’t thinkyou should insult people that way, as if youwere superior... oh! And by the way, Bilin-gualkid,“Loser”[inEnglish]onlyhasoneO.Sincerely:atruebilingual[person].” (William SánchezCoronel)“IDON’TTHINKTHEVIDEOWASTHATAWESOME BECAUSE PEOPLE LIKEFIGHTINGINTHECOMMENTSBETTER...HUMANS… THIS IS WHY THERE ARESENSELESSWARS.”(davidcadenazavaleta8) [sic]
4. Highlights of the yearTheEcuadorianTVfictiongenrereinforcedthesitcomsand,
forthesecondconsecutiveyear,telenovelaproductionwasabsentinopensignalchannels.Twonewcomedyseriesaddedtothelistregisteredin2011and2012:Aída (Teleamazonas)andLos Tostad-
ams(TC),althoughtheyhadnorelevantpositionsinthepreferencelevels.Onthecontrary,El combo amarillo(Ecuavisa)holdstwoofthefirstthreetoptenplacesasofitssecondseason.
Theyear’shighlights,thus,arenotinanewTVfictionformat,wherethesitcomhasturnedintoacommonproductionforEcuador-ianaudiovisuals;andneitherincontentsorresources,sincehumorhasclearlybecomethemostcommontooltoconcentrateaudiences.
Therefore,wecandeductthatthemostrelevantformatin2012isinwhatwewillcalltransmedia fiction,ortheuseofothermedia,i.e.,disseminationplatformscreatedbythenewInternettechnolo-gies,asthementionedcaseofEnchufetv anditsYouTubechannel,
254 | Obitel 2013
whichincludessketches,irreverentandsarcasticparodiesmainlyonrelationshipsbut,ingeneral,dealwithdailylifeaspects.
AboveallisthefirstEcuadorianwebnovela,alsopromotedasthefirstinLatinAmerica,26 Resaka, sponsoredandfinancedbyTCTelevisión,whichcanalsobewatchedonthewebpage.Theidea,thescriptandallmomentsoftheproductiontookplaceattheInsti-tutoSuperiordeEstudiosdeTelevisión,ITV,withitsheadquartersinGuayaquil.27Althoughtheprojectdatesbacksto2008andwasoriginallyconceivedasaminiseriesforopenTV,differentproblemsdelayeditsstartupuntilitcametrueforInternetwithpublicationofthefirstchapterinthewebpagecreatedtothisend(http://www.resak.tv).The40chaptersthatmakeupthewebnovelaareallinthataddresswithadurationrangingbetween8and12.5minuteseach.Theywereuploadedthreetimeseveryweek.Asecondseasonhasbeenannounced.
AccordingtoITV’sAccountabilityReport2012(RendicióndeCuentasdelITV2012),28aresearchwasperformedforitsproduc-tionwithover300youngstersupto25yearsold,whichillustratedtheyounggroups’trendto“watchTVlessanddevotemoretimetotheuseofINTERNET[sic],itswebsites,andsocialnetworks.”
Thisfact,whichwastheproject’sstartup,wassupplementedwith theproof thatopensignalTVchannelsdidnotproduceanytelenovelain2012.Foritsproduction,ITVinvestedahighamountinthepriorpurchaseofahighdefinitionmobileunit;andthegen-eralbudget(US$85,000)wasinvestedbyTCTelevisiónthat,ac-cordingtotheafore-mentionedreport,gavegreatrelevancetothepremiereinitswebpage.
26PerhapsthefirstinLatinAmericawithspecializedproduction,asifaddressedtoformalTV.However,thereareonlinenewsaboutAmalia y Poncho, byUnivisión(LosAngeles&Miami),premieredinJune,whiletheEcuadorianproductioncameoutinAugust2012.27ITVisaTVproductionanddirectionformationinstitutecreatedin1993,whichhasearnedincreasingprestigeandgrantsannualawardstothebestTVproductionsindif-ferentcategories.ItisassociatedtoTCTelevisión.Seedetailsinhttp://www.itv.edu.ec/index.html.28Seedetailsinhttp://www.itv.edu.ec/documentos/rendicioncuentas/rendicion2012.pdf.
Ecuador – Fiction and humor move to the web | 255
Forsomeyearsnow,ITVandTCTelevisiónhavekeptcloseworkrelations.Therefore, it isnotsurprisingtosee that theweb-novela’s budget came from a state-administered channel that hashighratingsandconcentratesthelargestnumberofhighlyviewedtelenovelas;thathasanationalcomedyseries,Mi Recinto,thathasremainedinthetoptenformanyyears;andthat,togetherwithEcu-avisa,havemarkedEcuador’swayinrelationtofictionproductionsandevencompeteamongeachotherinthisfield29andinratingsaswell,althoughtheirtargetsaredifferent.30
ThelinkbetweenITVandTC,aswellasthefinancingcom-mitment,meant that thewebnovelaproductionhad tobe thoughtassomekindofexperiment,withregardstotheaudienceaswell.InthewordsofAlfredoAdum,executiveproducerofResaka andITVdirector, interviewedonthedayofits launching(August28,2012),“theideaisforit tobecomeaTVtelenovelainaclosefu-ture.We put the stakes in a reverseway to assure its success inTVthroughyouth’swebpreferences.”Healsosaidthatthereisno“youngsterintheworldwhoisnotlinkedtotheweb”(ElPopular,2012).
Infact,tobesupportedon,andparticularlytargetting,youngaudiencesisalsowhatwouldexplainthesuccessofEnchufetv, ana-lyzedabove.BecauseevenifcomediesarestillthemainsourceofEcuadorianfiction,theuseofthesenewplatformsattractsmoreat-tentionfromtheyoungpeoplewho,itseems,haveotherdemands.
InthecaseofEnchufetv, aswesaidabove,itisaparodyofdailylifewhere sarcasmand irreverenceprevail. “Wewanted tomakeporno,butourmothersdidn’tletus”,theyteaseintheirFacebookaccount(https://www.facebook.com/enchufetv).Thereis,hence,a
29 For example, two fiction dramatized productions on yellow chronic or criminalitytransmittedalmostsimultaneouslywerePasado y confeso,byEcuavisa,andArchivos del destino, byTC,referencedbelow,inthesectionregardingtheyear.30BothchannelshavetheirmainofficesinGuayaquil;Ecuavisa’spreferencesaremainlyurbanmiddleandupperclass,whileTC’sareurban-marginalinthecityandothersmalltownsandrurallocalities,whatexplainsthepermanencyofMi Recinto amongthetopten.
256 | Obitel 2013
causticlook,sometimesblackhumor,aroundtherealitiesofyoung-stersofmiddlesocioeconomicclasses inQuito, inparticular,andonmen-womenrelations,whichalsorevealavisionthatcouldbeconsideredsexist.
Nevertheless, the result of these fiction productions thoughtuponInternet’sdisseminationfacilities–becauseTVchannelsclosedtheirdoorsonthem,astheyoungproducersofEnchufetv, whocreat-edtheirownproducerrevealed–isthattheyarealsointhecloud,i.e.,notonlyfornationalaudienceconsumption.OnthecontraryofthesketchesofQuitoproducerTouchéFilms,thechaptersofResaka, byITV,aneducationalinstitutionassociatedtoaTVchannel,havenotreachedthemillionaireaudiencelevelsofthelatter.
ThiscouldbeduetothefactthatResaka’scontentsaremoretraditional,althoughtheydeclareditaddressescurrentdailyprob-lemsthatyoungstersconfront,i.e.,drugmafiasconductedbysmallorbigdruglords.
In summary, the stakes are on anothermedia, not on differ-entcontentsthatcontributetobreaktheprevailingparameters.ThisisillustratedbyfollowupandreproductionsdisseminationdatabyApril26,2013: thewebnovelahas itsownwebpage, aFacebookfanpage,with810 likes, oneYouTubechannelwith16videos–notthe40chapters–,100subscribers,andonly7,300reproductions(https://www.youtube.com/user/RESAK2012?feature).
5. Topic of the year: social memory and television fictionUntilwriting appeared, oralitywas the privileged support of
socialmemory.Theadventofwritingallowedrecordingthiscollec-tivememory’stracksinamoresystematicandrelativelyaccurateway.Furtheron,photography,filming,andtelevisionenabledfeed-ingthissocialmemorywithaudiovisualelementsthatopenednewwaysofbuildingsocialmemory:audiencestakepublichappeningstheyconsiderimportantastheirown,theyremindthefactstheydidnot live personally, andnewsor fiction canbecomepart of theirlivesonlybecausetheyarebroadcastintelevision.
Ecuador – Fiction and humor move to the web | 257
Speeches,hence,acquirepublicvalidityandtheyareremem-beredinthisway.Furthermore,certaineventscanbecomepartofthesocialmemorybecausetheaudiovisualmediadiversifythegoalsoftheparticipatinginformationsourcestobuildthecontemporaryhistoricmemoryand,inthisway,theyallowsomekindofdemo-craticdisseminationofhistoricaccounts.
Thearrivalofaudiovisualmedia, suchasmovies, television,videos and, now, digitalmeans, generates “newways of shapingmemorywhichareanunavoidablepart,someinstantlyandothersvirtually,oftheglobalworld’sdailylife”(Guarini,2002).Audiovi-suals,thus,influencememoryintwoways,ononehandthemediabecomeanunlimitedsourceofelementstorememberand,ontheotherhand,audiovisual filesbecomea significant support for thesocialconservationofthecomponentsthataccountforhistory.Inotherwords,audiovisualshaveadoublefunction:processandsup-port.
Ecuadorian television isasupport forsocialmemorysince ithasnumberlessrecordingsonsocial,economic,andpoliticalreal-itymadeforthenews.Fiftyyearslater,eachchannelhasitsownaudiovisualmaterials,whicharediamondsintheroughtobuildthecountry’ssocialmemory.However,fromtheperspectiveoffictionTV, the situation isdifferent. Ifweunderstand socialmemoryastalesfullyorpartiallyoccurredinthenearorremotepast,Ecuador-ianproductionsarescarce.ThisispartiallyduetothefactthatEc-uadorianTVlacksitsownsustainedfictionproductionandbecausenocapacitieshavebeendevelopedforsuchproduction,whetherfortechnicalorfinancialreasons,ordifferentperspectives(Obitel 2011
Yearbook).Regardlessofthisdeficit,someproductionscanbein-cludedinthesocialmemory,whichweanalyzeinthreemoments:
1. 1960–1980 First experiences: Ecuadorian TV, with itsbirthcertificatein1960,triedtofinditsownpersonalityinthefirsttwodecades.Inthisway,thefirstnationalfictionsappear,someofwhichfromtheperspectiveofsocialmemory,asthecaseofthefirst
258 | Obitel 2013
fictionproductionofthecurrentRedTelesistema(RTS),31withtheseries Narcisa de Jesús(1961);thecaseofEcuavisaTVchain,withtheseriesEl Cristo de nuestras angustias(1967);andofTeleama-zonas’stelenovelaLa casa de los Lirios(1974).
TheseTV fiction productions based on socialmemory seekto recover Ecuadorian religious customs and traditions, as op-posedto“moderntimes”thecountrywasstartingtoliveandthatfor someentailed the riskof losingsuch traditions.A telenovelaonthebiographyofNarcisadeJesúsMartilloMorán,aladyfromtheGuayaquilofthe19thcenturywhowasturnedintothemodelsecularcatechist,canbeclearlyidentifiedwiththefirstmentionedproductions.32
Thesefirstproductionsrepresentedareligiousandtraditional-istEcuadoriansocietyatthetimeofitsissuance.Wecouldsay,thus,thattheyemphasizeondevelopinga“conservative”socialmemorybasedoncharactersandstoriesthatsoughttoreflectanddeepenthepeoplesreligiousness;theygenerateonesinglespeechbypresentinglifemodelstofollow,sincealmostallfictionproductionsareaimedtounderscoreandevenidolizethemaincharacter’sreligiousvalues.
Inthe80’s,inspiteofsomeeffortstoimprovethequalityoffictionproductions,noneofthesearebasedonsocialmemory.
2. The 90’s: An encounter between literature and TV fic-tion: Inthe90’sEcuadoriantelevisionshowsaboominitsfictionproductionfromthesocialmemoryperspective,althoughbasedontheworksofnationalwriters.Wecouldsaythatsocialmemoryhastwo purposes: 1) an attempt to recover thismemory by rescuingauthorsfromthecountry’sgreatliteraryheritage;and2)reconstruc-tionofthesocialmemorybyproducingfictionprogramsbasedontheseworks.
31ThisisthefirstchannelcreatedinGuayaquilthatremainstothisdatewithdifferentownersandname–initiallyitwascalledCanal4.32BeatifiedbyJohnPaulIIin1992andcanonizedbyBenedictXVIin2008.Sheiscon-sideredtobemiraculousandhershrinenearGuayaquilhasmanydevoutvisits.
Ecuador – Fiction and humor move to the web | 259
Asshownbelow,onesinglechannelaccounts forsevenpro-ductionsthat,whiletheydidnothavehighratings,madepartoftheexperiencerequiredtoproducefictionwithnewstories.
Table 12. TV series based on the works of Ecuadorian writers
Series/Telenovela Books of Ecuadorian authors TV station Year
CumandáCumandá
JuanLeónMera,1877Ecuavisa 1993
Los SangurimasLos Sangurimas
JosédelaCuadra,1934Ecuavisa 1993
A la CostaA la Costa
LuisA.Martínez,1904Ecuavisa 1995
El Chulla Romero y Flores
El Chulla Romero y FloresJorgeIcaza,1958
Ecuavisa 1995
7 lunas, 7 serpientesSiete lunas, siete serpientes
DemetrioAguileraMalta,1970Ecuavisa 1996
El Cojo NavarreteEl Cojo Navarrete EnriqueTerán,1941
Ecuavisa 1996
Polvo y CenizaPolvo y Ceniza
EliécerCárdenas,1979Teleamazo-
nas1997
Source:Interviewswithdirectorsandproducers-ObitelEcuador
TheencounterofEcuadoriantelevisionandliteratureisoneofthegreatmomentsofnational fictionandsocialmemoryproduc-tion.Theeventsoccurredintimesofliberationstruggles,thefirstdomesticmigrationmovements from the Sierra to theCoast, theLiberalRevolution,aswellaspopularcharacters,whicharepartoftheidentityofQuitoor theCoast,wererecoveredfor thecominggenerations.
Through television, the newgenerations comenear toEcua-dorianhistoryandliteraturetobuildsocialmemory.Someofthesefictionproductionshavebeenretransmittedandothers,donatedbyCinematecaNacionalofCasadelaCulturaEcuatoriana,havebe-comepartofthecountry’saudiovisualmemory.
Furthermore,theseproductionsweremadewithacriticallookto historical events, which was not quite common in that time’snarrativeproposals.Theywereproducedinseriesoffourandfivechapters,andmanywereadaptedintofilmformatlater.
260 | Obitel 2013
Thehistoricalmemorywas rebootedwith these productions,althoughnotfromanofficialversion,butfromEcuadorianwriterswhogiveamoreday-to-dayorcriticalviewofcertainfactsrecre-atedinenvironmentsthatgatheredlove,hate,dreams,andstrugglesofcharacters;theyarefrequentlycriticalofpowerandconservativewaysoflifeduringthedramatizedtimes.
Besides productions based on literature, there are other TVfictionproductionsofsocialmemory:La Baronesa de Galápagos (1992,Ecuavisa),Sucre (1992,Teleamazonas),JJ, el Ruiseñor de
América (1996,Teleamazonas),Pasado y Confeso (1994,Ecuavi-sa).Fromthislist,whichincludeshistoricallivesandlegends,33 Pas-
ado y Confesostoodoutduringonedecade(until2005)withmorethan700episodesofdifferenthistories.Ithadhighratingsandwasthemostwatchednationalnon-comedyfictionseriesofthoseyears.Itaddressedrecentsocialmemoryeventsbasedondifferentpolicereportsthatbecameyellowpressevents.Thisseries,nevertheless,promotesalimitedsocialmemoryonlybasedonthefactitself,i.e.,isolatedfromthesocialandhistoricalcontextinwhichittookplace.
3. The 21st century, no social memory: From2000 to thisdate,nationalTVproductionhasincreasedinnumber,butnotnec-essarilyinfictionprograms–onlytwowereproduced:Sé que vienen
a matarme(Ecuavisa,2007)andOlmedo, el castigo de la grandeza (Teleamazonas,2009).
As mentioned above, the national TV fiction production isaimedatalow-costhigh-ratingschemeand,thus,islimitedtocom-ediesandhasdisplacedtelenovelasandotherfictionformats.Oneoftheproductionsindicatedintheformerparagraph,Sé que vienen
a matarme, anEcuavisa series basedon the novel ofEcuadorianwriterAliciaYánezCossío,depictedthelifeofacontroversialEc-uadorianpresidentofthe19thcentury,conservative-wingedGabrielGarcíaMoreno,whowasmurderedbyhisopponents.Theseriesre-
33Accordingtothetitles,itisAntonioJosédeSucre,GeneralofBolívar’sarmies;JulioJaramillo,fromGuayaquil, themostpopularEcuadoriansingereven30yearsafterhedied;alegendaboutaGermanwomanwholivedintheGalapagosIslandsinthe30s.
Ecuador – Fiction and humor move to the web | 261
flectsEcuadorianfiction’scourseandnotonlyrebuildsanepoch’sscenarios,butalsoincludesimprovedperformancesandaproduc-tioningeneral.
Likewise, the series showsEcuavisa’s attempt to recover itsgoldenera,i.e.,the90’s,intheproductionofsocialmemoryfictionlinked to Ecuadorian literary works. Unfortunately, such attemptstopped there and the nextworks have been addressed to realityshows,comedyseriesandhumortelenovelas,contests,andgeneralentertainment.
According toEcuavisaproducerMarceloAguilar,34 financialmatters frequently limitEcuadorianTVchannels’ fictionproduc-tion.He believes the audiencemust be educated and encouragedtowatchmorequalitynationalproduction,forwhichhesuggestedestablishing a time slot for allTVchannels tobroadcast nationalfictionandsocialmemoryproductions.
Inotherwords,uptothisdate,the21stcenturyrepresentstheyearsofnon-socialmemoryinEcuadorianfictionTV.
5.1. Public television, an opportunity for social memoryFinally, wemust point out that an alternative to collect and
recreate thesocialmemory inTVfictionproduction isEcuador’spublicchannelECTV.Onitsfifthanniversaryandwithprogramsthathaveturneditintoanalternativespaceforproductionanddis-semination, it couldbe thechannel inchargeof fictionproposalsforsocialmemorysinceprivateTV,mainlyduetomarketreasons,hasbeenunabletosustainthisattempt.Socialmemoryisessentialtosecureidentitiesandtolearnhistories,allinplural,asHalbwachssaid:“Nexttowrittenhistoryisalivestorythat isperpetuatedorreunitesintimeandwherealargenumberofancientcurrentsappar-entlydisappearedcanbefound.”(La memoire collective,1968)In
34Inaninterviewwiththisproducer,andwithECTVProgrammingDirectorMarcelodelPozo,weobtaineddataonsocialmemoryfictionproductions,sincethereisnowrittensource.
262 | Obitel 2013
otherwords,gatheringthecollectivememoryorsocialmemoryisequivalenttotransmittingknowledge.
Publictelevisionhasnotventuredenoughinfictionproductionsfromsocialmemory.Thefewofproductionsofthekindarenationalfilms.35Onthebicentennialanniversaryofindependence(2009),adidacticdocumentary-fictionseries,Patriota,wasproducedinfivechapters,dealingwiththemaincharactersoftheEcuadorianinde-pendenceprocess.
Regardlessofthesepositivestepstoencouragesocialmemory,allchannels,thepublicchannelincluded,aremorefocusedonotherprograms.However,in2012therewasthefirstinvitationtonationalproducersaimedtopromotefiction.Thedoorsforfictionandsocialmemoryproductionopengradually.
ReferencesCITDT(2012).“EstadoactualdelaproduccióndecontenidosenelEcu-
ador.CITDT-GAC-2012-00Report,April19,2012”.
CNTTV (2013). “Corporación Nacional de Telecomunicaciones sus-
cribió contrato para operar televisión privada”. In:www.micnttv.com/index.
php?option=com_content&view=article&id=37:series-o-pelicula-destacada&
catid=3:noticias&Itemid=33.
CONATEL(2012).“PlanMaestrodetransiciónalatelevisióndigitalte-
rrestreenelEcuador”.ResoluciónRTV-681-24-CONATEL2012,delConsejo
Nacional de Telecomunicaciones. In http://www.conatel.gob.ec/site_conatel/
index.php?view=category&id=619%3Aresoluciones-2012&option=com_
content&Itemid=610.
Diario El Telégrafo(2012).“MINTELrealizatallertécnicoparapotenciar
elInternetBandaAnchaenEcuador”.Inhttp://www.telegrafo.com.ec/econo-
mia/item/mintel-realiza-taller-tecnico-para-potenciar-el-internet-banda-ancha-
-en-ecuador.html.
DirecTV.com.ec. “Quiénes somos”. In http://www.directv.com.ec/.
(17/04/13).
Ecuadorinmediato.com(2013).“SuscripciónatelevisiónpagadaenEcua-
doraumenta,trascontrolaserviciopirata”.Inhttp://www.ecuadorinmediato.
35Forexample,1809, La Tigra, Entre Marx y una mujer desnuda, filmdirectedbyEcua-dorianfilmmakerCamiloLuzuriagaandothermorerecentproductionsaswell.
Ecuador – Fiction and humor move to the web | 263
com/index.php?module=Noticias&func=news_user_view&id=188821&umt=
suscripcion_a_television_pagada_en_ecuador_aumenta_tras_control_a_servi-
cio_pirata.
El Comercio (2012). “Ni fecha ni oferta para vender Gama TV y
TC”. In http://www.elcomercio.com/politica/fecha-oferta-vender-Gamatv-
-TC_0_691130944.html.(30/04/12).
GUARINICARMEN(2002).Memoria Social e Imagen.Universidadde
BuenosAires.ProgramadeAntropologíaVisual.
HALBWACHS,MAURICE(1968). La memoire collective.Paris:PUF.
Infomedia (2013). Estadísticas diversas. In http://www.infomedia.com.
ec/sistema/
LUZURIAGA, CAMILO (2012). “Antropofagia cinematográfica en el
ciberespacio:elcasoecuatorianodeEnchufetv”.Revista Chasqui,No.120,pp.
51-56.Quito,Ciespal,December2012.
MINISTRYOFEDUCATION(2012),“Educa,televisiónparaaprender”.
In http://www.educacion.gob.ec/educa-television-para-aprender-iniciara-en-
octubre.html.(11/10/12)
MINISTERIODETELECOMUNICACIONESYSOCIEDADDELA
INFORMACIóN(2013).“Lapenetracióndeinternetbandaanchaaumentóen
elEcuadoryseconsolidacomopolíticapública”.“Plandeaccesouniversaly
alistamientodigital,2013”.“TelevisiónDigitalTerrestreenelEcuador,2013”.
Inhttp://www.telecomunicaciones.gob.ec/comunicamos(17/04/2013).
Periódico El Popular (2012). In http://www.elpopular.com.ec/63492-
%E2%80%98resaka%E2%80%99-una-novela-en-red.html(29/08/12).
6sPAIn: FIcTIon resIsTs The crIsIs
Author:CharoLacalle1
Team:MariluzSánchez,LucíaTrabajo,DeborahCastro,AnnaAlonso,PaolaCabrera,BelénGranda,FranciscaNicolau,GermánMuñoz,
KarinaTiznado,BertaTrullàs
1. Audiovisual context in the countryTheincreasingfragmentationoftheSpanishtelevisionsystem
duetotheeffectsofDTT(DigitalTerrestrialTV)andtheeconomiccrisisleftamarkin2012.ThemergerofTele5andCuatrowascon-solidatedandtheynowleadtheadvertisingmarket.Meanwhile,An-tena3confirmedthetakeoverofLaSexta,andtheaudiencemeasure-mentsystemturned25.Thedeclineinadvertisingspendingandthegreen lightgiven to theprivatizationofautonomousTVchannelsarealsoamongthehighlightsofayearinwhichfictionprogram-mingis,onceagain,atopvalue.
Graphic 1. National broadcasting television networks in Spain (private and public open access DTT)
Ownership Public Private
National First channel Second channel Antena3,Tele5,Cuatro,
LaSextaLa1 La2
1 Charo Lacalle coordinates theObitel Spanish research team, comprised byMariluzSánchez,LucíaTrabajo andDeborahCastro as associated researchers.The followingmembersofOFENT(ObservatoryofSpanishFictionandNewTechnologies,inSpan-ishObservatorio de Ficción Española y Nuevas Tecnologías)havecollaborated:AnnaAlonso,PaolaCabrera,BelénGranda,FranciscaNicolau,GermánMuñoz,KarinaTiz-nadoandBertaTrullàs.
266 | Obitel 2013
Autonomous
7RMATVC9CanalSurCMTETB1IB3TelemadridTPATV3TVCanarias
TVG
CanalSur2ETB2LaOtraNOUDOSTPA2TVCanarias2TVG2Super3/33
8Madrid8TVA3CanariasCYLTVEstil9La8NueveTVRac105VTelevisiónC.Extrem.TV
ThirdautonomouschannelsInternationalautonomouschannels
Source:Obitel
Consumptionsetsanewrecordin2012,with246minutesofviewing per inhabitant and day, sevenmore than last year.DTTconsumptionhasalsoexperiencedasignificant increase, reaching81.4%inDecember,comparedto14.3%ofcableviewingand4.3%ofsatelliteviewing.
InMarch,Tele5 regained the leadership lost in 2009,whichwasconsolidatedinJune,aftertheextraordinaryaudienceresultsoftheUEFAEuro2012.Mediaset’sTVnetwork,however, finishedtheyear settinganewminimum(13.9%), sameasLa1 (12.2%),now on third place behindAntena3 (12.5%). Instead, the rise ofopenaccessDTTthematicchannelscontinues,witha3.9increasefromlastyear(28.5%).
Graphic 2a. Audience share per national television networks
Share La1 La2 T5 A3 Cu-atro
La- Sexta
For- ta
TDT thematic chan-nels
Pay thematic channels
Private autono-mous channels
Others
2011 14.5 2.6 14.2 11.5 6.1 5.7 10.4 24.6 6.8 0.8 3.62012 12.2 2.5 13.9 12.5 6.0 4.9 9.8 28.5 6.2 0.9 3.5Dif-feren- ce
-2.3 -0.1 -0.3 1.0 -0.1 -0.8 -0.6 3.9 -0.6 0.1 -0.1
Source:KantarMedia/BarloventoComunicación
Spain – Fiction resists the crisis | 267
Thedeclineofautonomouschannels (9.8%) isunevenlydis-tributed.CatalanTV3becomes thegeneralistTVnetworkwith ahigheraudienceshareinSpain(14.3%).
Graphic 2b. Audience share per autonomous television networks
Sha- re TV3 TVG ATV C.
Sur ETB2 TV- CAN TPA IB3
Tele- ma- drid
CMT C9 7RM ETB1
2011 14.1 12.3 10.7 10.7 8.2 7.9 7.7 5.2 6.4 6.4 6 4 22012 14.3 11.5 11.3 10.1 9.9 7.6 6.9 6.3 5.3 5.1 5 2.5 2.1Dif- fe-ren- ce
0.2 -0.8 0.6 -0.6 1.7 -0.3 -0.8 1.1 -1.1 -1.3 -1 -1.5 0.1
Source:KantarMedia/BarloventoComunicación
All communication groups have increased their audience share, with the exception of CRTVE, which fell 3.4%. The group Tele5 leads the ranking with 28.5%. Antena3 Group ranked second (25.8%), in-cluding the 7.5% from LaSexta group, and was followed by CRTVE (18.9%), Vocento (4.4%) and Unidad Editorial (3.2% ).
Graphic 3. TV groups
Source:KantarMedia/BarloventoComunicación
This year, fiction is the most frequent genre on TV program-ming (21.8%), followed by entertainment (21%), on a downward trend, and information (20.2%).
25,8
18,9
3,2
28,5
4,4 UnidadEditorial
Vocento
CRTVE
Antena3
Telecinco
268 | Obitel 2013
Graphic 4. Genres and hours aired on TV
Source:KantarMedia/BarloventoComunicación
1.1. Audience trends in 2012Antena3isstillthepreferredchannelbyyoungpeoplebetween
13and24yearsold,whileagegroups25-44and45-64areprominentinTele5.AudienceonLa1includesthoseover65,althoughitisnotasfeminineasinyearspast.Individualviewing(43.8%)is,again,thepreferredoptionbySpanishviewers,particularlythoseofTele5,followedbywatchingTVwithyourpartner(39.8%),morecommononpublicchannels.WatchingTVasagroup(16.5%)standsoutinAntena3,theTVnetworkwiththelargestfamiliaraudience2.
ÁguilaRoja is, once again, themostwatched fiction for thefourthconsecutiveyearandtheonlyoneabletoincludethethreeepisodesairedin2012amongthe50mostwatchedprogramsoftheyear (inpositions40,41and47).Therankingconsistsofsoccer,withtheexceptionofthreeFormula1Championshipbroadcasts,oneepisodeofthemusicalprogramLa Voz,andtwoprogramsdedicatedtoEurovision.ThegamebetweenSpainandPortugal,specificallythemomentofthepenalties,onJune27th,isthemostwatchedevent,with18,141,000viewers(83.3%).
FilmcontinuesitsdownwardtrendonTV.Themostwatchedfilmof2012(Breaking Dawn, Part I),airedinAntena3,islocatednumber99intheannualranking(4,546,000viewersand22.8%au-dienceshare).La1,however,stillobtainsgoodresultsinthisarea,asfifteenofthe20mostwatchedfilmsof2012havebeenbroadcastduringitsprimetimecinemaprogramonSundays.
2http://www.barloventocomunicacion.es/.
7,6
21
21,8
Others
Sports
Music
Contests
Cultural
0,8
7,9
18,6
19,5
2,7 Information
Entertainment
Fiction
Spain – Fiction resists the crisis | 269
1.2. Advertising investmentTelevisioncontinuestoleadtheadvertisinginvestmentinme-
dia,despitethedeclineexperiencedin2012(16.5%),withatotalof2,372.5millioneuros(43.0%)3.ThelosswasmorepronouncedinpublicTVnetworks,whichlost27.2%comparedtothe15.1%dropinprivateTVnetworks.Inturn, thedeclineofadvertisinginvest-mentresultedina10.1%lesstimeallottedtospotsand13.5%lesstime for sponsorships. Infomercials,however,are stableandself-promotionincreasedby11.5%4.
ThankstotheexcellentaudienceresultsofthesoccerEuroCupinTele5,thecommercialbyCruzcampoairedduringtheSpain-Cro-atiamatchonJune18thwasthemostwatchedonthehistoryoftele-vision(16,399,000viewersand42.5%).TheEfficacyAward2012,grantedbytheAEA(SpanishAssociationofAdvertisers,inSpan-ishAsociación Española de Anunciantes),wenttoacommercialbyCampofríothatpaidtributetothegreatSpanishcomedianMiguelGila.Itallowedthewell-knownbrandofcoldcutstoincreasetheirsalesby11%andtoexceedthe33%ofadvertisingnotoriety5.
1.3. Merchandising and social merchandisingAsexpected,thecrisishasreopenedthedebateaboutthepos-
sible return of advertising to TVE. Furthermore, the debate wasstimulatedbythecriticismfromprivateTVnetworks(UTECA)andthe Spanish Association of Advertisers (Asociación Española de
Anunciantes,inSpanish,orAEA)toTVE’ssponsorshipsofsport-ing and cultural programs.The inclusion of commercial logos insomeTVEprogramshasalsobeenreportedbyUTECA6.
3InfoadexandIABSpaindatareferringtothefirstquarteroftheyear(http://www.iab-spain.net/wp-content/uploads/downloads/2012/10/Estudio-Inversi%C3%B3n-S1-2012.pdf).4 CMT data referring to the second quarter (http://www.europapress.es/tv/noticia-ingresos-publicitarios-televisiones-cayeron-163-segundo-trimestre-20120920175622.html).5http://anunciantes.com/ecos/efi12/Expansion_121031_48_84.pdf.6http://www.elmundo.es/elmundo/2010/04/19/comunicacion/1271680703.html.
270 | Obitel 2013
In April, the Government announced that, during 2012, itwouldinvest35.5millioneurosininstitutionaladvertising,56.0%lessthanthepreviousyear7.Televisionlost8.8%from2011,whiletheInternetbudgetwasincreasedby5.0%.Atyearend,theentityred.es,undertheMinistryofIndustry,openedaspecialcallwithabudgetof2.6millioneurosfortheadvertisingcampaign(television,newspapersandbillboards)regardingthenewDTTblackout.
ReductioninadvertisingspendingandthefallingrevenuefromSMSandCallTVresultingfromtheuseofsmartphoneshavecon-tributed to an increasing interest in cheaper forms of promotion,such as sponsorship. Along these lines, in OctoberMultichannelChello, the largest independentproducerof thematicchannels forSpain andPortugal, bet onunconventional advertisementbypur-chasingDiferencia-TMedia.Thispurchasewasaimedtoexpanditsscopetoincludeproductplacementonfiction,sportsandentertain-mentprogramming.
1.4. Communication policiesTheyearbeganwiththeapprovalofthemergerbetweenAn-
tena3andLaSexta.InAugust,theGovernmenteliminatedthepre-viousrequirementtocommercializeadvertisementsofLaSextaandAntena3 separately. The Government also increased to 22% thejointbiannualaverageaudiencetosetthetermspromotionalspace.OnOctober1stAtresAdvertising,thecommercializingcompanyofAntena3Group,alsotookoveradvertisinginLaSexta.
The reduction and reorganization ofDTT channels has beenoneofthemaintopicsoftheyear.Inautumn,theGovernmentun-dertookanew rearrangement frequencyprocess tomakeway for4Gmobiletelephony,whichshiftedthecostoftheDigitalDividendonto the 1.4million users of the antennas needed to perform thetransformation.Finally,afterUTECAagreedtotransferoneofthesixmultiplexesandtokeep24TVchannels,thecostoftheDigital
7http://www.elmundo.es/elmundo/2012/05/04/espana/1336092115.html.
Spain – Fiction resists the crisis | 271
Dividendwasreducedfrom800to300million(about20eurosperhousehold).
1.5. Public TVLatelastyear,theGovernmentannounceda200millioneuros
cut inRTVE’s budget (from 1,200 to 1,000million),whichwassetbacktoasimilar level tothat in20098.InMay, thereformofRTVE’sLawwasapproved.Amongotherimportantchanges,ital-lowed choosing the president by absolute majority. Autonomouspublic channels faced the economic crisiswith a significantdropinadvertisingrevenueandagrowingdeficit,althoughthefinancialsituationvariesconsiderablyfromanAutonomousCommunity toanother,asithappenswithviewingratings.
InJanuary,theGovernmentgavegreenlighttotheprivatiza-tionofautonomouschannels,bydrawingupadecreethatwasap-provedinApril.ItallowedAutonomousCommunitiestoclose,sellorprivatizesomeorall theirTVchannels.Following theamend-ments of the opposition, the Law amending the Law 7/2000 ofMarch31stwasdefinitivelyapprovedinJuly.7RM,theTVchannelofMurcia,was the first tobenefit fromprivatization. It began tooperateatitslowestebbfromAugust1st(untilitwentouttopublictender).InSeptember,RTVAclosedCanalSur2’sprogramming.
1.6. Pay TVThelatestreportfromtheTelecommunicationsMarketCom-
mission (CMT) indicated that, in late 2011, in Spain there were4,500,000 subscribers to pay television, distributed as follows:1,756,200 (38.9%) to satellite television; 1,464,000 (32.4%) tocable television; 913,000 (20.2%) to IPTV; and 383,700 (8.5%)topayDTT9.However,whilepayIPTVandDTTplatformsgrew
8 http://www.elmundo.es/elmundo/2011/12/30/comunicacion/1325261545.html.9 http://informecmt.cmt.es/docs/Informe%20economico%20sectorial/Servicios%20au-diovisuales%20CMT%202011.pdf.
272 | Obitel 2013
(6.7%and10.4%respectively)10,thenumberofsubscribersfellby100,000 between June and September11. Tomakemattersworse,theGovernment announced in July the new rates of value addedtax(VAT).PayTVserviceslosttheirreducedrateandraisedfrom8.0%to21.0%fromJanuary1st,2013,sameascinema,theatreandothertypesofentertainment.
InMay,Antena3launchedanewonlinepayTVservice(“Pre-miumLoungeMode”).Itoffershighqualityfictionwithoutadver-tisingthroughmicropayments(subscriptiontopreviewsandmonth-lycontentoraccesstospecificcontent).
InAugust, the difficult financial situation of Prisa12 broughtCanal+–theexclusiveholderinSpainofmediarightstoUEFA–toawardTelefónicaSpaintheabilitytooffercustomersanewchan-nel (Canal+ChampionsLeague) throughan auction in frontof aNotary.
InlateDecember,VodafoneSpaindecidedtosuspendalltele-visionservices tosubscribersofADSLandmobile(VodafoneTVandInternetTV,Canal+andCanal+Ligamobile)aswellasvideodownloads.Thedecisionwasdestinedtoavoidthefeesimposedonmobiletelephoneoperatorsin2009,inordertofinanceRTVEaftertheremovalofadvertising(equivalenttoaboutsixtimesmorethanwhatVodafonereceivedforitsaudiovisualservices)13.
10 In2011satelliteandcableTVwerereducedby0.9%and2.9%respectively(http://informecmt.cmt.es/docs/Informe%20economico%20sectorial/Servicios%20audiovisu-ales%20CMT%202011.pdf). 11 http://www.europapress.es/tv/noticia-ingresos-publicitarios-televisiones-cayeron-163-segundo-trimestre-20120920175622.html.12PrisaGroupreportedanetlossof31.45millioneurosduringthefirstninemonthsoftheyear,comparedwithaprofitof17.93millioneurosinthesameperiodof2011(http://www.europapress.es/economia/noticia-economia-ampl-prisa-pierde-3145-millones-sep-tiembre-frente-beneficio-179-millones-2011-20121029185328.html).13 http://economia.elpais.com/economia/2012/12/21/actualidad/1356093018_696455.html.
Spain – Fiction resists the crisis | 273
1.7. New media trendsIn 2012, the most remarkable aspect of the relationship be-
tweentelevisionandtheInternetwasthemobileTVdeployment.InFebruary,Antena3was,onceagain,aheadoftherestofnetworks.ItlaunchedANT3.0,apioneeringapplicationinSpaintoconnectliveTVtosmartphonesandtabletsinrealtime.
TVEalsostartedtheyearaddingtoitsextensiveonlineaudio-visualarchivetheapplicationsforiPhoneandAndroid.Meanwhile,TV3launchedanewapplicationfortabletsandsmartphoneswhichallows access to over 75,000 videos from TV3alacarta, and livebroadcastsofTV3CATand3/24.InSeptember,MediasetSpainan-nouncedthelaunchoftheapplicationMitele,whichbringstogetherthelargeronlineprogrammingoftheSpanishaudiovisualgroups.Antena3alreadyhadasimilarapplicationsinceNovember2011.
Atthetimeofwritingthislines,theintroductionofHighDefi-nition (HD) continues to move along, not without controversy.Although,theoretically,thebigTVnetworksofferHDbroadcast-ing,truthisthatmanydonotreachthedefaultEuropeanstandard(H264)requiredbylaw14.
2. Yearly analysis: premiere of National and Ibero-American fic-tion
In 2012, 32 national productions premiered, 28 in an open-accessnetworkandtwoinpaychannels.Antena3wasthenetworkwithmorepremierefictions(thirteen)andalsotheonewithlessre-runs(three).Onthecontrary,La1isthirdaccordingtothepremierefictionsandhasthemostreruns(fifteen).
14 http://tecnologia.elpais.com/tecnologia/2012/04/22/actualidad/1335090218_876658.html.
274 | Obitel 2013
Table 1a. Fiction productions in 2012 and their respective national broadcasting networks
NATIONAL PREMIERED TITLES – 32 La1 – 6 national titles 1. Águilaroja(series)2. Amar en tiempos revueltos(serial)3. Cuéntame cómo pasó(series)4. Isabel (series)5. Stamos okupa2 (series)6. La memoria del agua (miniseries)Antena3 – 13 national titles7. Bandolera(serial)8. Con el culo al aire(series)9. El barco(series)10. El secreto de Puente viejo(serial) 11. Fenómenos (series) 12. Gran hotel(series)13. Hispania, la leyenda(series) 14. Imperium(series)15. Los protegidos (series)16. Luna, el misterio de Calenda (series)17. Toledo (series)18. Marco (miniseries)19. Historias robadas (miniseries)Tele5 – 7 national titles20. Aída (series)21. Frágiles (series)22. Hospital Central (series) 23. La fuga (series)24. La que se avecina (series)25. Mi gitana(miniseries)26. Carmina(miniseries) LaSexta – 1 national title27. Crematorio (series)Canal+ – 1 national title28. Falcón (series)Disney Channel – 1 national title29. La gira (sketch)Neox – 1 national title30. Señoras que (sketch)Nitro – 1 national title31.Psicodriving (sketch)TNT – 1 national title32.Malviviendo (sketch)
PREMIERED IMPORTED PRODUC-TIONS – 1
Tele5 - 1 imported production33.Cheers (series)
RERUNS – 29La1 – 15 reruns1. Abuela de verano(series)2. Al filo de la ley (series)3. Ana y los siete (series)4. Arroz y tartana (miniseries)5. Celia (series)6. Cuéntame cómo pasó (series)7. El secreto de la porcelana (miniseries)8. Entre naranjos (TVmovie)9. Guante blanco(series)10. La señora (series)11. La verdad de Laura (serial)12. Las cerezas del cementerio (TV
movie)13. Pelotas (series)14. Severo Ochoa: la conquista de un
Nobel (TVmovie)15. Ramón y Cajal: historia de una volun-
tad (miniseries)La 2 – 7 reruns16. Celia (series)17. Ciudad K (sketch)18. Curro Jiménez (series)19. Teresa de Jesús (miniseries)20. La forja de un rebelde (miniseries)21. La huella del crimen (TVmovie)22. Lorca, muerte de un poeta (minise-
ries)Antena3 – 3 reruns23. Con el culo al aire (series)24. Gran hotel(series)25. Polseres vermelles (series)Tele5 – 4 reruns26. Aída (series)27. Frágiles (series)28. La que se avecina (series)29. Parejología 3x2 (sketch)
TOTAL EXHIBITED PRODUC-TIONS: 62
Source:ObitelSpain
Spain – Fiction resists the crisis | 275
Autonomous TV networks premiered 30 titles and aired 42reruns.TV3premieredthemosttitles(thirteen),althoughmostofthemwereTVmovies (nine).TV3alsoaired fifteen reruns,nineofthemwereTVmovies.Ingeneral,autonomousTVnetworksairrerunsoftheirownfictionmoreoftenthannationalnetworks.
Table 1b. Fiction productions in 2012 and their respective autonomous broadcasting networks
AUTONOMOUS PREMIERED TITLES -30 Canal9 – 1 autonomous title1. L’alqueriablanca(series)CanalSur – 1 autonomous title2. Arrayán (serial)ETB1–- 3 autonomous titles3. Bi eta bat (series)4.DBH (sketch)5.Goenkale (serial)ETB2 – 1 autonomous title6. La conspiración (TVmovie)IB3 – 1 autonomous title7. L’anell(serial)Telemadrid – 2 autonomous titles8. Lo que yo te diga(sketch)9.Todo es posible en el bajo (series)TV3 – 13 autonomous titles10. Gran nord (series)11.KMM (series)12.La Riera (serial)13.Germanes (TVmovie)14.Tornarem (miniseries)15.Concepció Arenal (TVmovie)16.Atrapats (TVmovie)17.Codi 60 (TVmovie)18.Lluna plena (TVmovie)19.Mar de plàstic (TVmovie)20.Tocant el mar (TVmovie)21.Violetes (TVmovie)22.La síndrome de cacareco (TVmovie)TVCanarias – 1 autonomous title23. La revoltosa (series)TVG – 7 autonomous titles24. Era visto (sketch)25.Escoba (series)26.Libro de família (series)27.Matalobos (series)
28.Padre Casares (series)29.Vacas, porcos e zapatos de tacón (TVmovie)30.Outro mais (TVmovie)
RERUNS – 43CMT – 2 reruns1. Arrayán (serial) 2. Padre Casares (series)Canal9 – 3 reruns3. Géminis(serial)4.Senyor retor (series)5.Socarrats(sketch)
Nou2 – 4 reruns6. Negocis de familia (series)7. Altra oportunitat (series)ETB1 – 7 reruns8.Arregitamak (series)9.Balbemendi (series)10.Bietabat (series)11.DBH(sketch)12.Goenkale (serial)13.Martin (series) 14. Mugaldekoak (series) ETB2 – 1 rerun15. Euskolegas (series)IB3 – 2 reruns16. Llàgrima de sang (serial)17.Mossén capellà (series)TV3 – 15 reruns18. El criminal (TVmovie)19.La memoria dels cargols (series)20.Majoria absoluta (series)21.Plats bruts (series)22.Polseres vermelles (series)23.Porca miseria (series)24.Ventdelplà (serial)
276 | Obitel 2013
Source:ObitelSpain
National premiere fiction includes 33 Spanish productions,four Ibero-American, and one co-production between Spain andUSA,theadaptationofthecomedyCheers(NBC,1982-1983)15.In2012atotalof1,322episodes/chapterswerebroadcastedover1,237hoursand55minutes.OneoftheIbero-Americanprogramsisalsoaco-production,althoughSpainisnotpartofit.ItisthetelenovelaCorazón apasionado (USAandVenezuela).
Table2a.Totalnationalpremieresfictional programming in 2012: country of origin
Country Titles %Chap-ters/
Episodes% Hours %
NATIONAL (total) 33 89.2 970 76.6 898:25 75.9
IBERO-AMERICAN (total) 4 10.8 296 23.4 284:30 24.1
Argentina - - - - - -Brazil - - - - - -Chile - - - - - -Colombia - - - - - -
15ThesecondSpanishco-productionin2012istheSpanish-German-BritishFalcón,airedonthepayTVchannelCanal+.
25.El cas Reiner (TVmovie)26.Labaladadel’estret(TVmovie)27.L’edèn(TVmovie)28.Connexió (TVmovie)29.Menjar per a gats (TVmovie)30.Perduts (TVmovie)31.Psiquiatres, psicòlegs i alters malalts (TVmovie)32.Tornar a casa (TVmovie)33 – 1 rerun33.La Riera (serial)TVCanarias – 2 reruns34. La revoltosa (series)35.Mañana es para siempre (serial)TVCanarias2 – 1 rerun36. Profesor en La habana(series)
TVG – 4 reruns37. Era visto (sketch)38.Libro de família (series)39.Padre Casares (series)40.Valderrei (series)TVG2 – 2 reruns41. Terra de Miranda (series)42.Matalobos (series)
TOTAL EXHIBITED PRODUCTIONS: 72
Spain – Fiction resists the crisis | 277
Ecuador - - - - - -SPAIN 33 84.6 970 73.4 898:25 72.6USA (Hispanic production) 3 7.7 142 10.7 123:40 10.0Mexico 2 5.1 156 11.8 161:50 13.1Peru - - - - - -Portugal - - - - - -Uruguay - - - - - -Venezuela 1 2.6 54 4.1 54:00 4.4Ibero-American (Obitel scope) 6 - - - - -
Ibero-American (not Obitel scope) - - - - - -
Others (productions and co-productions from other Latin American/Ibero-Americancountries)
2 5.1 56 4.2 55:00 4.4
TOTAL 39 100.0 1,322 100.0 1,237:55 100.0
Source:ObitelSpain
The totalofnationalandautonomousfiction titlespremieredis70,the37nationalprogramsaforementionedand33productionsfromautonomousTVchannels.Thelatterinclude30Spanishpro-gramsandthreeIbero-American.
Table2b.Totalnationalandautonomouspremieresfictional programming in 2012: Country of origin
Country Titles % Chapters/Episodes % Hours %
NATIONAL & AUTONO-MOUS 63 90.0 1,778 73.1 1,519:00 74.1
IBERO-AMERICAN (total) 7 10.0 655 26.9 531:40 25.9
Argentina - - - - - -Brazil - - - - - -Chile - - - - - -Colombia 1 1.4 60 2.4 40:00 1.9Ecuador - - - - - -SPAIN 63 87.5 1,778 71.4 1,519:00 72.1
USA (Hispanic production) 3 4.2 142 5.7 123:40 5.9
Mexico 2 2.8 156 6.3 161:50 7.7Peru - - - - - -
278 | Obitel 2013
Portugal - - - - - -Uruguay - - - - - -Venezuela 3 4.2 353 14.2 261:10 12.4
Ibero-American (Obitel scope) 9 12.5 711 28.6 586:40 27.9
Ibero-American (not Obitel scope) - - - - - -
Others (productions and co-productions from other LatinAmerican/Ibero-American countries)
2 2.8 56 2.2 55:00 2.6
TOTAL 72 100.0 2,489 100.0 2,105:40 100.0
Source:ObitelSpain
ThethreeSpanishserials,airedintheafternoon,fromMondayto Friday, determine the high number of episodes/chapters (708)compared toprime time (219).This is also a consequenceof thelowernumberofpremieres and thedrastic reductionof chapters/episodesperseason.Telenovelasarealwaysairedontheafternoonslot.
ThepatternofweeklybroadcastofserialsonautonomousTVchannels(exceptLa Riera,broadcastedintheafternoon)explains,however,thebalancebetweenafternoonbroadcasts(916)andprimetime(817)innationalandautonomousprogramming.Bycontrast,telenovelasonautonomouschannelsalmostdoublethenumberofafternoonhourscomparedtoprimetime.
Thedecreaseinthenumberofnational titles(11lessthanin2011)ismorepronouncedonTVmoviesandminiseries.Thus,thedifferenceinthenumberofhoursdevotedtopremierefictionfromlast year isminimized (898hours 25minutes compared to 1,012hours35minutesin2011).
Thesamepatternisrepeatedinrelationtototaldomesticfic-tion,nationalandautonomous.Therefore,thepremiereofsevenlesstitlesonlyrepresentsadecreaseof83hours30minutescomparedto2011.
Spain – Fiction resists the crisis | 279
Table3a.Chapters/episodeandhoursbroadcastbytimeslot-National
Tim
e sl
otN
atio
nal
Iber
o-A
mer
ican
T
otal
C/E
%
H%
C/E
%H
%C/E
%H
%M
orni
ng
(
6:00
-15:
00)
--
--
--
--
--
--
Aft
erno
on
(15
:00-
21:
00)
708
73.0
614:10
68.4
296
100.0
284:30
100.0
1,004
79.3
898:40
76.0
Prim
e tim
e (2
1:00
-23:
00)
219
22.6
255:10
28.4
--
--
219
17.3
255:10
21.6
Nig
ht
(2
3:00
-6:0
0)43
4.4
29:05
3.2
--
--
433.4
29:05
2.5
TO
TA
L97
010
0.0
898:
2510
0.0
296
100.
028
4:30
10
0.0
1,26
610
0.0
1,18
2:55
100.
0
Source:O
bitelSpain Table3a.Chapters/episodeandhoursbroadcastbytimeslot–Nationalandautonom
ous
T
ime
slot
Nat
iona
l and
aut
onom
ous
Iber
o-A
mer
ican
T
otal
C/E
%
H%
C/E
%H
%C/E
%H
%M
orni
ng
(
6:00
-15:
00)
--
--
--
--
--
--
Aft
erno
on (
15:0
0- 2
1:00
)916
51.5
774:35
51.0
655
100.0
531:40
100.0
1,571
64.6
1,306:15
63.7
Prim
e tim
e (2
1:00
-23:
00)
817
46.0
712:30
46.9
--
--
817
33.6
712:30
34.7
Nig
ht
(2
3:00
-6:0
0)45
2.5
32:55
2.1
--
--
451.8
32:55
1.6
TO
TA
L1,
778
100.
01,
519:
0010
0.0
655
100.
053
1:40
100.
02,
433
100.
02,
050:
4010
0.0
Source:O
bitelSpain
280 | Obitel 2013
Table4a.FormatsofnationalandIbero-Americanfictionalprogram
ming
For
mat
sN
atio
nal
Iber
o-A
mer
ican
Tit
les
%Chap/Ep
%H
ours
%T
itle
s%
Chap/Ep
%H
ours
Tit
les
Seri
al3
9.1
681
70.2
609:40
67.9
4100.0
296
100.0
284:30
100.0
Seri
es21
63.6
222
22.9
258:20
28.8
--
--
--
Min
iser
ies
515.2
101.0
12:30
1.4
--
--
--
TV
mov
ie-
--
--
--
--
--
-O
ther
s (s
ketc
h)4
12.1
575.9
17:55
2.0
--
--
--
TO
TA
L33
100.
097
010
0.0
898:
2510
0.0
410
0.0
296
100.
028
4:30
100.
0
Source:O
bitelSpain Table4b.Formatsofnational,autonomousandIbero-Americanfictionalprogram
ming
For
mat
sN
atio
nal a
nd a
uton
omou
sIb
ero-
Am
eric
anT
itle
s%
Chap/Ep
%H
ours
%T
itle
s%
Chap/Ep
%H
ours
%Se
rial
711.1
1,152
64.8
956:40
63.0
7100.0
655
100.0
531:40
100.0
Seri
es31
49.2
444
25.0
470:20
31.0
--
--
--
Min
iser
ies
69.5
120.7
15:20
1.0
--
--
--
TV
mov
ie12
19.0
120.7
17:30
1.2
--
--
--
Oth
ers
(ske
tch)
711.1
158
8.9
59:10
3.9
--
--
--
TO
TA
L63
100.
01,
778
100.
01,
519:
0010
0.0
710
0.0
655
100.
053
1:40
100.
0
Source:O
bitelSpain
Spain – Fiction resists the crisis | 281
Series,miniseries andTVmovies are alwaysairedonprimetime. The only exceptions are some two-episode miniseries pro-grammedinonesitting,orseriesrelegatedtothelatenightduetotheunsatisfactoryaudienceresultsofepisodesbroadcastonprimetime.
Table5a.Formatsofnationalfictional programming by time slot
Formats Mor- ning % After-
noon % PT % Late night % Total %
Serial - 3 60.0 - - - - 3 9.1Series - - - 19 76.0 2 66.7 21 63.6Miniseries - - - 5 20.0 5 15.2TV movie - - - - - - - - -Others (sketch) - 2 40.0 1 4,0 1 33.3 4 12.1TOTAL - 5 100.0 25 100.0 3 100.0 33 100.0
Source:ObitelSpain
Table 5b. Formats of national and autonomous fictionalprogrammingbytimeslot
Formats Mor- ning % After-
noon % PT % Late nigh % Total %
Serial - - 4 33.3 3 6.5 - - 7 11.1Series - - - - 29 63.0 2 40.0 31 49.2Miniseries - - - - 6 13.0 - - 6 9.5TV movie - - 6 50.0 4 8.7 2 40.0 12 19.0Others (sketch) - - 2 16.7 4 8.7 1 20.0 7 11.1TOTAL - - 12 100.0 46 100.0 5 100.0 63 100.0
Source:ObitelSpain
Theeffectsof theeconomiccrisisandthereductionofmini-seriesandTVmoviesaffectthenumberofnationalproductionssetinthepast,whichwashalvedinboth,autonomousandnationalfic-tionalprogramming. Instead, in2012national fictiondoubles thehistoricalfictions,fromonetotwotitles,samenumberasautono-mousTVnetworks.
282 | Obitel 2013
Table6a.Timeperiodofnationalfictionalprogramming
Time period Titles %Present 20 60.6Past 10 30.3Historical 2 6.1Other 1 3.0TOTAL 33 100,0
Source:ObitelSpain
Table 6b. Time period of national and autonomousfictionalprogramming
Time period Titles %Present 45 71.4Past 13 20.6Historical 4 6.3Other 1 1.6TOTAL 63 100.0
Source:ObitelSpain
Águila Roja leads its fourth consecutive annual ranking, which also includes the long-lived series Cuéntame cómo paso, La que se avecina and Aída. The second season of Gran hotel is also among the top 10 most watched programs of the year, which includes five new titles.
Table 7a. The ten most watched national titles: origin, rating and share
TitleOriginal idea/script
Produc-tion
company
Chan-nel
Writer or author of
original idea AudienceRa- ting
Sha- re
1ÁguilaRoja
SpainGlobome-
diaTVE1
D.Écija,J.C.Cueto
6,074,333 13.8 29.8
2
Cuén-tame cómo pasó
Spain
GrupoGangaProduc-ciones
TVE1M.
Á.Bernardeu5,017,750 11.4 24.8
3La que se avecina
SpainAlba
AdriáticaTele5 A.Caballero 4,215,222 9.6 22.7
Spain – Fiction resists the crisis | 283
4 Isabel SpainDiag-onalTV
TVE1 IsladeBabel 4,079,916 9.3 19.7
5Mi gitana
SpainProduc-ciones
MandarinaTele5
A.HernándezCentenoandC.Pombero
3,590,666 8.2 19.4
6 Aída SpainGlobome-
diaTele5
N.GarcíaVelilla
3,353,891 7.6 16.5
7Con el culo al aire
Spain NotroTV A3D.FernándezandD.Abajo
3,210,923 7.3 17.2
8Fenó-menos
SpainAparteProduc-ciones
A3
N.G.Velilla,O.Capel,A.Sánchez,D.S.Olivas
3,160,750 7.2 16.6
9Gran hotel
SpainBambúproduc-ciones
A3R.Campos,G.R.Neira
2,805,750 6.4 14.7
10
Luna, el mis-terio de Calen-da
SpainGlobome-
diaA3
L.Belloso,D.Bermejo
2,790,000 6.3 15.3
Total of productions: 10 Foreign scripts: 0100% 0%
Source:ObitelSpain
Sixof themostwatchedautonomousfictionprogramsof theyearbelong toTV3, threeofwhich topped theannual ranking inbothabsoluteandrelativeterms(Table7b).
Table 7b. The ten most watched autonomous titles: origin, rating and share
TitleOriginal idea/script
Produc-tion
companyChannel
Writer or author of original
ideaCost
Ra- ting
Sha- re
1 La Riera Spain TVC TV3 D.Plana 500,000 7.2 24.9
2 Gran Nord SpainVeranda.tv,Porto-cabo
TV3 C.Gené 481,000 6.9 16.1
3 Tornarem Spain
BrutalMedia,ICIC,ICAA,TVC
TV3P.Gar-saball,M.Grau
474,000 6.8 17.3
284 | Obitel 2013
4 Arrayán Spain LinzeTV CanalSur E.Galdo 424,000 5.4 11.8
5Kubala, Moreno i Manchón
SpainDiag-onalTV
TV3J.Olivares,A.Schaaff
418,000 6.0 13.8
6 Germanes Spain
TVC,Focus,OvídeoTV,ICIC
TV3C.LópezandÀ.Mañas
412,000 5.9 14.5
7L'alquería blanca
Spain RTVV Canal9
J.Prats,D.Bra-
guinsky,O.Martí
400,773 8.4 17.2
8Con-cepción Arenal
SpainDiagonalTVandTVC
TV3R.RussoandL.Mañá
263,000 3.8 9.4
9Padre Casares
SpainVozau-diovisual
TVG
R.Cam-pos,E.Montero,G.Neira
188,000 7.1 16.8
10Libro de familia
SpainEd.Com-postela
TVGJ.
M.Besteiro176,000 6.6 16.2
Total of productions: 10 Foreign scripts: 0100% 0%
Source:ObitelSpain
Nineofthetoptenshowsof2012areseriesbroadcastinprimetime,butwithavaryingnumberofepisodes(rangingbetweenthe38ofAída andthethreeofÁguilaRoja).Thevarietyofgenresis,however,wider,withfourcomedies,threedramas,one“dramedy”,afantasyseriesandanadventureseries.
Table 8a. The ten most watched national titles:
format, length and time slot
Title Format GenreChapters/Episodes
(2012)
First and last broadcast
(2012)
Time slot
1 ÁguilaRoja Series Adventure 3 09/01-23/01PrimeTime
2Cuéntame cómo
pasóSeries Dramedy 4 12/01-02/02
Primetime
3La que se avecina
Series Comedy 1001/10-26/11
(cont.)Primetime
4 Isabel Series Drama 13 10/09-03/12Primetime
Spain – Fiction resists the crisis | 285
5 Mi gitanaMinise-
riesDrama 3 05/03-19/03
Primetime
6 Aída Series Comedy 38 08/01-23/12Primetime
7Con el culo al
aireSeries Comedy 13 01/02-16/05
Primetime
8 Fenómenos Series Comedy 427/11-18/12
(cont.)Primetime
9 Gran hotel Series Drama 8 03/10-21/11Primetime
10Luna, el miste-rio de Calenda
Series Fantasy 12 10/04-20/06Primetime
Source:ObitelSpain
Bycontrast,thetenmostwatchedautonomoustitlesincludeawidervarietyofformats,whilethespectrumofgenresisreducedtosevendramas,twocomediesandacop-show.Interestingly,TV3’sserial La Riera,theonlyprogramthatdoesnotaironprimetime,leadstheannualranking.
Table 8b. The ten most watched autonomous titles: format, length and time slot
Title Format GenreChapters/Episodes
(2012)
First and last broadcast
(2012)Time slot
1 La Riera Serial Drama 20209/01-21/12
(cont.)Afternoon
2 Gran Nord Series Comedy 13 07/05-30/07 PrimeTime3 Tornarem Miniseries Drama 2 16/04-23/04 PrimeTime
4 Arrayán Serial Drama 14702/01-27/12
(cont.)PrimeTime
5Kubala, More-no i Manchón
Series Crime 2309/01-05/12
(cont.)PrimeTime
6 Germanes TVmovie Drama 1 08/01 PrimeTime
7L'alquería blanca
Series Drama 22 01/01-10/06 PrimeTime
8Concepción Arenal
TVmovie Drama 1 19/12 PrimeTime
9 Padre Casares Series Comedy 3102/01-24/12
(cont.)PrimeTime
10Libro de familia
Series Drama 3001/01-30/12
(cont.)PrimeTime
Source:ObitelSpain
286 | Obitel 2013
Loveistheessentialingredientinallnationalfictions,whichalsogiveamplespacetofriendshipandconflict.Social issues in-cludetimelessthemesinSpanishfiction,suchasdiscriminationofwomenorhomosexuality,withotherhighlytopical,suchasjobin-security,thehousingcrisisoreuthanasia.
Table 9a. Themes of the ten most watched national titles
Titles DOMINANT THEMES SOCIAL THEMES
1 ÁguilaRojaPower,politicalintrigue,love,heroism,treason.
Classism,politicalcorruption,gen-erationalconflicts,euthanasia
2Cuéntame cómo pasó
Family,work,love,socialmobility,friendship.
Democracy,genderequity,work-ers’rights,generationalconflicts,
gamblingaddiction.
3La que se avecina
Neighborlyrelationships,love,envy,friendship,
cohabitation.
Jobinsecurity,housingcrisis,dysfunctionalfamilies,economic
crisis,scams.
4 IsabelLove,vengeance,plots,
ambition,power.Politics,monarchy,religion,gen-
der,arrangedmarriage.
5 Mi gitanaLove,fame,hatred,ven-geance,greed,treason
Politicalcorruption,mediaharass-ment
6 AídaLove,family,friendship,cohabitation,neighborly
relationships.
Jobinsecurity,marginalization,delinquency,xenophobia,homo-
sexuality.
7Con el culo al aire
Neighborlyrelationships,love,envy,friendship,
cohabitation.
Jobinsecurity,housingcrisis,homosexuality,economiccrisis,
solidarity.
8 FenómenosProfessionalrelationships,love,friendship,paranor-
mal,cohabitation.
Economiccrisis,housingcrisis,jobinsecurity,homosexuality,discriminationagainstwomen.
9 Gran hotelLove,intrigue,power,
infidelity,professionalrela-tionships.
Inequality,classstruggle,jobinsecurity,unwantedpregnancy,
generationalconflicts.
10Luna, el misterio de Calenda
Love,friendship,intrigue,investigation,infidelity.
Justice,disability,singlemother,adolescence,delinquency.
Source:ObitelSpain
Theeconomiccrisisandeuthanasiaalsoappearonautonomousfictional programming, along withmore recent topics, like evic-tions.
Spain – Fiction resists the crisis | 287
Table 9b. Themes of the ten most watched autonomous titles
Titles DOMINANT THEMES SOCIAL THEMES
1 La RieraLove,infidelity,familydis-
putes,corruption,delinquency.
Homosexuality,surrogatemother,eviction,oldage,
illness.
2 Gran NordProfessionalrelationships,
neighborlyrelationships,urbanandruraldifferences.
Justice,lawenforcement,democracy
3 TornaremLove,hatred,war,violence,
infidelity.Defeated,historicalmemory,exile,dictatorship,solidarity
4 ArrayánLove,infidelity,professionalrelationships,manipulation,
treason.
Workdifficulties,oldage,work-lifebalance,corruption,
unwantedpregnancy.
5Kubala, Moreno i Manchón
Professionalrelations,inves-tigation,family,depression,
crime.
Crisis,delinquency,immigra-tion,oldage,illness.
6 GermanesFamily,secretes,love,death,
solitude.Illness,addictions,oldage,homosexuality,adoption
7L'alquería blanca
Family,work,love,infidelity,vengeance.
Inequality,migration,oldage,illness,socialmovements.
8Concepción Arenal,
Innocence,culpability,delin-quency,power,bribery.
Deathpenalty,women’srights,socialactivism,sexualaggression,motherhoodin
prison.
9Padre Casa-res
Doublestandards,religion,unsubstantiatedrumors,
conflictbetweentraditionandmodernity.
Politicalconflicts,economicdifficulties,motherhood,
adoption,crisis.
10Libro de familia
Family,work,love,infidelity,debts.
Inequality,classstruggle,economicproblems,migra-
tion,oldage.
Source:ObitelSpain
3. Transmedia receptionSinceitspremierein2011,theseriesEl barco (Antena3)has
beenbankingontransmedialitybydevelopingamulti-platformpro-motionalstrategythatincludes,amongotherextensionsofWeb2.0,theso-called“twittersodes”16.Thissection,devotedtotheanalysisofresourcesofferedontheInternetbyEl barco,examinesthetypeof interaction that is proposed, the levels of interactivity and the
16Airedonpreviousseasons,theywereone-hourepisodesonTwitterthatcomplementedthestorylinesthroughtweetsfromthecharacters(nottheactors).
288 | Obitel 2013
dominantpracticesofInternetusersontheofficialsites17.Thesec-ondpartoftheanalysisisfocusedonthediscoursesoffansonthesocialnetworkFacebook18.
Table11.Transmediafiction: types of interactions and dominant practices
Fiction Chan-nel Internet site
Type of transmedia interaction
Level of interac-
tivity
Dominant practices
El barco Antena3
OfficialwebsiteTransmediaviewing
ActiveHistoryActorsCriticismHumorCurrenteventsAudienceratings
OfficialFacebook Interactive Active
OfficialTwitterInteractiveonrealtime
Active
The data on Table 11 suggest that the “page format” (Web,Facebook,Twitter)affectsthetypeoftransmediainteractionofTVfiction.Thecharacteristicsof thewebenvironment,moreflexibleintermsofcontentdiversity,makethis typeofsites themostap-propriateforatransmediaviewing.InthecaseofEl barco,theof-ficialwebsite allows users to view episodes and post comments,andprovideseasyaccesstosocialnetworks.Italsooffersexclusiveproducts,suchasdigitaltradingcards,onlinemeetingswithactorsormaking of videos. It also includes contests and promotions ofvariousmerchandisingitems(booksandDVDs).
ThereisadifferencebetweenFacebookandTwitter,regardingthetypeoftransmediainteraction.Thecollecteddataunderscoresthespecializationofsocialnetworksthatcomplementonepromo-tionalstrategy.WhileFacebookuserstendtocommentbeforeandaftertheepisodehasbeenaired,onTwitterthereismultitasking.InFacebook,administratorstrytocreatebuzzbeforetheepisode,forexamplebyaskingfollowerstoshareanimagethatstatestheywill
17150comments(50fromeachofficialsite)werecollected,coincidingwiththeairingofthelastepisodeoftheyear(December21st,2012).18375commentsfromuserswerecollectedduringtheweekprevioustotheairingofthelastepisodeoftheyear(13th-20thDecember2012).
Spain – Fiction resists the crisis | 289
bewatchingtheshowthatnight.Oncetheprogramhasbeenaired,theyprovideaccess,forexample,to“bestof”videos,facilitatingadiscussionaboutthestorylines.Incontrast,Twitteruserscommentontheserieswhiletheyarewatchingit,usingthehashtagsuggestedbythenetwork(#elbarcoorsuchtagwiththeepisodenumber).Inaddition, messages from Twitter are much shorter than those onFacebook,duetothecharacterlimit.
Regardlessof the“page format”and the typeof transmediainteractionofferedonwebsites,wefindthattheinteractivityofthefollowersofEl barco isbetterdescribedas“active”.Althoughtheyrespondtostimuligiven(especiallyonFacebook,wheretheyfre-quentlyanswertocommentspostedbyadministrators),creativeac-tivityisrare,thatis,theydonotproducenewcontent.
DiscoursesofInternetusersfollowthesametrendsobservedintheanalysisofthepreviousyear.Themostcommontopicstacklethestory,plotsandcharacters,andthedeathofacharacterisusuallyregretted.Fanswillalsotalkabouttheirfavoriteactorsandexpressconcernover thegradualdeclineofviewing ratings,whichcouldjeopardizethecontinuityoftheseries(asindeedhappened).Criti-cismisofvariouskinds,butmostoftenitrevolvesaroundtwois-sues:thedirectiontakenbytheplotsandthelackofcredibilityofsomeelementsinthestories.Criticismincludestheproductplace-mentofCoca-Cola,aswellastheconstructionofimplausibleset-tingsinsideaboat,likeaboxingring.Inaddition,thelastepisodeoftheyear,whenthecrewandpassengersoftheshipfinallyreachedlandaftermorethantwoseasons,wasbroadcastonthesamedatetheworldwassupposedtoendas“predicted”bytheMayaciviliza-tion.This resulted inhumorouscommentsof“currentevents”onTwitter,whichlinkedbothscenarios.Forexample:“Thepeopleof#ElBarcofindlandwhenourworldends.You’vegottobenasty…#ElBarco36#ConfesionesFinDelMundo”(vicmuz).
290 | Obitel 2013
3.1. Conversations about El barco in FacebookTheofficialFacebookpageofEl barco has587,314followers,
16,714ofwhichwere“talking”abouttheseries19.Duringtheweekanalyzed,administratorsposted15officialcomments,whichgen-erated546responsesfromInternetusers,9,336“likes”,andwereshared 350 times. Themost “liked” official post (1,764) and themostsharedone(132)wasaphotographofactressBlancaSuárezonthecoverofamagazine.Ontheotherhand,themostcommentedpost(130)alludedtothedeathofoneofthecharactersduringthatday’sepisode,andsuggestedthefanstowatchagainthe“bestmo-ments”onAntena3website.
The poetic function (Jakobson, 1960) structures most com-mentsofFacebookusers,whooftentalkaboutplotsandcharacters.Thesemessagesoften includeelements thatcriticizeorflatter theprogram (emotional function). Among the usual criticisms, usersunderscorethe“poorquality”oftheseasoncomparedtopreviousones,andtheir“sadness”whenoneofthecharactersiskilledandherlovestoryends.Inaddition,theproductplacementabovemen-tionedgeneratescomplaints regarding the realismof theprogram(metalinguistic function). Internet users especially questioned theapparentlyunlimited foodandsoftdrinks supplyaboard. Instead,viewersrarelyuseFacebooktoreflectuponthemselves,andtheco-nativefunctionoftenresultsinmessagesexpressingtheirintentiontokeepwatchingornottheprogram.Furthermore,themostrecur-rentquestionsareusuallyrelatedtothephaticfunction,aspeoplerequestinformationonviewingtheseriesfromothercountries,orthenetworkairingtheprogram.Finally,thereferentialfunctionisclosely related to promotional strategies. For example, 33 peoplerespondtoarequestfromtheadministratorstovoteforEl barco intheannualrankingofAntena3and,asnotedbefore,themost“liked”postisaphotoofoneoftheprotagonists.
19DatacollectedonFebruary17th,2013.
Spain – Fiction resists the crisis | 291
4. Highlights of the yearOnceagain,La1leadstheSpanishfictionalprogramming,de-
spitefallingtothethirdpositionintherankingofchannels,andthefewprogramsbroadcastin2012(six)averaging3,446,119viewers(18.8%).Itstwogreatestassets,ÁguilaRoja(6,074,333and29.8%)andCuéntame cómo pasó(5.01775millionand24.8%),toppedtheranking,establishingan importantdifferencefromtherestbyex-ceeding5millionviewers.
Thepublicbroadcasteralsosucceededwiththemostspectacu-larpremiereoftheyear,aseriesaboutIsabellaCatólica(Isabel).Duetoitssuccess(4,079,916viewersand19.7%)andthecriticalacclaim,itwasrenewedforanotherseason.AudienceresultsoftheminiseriesLa memoria del agua(2,271,000and13.5%)werealsopositive, considering that the two chapterswere aired in one sit-ting,withaconsequentdropinthenumberofviewersonthelatenight.Finally,inDecemberthelong-livedserialAmar en tiempos
revueltos saidgoodbye toLa1withspectacularresults (2,729,668and21.1%)aftersevenyearsontheair20.
The comedies La que se avecina (4,215,222 and 22.7%)and Aída (3,353,891 and 16.5%) have underpinned, once again,Tele5’sfictionalprogramming.In2012itseightprogramsaveraged2,473,000viewers(14.8%).BiopicsaboutIsabelPantoja,Mi gitana
(3,560,666 viewers and 19.4%), andCarminaOrdóñez,Carmina (2,787,500viewersand16.6%),continuedthegoodrunofthissub-genre,contrarytotheunenthusiasticwelcometotheseriesFrágiles (1,683,500viewersand13.2%),adramaabout thecomplexityofthehumanpsyche,andLa fuga (1,948,333and11.2%),afuturisticthrillerwith impeccable production. The latter, however,was in-cluded in theWitList ofMIPTV21, held inApril inCannes, andsomeoftheepisodeswereatrendingtopiconTwitter.
20 Amar en tiempos revueltoswillbeairedonAntena3fromJanuary14th,2013withanewtitle,Amar es para siempre.21MarchéInternationaldesProgrammesdeTélévision(TVProgramsInternationalMar-ket).
292 | Obitel 2013
Antena3istheTVnetworkwithmoreownfictionalprogram-ming in 2012 (thirteen),whose average audience (2,379,000 and13.8%)isjustonepointbelowthatofTele5,andofferingawiderrangeof formats andgenres.But unlikeMediaset’sTVnetwork,twopremieresof theyear reported thebest results: the comediesCon el culo el aire(3,210,923and17.2%),abouttheeverydaylifeofagroupofpeople surviving thebest theycan,andFenómenos
(3,160,750viewersand16.5%),aboutaparanormalradioshow.Itsthirdsuccessthisseasonwastheforayintofantasy,Luna, el miste-
rio de Calenda (2,790,000viewersand15.3%),awerewolf storyreminiscentoftheTwilightsagaandwithabundantoutdoorsettings.ThesecondseasonofGran Hotel(2,805,750viewersand14.7%),theSpanishalternativetotheBritishDownton Abbey(whichisalsoairedonAntena3),andthethirdandfinalseasonoftheadventuredrama El barco (2,788,333viewersand15.2%)alsoobtainedgoodaudienceresults.
Overall,therehaveonlybeentwopremieresthathavenotcon-nectedatallwiththeaudience.Cheers(268,500viewersand6.9%),theSpanishadaptationofthehomonymousAmericancomedy,oc-cupiesthelastplaceintherankingofopen-accessbroadcasts,eventhoughTele5rushedtoremoveitfromthescheduleafterthefirsttwoepisodes.Imperium(1,469,833viewersand9.1%),Hispania’sspin-off(2,284,666viewersand13.3%),setduringtheRomancon-quest,wasnotconvincingwithitslowcostversionofthepast,soAntena3pulledtheseriesafteronlysixepisodes.
TheDTT’s open networks also broadcast fictional program-ming.TheAntena3Group channels preferred sketches likePsic-
odriving (Nitro) andSeñoras que… (Neox).On the first one, thepsychologistGustavoGandini(GoyoJiménez)offerstherapywhiledrivingaroundthecity.ThesecondwasinspiredbytheuniqueFace-bookfangroupsonpeculiarattitudesordailyactivitiesperformedbysomewomen.DisneyChannelbroadcastthesecondseasonofLa
gira,thefirst100%SpanishproductionofthisTVchannelabouttheconfrontationoftwoyouthmusicgroups.
Spain – Fiction resists the crisis | 293
RegardingthepayDTTchannels,inthewakeofZombies,Ga-
lactic GymandBasauri Vice, TNTboughtthebroadcastingrightsofthewebseriesMalviviendothatchroniclestheadventuresofagroupofneighborhoodfriendsanddrugusers.Finally,Canal+airedFal-
cón,acrimethrillerbasedontwonovelsbyRobertWilson.Asisthecasewithfictionprogramsairedonthefirstchannels,
someproductionshavegarneredaDTTaudienceabove theaver-ageshareattainedbytheirnetworks,suchasSeñorasque…(2.7%versus2.6%ofNeox)andMalviviendo(0.9%comparedwith0.4%ofTNT).Others,however,haveobtainedalowerscreenquotaasPsicodriving(0.4%versus1.6%Nitro).
At the autonomous level, TV3’s synchronywith its viewersshowsintheexcellentratings.Initsfourthyear,theserialLa Riera (550,000viewersand24.9%)improveditsresults.TheCatalannet-workwas also successfulwith the biggest premieres of the year,the cop-show Kubala, Moreno y Manchón (418,000 viewers and13.8%),thepolice-comedyGrand Nord(481,000and16.1%)andtheminiseriessetinthepastTornarem(474,000and17.3%).TV3isalsotheautonomousnetworkwithagreaternumberoftitles(thir-teen)in2012,followedbyGalicianTVG(nine).
TheAndalusianchannelCanalSur,however,lost3.2pointsinthefinalstretchofitsserialArrayán(424,000viewersand11.8%),whichfinishedafter13yearsontheair.Meanwhile,ValencianandGalician viewers prefer their long-lived series set in rural Spainin thesixties,L’AlqueríablancaonCanal9(400,773viewersand17.2%)andLibro de familiaonTVG(176,000viewersand16.2%)respectively.
Despite having reducedboth the number of titles ant the to-talhours,Spanish fictioncontinuesapace its transnationalization,byopeningnewmarketstosellprogramsandformats.Theexpan-sionisclearlyillustratedbytheadaptationsofGran reserva(Chile),Los misterios de Laura(PortugalandRussia),Con el culo al aire
294 | Obitel 2013
(NorthAmerica22),Aída(Ecuador),andthesuccessofÁguilaRoja,exportedtoover20countries(ThailandandKoreabeingthemostrecentadditions).
DomesticproductionalsocontinuestoaccumulateawardsbothinandoutofSpain.Togivejustafewexamples,thisyear,ÁguilaRoja hasreceivedthesilvermedalfromtheWorldMediaFestivalinHamburg, theawardforbestdirectorat theFyMT23 inBuenosAires,theTPdeOro24tothebestseriesandbestactor(DavidJaner),andtheFotogramadePlataforbestactress(InmaCuesta),andhasnowoverthirtyawards.TheFotogramadePlataforbestactor,how-ever,wasforJonGonzálezfromGran hotel,alsochosenasthebestseriesoftheyearatZoom,theEuropeanFestivalinIgualadaandbythewriters’guildALMA25,andalsoreceivedtheawardPasióndelosCríticosattheIVFestivalofCinemainVitoria.Cuéntame cómo
pasó received, once again, the TP deOro forBestActress (AnaDuato)andtheIrisAwardforthebestseriesfromtheAcademyofTelevision.
5. Topic of the year: social memory and television fictionThetrendtorethinkthepastthatcharacterizestelevisiondrama
ofthethirdmillenniumcanalsobefoundinSpain.Theprolifera-tionofperioddramasfrom2008to2011coincideswithatimewhenthereisanimpulsetorecoverthehistoricalmemory.Thus,thesixnational titles released in 2008 amounted to thirteen in 2009 and2010,andreachedthezenithin2011withatotalof21productions.Programssetinthepastbyautonomouschannelsincludesevenfic-tionsin2008,sixin2009,sevenin2010andninein2011.
In 2012, however, period dramas decrease, a fact consistentwiththedeclineoftitlescomparedto2011.Theimpactoftheeco-nomiccrisis,particularlyonthepublicTVchannels,isundoubtedly
22TheserieswillbeadaptedbySerenityFictionandFremantleMedia.23FestivalyMercadodeTV-FicciónInternacional.24AwardbyTVmagazineTeleprograma.25http://www.sindicatoalma.es/.
Spain – Fiction resists the crisis | 295
the cause of the contraction, towhichmust be added the lackofinterestofTVE’snewdirectiveboardinreflectingonCivilWarandpost-war periods in programs such asAmar en tiempos revueltos or 14 de abril. La República.Nevertheless,itshouldbenotedthegradualincreaseinqualitystandards,highlightedinthetwohistori-calTVseriesin2011,IsabelandToledo.
In2012the“returntothepast”(Buonanno,2012:199)ofSpan-ishfictionintroducedmajor innovationsinthe(re)constructionofimages of “cultural history” (Burke, 2004). Such reconstructionis carried out by looking, not necessarilywith nostalgia, at someof themost iconic periods, like theMiddleAges or the reign oftheCatholicMonarchs.Still,thefourhistoricalprograms(Toledo,
Isabel, Concepción Arenal andLa conspiración) inextricablymix“past”and“pastime”(Silverstone,1999:132).Therefore,itshouldbeclarifiedthattheverydistinctionbetweenpastandhistory(moreheuristicthantheoretical)onlyservestoqualifythe“re-enactmentofthepast”oftelevisionfictionmentionedbyBuonannofollowingRicoeur(Buonanno,2012:200).
Table 12a. Historical and set in the past national fictionalprogramming
Broadcasts Title Channel Hour Format Time period3 ÁguilaRoja TVE1 22:30 Series Past
175 Amar en tiempos revueltos TVE1 16:15 Serial Past253 Bandolera Antena3 16:00 Serial Past4 Cuéntame cómo pasó TVE1 22.30 Series Past
253 El secreto del puente viejo Antena3 17:30 Serial Past8 Gran hotel Antena3 22:30 Series Past3 Hispania Antena3 22:30 Series Past6 Imperium Antena3 22:30 Series Past
13 Isabel TVE1 22:30 Series Historical13 Toledo Antena3 22:30 Series Historical
2 Carmina Tele5 22:30Minise-ries
Past
2 La memoria del agua TVE1 22:30Minise-ries
Past
Source:ObitelSpain
296 | Obitel 2013
Table 12b. Historical and set in the past autonomousfictionalprogramming
Broadcasts Title Channel Hour Format Time period22 L'alquería blanca Canal9 22:00 Series Past30 Libro de familia TVG 22:30 Series Past1 La conspiración ETB2 22:40 TV movie Historical2 Tornarem TV3 22:30 Miniseries Past1 Concepción Arenal TV3 22:30 TV movie Historical
Source:ObitelSpain
Unlikeotherneighboringcountries,suchasBritainandItaly,withalongtraditioninperioddrama,inSpainCuéntame cómo pasó issomehowthe“degreezero”.Theseriesturnstheculturalreflec-tionon thestories set in thepast ina“before”and“after”of theDemocraticTransition,thetimeperiodofthisproductionbyGrupoGanga. It isnot surprising that a largepartof the socialmemoryrecoverybySpanishfictiontakesplaceduringthenearlyeightyearsofgovernmentofJoséLuísRodríguezZapatero,asacorollaryoftherecoveryofhistoricalmemoryduringthatsameperiod.
The resistance to the ups and downs of audience ratings ofCuéntame cómo pasoandthesuccessoftheacclaimedÁguilaRoja,paradigm of the euphoria that spread to fiction (film and televi-sion)beforetheSpanisheconomiccrisisacquireditsofficialstatus,promptedtheprivatechannelstoexploreaterritorythatishelpingtoraisethestandardsofqualitySpanishprograms.
5.1. The Roman conquestHispania, la leyenda, the first venture into the peplum of a
Spanishtelevisionnetwork,debutedinprimetimeonAntena3onOctober25th,2010,inresponsetothesuccessofÁguilaRoja(La1).Thiswasaboldmove,withabudgetwellbelowtheseriesofLa1,butwithagreatdesiretoturnlimitationsintovirtues.
HispaniastartswiththebrutalassaultofthetroopscommandedbyGeneralGalba to the village ofLusitanian leaderViriato, po-larizing the relationship between the indigenous population andtheinvadersaroundthefierceconfrontationofthetwoopponents.
Spain – Fiction resists the crisis | 297
Friends, lovers, family, neighbors and fellow soldiers of the twomain characters integrate a tangled constellation of relationships,builton thebackgroundof theadventuresof theHispanic leader.Notwithstandingthemanyinaccuraciesitcontains,highlightedbysome bloggers (like the Christian patronymics of someHispanicpeople, themismatcheddatesof theperiod inwhichGalba ruledtheSpanishprovinceofTarraco,orViriato’sownbiography26),thetruth is that the curiosity aroused inmany viewers by the periodrepresentedrekindledtheinterest in thiseraofpopularstory,oneofthefunctionsGaryEdgertonattributedtofictionssetinthepast:
“Television as historian” should never be feared as the “lastword”onanygivensubject,butviewedasameansbywhichun-precedentedlylargeaudiencescanbecomeincreasinglyawareofandcaptivatedbythestoriesandfiguresofthepast(Edgerton,2001:9).
Thegradualdeclineofaudienceduring thesecondseasonofHispania prompted Antena3 to save their last three episodes for2012,asaprelude to thespin-off (Imperium).Thus, theseriesofBambúProduccionesendedonJune23rdwiththedeathofAníbalandthereturnofGalbatoRome,whileintroducinganewcharacter(thePraetorofHispaniaCitator,QuintoServilioCepion),whichinturnwouldholdanimportantroleinthespin-off.
ImperiumpicksupthestoryofGalbainRome,beforereturn-ingtoSpainasagovernor,andwillingtorestorethegoodnameofhisfamily.AlthoughtherelationshiptoHispaniaisobvious,Impe-
riumbetterarticulatesthegroupofthemaincharacters(freeofthemaincharacter,Viriato).ItalternatespartsshotinCinecittà(atthesamesetsfromHBO’sRome)withlandscapesofthefrontierregionLaVera,whilemakingagreatereffortthanitspredecessortodocu-menttheseries,withoutlosingthelocalcustomsandmanners.
26 See, for example, http://blogs.periodistadigital.com/politicamenteacorrecto.php/2010/10/29/p282058.
298 | Obitel 2013
5.2. The Kingdom of SpainToledo (Antena3)andIsabel(La1)aretwoofthemostremark-
ablepremieresoftheyearandtheonlytwohistoricalseriesonna-tionalnetworks.Interestingly,bothrefertoconsecutiveperiodsofthebuildingoftheKingdomofSpain,asifitwerecomplementaryprogramsratherthanrivals.Theirmixtureoffactandfictionillus-tratestheundeniablesimilaritiesbetween“thefamiliar,solidworldofhistoryonthepageandtheequallyfamiliarbutmoreephemeralworldhistoryonthescreen” (Rosenstone,2006:2).
Set in the13th century,Toledo tries to recapture the spirit ofconcordthatbroughttogetherChristians,JewsandMuslimsaroundthe court of Alfonso X theWise, a king determined to achievepeacefulcoexistenceamongthethreefaiths.SameasHispania,theseriesstartswithanattacktothelocalvillage, in thiscasebytheMuslims.Ittestifiesthevalueofthestoriessetinthepasttogivesensetothepresentwithouthavingtorecaptureanyobjectivetruthabouthistory:
White and others [postmodernist historians]havearguedthathistoriographyismuchmoreabout telling histories inspired by contempo-raryperspectivesthanrecapturingandconvey-inganykindofobjective truth about thepast(Edgerton,2001:3).
Toledo isanambitiousfiction,withawiderangeofresourcesdeployedforthesakeofthecredibilityoftheeventsnarrated.Suchevents are populated by the character’s stories that constitute thebaseforthishistoricaldramafullofactionandpassion.Forexample,thenumerousoutdoorscenesshot inCastillaLaManchaalternatewithbreath-takingsceneryrebuiltinFuenlabrada(Madrid),apartofwhich,importedfromItaly,hadbeenusedinEl nombre de la Rosa.
Concerns about the styling ofToledo become evident in theprops (hand-painted tiles, swords forgedbyagunsmith fromTo-
Spain – Fiction resists the crisis | 299
ledo,etc.)andthemorethan1,200costumesused.SuchconcernisalmosttakentoaparoxysminIsabel,asuper-productionofquasi-cinematiclookandtempo.Thisseries,byDiagonalTV,coverstheyearsprecedingthecoronationofIsabelasQueenofCastillaandcombinesgoodhistoricaldocumentationwithsomerisquéscenes.
OriginallyscheduledforJanuary,butstalledforseveralmonthswhilethenewdirectiveboardofTVEtalliedtheaccounts,DiagonalTVoptedforapreviewofthefirstepisodeasamovie,whichalsoscreenedatfilmfestivalsinSanSebastianandVitoria.Finally,Isa-
belairedinLa1inSeptemberand,bytheendofthefirstseason,inNovember,becamethefourthmostwatchedprogramoftheyear.Itslimitedprospectsforrenewal,however,ledtheCatalanproductioncompanytodismantletheirexpensivesets.Finally,inDecemberthemanagementofTVEconfirmedthecontinuityofitsmostsuccess-fulseries(Isabel,ÁguilaRoja,Cuéntamecómopaso,Granreservaand Los misterios de Laura),withoutrevealing,however,thefateofanotherDiagonalTVprogram,14 de abril. La República.
5.3. The Baroque Spain RumorsabouttheendofÁguilaRojaoriginatedbythebroad-
castofonlythreeepisodesin2012(withtheappearanceoftheDukeofAlba) reopened the controversy from 2011 regarding the highcostsofthisGlobomediaprogram27.Still,thespectacularTVratingsobtainedinitsfour-yearrunledAntena3andTele5toexpresstheirinterestintheseries.Theseriesissetinthe17thcentury,theperiodofmaximumsplendorof theSpanishartsandletters,butalsothebeginningofapoliticalandeconomicdecline that threecenturieslaterwouldleadtotheCivilWar28.
27 An average of 913,000 euros for one episode of approximately 85minutes (about11,424eurosperminute),accordingtothepublicauditofCRTVEin2010(http://www.elconfidencial.com/comunicacion/2012/02/10/tve-paga-12000-euros-por-cada-minuto-de-cuentame-aguila-roja-y-la-hora-de-jose-mota-92367/).28WhenRTVEconfirmedthefifthseasonoftheseries,italsoannounceda16%reductionoftheinitialprice.
300 | Obitel 2013
5.4. The roaring twentiesThesecondseasonofGran hotel inOctoberresumedtheques-
tionsposedinthefirstinstallment,articulatedaroundthemysteriousdeathofDonCarlosandtherelationshipbetweenhisdaughterAli-ciaandJulio,aservantofthehotel.Love,passion,suspenseandre-venge,thebasicingredientsofdramainvoguetoday,cometogetherinthisseriesbyBambú,anotherproductioncompanyspecializinginperioddrama.TheserieshasacarefulvisualrecreationoftheSpan-ishgentryofthetwenties,withselectcostumesandimpeccableset-tings.TheplausibilityofitssocialportraitisreinforcedbyfilmingatthePalaciodelaMagdalena(Santander)andthefrequentinvolve-mentofrenownedactorsinsupportingroles.
SetinthesameperiodasGran hotel,theminiseriesLa memo-
ria del agua (La1) isbasedon thehomonymousnovelbyTeresaViejo.Italsomixesintriguewiththepersonalstoriesoftheowners,servantsandguestsofthespawherethestorytakesplaces.Thereare,however,remarkabledifferenceswiththeAntena3series,espe-ciallyregardingthedidacticfocusadoptedinfictionsdevelopedbythepublicTVnetworkinrecentyears.Inthiscase,customsscenesare alternatedwith numerous references to themost pressingpo-liticalandsocialissuesduringthedictatorshipofPrimodeRivera(1926-1929),theperiodportrayed.
5.5. The TransitionTVE budget cuts have also strongly impacted on the costly
Cuéntame cómo pasó29, whose thirteenth season (aired between
JanuaryandFebruary)iscomposedofonlyfourepisodes.Merche’s
breast cancer, her mastectomy and the chemotherapy treatment are
the main storylines of the most dramatic season of this series by
Grupo Ganga, set in the early eighties.
29TheaveragecostofoneepisodeofCuéntame cómo pasó is,approximately,12,816eurosperminute,accordingtothepublicauditofCRTVEin2010(http://www.elcon-fidencial.com/comunicacion/2012/02/10/tve-paga-12000-euros-por-cada-minuto-de-cuentame-aguila-roja-y-la-hora-de-jose-mota-92367/).
Spain – Fiction resists the crisis | 301
Cuéntame cómo pasó, themost testimonial series of La1, isnow,after11yearsontheair,asortofvisualencyclopediafornewgenerations.Itisasimplifiedmanualofenlightenedpoliticsthatal-lowsustointerpretthestory“inthelightofcontemporarysensibili-tiesandproblems”(Buonanno,2012:213).
5.6. Social memory of the everydayThefirstSpanishdailyperioddrama,Amar en tiempos revuel-
tos,wasairedonLa1fromSeptember2005toDecember2012.ItbegananewchapterinAntena3onJanuary14th,2013,withanewtitle,Amar es para siempre.TVE’sdecisionto terminate thepro-gramreliesonbudgetcuts,thoughinthiscasethepricewasverytightforaproductionsetinthepast30thathadextraordinaryaudi-enceresultsandexcellentreviews.
AlongthesamelinesasotherperioddramasbyDiagonalTV(La señora and14 de abril. La República),Amar en tiempos re-
vueltos isaprimeexampleofthedidacticvalueoffiction.Genderviolence,addictions,homosexuality(maleandfemale),oldageandmigrationaresomeof thesocial issuesaddressedin theprogram.Setbetween1936and1956,italsoincorporatesmanyimagesfromTVE’sdocumentaryfiles.
The renovation of most of the plots and characters in eachseasonexplainsthelargenumberofactors,consolidatedanddebu-tantes,whohavegone throughtheserialduring itssevenseasons(approximately1,200).Amar en tiempos revueltoshasalsospawnedvariousspin-offs(TVmoviesonprimetime)andthreenovels,andhas been broadcast on Telemundo (USA andMexico), Ecuavisa(Ecuador),Canal7 (Argentina),Canal6 (Honduras) andTeleven(Venezuela).
30Despite the fact that the 68,210 euros per chapter (1,364 euros perminute) on thefifthseasonwerereducedonthesixthto51,661eurosperchapter(1,033eurospermin-ute),accordingtothepublicauditofCRTVEin2010(http://www.elconfidencial.com/comunicacion/2012/02/10/tve-paga-12000-euros-por-cada-minuto-de-cuentame-aguila-roja-y-la-hora-de-jose-mota-92367/).
302 | Obitel 2013
ThesuccessofAmar en tiempos revueltosledAntena3totrustDiagonalTVtoimproveitsafternoonratings,trappedbetweentheserialfromLa1andthegossiprealityTVinTele5,withtwodailyproductions set in the past. The first onewasBandolera, a storystarringayoungEnglishwoman thatarrives inAndalusia in1882andendsupleadingagangofbanditsliketheonesobrilliantlycap-tainedby the legendaryCurroJiménezbetween1976and197831.Bandolera gavewaytoAmar es para siempreatthebeginningof2013.Thesecond,El secreto de Puente Viejo,showsayoungmid-wifeinthesmalltownofPuenteViejoin1902,whosefateintersectswiththebrotherofthemanwhohadabandonedher32.
Withoutinterferingwiththeprototypicalthemesoftheserial,themainstorylineinBandolera (thebandofthieveswhostealfromtherichanddistributeitamongthepoor)encouragesreflectiononissuessuchaspovertyorsocialinjustice.Ontheotherhand,theroleofthemidwifeinEl secreto de Puente Viejohasearnedhischarac-ter,PepaBalmes,thetitleof“honorarymatron”bytheMidwivesAssociationofSpain.
5.7. Past and history in autonomous fiction programmingTheSpanishCivilWarreturnstotheautonomousTVnetworks
withtheminiseriesTornarem(TV3)andtheTVmovieLa conspir-
ación(ETB2).Thefirst,setinWorldWarII,isinspiredbythestoryofaCatalanwhowaspartofthecompanywhichfreedParisin1944(“The nine”), composedmainly of Spanish andCatalanRepubli-cans,veteransoftheCivilWar.La conspiracióngoesback,how-ever,totheeveofthemilitaryuprisingof1936andseekstoclarifytheroleofGeneralMola.
Concepción Arenal, la visitadora de pressons (TV3)paystrib-utetothefirstwomaninchargeofvisitingwomen’sprisonsinthelate19thcentury,whotriedtoimproveprisoners’lives.Itisabiopic
31InthehomonymousseriesofLa1,Curro Jiménez(1976-1979).32WhenBandolerafinished,El secreto de Puente Viejojumps16yearsforwardintimeandthecharactersandattrezzoarerenovatedaccordingly.
Spain – Fiction resists the crisis | 303
thatsuperimposestheprofessionalandpersonalstoryofanextraor-dinarywomantothesocialhistoryand,inaway,itcomplementsit.
Theproximityofautonomousfictionprogrammingtoitsview-ersanditsabilitytoconvertcustomsandmannersinasignofiden-tityisevidentinLibro de familia(TVG)andL’alqueriablanca(Ca-nal9).Builton thebackgroundof thestrugglefor landandsocialimprovements, thefamilystorieshavebeencaptivatingaudiencessince2005and2007respectively.
ReferencesBUONANNO,M.(2012).Italian TV drama & beyond. Stories from the
soil, stories from the sea.Bristol,Chicago:Intellect.
BURKE,P.(2004).What is a cultural history?Cambridge:PolityPress.
EDGERTON,G.(2001).“TelevisionasHistorian”.EnG.EdgertonyP.
Rollins(eds.),Television stories.Lexington:TheUniversityPressofKentucky.
JAKOBSON,R.(1960).«Closingstatements:LinguisticsandPoe-tics».
T.A.Sebeok(ed.).Style in Language.Cam-bridge,MA:MITPress,pp.350-
377.
SILVERSTONE,R.(1999).Why study the media?London:Sage.
7UNITEDSTATES: lookIng For A younger AudIence – The rebrAndIng oF hIsPAnIc Tv
Author:JuanPiñón1
Team:LinneteManrique,TanyaCornejo
1. Audiovisual Context in the countryForthefirsttimeinUSAhistory,theHispanicpopulationbe-
cameadecisivefactorinthepresidentialnationalelection.InNo-vember 2012, 71 percent of Latinos voted theDemocratic Party.Eventhoughissuessuchastheeconomy,educationandhealthcareareparamountforLatinovoters,theanti-immigrantdiscoursefromtheRepublicanPartywasthemainreasontheircandidatelost thepresidency.AnanalystsuggestedthatifMittRomneyhadobtainedatleast43percentoftheLatinovote,insteadofthe29percentthathegot,hewouldhavewontheelections(Lapan,2013).GiventhatdemographictrendsshowthatHispanicswillbecome26percentofthe totalpopulation in2030 (Taylor&Cohn,2013), thepoliticalpartieswillshowarenewedinterestinthisminority,becausetheywillnolongerbeabletowinanelectionwithouttheirvote.
TheeconomicrelevanceofLatinoswasalreadyevidentwhenin2003theybecamethelargersocialminorityintheU.S.,andin2007,theysurpassedthepurchasingpoweroftheotherethnicmi-norities.ButthepoliticalandeconomicimportanceofLatinoshasalsotranslatedintoaninterestontheirmasscommunicationmedia
1OnbehalfofObitel,wewanttoexpressourprofoundrecognitiontoCeciliaMasola,ClientSolutionAssociateatNielsenMediaResearch,forsupportingthepresentstudyandfortheirinvaluablecontributiontothefieldofHispanictelevisionresearch.TheUSAchapterwasalsopossiblethroughthecollaborationofDianaKamin,aPh.D.studentfromtheDepartmentofMedia,Culture,andCommunicationatNewYorkUniversity.
306 | Obitel 2013
and the language used to reach them.A report by PewHispanicCenter(PRC)describesthatSpanishisthedominantlanguagefor38percentofLatinos,whileasimilarquantityarebilingual,with24percentdeclaringthatEnglishistheirdominantlanguage(Tayloretal.,2012).Thepoliticalandeconomicrelevance,coupledwiththelinguisticcompetencesoftheHispanicpopulation,arereflectedinthe enthusiasm shown in journalistmedia,where since 2011 andthrough2012themajormediaoutletshavehiredprofessionalsandcreatedwebsitestargetingEnglish-speakingLatinos,likeFoxLati-no,Huffington-PostVoces,andNBCLatino,combinedwithUnivi-sionandABCannouncement,inthebeginningof2013,aboutthecreationofFusion,anEnglishspeakingcablenewsnetworktarget-ingLatinos.Duetothefactthatsince2000Latinoswhowerebornin theU.S. are themain factor of growth for theHispanic popu-lationandnot immigration(Census,2010), ithasbecomeevidenttoexecutives fromHispanicmedia that their successor failure islinkedtotheconsumptionhabitsofthesecondandthirdgenerationofEnglish-speakingandbilingualLatinos.
1.1. Broadcasting TelevisionTheHispanictelevisionbroadcastingindustrykeepsgrowing,
and, in2012,MundoFox, anew televisionbroadcastingnetwork,waslaunchedwithaninitialcoverageof80percentoftheHispanicpopulation.MundoFoxjoinstheranksofnationaltelevisionbroad-casters with Azteca America, Estrella TV, Telemundo, UniMás(formerlyTelefutura),UnivisionandV-me.
Graphic 1. National Broadcasting Television Networks in USAPRIVATE TV NETWORKS
AztecaAmericaEstrellaTVMundoFoxTelemundoUniMásUnivisionV-me
TOTAL (7)
UNITED STATES – Looking for a younger audience – the rebranding of hispanic tv | 307
TheUnivisionnetworkcontinuedwithitshegemonicpositioninthemarketwith55percentoftheaudienceshare,coupledwith15percentofaudiencesharebyUniMás,itssisternetwork.UnivisionCommunicationshave70percentofthetotalshareofbroadcastingtelevision,whileTelemundo,thesecondrankedtelevisionnetworkanditslongtimecompetitor,hasonly22percent.In2012,EstrellaTVconsolidatesitspositionasthefourthlargesttelevisionnetworkwith3percentandAztecaAmericaoccupiesthefifthplacewith2.4percent.
Graphic 2 – Audience Share by Network
Network %Univision 55.6Telemundo 22.0UniMás
(Telefutura)15.3
EstrellaTV 3.2AztecaAmerica 2.4MundoFox 1.4
Source:ObitelUSA-Nielsen
Entertainment, talkshows,newsandsportsarethetelevisiongenreswithmorevisibilityintheHispanicnetworkscreens.Fiction,inparticular,hasanimportantpresencewith43.7percentofthepro-grammingoffer,inwhichtelenovelas,series,miniseriesandunitar-iesrepresent27.5percentandtheremainder16.1percentarefilms.Ifwethinkaboutfilmsasaseparatecategory, theyaresurpassedonlybyentertainmentwith18.2percentoftheprogrammingoffer.
Graphic 3. Genre Programming Offer on TV
Broadcast genres Exhibition hours %
Fiction 14,906:37 43.7
Entertainment 6,220:39 18.2
TalkShows 3,750:06 11.0News&Information 3,698:31 10.8
Sports 2,328:12 6.8
AztecaAmerica
EstrellaTV
MundoFox
Telemundo
UniMás(Telefutura)
Univision15.30
2.43
22.03
55.57
1.433.21
308 | Obitel 2013
Children 754:40 2.2Contests 727:43 2.1Sitcoms 680:21 2.0
RealityTV 654:46 1.9Educational 85:15 0.2Others 326:09 1.0Total 34,133:02 100
Source:ObitelUSA-Nielsen
Hispanic households have 85 percent penetration of at leastone pay television system, cable or satellite. Since the 1990s thelargemediacorporationshavelaunchedchannelstargetingLatinosthat amount to more than 70 national cable television networks.TheLatino-orientedcabletelevisionnetworksvaryfromAmericanchannelsonlydubbedintoSpanishtonetworksthatareincreasinglyoriginalproductioncontent.Among themost salient areFoxDe-portes,ESPNDeportes,DiscoveryenEspañol,Mun2(aTelemun-do-NBCproperty),GolTV,Tr3s,NatGeoMundoandUtilísima.However,Galavisión,apropertyofUnivision,hasbeentheleaderonaudienceshareintheterrainofcabletelevisionfortwodecades.
The need to lure a younger audience, reinforced by the newtrendsoftheHispanicpopulation,hastriggeredacorporatechangewith the rebranding of the television networks. Telemundo an-nouncedinMayitsdecisiontocreateamorestylizedlogo,changingthetraditionalTelemundoblueT,intoaredone,withtheslogan“ElpoderdeT”(ThepowerofT),thatallowsplayingwiththeword“T”inSpanish,T-informa,T-conecta,T-inspiraandT-emociona(T-in-
Fiction
Entertainment
TalkShows
New&Information
Sports
ChildrenProgramming
Contests
Sitcoms
RealityTV
Educatinal
Others
18,2
1,9
43,7
11
10,2
10,8
6,8
22,22,1
UNITED STATES – Looking for a younger audience – the rebranding of hispanic tv | 309
formyou,T-inspireyou,T-connectyouandT-exciteyou).Also,Univisionchangeditslogointoatridimensionalonethatevokesaheartwiththephrase“EllatidodelcorazónhispanoenlosEstadosUnidos”(theheartbeatofHispanicsintheU.S.)thatconnotesthetransformationof thecompany(Vega,2012b).But themostradi-caltransformationwastherebrandingofthenetworkTelefuturatobecomeUniMás,changingthename,logoandaudience’sprofile.UniMáswillbetargetingyoungmaleLatinoswiththecontentavail-able resulted fromthenewprogrammingagreementwithCaracolTV and RTI-Colombia (Thielman, 2012). The transformation ofthenetworkwasalsotriggeredbythelaunchofMundoFox,whichbrings a young-male oriented programming with the telenovelasandseriesfromRCNandFoxTelecolombia.ButthetransformationofUniMásandthelaunchofMundoFoxhavebecomeachallengeforTelemundo,thesecondrankedHispanicnetworkthathastradi-tionallybenefitedfromasourceofColombianprogramingfromitsformerrelationshipwithCaracolandRTI.Attheendoftheyear,Azteca America also renovated its corporate image, announcingthatthechangedemonstrateshow“colorsanddesignevokethedi-versityoftheprogrammingandaudience”,eventhoughitkeptitsslogan“Tucasa”(Yourhome)(AzAGazette,2012).Thiswaveofchangesfoundtheirzenithinearly2013whenUnivisionandABCannouncedthecreationofFusion,anewsorientedchannelinEng-lishforHispanics,tobelaunchedattheendoftheyear.
Theendof2012markedtheninthconsecutiveyearinwhichUnivision established itself as the fifth-ranked network, only be-hindthebroadcastbigfour(ABC,CBS,NBCandFox),averagingtwomillionviewers inprime time.And for thesixthconsecutiveyear,UnivisionrankedasthenumberonenetworkonFridaynightsamong thecoveted18-34demographic, aheadof its closest com-petitorNBCby31percent.Moreover,Univisionoutperformedoneormoreofthebigfouron245nightsamongviewersaged18to34.
Univision’ssuccesscanbeattributedinlargeparttoitsTelevi-sa-producedtelenovelas,whichare“DVR-proof”and“onereason
310 | Obitel 2013
whyanincredible93percentofUnivision’sprimetimeisviewedlive”,accordingtoMarisaGuthrie.Forexample,thefinalepisodesofAbismo de PasiónandLa Que No Podía Amar reached7.7and8 million viewers, respectively, and positioned Univision as thenumber twonetworkamong the18-34demographic, outperform-ingABC,CBSandFox.Further,thepremiereofAmores Verdade-
rosreachedoverfivemillionviewersandpositionedUnivisionasthefourth-rankednetworkinthe18-34demographic,beatingCBS. Overall, telenovelaswere thehighest-ratednon-Olympicprogrameveryweeknightamongadultsaged18to49and18to34.SocceralsogarneredthehighestratingsforUnivision.ThelivebroadcastofMexicovs.BrazilgameinJunepositionedUnivisionasthenum-ber one network on socialTV for theweek. Further,Mexico vs.U.S.friendlymatchinAugustreached8.1millionviewers,makingUnivisionthenumberonenetworkinprimetimeamongadultsaged18-34andmen18-34and18-49,beatingNBC,CBS,ABCandFoxaswellasallcablenetworks,regardlessoflanguage.
Inaddition to the fact that themajorityofUnivision’sprimetimeprogrammingisviewedlive,commercialshavemoreofadi-rectimpactbecausetheyarenotfast-forwarded,whatmakesUni-visionapowerfulforcetobereckonedwithisitsyoung,bilingualandunduplicatedaudience.UnivisionandUniMásaretheyoung-estbroadcastnetworks, regardlessof language,withanestimatedprimetimemedianageof36.Ofthisprimetimeaudience,68per-centisunduplicated,meaningthatviewersarenotwatchinganyofthetop-ratedEnglishlanguagenetworks.AndaccordingtoNielsen,Univisionprovided47outofthetop50mostpopularentertainmentprogramsamongbilingualHispanics.
UniMásconcludedtheMaysweepperiodwithyear-over-yearaudiencegrowthacrossalldayparts,includingprimetime.More-over,UniMáspositioneditselfasthenumbertwoSpanishbroadcastnetworkattheendoftheNovembersweepsduringearlymorning,night andweekday schedule among the key 18-34 demographic,outperformingTelemundo.Galavisiónforitspartcontinuedasthe
UNITED STATES – Looking for a younger audience – the rebranding of hispanic tv | 311
numberoneSpanish-languagecablenetworkthanksinnosmallparttoitsdiverseprogrammingthatincludescomedieslikeLos Heroes
del Norte,whichisthethird-rankedprogramonSundayamongHis-panicadultsaged18to49,incableTV,regardlessoflanguage,andthehard-hittingnewsshowPrimero Noticias,whichsawadoubledigitgrowththisyear.
AztecaAmerica,theonlynetworkwhollyownedbyaMexicancorporation,concludedtheNovembersweepperiodwithyear-over-yeardouble-digitgrowth inkeydemographicsonweekdayprimetime.Thenetworkrecordeda35percentincreaseamongadultsaged18to34anda37percentincreaseamongthe2-17demographicforthe20:00-21:00timeperiodduetothesuccessofitsrealityshowLa
Isla (aversionoftheAmericanshowSurvivor).Mostnotably,thesoccerquarterfinalsofLa Liga Mexicana boostedAztecaAmericatothenumbertwoSpanish-languagenetworkamongthekeymale18-49and25-54demographicsinprimetimeinNovember.
Theincreasedvisibilityofsoccer,asporttraditionallyignoredintheU.S.,isatestamenttothefactthatthefaceofAmericantele-visionischangingandadaptinginordertoappealtotheyoungandever-growingHispanicdemographic.Moreover,analystssayHis-panic-targetedsportsprogramming isoneof the fewprospects inTVspacethat isset togrow(Crupi,2012).Andthenetworksaretakingheed.Forexample,NBCdisbursedan impressiveUS$600millionfortheSpanish-languagerightstobroadcastonTelemundothe2018and2022WorldCup.ComparethattotheUS$325millionthatwerespentin2005,thelasttimeaWorldCupdealwasnego-tiated (Thielman,2012).Univision for its parts launcheda sportsnetwork titled Univision Deportes that is set to broadcast all ofFIFAeventsthroughout2014andwillfeaturemoreMexicansoccermatchesthananyotherchannelintheU.S.InthewordsofUnivi-sionDeportespresidentJuanCarlosRodriguez,“[Univision’s]realbusinessissoccer.”
TheTelemundonetwork,aNBC-Comcastproperty,aftercele-bratingits25thanniversaryinDecember2012,launchedanewlogo,
312 | Obitel 2013
leavingbehindtheblue“T”forared“T”andthetext“BraveNewTelemundo”(Vega,2012b).Telemundohasadvancedonitsprimetimeblock,specificallywiththebroadcastingofPablo Escobar: El
Patrón del Mal,basedonthereallifeofthetraffickerknownastheColombianCocaineCzar.Telemundohasconsolidateditspositionasthesecondrankednetworkwithaconsistentgrowthinthelastthreeyearsfromanaverageof1.01millionprimetimeviewersin2010to1.19millionin2012;meanwhileUniMásdecreasedfrom867thousandprimetimeviewersto634thousandinthesamepe-riod.However,in2012therewasnoTelemundooriginalproductioncausingahighaudience’simpact.ThisyearTelemundoproductionfellfarawayfromtheratingsachievedbyLa Reina del Surin2011,triggeringtheneedtoreplicatetheformulawiththenewproductionalliancewithArgosCommunicationfortheproductionofEl Señor
de los Cielos.ThisyearTelemundoventuredintheproductionofYo Me Llamo,acontestprogram,buttheshowproducedverylowratings.Theprogrammingpresented in theUpfront included sev-eralrealityTVprojectssuchasLa Voz Kids,aspin-offfromNBC’sThe Voice,andTodos Somos Héroes,aspecialprogramthattellsthestoryofcommonpeoplebecomingheroesintheircommunities.
EstrellaTV,atelevisionnetworkpropertyofLibermanBroad-casting Inc., continueswith its strategy of counter programming,schedulinginprimetimecontestsshows,realityTV,comediesandmusicshows,withtheideathatsomeHispanicswouldratherwatchthiskindofprogrammingthantelenovelas.MostofEstrellaTV’sprogramming is produced in theirBurbankStudios inCalifornia,withapproximately500halftimeandfulltimeworkers.EstrellaTVisgrowinginprofits;in2012ithadadvertisingnetrevenuesaround$21.8million, farabove the17.1millionearned in2011.EstrellaTV,with59affiliatedTVstations,intwoyearshassurpassedAz-tecaAmerica,becomingthefourthrankednationalnetworkwithanaverageof200thousandprimetimeviewers(Strauss,2012).
V-meabandonedthenationalNielsenrating,consequently,thenetwork isnot included in thesection titled“TheAnalysisof the
UNITED STATES – Looking for a younger audience – the rebranding of hispanic tv | 313
Year”.TheSpanishgroupPRISA,thenetwork’smajorinvestor,hasbeenhitbytheSpanishandEuropeaneconomiccrisis,stallingtheplansofinvestmentontheHispanicnetwork.V-mehasnooriginalproduction andmany of their fictional programming comes fromoverseas, in particular fromSpain.Theprogramming fromV-meincludesgames,miniseriesandrerunsofsuccessfulfictionalseriessuch asThe Kennedys thatwas broadcast originally on theReel-zChannel.EventhoughV-meisaprivatechannel,itgetsdistributedthroughpublicownedTVstationsofPBS(PublicBroadcastSta-tions)thatfollowaphilosophybasedonpublicservice,inwhichthenetworkneedstofollowcertainregulationsthatbecomeanobstacleforafullcommercializationproject.
InJanuary2012,NewsCorporationannouncedthatitwouldbelaunchinganewnetwork,MundoFox,ina50-50partnershipwithColombia’sRCNTelevisionGroup.RCNhadpreviouslysuppliedcontentforUnivisionanditssisternetworkTelefutura,butastheseearlieragreementsexpireoverthenextfewyears,RCN’sprogram-ming will appear exclusively onMundoFox.Working under thecorporate theme “Latino Entertainment, American Attitude” andmarketing tagline“AmericanoComoTu”,MundoFoxestablishedtheirbrandagainsttheexistingnetworksbypromising“edgierandbolder”programming,targetingayoungerandamaleaudience.Inordertodifferentiateitselfagainsttheexistingnetworks,MundoFoxemphasizes the importanceof the series format to their program-mingline-up.Asopposedtothemoretraditionaltelenovelaformat,series such asEl Capo 2 have fewer episodes, higher productionvaluesandaction-drivenplotsthataredesignedtoappealtomaleviewers.RCNproductions,withhighproductionvalues and cen-tered on crime and action, are extending MundoFox’s brand of“AmericanAttitude.”
BythetimeoflaunchinAugust,thenetworkhadacquired50affiliatesthatallowthemtoreachnearly80percentofhouseholds,representing24outof25of thetopHispanicmarkets in theU.S.BycomparisontoMundoFox’s80percentreach,Univisionreaches
314 | Obitel 2013
96percentofthemarket,whileTelemundoNBCUniversalreaches94percent;thiscoveragereachisstillanobstacleforthenetworktoachievemoreratingpoints.SinceAugust,thenetworkhasaver-aged70thousandviewersduringprimetime,occupyingthesixthplaceafterAztecaAmericathataveraged120thousandprimetimeviewers.
1.2. Television and Digital MediaTakingintoconsiderationthatHispanicsover-indexinmobile
technology–45percentofHispanicmobilephoneusersownsmart-phones, compared to 34 percent in the general market (Guthrie,2012)–,Univisioncontinuestomakeheadwayinexpandingacrossthedigitalworld.InOctober,UnivisionlaunchedUVideos,adigi-talon-demandnetworkfeaturingthenetwork’scontent(includingTelevisa’sprogramming)inSpanishandwithEnglishsubtitles.Thenetwork is available onmultiple devices including tablets, gameconsoleslikeXbox,smartphonesandInternet-enabledTVsets.ThewebnovelaTe Presento a Valentín,thefirstco-productionbetweenUnivision andTelevisa, premiered exclusively onUVideos. Twootherwebnovelasareintheworksandaresettobedirectedbypop-ularMexicanactressKatedelCastillo.Univision’sdigitalprojectsalsoincludepartneringwithFacebookandYouTubetoprovidein-sightfulandexclusiveinformationabouttheelectionandpartneringwithYaSabe.comtoprovidebilingualcontenttoconsumerslookingto find businesses online, as the aforementionedpartnershipwithABC.Univision’seffortstodigitallyexpanditsserviceswererec-ognizedattheendoftheyearwhenleadingtradejournalBroadcast-ing&Cable namedUnivision the “MultiplatformBroadcaster oftheYear.”
InSeptember,TelemundoalsolaunchedthewebnovelaSecre-
teando,withSonyaSmithintheleadingrole.ThewebnovelacanbeviewedonYouTubeandthefanscanparticipateinitsnarrativedevelopmentthroughFacebook,Twitter,Google+,PinterestandIn-stagram.InOctober,Telemundoorganizedafanhangoutthrough
UNITED STATES – Looking for a younger audience – the rebranding of hispanic tv | 315
Google+foritsfinalepisode.Further,thenetworkhasactivelyuseditsagreementsonmobiletelephonyforthedifferentvotingprocess-esinprogramssuchasYo Me LlamoandMiss Universo.
MundoFoxhas complete episodesof several of its programsavailablethroughMundoFox.com,onitsYouTubechannelandonitsFacebookpageaswell.InAugust,VerizonaddedMundoFoxtoits programming offer onFIOS.The network takes advantage ofthemarketopportunitiesthatsocialmediahastoofferbyaskingtheaudienceto“like”MundoFoxFacebookpageinordertobeabletoaccessondemand contentonthewebsite.
2. Yearly analysis: premiere of national and Ibero-American fic-tion
Thisyeartherewasadecreaseintheamountofnewtitlesthatwereproduced,frombothnationalandIbero-Americanorigin,fromatotalof58premieringin2011to44in2012.Nationalproductionsdecreased from11 to10new titlesand Ibero-American titles fellfrom47newtitlestoonly34.TelemundoplacesitselfasthemainproducerofSpanish-languagemediaoftheU.S.withnewtitlesthisyeardueinparttotheirco-productionstrategieswhichincludeSonyPictures International, RTI, Argos and U.S. Imagina-Promofilm.ThesecondmostimportantproducerinthemarketisVenevision,whichisco-producingwithUnivision,andfallsin10thplaceofthenationalproductiontitlelist.
Whilethesumofnewtitleswas44,bothnationallyandacrosstheAmericas,therewasaconsistentstreamofrerunsaddinguptoagrandtotalof54rerunsonscreen.UniMáswasthenetworkthatstreamedthemostrerunsasafictionalprogrammingstrategy,fol-lowed byUnivisionwith 13 titles, Telemundowith nine,AztecaAmericawithfiveandEstrellaTVwithtwo.Thererunsmadeupatotalofthe70percentofUniMás’andUnivision’sprogrammingstrategyofnationalHispanictelevision.Outofthesereruns,37wereMexicantitles,11HispanicfromtheU.S.,fiveColombiantitlesandonetitlefromBrazil.
316 | Obitel 2013
Tabla 1. Fictional Programs Exhibited in 2012
PREMIERE NATIONAL TITLES – 10 RERUN TITLES – 54
Telemundo Azteca America
1.La Casa de al Lado(telenovela) 1.Cambio de Vida(series-Mexico)
2.Corazón Valiente(telenovela)2.El Milagro de los Santos(unitary-Mexico)
3.Decisiones Extremas(unitary)3.Lo Que La Gente Cuenta(series-Mexico)
4.Flor Salvaje(telenovela)4.La Vida Es Una Canción(series-Mexico)
5.Historia de La Virgen Morena(unitary) 5.Ni Una Vez Más(unitary-Mexico)
6.Relaciones Peligrosas(telenovela)
7.Rosa Diamante(telenovela) Estrella TV
8.El Rostro Venganza(telenovela) 6.Historias Delirantes(series-Mexico)
9.Una Maid En Manhattan(telenovela) 7.El Shaka(series-Mexico)
Univision Telemundo
10.El Talismán(telenovela) 8.Amarte Así(telenovela)
9.¡Anita,NoTeRajes!(telenovela)
10.Decisiones Juveniles(unitary)
PREMIERE IMPORTED TITLES – 34 11.La Diosa Coronada(telenovela)
12.Doña Bárbara(telenovela)
Azteca America 13.¿DóndeEstáElisa?(telenovela-Chile)
1.Cielo Rojo(telenovela-Mexico)14.La Esclava Isaura(telenovela-Brazil)
2.Emperatriz(telenovela-Mexico) 15.Más Sabe el Diablo(telenovela)
3.Lo Que Callamos Las Mujeres(unitary-Mexico)
16.Sin Senos No Hay Paraíso(tele-novela)
4.Los Rey(telenovela-Mexico) 17.Victorinos(telenovela)
5.La Verdad de Mi Vida(series-Mexico)
UniMásEstrella TV 18.Acorralada(telenovela)
6.Milagros(unitary-Mexico) 19.Alma Rebelde(telenovela-Mexico)
20.Bajo de las Riendas de Amor(tele-novela)
Telemundo 21.El Capo(telenovela-Colombia)
7.Amor Cautivo(telenovela-Mexico) 22.CaritadeÁngel(telenovela-Mexico)
8.Bella Ceci y El Imprudente(telenovela-Colombia)
23.Correo de Inocentes(telenovela-Colombia)
UNITED STATES – Looking for a younger audience – the rebranding of hispanic tv | 317
9.El Secretario(telenovela-Colombia)24.El Derecho de Nacer(telenovela-Mexico)
10.Pablo Escobar: El Patrón del Mal (telenovela-Colombia)
25.El Juego de la Vida(telenovela-Mexico)
26.Gotita de Amor(telenovela–Mexico)
UniMás 27.Hasta Que La Plata Nos Separe(tele-novela-Colombia)
11.¡QuéClasedeAmor!(telenovela-Venezuela)
28.La Hija del Mariachi(telenovela-Colombia)
12.Reto de Mujer(telenovela-Colom-bia)
29.La Mentira(telenovela-Mexico)
13.Se Solicita Príncipe Azul(telenovela-Colombia)
30.La Usurpadora(telenovela-Mexico)
14.Tres Milagros(telenovela-Colombia)31.Las Tontas No Van al Cielo(tele-novela-Mexico)
15.El Ultimo Matrimonio Feliz(tele-novela-Colombia)
32.Locura de Amor(telenovela-Mexico)
33.María Isabel(telenovela-Mexico)
Univision 34.María Mercedes(telenovela-Mexico)
16.Abismo de Pasión(telenovela-Mexico)
35.Marimar(telenovela-Mexico)
17.Amor Bravío(telenovela-Mexico)36.Misión S.O.S. Aventura y Amor(tele-novela-Mexico)
18.Amorcito Corazón(telenovela-Mex-ico)
37.Mujer, Casos de la Vida Real(unitary-Mexico)
19.Amores Verdaderos(telenovela-Mex-ico)
38.Muñecas de la Mafia(telenovela-Colombia)
20. Como Dice el Dicho(unitary-Mexico)39.Nunca Te Olvidaré(telenovela-Mexico)
21. Corazón Apasionado (telenovela -Venezuela)
40.Soñadoras(telenovela-Mexico)
22. Corona de Lágrimas (telenovela -Mexico)
41.Tres Mujeres(telenovela-Mexico)
23.Dos Hogares(telenovela-Mexico)
24.ElEncantodelÁguila(series-Mexico)
Univision
25.Esperanza del Corazón(telenovela-Mexico)
42.13 Miedos(series-Mexico)
26.La Mujer Perfecta(telenovela-Ven-ezuela)
43.Al Diablo Con Guapos(telenovela-Mexico)
27.La Rosa de Guadalupe(unitary-Mexico)
44.Alma de Hierro(telenovela-Mexico)
28.Locas de Amor(series-Mexico)45.Central de Abasto(telenovela-Mexico)
29.Ni Contigo Sin Ti(telenovela-Mexico)
46.Cuando Me Enamoro(telenovela-Mexico)
318 | Obitel 2013
30.Por Ella Soy Eva(telenovela-Mexico)
47.CuidadoConelÁngel(telenovela-Mexico)
31.La Que No Podía Amar(telenovela-Mexico)
48.Hasta Que el Dinero Nos Separe (telenovela-Mexico)
32.Te Presento A Valentín(telenovela-Mexico)
49.La Fuerza del Destino(telenovela-Mexico)
33.Un Refugio Para Amor(telenovela-Mexico)
50.Mañana Es Para Siempre(telenovela-Mexico)
34.Una Familia Con Suerte(telenovela-Mexico)
51.Mar de Amor(telenovela-Mexico)
52.Muchachitas Como Tú(telenovela-Mexico)53.Para Volver A Amar(telenovela-Mexico)54.Sortilegio de Amor(telenovela-Mexico)
The number of national production titles was 10 and Ibero-Americanwas34.Thegroupofnationalpremieretitlesincreased19percent in2011and23percent in2012,while imported titlesdecreasedfrom81percentin2011to73percentin2012.Intermsofpercentageofnationalproductionhours, italso increasedfrom19percentto26percent,whileinverselytheproductionfromim-portedfictiondecreasedfrom81percentto74percentfrom2011to2012.ThedecreaseoftheIbero-Americantitleswasduetothelackof imported fictionalprogramming from the rest ofLatinAmeri-caingeneral.Inparticular,Mexico,beingoneoftheprovidersoffictionalprogramming,hadadrasticdecrease,havingimported34titlesin2011tohavingonlyimported24titlesin2012;butequally,within the same period,Colombia decreased from eight to seventitles,VenezuelafromfourtothreeandBrazilimportedzero.
UNITED STATES – Looking for a younger audience – the rebranding of hispanic tv | 319
Table 2. Fictional Programming that Premiered in 2012: Country of Origin
Country Titles %Chapters/Episodes % Hours %
NATIONAL (total) 10 22.7 906 28.9 836:30 26.4
IBERO-AMERICAN (total) 34 77.3 2226 71.1 2,329:45 73.6
Argentina 0 0 0 0 0 0
Brazil 0 0 0 0 0 0
Chile 0 0 0 0 0 0
Colombia 7 15.9 466 14.9 434:45 13.7
Ecuador 0 0 0 0 0 0
Spain 0 0 0 0 0 0
USA (Hispanic pro-duction) 10 22.7 906 28.9 836:30 26.4
Mexico 24 54.6 1621 51.8 1,774:05 56
Peru 0 0 0 0 0 0
Portugal 0 0 0 0 0 0
Uruguay 0 0 0 0 0 0
Venezuela 3 6.8 139 4.4 121:00 3.8
Latin American (Obi-tel) 34 77.3 2226 71.1 2,329:45 73.6
Latin American (not Obitel) 0 0 0 0 0 0
Other (productions and co-productions from other 3 262 255:00LatinAm./Ibero-Am.countries)
TOTAL 44 100 3,132 100 3,166:15 100
Source:ObitelUSA-Nielsen
Regardingtimeslots,thedifferencefromlastyearisthattherewerenonationalproduction titles that felloutsideofprime time,whilethisyear14percentofthenationaltitleswereshowcasedintheafternoonand86percentremainedinprimetime.TheinclusionofpremiereprogrammingintheafternoonwasduetoImaginaUS
production for Telemundo namedHistorias de la Virgen Morena
andthetimechangeforthetelenovela El Talismán, co-producedby
320 | Obitel 2013
UnivisionandVenevisión.InregardstotheIbero-Americantitles,therewere premieres in all time slots, but alsomore focused onprimetimewith47percentandintheafternoonslotwith38percent.Outof17Ibero-Americantitlesthatpremieredduringprimetime,14originatedfromMexicoandthreefromColombia.
UNITED STATES – Looking for a younger audience – the rebranding of hispanic tv | 321
Table3.C
hapters/Episodes&HoursBroadcastbyTimeSlot
Tim
e sl
otN
atio
nal
Iber
o-A
mer
ican
T
otal
C/E
%
H%
C/E
%H
%C/E
%H
%
Mor
ning
(6
:00-
12:0
0)*
00
00
224
10236:50
10.2
224
7.2
236:50
7.5
Aft
erno
on
(12
:00-
19:
00)
129
14.2
130:00
15.5
853
38.3
830:45
35.7
982
31.3
960:45
30.4
Pri
me
tim
e (1
9:00
-22:
00)
777
85.8
706:30
84.5
1,053
47.3
1,159:40
49.8
1,830
58.4
1,866:10
58.9
Lat
e ni
ght
(2
2:00
-6:0
0)0
00.00
096
4.3
102:30
4.4
963.1
102:30
3.2
TO
TA
L906
100
836:30
100
2,226
100
2,329:45
100
3,132
100
3,166:25
100
Source:O
bitelU
SA-Nielsen
Tab
le 4
. For
mat
s of
Nat
iona
l and
Ibe
ro-A
mer
ican
Fic
tion
For
mat
sN
atio
nal
Iber
o-A
mer
ican
Tit
les
%Chap./E
p.%
Hou
rs%
Tit
les
%Chap./Ep.
%H
ours
%
Tel
enov
ela
880
838
92.5
769:00
91.9
2779.4
2,050
92.1
2,155:40
92.5
Seri
es0
00
00
02
5.9
321.4
31:55
1.4
Min
iser
ies
00
00
00
12.9
70.3
3:30
0.2
Telefilm
00
00
00
00
00
00
Uni
tary
220
687.5
67:30
8.1
411.8
137
6.2
138:40
5.9
Doc
udra
ma
00
00
00
00
00
00
Oth
ers
(soa
p op
era,
etc
.)0
00
00
00
00
00
0
TO
TA
L10
100
906
100
836:30
100
3410
02,226
100
2,329:45
100
Source:O
bitelU
SA-Nielsen
322 | Obitel 2013
Telenovelascontinuetobethepreferredfictiongenre.Outofatotalof44newtitles,36weretelenovelas,followedbysixunitariesandthreeseries.Fromatotaloftennationalproductions,therewereeighttelenovelas,twounitaries(Decisiones Extremas andHistorias
de la Virgen Morena),butnoseries.Outofthe34Ibero-Americantitles, 28were telenovelas, four unitaries (Lo Que Callamos Las
Mujeres, Milagros, Como Dice el Dicho andLa Rosa de Guada-
lupe),twoseries(La Verdad de Mi Vida andLocas de Amor), andoneminiseries(EncantodelÁguila).
Table 5. Formats of National Fiction by Time Slot
Formats Mor- ning % After-
noon % Prime time % Late
night % Total %
Telenovela 0 0 0 0 8* 88.9 0 0 8 80
Series 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
Miniseries 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
Telefilm 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
Unitary 0 0 1 100 1 11.1 0 0 2 20
Docudrama 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0Others (soap opera, etc.) 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
TOTAL 0 0 1 100 1 100 0 0 10 100
*Oneofthetelenovelaspremieredinprimetimebutthenwaschangedtotheafternoonduetolowratings.Forthepurposesofthistable,wehaveleftitinprimetime.
Source:ObitelUSA-Nielsen
Themajorityofthetelenovelasweresituatedinpresenttime.Therewereonlytwotelenovelasthatcouldbeconsideredhistorical:Pablo Escobar: El Patrón del Mal andElEncantodelÁguila.ThefirstmentionedisbasedonthelifeofthedruglordPabloEscobarandthesecondwasbasedontheMexicanrevolution.
UNITED STATES – Looking for a younger audience – the rebranding of hispanic tv | 323
Table 6. Time Period of the Fiction
Time Period Titles %
Present 42 95.5
Vintage 0 0
Historical 2 4.5
Other 0 0
TOTAL 44 100
Source:ObitelUSA-Nielsen
The list of the tenmost watched fiction productions clearlydemonstrates thehegemonicdominanceofTelevisa,with itspro-ductions being transmitted through Univision; but the list alsoshows,althoughminutely, thedevelopmentofU.S.Hispanicpro-ductions.Atthesametime,eitherthroughtheirownproductions,orco-productions,Colombiacontinuestobeasuccessfulproductionhousefor theU.S.market.In2012,Univisiontransmittednineofthe tenmostwatchedproductionsandTelemundo transmitted thetelenovelathatoccupiedtenthplace.WhileTelevisaprovidedeightoftheninemostwatchedtitlesviaUnivision,theninthtelenovelawas a co-production between Univision and Venevision-Miami.The novelty of 2012was that the production that occupied tenthplaceinthetenmostwatchedlist,andwastransmittedbyTelemun-do,wasnotaproductionproducedbythembutbytheColombianproductionhouseCaracolTV.
324 | Obitel 2013
Table 7. 10 Most Watched Titles: Origin, Rating, Share
Title
Coun-try of
original idea or script
Produc-tion
House ChannelName of script-writer or author of original idea
Ra- ting Share
1
La Que No Podía Amar
Mexico Televisa Univision
DeliaFiallo(origi-nalidea)XimenaSuarez(script)
18.73 29.59
2Abismo de Pasión
Mexico Televisa Univision JuanCarlosAcalá 18.24 28.3
3Amores Verdade-ros
Mexico Televisa UnivisionEnriqueEstébanezMarcelaCitterioKaryFajer
18.16 28.27
4Por Ella Soy Eva
Mexico Televisa UnivisionPedroRodríguezAlejandraRomeroHumbertoRobles
15.82 25.46
5Amor Bravío
Mexico Televisa UnivisionMaríaZarattiniMarthaCarrilloCristinaGarcía
15.56 25.56
6Una Fa-milia Con Suerte
Mexico Televisa Univision JorgeFons 14.78 24.49
7Un Refu-gio Para el Amor
Mexico Televisa UnivisionIgnacioSadaMadero
13.07 22.73
8Corona de Lágri-mas
Mexico Televisa Univision
ManuelCansecoNoriegaJesúsCalzadaJanelyE.Lee
10.9 18.53
9El Tal-ismán
USA
Univi-sion/Venevi-sion
Univision VerónicaSuárez 8.62 19.79
10
Pablo Escobar: El Patrón del Mal
Colom-bia
Caracol TV
Telemun-do
JuanCamiloFer-rand
8.54 8.54
Total productions: 10 Foreign scripts:
100% 90%
Source:ObitelUSA-Nielsen
UNITED STATES – Looking for a younger audience – the rebranding of hispanic tv | 325
Thetenmostwatchedfictionproductionswerealltelenovelasandallairedduringprimetime.Una Familia Con Suerte wasatele-novelathatwasfirstairedinOctober2011,butcontinuedthroughtoMay2012,whileAmores Verdaderos, Corona de Lágrimas andPablo Escobar: El Patrón del Mal began airingduring2012, butcontinued into2013. In termsof the listof the tenmostwatchedtitles,Televisaoccupiedeightofthosespotsbackin2008,tenofthespotsin2009,nineofthespotsin2010,eightofthosespotsin2011andnoweightin2012.
Table 8. The 10 Most Watched Titles: Format, Length, Time Slot
Title Format Genre
Number of chapters/episodes(in 2012)
Dateoffirstand last episode
(in 2012) (*)
Time slot
1La Que No Podía Amar
telenovela drama 157 02/01to10/08 Primetime
2Abismo de Pasión
telenovela drama 161 12/03to02/11 Primetime
3Amores Ver-daderos
telenovela drama 36 07/11to26/12 Primetime
4Por Ella Soy Eva
telenovela drama 114 16/07to22/11 Primetime
5 Amor Bravío telenovela drama 90 13/08to22/11 Primetime
6Una Familia Con Suerte
telenovela drama 76 06/02to23/05 Primetime
7Un Refugio Para el Amor
telenovela drama 164 24/05to22/11 Primetime
8Corona de Lágrimas
telenovela drama 20 03/12to28/12 Primetime
9 El Talismán telenovela drama 98 12/03to15/06Afternoon/Primetime
10Pablo Esco-bar: El Patrón del Mal
telenovela drama 114 09/07to28/12 Primetime
Source:ObitelUSA-Nielsen
326 | Obitel 2013
Table 9. Themes in the 10 Most Watched Titles
DOMINATING THEMES SOCIAL THEMES
Titles (UP TO 5 OF THE MOST IMPORTANT THEMES)
(UP TO 5 OF THE MOST IMPORTANT THEMES)
1La Que No Podía Amar
Selfishness,relationshipsbetweensocialclasses,
romanceAdoption,disabilities
2Abismo de Pasión
Adultery,revengeViolence,abandonment,kidnap-
ping
3Amores Ver-daderos
Adultery,love,family,anddisfunctionality
Eatingdisorders,bankruptcy
4Por Ella Soy Eva
Love,deception,emancipat-ing
Genderpolitics,singlemothers
5 Amor Bravío Conspiracy,revengeEuthanizing,depression,
violence
6Una Familia Con Suerte
Relationshipsbetweensocialclasses,romance
Socialmobility
7Un Refugio Para el Amor
Fraud,romance,relation-shipsbetweensocialclasses
Abandonment,disabilities,adaptingtourbanlife
8Corona de Lágrimas
Familyvalues,relationshipsbetweensocialclasses
Socialmobility,singlemothers
9 El Talismán Rivalry,revenge,romanceOrphan,undocumentedimmi-gration,cancer,gambling
10Pablo Esco-bar: El Patrón del Mal
Drugcartels,drugtrafficking Corruption,violence
Source:ObitelUSA-Nielsen
Intermsofthegenderofthegeneraltargetedaudience,itwasmainlyfemales,withover60percent.Ontheotherhand,thetele-novelaPablo Escobar: El Patrón del Mal,producedinColombiabyTVCaracolwaswatchedthesamebymalesandfemales(50/50).El
Talismán,aco-productionbetweenUnivisionandVenevision,hadthemostdisparitybetweenmaleandfemaleaudiences,65percentwerefemalesand35percentweremales.Inregardstotheageoftheaudienceswatching the tenmostwatched titles, itwasmainly25andolder.Inparticular,audienceswereinthe35-49demographic,
UNITED STATES – Looking for a younger audience – the rebranding of hispanic tv | 327
representingthebiggestportionoftheaudience,andsimilarlythe55+demographicalsohadahighpercentageofviewership.
Table10.AudienceProfileofthe10MostWatchedTitles: Gender and Age
Titles Channel
Gender % Age %
Fe-male Male 2-11 12-
1718-24
25-34
35-49
50-54 55+
1La Que No Podía Amar
Univision 61.6 38.4 13.8 5 10 18.6 23.7 7.1 21.7
2 Abismo de Pasión Univision 62.9 37.1 13 5.7 9.7 17.2 24 7 23.5
3Amores Verdade-ros
Univision 61 39 15 7 8.7 18 26 6 19.4
4 Por Ella Soy Eva Univision 63.2 36.8 14 6 8.7 18.2 26.9 5.8 20.4
5 Amor Bravío Univision 63.4 36.6 12 5 8.3 17.2 26.1 6.7 24.6
6Una Familia Con Suerte
Univision 58.6 41.4 17.3 5.6 10.4 20.2 22.7 5.4 18.3
7Un Refugio Para el Amor
Univision 64.6 35.4 13.1 5.8 7.9 16.3 23.6 6.7 26.6
8Corona de Lágri-mas
Univision 62.8 37.2 14.9 5.4 6.5 16.4 24.9 6.2 25.7
9 El Talismán Univision 65 35 14.9 4.2 10.1 16.7 20.7 6.6 26.8
10Pablo Escobar: El Patrón del Mal
Telemun-do
50.2 49.8 7.8 4.3 7.9 18.6 33.6 8.3 19.5
Source:ObitelUSA–Nielsen
3. Transmedia receptionSocialmediacontinuestobeattheforefrontofthemediabusi-
ness, although ithas shiftedgears.Notonly is socialmediausedbythenetworkstoadvertiseandpromoteprogramming, it isalsousedasasecondplatformtoconnecttofansandviceversa.Fansare now “ambassadors” of information for themedia conglomer-atesasthey“like,”“share”and“retweet”theirpassionsviadifferentsocial networks (i.e.Facebook,Twitter, Instagram).Additionally,TVEverywhere2ischangingthewaythingsareaccessibleandhowconsumersviewcontent;mediaconglomerateshavenotfiguredouthowtheywillbeabletomeasureviewershipthroughVideoEvery-
2TVEverywhereisanattemptoftheTVindustryinordertomeettheaudiencedemandformorecontentinotherkindsofscreens,suchastablets,computersandcellphones.
328 | Obitel 2013
wherejustyet.Andlastly,socialmediahasnowbecomethenumberonesourcefornews.IndividualsaremorelikelytoreceiveworldlynewsviatheirfriendsonFacebookthanfromtheHuffingtonPost.
Elected fiction Network Internet pages Type of
interaction
Levels of Interac-tion
Dominant practices
El Ta- lismán
Univi-sion
OfficialpageviaNovelasyseries.univision.com
OfficialFacebookpage
OfficialTwitterpage
NotofficialYou-Tubepage
Viewing Passive
CommentInterpretationRemixParodyRecommendationImitationCelebrationCritiqueCollectionSharingDiscussion
Transmediaviewing
Active
Realtimeinteraction
Active
Transmediaviewing Active
Thechosenfictionfor thisyear’sObitelchapter for theU.S.is El Talismán,aVenevisionandUnivisionproduction.TheUSAteamwantedthissectiontobereflectedofatoptentitlethatwasproducedintheU.S.,consideringthatabigpartofthetoptenti-tlesareTelevisa’sproductionsinMexico.El TalismánhaditsfinalbroadcastontheweekofJune11ththroughJune15th.TheInternetpagechosenforagreaterandin-depthanalysisisFacebook.ThisfanpagewascreatedonOctober28th,2011andthetelenovelawasreleasedonJanuary30th,2012.Thereareatotalof12,381totalpage“likes”and32“people talkingabout it.”Approximately25com-mentswerepostedbeforetheactualpremiereofEl Talismán,alongwithsomecross-promotionalcommentsregardingothertelenovelasandothershowsfeaturingthecast.Forthein-depthanalysisportionofthisresearch,thefinalweekofEl Talismanwillbeused.Duringthe finalweekofEl Talismán,whichwas June11th through June15th,therewereatotalof20commentspostedbyanUnivisionrep-resentative.Interactionwasseentoincreaseasthefinalepisodewasapproaching.FromMondaythroughWednesday,theusers’“likes”
UNITED STATES – Looking for a younger audience – the rebranding of hispanic tv | 329
variedbetween15-30,butonFridaythe15th therewereover100“likes”fortwoofthefiveposts.Fortheentireweek,therewereatotalof766“likes,”112“comments”fromusersand14“shares.”
Although general market series have more interaction viasocial networks, Spanish-language television is not falling terri-bly behind. Research shows that Hispanics over-index inmobiletechnologywith smartphones (Guthrie, 2012), but in comparisontogeneralmarket,theyarestilllackinginengagement.Univision,asmentionedpreviously,isexpandingtheironlinemediapresence,not only throughFacebook, Twitter, Instagram and etc., but alsothroughthecreationofwebnovelas,morerecentlywithhighprofileactresses/actors(i.e.KatedelCastillo).
4. Highlights of the yearTwobigeventsdominatedthesmallscreenin2012:theOlym-
picGames inLondonand thepresidentialelections in theUnitedStates.NBC,theownerofTelemundo,obtainedtherightstobroad-casttheOlympicsinLondon,providingtheHispanicnetworktheopportunitytoofferafullcoverageof173hoursduringthegames.Telemundo,self-describedas“thehomeoftheOlympicGamesinSpanishintheU.S.”,devisedabroadstrategyofcoveragethatin-cludedtransmissionsonitsbroadcastnetworkaswellasonitscablenetworkMun2, and on various digital, mobile and social mediaplatforms.TheOlympiccoveragecountedwiththeparticipationofmorethan20newsanchors,readersandhosts(NBC-U,2012).Tel-emundodoubleditsaudienceratingscomparedtothatoftheBeijingOlympicswith the18 to49demographic.Telemundo’s coverageprovided thenetworkanaudienceof19.3millionviewers,whichwasmore than29percent than itobtained inBeijing.ThesoccermatchbetweenBrazil andMexicoattracteda totalof3.6millionviewers,becoming themostwatchedsoccergamebroadcastonaweekendinthehistoryofthenetwork(NBC-USports,2012).
ThepresidentialelectionsintheU.S.offeredauniqueoppor-tunitytotheHispanicnetworkstopositionthemselvesasoriginal
330 | Obitel 2013
sourcesofinformationfortheHispanicaudienceaswellasthegen-eralEnglish-speakingpublic.KnowingofthestrategicpositiontheHispanicpopulationoccupies in thepresidential elections,Univi-sion andTelemundomanaged to obtain exclusive interviews andcreatespecialprogrammingwiththetwopresidentialcandidates.Astrategytomakethemselvesvisibleintheelectorallandscapewascrucialforthenetworkstoattractadvertising,whichwasestimatedthat3billiondollarswerespentinadvertisementsinthemedia.In2008, theHispanic televisionnetworksobtainedonly100milliondollarsoutofthetotal2billiondollarsinvested(James,2012).How-ever,studiesonadvertisinginvestmentintheHispanicnetworksinthetenmostimportantstates(Arizona,California,Colorado,Flori-da,Illinois,NewYork,NewMexico,Texas,NevadaandVirginia)showedthattheinvestmentconstitutedonly6.2percentoutofthetotaladvertisementsin2012,incontrasttothe10percentthatsigni-fiedtheLatinovoteforthepresidency(Vega,2012a).
Therewerehighexpectationsthisyearsurroundingthepoten-tialoftheU.S.Hispanicfictionindustry,followingthesuccessofLa
Reina del Sur andEva Lunain2011.However,thiscontinuitydidnotoccurin2012.ItwashopedthatEl Talismán,aco-productionbetweenUnivisionandVenevision, inwhich the formulautilizedinEva Lunawasrepeatedtoacertainextent,wouldgeneratehighratings.El Talismánwasaco-productionbetweenthetwoproduc-tioncompaniesofEva Luna andhad thesame teamofexecutiveproducers fromVenevision, Peter Tinoco, and Univision, CarlosSotomayor,withtheexecutivedirectionofArquímidesRivero,andBlancaSotoastheleadactress.El Talismánpremieredinprimetimeat20:00(EST)andattractedoverfivemillionsviewers,becomingthemostwatchedpremiereinthehistoryofthenetworkforaU.S.Hispanicproduction(UnivisionCorporativo,2012).However, thetelenovela soonbegan to lose its audienceand ratings,obligatingUnivisiontochangeittothe13:00timeslot.Theshiftinschedulefurthercontributedtothedrasticdecreaseinratingsandthenum-berofepisodeswasreducedfrom120to98.Whilethetelenovela
UNITED STATES – Looking for a younger audience – the rebranding of hispanic tv | 331
reached approximately 14 rating points in prime time, the ratingdecreasedtoonlysixpointswiththechangeinschedule.Thus,El
Talismánplacedninthamongthetoptenmostwatchedtelenovelaswithanaverageofonly8.62ratingpoints.
Foritspart,Telemundo’soriginalproductionsdidnotmakeitonthetoptenlist.ATVCaracolproductionpositionedTelemundoonthelistnotasproducer,butasthebroadcastnetwork.Thetele-novelaPablo Escobar: El Patrón del MalfromCaracolTVobtained8.54points,onlyatenthlessthanEl Talismán.TheColombiantele-novela is an exampleof the continuing relevanceof thenarcoasathemeinfiction,aswasthecasewithLa Reina del Surin2011.EvidenceofthestrategicthemeandconnectionwithColombiaasaproducercountrycomeswiththeproductionofthenarco-novelaEl
Señor de los CieloswithCaracolTVandArgos.However,thisalsorevealsthesetbackTelemundosufferedwhenitsindependentpro-ducerRTI-ColombiaandthenetworkTVCaracolannouncedtheirnewallianceswithTelevisaandUnivisionearlierthisyear.
ThehighlightoftheyearisnotaparticularproductionbutaninternalreorganizationoftheU.S.Hispanicindustry.RCN,previ-ously associated with Univision and UniMás, joined forces withNewsCorp/FoxunderitsnewnetworkMundoFox.RTIColombiaand TV Caracol abandoned Telemundo for production and pro-grammingagreementswithTelevisaandUnivision.TelemundowilllookfornewproductionallianceswithCadenaTres(Mexico)andTeleven (Venezuela) while strengthening its relation with ArgosCommunicationMexico.
5. Topic of the year: social memory and television fictionFormerPresidentFelipeCalderon’s crackdownondrug traf-
fickingandtheterritorialdisputesamongcartelssetoffanunparal-leledwaveofviolenceandgrislymurders, includingbeheadings,inMexicooversixyearsago.Estimatesput thedeathtollaround50,000since2006,andthekillingsshownosignofabating(Malkin,2012).Asenseofimpotenceoverthefactthatthoseinchargelack
332 | Obitel 2013
theabilityorwillingnesstofightnarcotraffickingandthecorruptionthatsupportsitcharacterizesthenationalmood.TohavetowitnessMexicoturnintotheColombiaofthe1980sfuelsthedespairandanxietyofitscitizens.
Colombia is situated in oneof the best geographical regionsfortheproductionanddistributionofdrugs(CadenaMontenegro,2010). The increase in demand formarijuana, particularly in theUnited States, at the end of the 1970s led to the proliferation ofpot cultivationandallowedColombia tobecome thenumberoneproducerintheworld.Infact,themostinfamousnarcoPabloEs-cobarwas among the tenwealthiestmen in 1980with a fortuneofUS$25billionthatheevenofferedtopayforColombia’sexter-naldebt(Cadena,2010,p.47).Escobarwasalsoresponsibleforthedeathof4,000people,includingthreepresidentialcandidates,andforintroducingterroristtacticsliketheuseofexplosionsinpublicspaces (Cadena, 2010, p.47). The reign of theColombian cartelsdismantledwhenAmericanauthoritiescurtailedtheirtradingroutesthroughtheCaribbeanandSouthFlorida, therebyallowingMexi-cancartelstotakeoverthedistributionbusiness(Archibold,2009).Mexico’sproximitytotheU.S.,withitsrampantdrugconsumptionandlaxgunregulations,hasempoweredthecartels.
José Luis CadenaMontenegro (2010) argues that narcotraf-ficking represented forColombia anew formoforganizedcrimeand a shift in culture inwhichmoney replaced the old traditionsandvaluesofthenation.Thetermtraquetosarosetopinpointthoseinvolvedin thedrugtradewholivedafast lifeandonlybelievedin thepowerofmoney (Cadena, 2010, p.50-1).The illicit activi-tiesandcultureofthenarcoincountrieslikeColombiaandMexico(the terms sicario andbuchón, conceptually similar to traquetos,arenowcommonplace)are soubiquitous that theyhavecapturedthenationalimaginaryandfigureprominentlyinrepresentationsofpopularculture,suchas,music(seenarcocorridos),literarynovels(seeArturoPérez-Reverte best-sellerLa Reina del Sur) and tele-novelas.
UNITED STATES – Looking for a younger audience – the rebranding of hispanic tv | 333
Thestruggletoreconstructthepastviapopularcultureisare-flectionoftheconflicttounderstandandunravelthepresent.Thereconstructionofthepastinvolvesthreemainfeatures:theprocessofselectivity,wherebysomeeventsarehighlightedandothersomit-ted; the question of authority; and the inclusion of an explicit orimplicitmoraljudgment(Meyers,2007).
Television as themost popularmedium andwith thewidestreach among Hispanics has been adept at narrating the past andthereby influencing how viewers think about history through itstelenovelas, which are such a cultural phenomenon across LatinAmericawhereoverhalf thepopulationconsiders itselfa regularviewer(Miller,2010).Thetelenovelaisapopulistgenrethatcreatesaunifiedpublicspaceforviewersofdiversesocialbackgroundstoshareacommonexperienceandtoengageindiscoursesofthena-tion.MauroPorto(2011)notesthataudiencesmakestrongparallelsbetweentelenovelarepresentationsandthepoliticalandsocialreali-tiesofthenation.Themelodramaticnatureoftelenovelasredefinestherelationshipbetweenthepoliticalandthepersonalbytranslat-ing political issues in personal and familiar terms, in “terms thataremeaningfulineverydaylife”(Hamburger,2000).AsAnaLopez(1995)pointsout,“living”thenationthroughtelenovelasisinfactatangiblepossibilityforviewers.
ThecurrenttrendinHispanictelevisionisthetelenovelasub-genreknownasthenarco-novelawhosestoryrevolvesaroundthedarkanduglyworldofdrugtrafficking.ColombianwriterGustavoBolívar,authorofSin tetas no hay paraísothatwasadaptedintothesuccessfuleponymoustelenovela,declaresthat“weareassistingintheburialoftheCinderellascheme”thatcharacterizestelenovelas.Inotherwords,theparadigmofthetraditionalmelodramainwhichthepoorfemaleprotagonistmarriesarich,honestmanisdissolvingtodepictthegrittyrealityofLatinAmericaandtheUnitedStates.
Thecriticismagainstnarco-novelasisthattheyglamorizethelivesofnarcosandapologizefortheirtrade.Thewriterof El Espe-
ctador,MarioFernandoPrado,countersthiscriticismsayingthata
334 | Obitel 2013
carefulanalysisofthedevelopmentofsuchnovelasrevealsthattheresultofdrugtraffickingisalwaysprison,deathordestruction.Itisonemiseryafteranothersothatnoviewerwouldwanttofollowthispath.PsychologistJoséAntonioGarciandíaagrees,arguingintheColombianmagazineSemana,andstates that“telenovelasarenotlegitimatinganything,theyaresimplyshowingwhatisalreadyinformallylegitimatedinthenationalculture”.
Amidthecurrentlandscapeinwhichnarco-novelaspermeatethesmallscreenandthereal-lifediscontentovertheso-called“warondrugs”continuestogrow,Telemundo’snewestoriginalproduc-tion,El Señor de los Cielos,arrives.ThistelenovelafocusesonthemythofAmadoCarrillo,consideredtobeoneofthemostpower-fulandnotoriousMexicandrugtraffickersofthe1990s.Thepressreleasesprecedingthepremiereofthetelenovelaboastedthatthiswas to be themost ambitious production of the year inHispanictelevisionwithitshighendspecialeffectsinitsmultiplegunbattlesandcarexplosions,andpromisedastorypackedwith“action,emo-tions,insatiablepassions,luxuries,misery,intrigueandsuspense”.The hypewasworthwhile.El Señor de los Cielos ranked as thenetwork’ssecondhighestratedpremiereregardlessoftimeperiod,rightbehindLa Reina del Sur,reachingabout3millionviewersand40percentshareoftotalviewersinitstimeperiod.
FollowingtheunprecedentedsuccessofLa Reina del Sur,itisnosurprisethatTelemundocontinuestoexploretheworldofdrugtraffickinginitslatestproduction.El Señor de los Cielos addresses everynarco-tropeavailableinthespanofhalfanhour.Theopen-ingcreditsfeaturethetitularcharactercladinhisNorteñoapparel(pointy boots, hat, excessive gold jewelry), interspersedwith im-agesofdrugs,gunsandmoneyasthethemesongthatisinthestyleofacorridodescribeshim:“asastuteandperverseasthedevil/aslovedasheisdishonest(…).”AurelioCasillas(alsoknownastheLordoftheSkies)is,ontheonehand,ahyper-masculineindividualwithaloveforalcoholandwomen,andontheother,heisachurch-going,familyman.Thenihilismthatcharacterizesthenarco-world
UNITED STATES – Looking for a younger audience – the rebranding of hispanic tv | 335
wheredeathalwayslurksincloseproximityisevincedonthefinalsceneofthepilotepisodeinwhichCasillasutterstooneofhisde-votedemployees“Puespa’morirnacimos”(“Wewereborntodie”)beforeproceedingtoengageinagunbattlewithhisenemies.
Thenarco-novelaformulahasproventobesosuccessfulthatitisaneconomicallysounddecisionforTelemundotoproducethistype of programming. For example,La Reina del Sur attracted alargeswathofthecoveted18to34maledemographicandincreasedthenetwork’sratingsformorethan40percentin2011.Moreover,narco-novelasgiveTelemundoanedgeoveritsrivalUnivisionanditsTelevisa-producedtelenovelasthatcontinuetorelyontheCin-derellastoryline.AbigpartofTelemundo’smarketingstrategyistopositionitselfastheauthoritativevoiceofLatinosandtoclaimtogivethepublicwhattheywant.JacquelineHernandez,chiefop-erating officer for Telemundo, notes: “Our audience reflects theU.S.Hispanic population, across the full spectrum (…)What allourviewershaveincommonisapassionfortheircultureandtheyturn to Telemundo to connectwith content that is uniquelyU.S.Hispanic”–here takinga stabatUnivision’sprogramming that isparticularly tailored to first-generation Mexicans–. She cites La
Reinaasanexampleoftheiroriginalprogrammingthatisunrivaledontelevisiontoday:“[La Reina]isasmart,provocativeshow,andyetremainstraditionalinthatthemaincharacterstruggleswithherpersonalvalues”(Brock,2011).
Having established its authority, Telemundo can assert therighttorepresentthepastanddepicttherealityofHispanicsinitstelenovelas,whichemphasizethepersonaltrialsandtribulationsoftheirprotagonists.ThestoryofTeresaMendozaorAurelioCasil-las is relatable toacertainextent to theTelemundoaudience, thesecondor third-generationHispanicswhoseparentsarrivedtotheU.S.withthe“Americandream”inmind:toclimbthesocialladderandachievesuccessand,inturn,happiness(inlinewiththelogicofcapitalism).Likesaidtelenovelacharacters,immigrantsareoftenconsideredrebelsandpariahstobekeptonthemarginsofsociety.
336 | Obitel 2013
Themoraljudgmentofthetelenovelasisparadoxicalbecausewhilethecharactersarethreatenedbyprisonanddeathasconsequencesoftheirillicitactions,theirfastlivesandconspicuousconsumptionof alcohol,women and guns are glamorized (what they have be-comesdesirable).Further,highlightingthehighendspecialeffectsandpromisingastorypackedwithactionsequences,asTelemundopressreleasesdo,andsanitizingthegunbattlesandcarexplosions(withnogoreor blood to be shown)make theviolence that sur-rounds the narco seductive in order to transfix the audience andmaintainhighratings.
ReferencesARCHIBOLD,R.(2009).Mexicandrugcartelviolencespillsover,alar-
mingU.S.New York Times.Availableat:http://www.nytimes.com/2009/03/23/
us/23border.html?pagewanted=1&_r=0.Accessedon:April23rd,2013.
AZAGAZETTE,(2012).The AzA Gazette.AztecaAmericaCorporate.
Nov-Dec. 2012. Issue 14. Available at: http://www.aztecaamericacorporate.
com/Reportes.aspx?p=azagazetteen&tipo=8.Accessedon:April18th,2013.
BROCK,G.(2011).FullSpectrumTelevision.Brandweek, 52.
CADENA,J.L.(2010).Geopolíticadelnarcotráfico.MéxicoyColom-
bia:laequivocaciónenelempleodelasfuerzasmilitares.Revista Mexicana de
ciencias políticas y sociales, 52,p.45-58.
GARCIANDÍA, J. A. (2009). Narco televisión. Semana. Available at:
http://www.semana.com/nacion/articulo/narco-television/108510-3. Accessed
on:April23rd,2013.
HAMBURGER,E.(2000).Politicsandintimacy:Theagrarianreformin
aBraziliantelenovela.Television & New Media, 1,p.159-178.
JAMES,M.(2012).ElectionraisingstakesforSpanish-languageTV. Los
Angeles Times. July28th,2012.Availableat:http://articles.latimes.com/2012/jul/28/business/la-fi-ct-spanish-tv-election-20120728.Accessedon:April24th,
2012. LOPEZ,A.(1995).Ourwelcomedguests:TelenovelasinLatinAmerica.
InR.Allen(Ed.),Tobecontinued…soapoperasaroundtheworld(p.256-275).
LondonandNewYork:Routledge.
LAPAN,T.(2013)GOPtoughtalkonimmigrationturnedoffHispanic
voters in2012.McClatchy–TribuneBusinessNews. [Washington] January
23rd,2013.
UNITED STATES – Looking for a younger audience – the rebranding of hispanic tv | 337
MALKIN,E.(2012).InthecrossfireoftheMexicanwarondrugs.New
York Times. Available at: http://www.nytimes.com/2012/01/15/movies/gerar-
do-naranjos-miss-bala-reflects-mexican-drug-war.html. Accessed on: April
22nd,2013.
MEYERS, O. (2007). Narrating the 1960s via The ‘60s: Television’s
representation of the past between history and memory. Conference Paper.
Available at: http://hevra.haifa.ac.il/~comm/he/files/oren/Meyers%20-%20
film&history.pdf.
MILLER,J.(2010).UglyBettygoesglobal:Globalnetworksoflocalized
content in the telenovela industry.Global Media and Communication, 6, p.
198-217.NBCSports,(2012).LondonOlympicsonNBCisMost-WatchedTelevision
EventinU.S.History.NBC Sports Group.PressReleases,August14th,2012.
Availableat:http://nbcsportsgrouppressbox.com/2012/08/14/ondon-olympics-
-on-nbc-is-most-watched-television-event-in-u-s-history/. Accessed on: April
24th,2013.
NBC-U,(2012).TelemundoUnveilsLondon2012Planformostexten-
siveSpanish-languageOlympiccoverageever.NBCUniversal.PressRelease,
June 212, 2012. Available at: http://www.nbcuni.com/corporate/newsroom/
telemundo-unveils-london-2012-plan-for-most-extensive-spanish-language-
-olympic-coverage-ever/.Accessedon:April24th,2013.
PRADO,M.F.(2009).Endefensadelas‘narco-novelas’.El Espectador.
Availableat:http://www.elespectador.com/columna170654-defensa-de-narco-
-novelas.Accessedon:April23rd,2013.
PORTO,M.(2011).Telenovelasandrepresentationsofnationalidentity
inBrazil.Media, Culture and Society, 33,p.53-69.
STRAUSS,B. (2012).Burbank-basedEstrellaTVa risingstar inSpa-
nish-languagebroadcasting.Daily NewsLosAngeles,California,01Septem-
ber2012:A.1.Accessedon:April28th,2013.From:ProQuestDatabase.
TAYLOR,P.andCOHN.(2013).Amilestoneenroutetoamajoritymi-
noritynation.Pew Research Center.Availableat:http://www.pewsocialtrends.
org/2012/11/07/a-milestone-en-route-to-a-majority-minority-nation/. Acces-
sedon:April18th,2013.
TAYLOR,P.,LóPEZ,M.,HAMAR,J.andVELASCO,G.(2012).When
labelsdon’tfit:Hispanicandtheirviewsofidentity.Availableat:http://www.
pewhispanic.org/2012/04/04/when-labels-dont-fit-hispanics-and-their-views-
-of-identity/.Accessed:onApril18th.
338 | Obitel 2013
THIELMAN, S. (2012). Hispanic networks rebrand in masse. All the
cooldemographicsweredoingit.Adweek,December10,2012.Availableat:
http://www.adweek.com/news/television/hispanic-networks-rebrand-en-mas-
se-145833.Accessedon:April18th,2012.
TELEMUNDO.Telemundo inicia grabaciones enMéxico de su nueva
proudcciónoriginal ‘ElSeñorde losCielos’ con el reconocido actorRafael
Amaya.Telemundo.com.Pressnote,January16th,2013.Availableat:http://www.
nbcumv.com/mediavillage/networks/telemundo/pressreleases?pr=contents/
press-releases/2013/01/16/telemundoinicia1358349546000.xml.Accessed on:
April18th,2013.
VEGA,T.(2012a).ARareQuietZoneDuringthePresidentialElection:
Spanish-LanguageMedia.New York Times,MediaDecoder,November 16th,
2012.Availableat:http://mediadecoder.blogs.nytimes.com/2012/11/16/a-rare-
-quiet-zone-during-the-presidential-election-spanish-language-media/.Acces-
sedon:April14th,2013.
VEGA,T.(2012b).Univisionrebrands2ndlargestnetwork.Telefuturato
beUniMasinlatestchallengeofrival.NewYorkTimes.December3rd,2012.
Available at: http://www.bostonglobe.com/business/2012/12/03/univision-
-rebrands-spanish-language-network-telefutura/E6icvJIopF6KcIkhK0vqkO/
story.html.Accessedon:April18th,2013.
UNIVISIONCORPORATE(2012).ElTalismánDeliversHighestU.S.
ProducedNovelaPremiere.Univision Corporate.January31st,2012.Available
at: http://corporate.univision.com/2012/press/el-talisman-delivers-highest-u-s-
-produced-novela-premiere/#axzz2RUTf5Wnk.Accessedon:April25th,2013.
8mexIco: Tv Power on The sPoT. TelevIsIon
FIcTIon beTween PresIdencIAl elecTIons And AudIences’ AcTIvATIon
Authors:GuillermoOrozco,FranciscoHernández,DarwinFranco1
Team:GabrielaGómez,AdrienCharlois
1. Audiovisual context in the countryTheyear2012mustberememberedasthatinwhichamajor-
ityoftheMexicans,specificallytheyoungones,gottogetherintheMovement#YoSoy132,andforthefirsttimetheroleofthemediain societywas placed as critical issue on the public agenda.Thecoreoftheirdemandsfocusedonexposingthe“mediaimposition”thatwasconstructedfromthenetworksTelevisaandTVAzteca,inordertotakeEnriquePeñaNieto,ahegemonicstandard-bearerofPartidoRevolucionarioInstitucional(PRI,theInstitutionalRevolu-tionaryParty),2tothePresidencyofMexico.
Likeneverbefore,theapparentneutralityandobjectivityofthemediawerequestionedandtheirinterferenceinthecountry’spolit-ical-economicdecisionswasdenounced.Theorganizedsocietyandthe#YoSoy132presenteddifferentlawinitiativestoputanendtothegreatmediamonopoliesthecountryhasinthebroadcastingandtelecommunications systems, and they tried to achievewhat theycalled“thedemocratizationof themedia”.Themedia,or at leastmostofthem,hadtoincorporatetheseissuesintheiragendas;more-
1WethankNielsenIbope-Mexicoforprovidinguswiththeinformationaboutaudiencesandprogrammingforthischapter.TheopinionsaboutthemareObitel’sresponsibility.WethankSofiaPadillaforherpublishingcooperation.2Thispartyhas,exceptfora12-yearperiod(2000-2012),occupiedMexico’sPresidencyfor71years.
340 | Obitel 2013
over,forthefirsttimetherewasapresidentialdebateorganizedbythesocietyandnotbythenetworksor theelectoralauthorities.Itwasamemorablehistoricalevent.
However,thecitizendrivewasnotcapableofreversingtheten-dencyandthecandidatePeñaNieto,fromthehistoricPRI,wontheelectionsamidcontroversyandbythehandofAngelicaRivera,hispresentwife,aniconoftheMexicantelenovelas,betterknownas“LaGaviota”(theSeagull)forherroleinDestilando amor(aMexi-canversionof theoriginalColombiantelenovelaCafé con aroma
de mujer).Theyear2012wasalsotheyearinwhichdisputeforthecon-
trol of telecommunications escalated.Without government super-vision andwith the open support of the outgoing government ofPANPresident FelipeCalderon towards Televisa, the rest of thecompetitors(headedbyCarlosSlim, therichestmanin theworldaccordingtoForbes Magazine)representedanunprecedentedlegaldefenseandtheymanagedtocurbTelevisa’svoracitytotakeoverthemarketoftechnologicalconvergence.Attheendoftheyear,thedisputedidnotseemtobeflagging,though,toeveryone’ssurprise,thisdebatefacilitatedaTelecommunicationsReform(tobeunder-takenin2013).
Fiction participated in both political processes: the electionsand the struggle for the “triple play” (the offer of digital televi-sion,telephonyandInternetbyasingleprovider),whichservedasatribunetopromotepolitical-electoralmessagesandshow,atleastsymbolically,themergerofthenetworks’businessinterests.Inthatsameframeofmind,“fictionalacarte”consolidatedasapoliticalmarketing strategy andhelped theoutgoinggovernment tomain-tain,at leaston thescreen, thehope that theirarmed forceswerewinningthewaragainstorganizedcrimethatMexicohassufferedsincetheyear2006,whichhastakenatollofover80thousandlivesandthedisappearanceofother25thousandpeople.
Mexico – TV power on the spot. Television fiction between presidencial elections and audiences’ activation | 341
1.1. Broadcast television in Mexico
Graph 1. National channels of broadcast TV in Mexico
PRIVATE CHANNELS ( 3 ) PUBLIC CHANNELS ( 2 )Televisa(Channels2,5and9) OnceTV(Channel11)TVAzteca(Channels7and13) Conaculta(Channel22)CadenasTres(Channel28)
TOTAL CHANNELS = 5Source:Obitel-Mexico
Graph 2. TV audience per Channel 3
TV network %Channel2(Televisa) 24.6Channel9Galavision(Televisa) 10.6Channel3(TVAzteca) 18.0Channel28(Cadena3) 1.9Channel22(Conaculta) 1.0Channel5(Televisa) 22.4Channel7(TVAzteca) 18.6Channel11(OnceTV) 2.9
Source:IbopeAGBMexico,fromMondaytoSunday,from2:00to24:00,fromJanuary1sttoDecember31st,2012,ratingsdatabaseTV5domains,nationalhouseholds,MediaSmartStation.ElaboratedbyObitel-Mexico.
Graph 3. Share per Channel
TV network Indiv. share %Channel2 16.32 26.6Channel9Galavi-sion
6.75 11.0
Channel13 10.78 17.6Channel28 1.38 2.2Channel22 0.83 1.3Channel5 13.43 21.9
3DERECHOSRESERVADOS©IBOPEAGBMEXICO,S.A.DEC.V.BrunoTraven60,GeneralPedroMa.Anaya,03340,Mexico,D.F.,2013.ThepresentpagecontainsmaterialsthataretheindustrialandintellectualpropertyofIbopeAGBMexico,S.A.deC.V.,whichhavebeenputatthedisposalofObitelforresearchpurposesandtheanalysisrelatedwiththisproject,thereforeitsreproductionbythirdpartiesisprohibited,whetherpermanentortemporary,totalorpartial,withoutthepreviouswrittenpermissionofthiscompany.Violationsshallbepunishedaccordingtopertinentlaws.
Channel11Channel7Channel5Channel22Channel3Channel13Channel9Channel22
10%
25%
18%
19%
3%
22%
1%2%
Channel2Channel9GalavisionChannel13Channel3Channel22Channel5Channel7Channel11
22%
16%
18%
27%
3%
11%
1% 2%
342 | Obitel 2013
Channel7 9.92 16.2Channel11 1.96 3.2
Source:IbopeAGBMexico,fromMondaytoSunday,from2:00to24:00,fromJanuary1sttoDecember31st,2012,ratingsdatabaseTV5domains,nationalhouseholds,MediaSmartStation.ElaboratedbyObitel-Mexico.4
Graph 4. TV genres in TV programing
Genres broadcast Hours of exhibition %
Educational 16,104 11.9
Sports 8,281 6.2
News 26,357 19.4Fiction 24,871 18.3
Entertainment 46,336 34.2Politics 2,696 2.0Others 10,803 8.0Total 135,448 100
Source:IbopeAGBMexico,fromMondaytoSunday,from2:00to24:00,fromJanuary1sttoDecember31st,2012,ratingsdatabaseTV5domains,nationalhouseholds,MediaSmartStation.ElaboratedbyObitel-Mexico.5
1.2. Tendencies in audiences in the year 2012TheincreaseinthenumberofTVsetspurchasedbytheMexi-
canhouseholdsandtheirgreaterInternetconnectivityarebeginningtogeneratemultiplereceptionprocessesthatchangethedynamicsofMexicanaudiences.Inspiteofthefactthatthedevicesaremoreandmorepersonalallthetime,theaudiencesarenotsegregatingor
4DERECHOSRESERVADOS©IBOPEAGBMEXICO,S.A.DEC.V.BrunoTraven60,GeneralPedroMa.Anaya,03340,Mexico,D.F.,2013.ThepresentpagecontainsmaterialsthataretheindustrialandintellectualpropertyofIbopeAGBMexico,S.A.deC.V.,whichhavebeenputatthedisposalofObitelforresearchpurposesandtheanalysisrelatedwiththisproject,thereforeitsreproductionbythirdpartiesisprohibited,whetherpermanentortemporary,totalorpartial,withoutthepreviouswrittenpermissionofthiscompany.Violationsshallbepunishedaccordingtopertinentlaws.5DERECHOSRESERVADOS©IBOPEAGBMEXICO,S.A.DEC.V.BrunoTraven60,GeneralPedroMa.Anaya,03340,Mexico,D.F.,2013.ThepresentpagecontainsmaterialsthataretheindustrialandintellectualpropertyofIbopeAGBMexico,S.A.deC.V.,whichhavebeenputatthedisposalofObitelforresearchpurposesandtheanalysisrelatedwiththisproject,thereforeitsreproductionbythirdpartiesisprohibited,whetherpermanentortemporary,totalorpartial,withoutthepreviouswrittenpermissionofthiscompany.Violationsshallbepunishedaccordingtopertinentlaws.
EducationalSportsNewsFictionEntertainmentPoliticsOthers
34%
18%
12%8%
6%
2%
20%
Mexico – TV power on the spot. Television fiction between presidencial elections and audiences’ activation | 343
individualizingthemselves;quitethecontrary,thecontents–regard-lessofthemedium–continuetoconverge.
Television reception on mobile devices had grown 58% by2012intheirconnectiontoInternetbymeansofsmartphones,andaccording to theEstudiodeConsumosDigitalesentreInternautasMexicanos(DigitalMediaConsumptionStudyofMexicanInternetUsers)(IABMexicoet al.,2012),50%ofthenationalInternetus-erswatchTVonlineas theysurf.Videoclipsare theaudiovisualcontentsthatareconsumedthemost(44%),followedbythenews(29%),TVseries(28%)andfilms(27%);18%followthebroadcastofsomeTVchannelontheInternet.
TheindustryofVideoonDemand(VoD)inMexicoisinfulldevelopmentandundoubtedlythegrowthofthebroadbandandthedevices connected to the Internet are changing audiovisual con-sumptionhabits.Therefore,filmsandotheraudiovisualcontentsarewatchednotonlyatmovietheaters,butalsoathomethroughplat-formssuchasNetflix,TotalmovieorVudu. OneineveryfourMexi-can Internet user logs intoNetflix (The Economist, 29/01/20136)and at present it ranks sixteenth among themost visited sites inMexico(accordingtowww.alexa.com),despitehavingstartedop-erationsinthecountryaslateas2011.Attheendof2012otherplat-formsemergedthatcompetewith thepreviousones:ClaroVideoandCinepolisKlic,whichoffermoreeconomicalmonthlyrates.
AccordingtotheTelevisa2012AnnualReport(p.38),Tele-visa, under a license contractwithNetflix, put at the disposal ofNetflixsubscribers3,000hoursoftelenovelasandseriesayear,aswellasmanydifferentgeneralentertainmentshowsfromtheirgal-leryinanon-exclusivemannersinceJuly12th2011fortheterrito-riesofMexico,LatinAmericaandtheCaribbean.Thisagreementincreases theavailabilityof thecompany’sprogramming inLatinAmericaandCaribbean,areaswhereNetflix launchedseveralsub-scriptionsattheendof2011,anditisastrategytocapitalizeonits
6 Recovered from http://eleconomista.com.mx/tecnociencia/2013/01/29/cada-cuatro-internautas-mexico-usa-netflix
344 | Obitel 2013
galleryaround50,000hoursofcontentsviadigitaldistribution.Theconsumptionprospectsaregrowingandsoaretheoffers.
1.3. Advertising investment of the year: in TV and in fic-tion
According toMerca 2.0magazine (April, 2013), advertisinginvestmentinLatinAmericacontinuestoshowatendencytogrow.Fortheyearof2012theregionhadanincreaseof8%withrespectofthepreviousyear.Atotalof5,296milliondollarswereinvestedinMexico,which represents a5% increasewith respectof2011.Opentelevisioncontinuesastheadvertisers’favoritemedium,sinceitcovers52%ofthetotalinvestment;whilepaytelevisionobtained7.3% of advertising investment. Investment on the digital mediaamountedto6.8%,surpassingthenewspapers,which,inspiteofaslightimprovement,onlymanagedtosecure6.6%.
Among the advertising investment in the realm of fiction is the establishment of the so-called “brand name telenovelas”, productions that are undertaken through the model recognized as “narrative ad-vertising”; which makes the brand name one more narrative element in the plot, that is, a character. This model has been in operation in Televisa telenovelas since 2009 within a specific time slot (20:00) and through a format recognized as “popular or humorous telenovelas”.
Hasta que el dinero nos separe (Televisa, 2009) was set in a Ford automobile agency. In 2011, Una familia con suerte was recorded in the Avon cosmetics factory, the same facilities that were used in 2012 to film Porque el amor manda.
According to data provided by Avon Company itself, their participation in the telenovelas with integrated advertising allowed them to reach a maximum purchase intention with the public ex-posed to integrations, with a 89% before and 100% after watching it. In an interview for the business magazine Expansion, Avon CEO herself, Andrea Jung, admitted the creativity of her marketing team in Mexico boasting of the results provided by their fictional presi-dent, Pancho Lopez (the main character of Una familia con suerte).
Mexico – TV power on the spot. Television fiction between presidencial elections and audiences’ activation | 345
The results of this model have been so good that, as it was pointed out above, they not only sponsored the telenovela Porque el amor manda, but also made the first cross-over of the Mexican telenovelas by putting back on the screen the character of Pancho Lopez, which, in addition to being an argument of narrative transmedia, is a mar-keting scheme that we have labeled as “Actor/Character/Franchise”.
1.4. Merchandising and social merchandising Merchandising has become more and more naturalized, be-
comingpartof thecharacters’storiesandeverydaylives.Caseinpoint,inthetelenovelaAmores verdaderos, themaincharacteristheownerofaleadingadvertisingagency,thusjustifyingthatatgivenmomentsoftheplotcertainproducts(suchasdiapersoryogurt)areadvertisedandtheirqualitiesmentioned.
AnotherexampleisTe presento a Valentín,inwhichthespon-sors (of juices, hair products,water purifiers, body lotions and abank)notonlyadvertisedthemselveswithinthestorybecomingpartthereof,butalsoevencreatedFacebookandTwitteraccountswiththenamesoftheproductsinordertointeractthroughthesesocialnetworkswith theaudiences,urging themtoconsume theirprod-ucts.
Theresultofthistendencytonaturalizeproductsinthefictionnarrative itself is agreaterguarantee that theaudience“watches”and relateswith theproductsandbrandnames, since theydonothavethealternativetochangechannelswhilethecommercialsareon,which in additionmay seduce them “subtly” into consumingthem.
But not all the merchandising has a commercial character.Thereisalsothatwhichreferstosocialprogramsorinitiativesthatareintendedtocreateawarenessaboutdifferentissues.Thistypeof“socialadvertising”waspresentindifferentMexicanfictionshowsthroughouttheyear2012.
346 | Obitel 2013
However, aswewill specify, it pursued a political objectiveratherthanasocialaim,likeintheseriesLa Teniente7,whichwasusedtodramatizetheactionsundertakenagainstdrugtraffic.Theseriesshowedthepositive,triumphalistsideofthewar.
Otherproductions,inthesameframeofmind,focusedondif-fusionofcertaingoverments’socialprograms;caseinpoint,Mucho
corazón producedbySistemaChiapanecodeRadio,TelevisiónyCinematografía.This fiction is already an icon by being the firsttelenovela produced by a public channel from the province. Init, several social politicswerepromoted that originated from thisstate’sgovernmentduringthe2006-2012period.
Withinthesamescopeofpublictelevision,butonanationallevel,ChannelOnceco-producedtwoseries:Paramédicos and Kip-
atla. The formerwasbasedonactual testimoniesof theMexicanRedCrosspersonnel;thelatterisaseriesthatthechannelproducedwiththeConsejoNacionalparaPrevenirlaDiscriminación(Cona-pred,NationalCounciltoPreventDiscrimination).
ParamédicossoughttogenerateawarenessabouttheworkoftheRedCrosspersonnelandshowedthehardshipsunderwhichtheymustwork.At theendofeachepisode,emphasiswaslaidontheimportance for thepeople tomakeeconomic contributions in theyearlyfundraisersorganizedbythisinstitution.
Ontheotherhand, thechildren’sstoriesseriesKipatla: para
tratarnos igual,editedbyConapred,aimedatappealingtothechil-dren’srealityandfromthereinvitethemtoreflectabouttheirownactions. Itsmain premisewas to promote equality, tolerance andrejectiontodiscrimination.
Unlikeothermodelsof social merchandising,whatwaspro-motedfrompublictelevisioninMexicowasaninterestingproposi-tionabouthowfictioncanbeputattheserviceofsocialprogramsor
7In2011,TelevisaproducedtheseriesEl equipoattherequestoftheSecretaryofPublicSecurityoftheFederalGovernment.Theseriesportrayedthestruggleundertakenbythiscorporationagainstorganizedcrime.InLa teniente,themilitia,notthepolice,hadtheleadingrole.
Mexico – TV power on the spot. Television fiction between presidencial elections and audiences’ activation | 347
actionswithoutitdetractingorcompromisingthenarrativeorvisualqualityofTVfiction.
1.5. Communication policies (laws, reforms, incentives, digital TV)“Democratizingthemediasystemandpreventingmediaimpo-
sition”wasthesloganchantedbytheMovement#YoSoy132,whichemergedonMay11th after a visit by the thenPRI candidate andcurrentPresidentofMexico,EnriquePeñaNieto,tothecampusoftheUniversidadIberoamericanainthecountry’scapital.TheretheyoungpeopleberatedhimforhisactionsintherepressionsufferedbythepeoplefromSanSalvadorAtenco8whenhewastheGovernoroftheStateofMexico.Thepresidentialcandidate’slaconic,evasiveanswerscausedtheyoungcollegestudentstobecomeannoyed,giv-ingrisetotheMovement#YoSoy132.9
This emergingmovementmultiplied in social networks suchasTwitterandFacebook,generatingthusanationwidemovement,#YoSoy132,whichisconsideredrelevantinviewofthepresidentialelections,sincetheydenouncetheopenfavoritismnetworksexertedinfavorofPeñaNietoand,consequently,demandedthatthegov-ernmentlegislateinfavorofamoredemocraticmediasystem.
This citizen’s resurgence and the awakening of some youngpeople–heretoforeoblivious topolitics– framed the stage for the2012presidentialelectionsamidthesuspicionofamediaimposi-tionandthemassivebuyingofvotes,anactionthatwasprovedinthethousandsofpiecesofevidencethecitizensgatheredandmadeknownthroughtheInternetonthedayoftheelections.
Citizenimpetusdidnotflagandtheycontinuedtodenouncetheirregularitiesandlackofinformationfromthemediaaboutit.Nev-ertheless,PeñaNietowasdeclaredthewinnerintheelectionsandonDecember1st,outsidetheCongresodelaUnion,theplacewhere
8InthistownpeopleprotestedagainsttheconstructionofanewairportandtheresponsebythethenGovernoroftheStateofMexico,EnriquePeñaNieto,wastosendpoliceforcetorepressthedemonstrators.9ThenumberofstudentsthatuploadedtheirvideointoYoutubetorefutetheopinionofCandidatePeñaNieto’scampaignteam.
348 | Obitel 2013
hewassworninaspresident,thousandsofpeoplewererepressed,beatenandjailed;amongthem,adherentsto#YoSoy132.Inspiteoftherepression,thismovementpresentedalawinitiativeregardingtelecommunicationsandbroadcastingbeforeCongress.
1.5.1. The media war and the “Pact for Mexico”Thiscitizens’dispute tookplace inanequallyviolentmedia
scene,since thecorporatebigshotsfoughtwithall theirmight toinfluencethegroupthatwouldheadthebusinessoftechnological-digitalconvergence.
Televisaseemedtobeleadingtherace,althoughatthebegin-ningof2012theComisiónFederaldeCompetencia(CFC,FederalCompetenceCommission) rejected themerger that it intended tocarryoutwiththecellphonecompanyIusacell,ownedbyitscom-petitorTVAzteca.This purchasewould guarantee the network’sentryintothetelephonemarketdominatedbyCarlosSlim’scom-panies.
Whensaidnegotiation fell through,Televisaputpressureonthe government to obtain the necessary guarantees and enter thetelecommunicationsmarket.Inresponsetothis,theauthoritiesde-cidedtoinitiatereorganizationandrescueprocessofthe2.5GHzbandownedby themultimediagroupMVSComunicaciones; thejustificationwasthatthecompanywasunderusingspectrum.MVSsuedthegovernmenttohavetheirspectrumreturnedtothem.Nev-ertheless,theydidnotdesistfromtheirobjectiveandmonthslatertheyannouncedthatthebandwouldbetenderedandTelevisawouldleadtheprocess.
In view of the government’s inability to regulate themedia,2012ispointedoutastheyearinwhichthebigcompaniesruled.Evidence of this is the fact that Televisa andTVAzteca offeredthegovernment to openup to the competition andpermit a thirdnationalopenTVnetworkiftheywereallowedtoenterthetelecom-municationsmarket.TelmexandTelcel,inturn,wereinflexibleinrelationtotheinterconnectiontariffstheychargedothercompanies
Mexico – TV power on the spot. Television fiction between presidencial elections and audiences’ activation | 349
toallowthemtoconnecttonotonlytheirnetworksbutalsototheirmillionsofusers.Theauthoritiesdidnotmanagetohavethetariffsreduced, and they did not prevent Televisa and TVAzteca fromcollectingacostfromthecableandsatellitetelevisionsystemsforthesignalsthattheybothhaveopenlyinthecountry.Manyofthesesystems,specificallyDish(acompanylinkedwithTelmex),hadtoremove theopensignalchannels,which instrictaccordancewiththelawshouldbefree.
OncePeñaNieto’striumphhadbeenconfirmed,thewaramongthecompaniesstoppedandsurprisinglythetelecommunicationsty-coons Emilio Azcarraga (Televisa), Carlos Slim (Telmex/Telcel)andRicardoSalinas(TVAzteca/Iusacell)appearedsittingtogetherthedayinwhichtheinitiativeknownas“PactoporMéxico”(PactforMexico)waspresented,whoseagreementjoinsthemainpoliti-cal,economic,businessandmediapowerstoestablishandpassthemeasuresthatwilltakethecountrytoahigherlevelofdevelopment.
1.6. Public TV Unlikepreviousyears,fictionproductioninpublicchannelsdid
notconcentrateinthecountry’scapital,butdiversifiedthroughoutotherregions.CaseinpointtheaforementionedtelenovelaMucho
corazon, that goes beyond the socialmerchandising shown in itscontent, italsoconveyedanewrepresentationscheme, for itwasproducedwithlocalactorsinlocalsettingsandtriedtoeradicatethestereotypeofthesubmissive,ignorantindigenouscharacterprevail-ingincommercialfiction,whichhascontributedsomuchfromthescreentotheirdiscrimination.
Inturn,ChannelOncecontinued, inspiteofacut initsbud-get,toproduceseries.During2012itreleasedthree:Tiro de gracia, Paramédicos andKipatla,theformerbeingariskybetsinceitwasafictionthatreferredcriticallytotheactionsthegovernmentwasundertakingagainstorganizedcrime.
350 | Obitel 2013
1.7. Pay TV Fiction productions for pay television were indeed a growing
phenomenon. The case of Cadena Tres (that is broadcast in open signal only in the Valley of Mexico) continues to stand out, it pro-duced and coproduced five fictions in 2012: Infames (telenovela), La ruta blanca (telenovela), El albergue (series), Dulce amargo (tele-novela) and La clínica (series). These productions have not managed to take off in terms of rating, for the most successful one of them, Infames, only obtained one rating point. The hypothesis in relation to the Cadena Tres fictions is that they are addressed to a viewer who needs to be more updated in terms of political and social informa-tion, therefore it does not appeal to viewers used to the telenovelas who do not presuppose any previous information.
Another new actor in the production of fiction in 2012was52mx(MVS),arestrictedtelevisionchannel, thatmadetheseriesLos super PerezandRoomies,fictionsmanufacturedwithahumor-ousnarrativethatseekstoemulatethestyleofAmericanseries,butwithavery local flavor.Los super Perez areagroupofMexicansuperheroesthatfightorganizedcrime.Roomies,inturn,isaseriesthatportraysthelivesofagroupofyoungstersinthestyleofthefamousseriesFriends.
AcablechannelthatforthesecondyearinarowpresentedafictionisTelehit(Televisa),whichproducedtheseriesHoy soy na-
die,athrillerthatinvitestheviewertodiscoverwhomightbethese-rialkillerthatlikestoselecthisvictimsthroughthesocialnetworks.Thisseriesturnedouttobealikableproduct,foritwasthefirstofitsstyletousethenarrativesandcommunicationformsthatprevailinthesocialnetworks.
1.8. Tendencies of the ICTs (Internet, cell phone, digital TV, VoD)According to theAMIPCI (2012), there are 40.6million In-
ternet users in Mexico, which in relation to the 2011 data theyare5.7millionmoreusers.Cellphonecontractshadamountedto94,565,000by2011,ofwhich45%concentratedinthecountry’s12
Mexico – TV power on the spot. Television fiction between presidencial elections and audiences’ activation | 351
majorcities,thecapitalbeingtheregionwhereonefourthisconcen-trated(Cofetel,2011).
Theanalogblackouthasbegunanditisexpectedtobefinishedbytheendoftheyear2015.ThecityofTijuana,inthecountry’snorth,waschosentobeginthetransitionworkstowardsDigitalTer-restrialTelevision(DTT).Nevertheless, thechallenge ishugebe-causeover70%oftheMexicanpopulationdoesnothavethedevicerequiredtoreceivetransmissionswithdigitalquality(ElFinanciero,15/02/2013).10
2. Yearly analysis: premiere of National and Ibero-American fic-tion
Table 1. Fictions exhibited in 2012 (domestic and imported; premiere and reruns; co-productions)
10 http://www.elfinanciero.com.mx/component/content/article/53-nuestras-historias/4953 -los-retos-de-la-digitalizacion-de-tv-en-mexico.htmlaccessedonMarch16th,2013.
NATIONAL PREMIERE TITLES: 28
Televisa: 16 national titles1.Abismo de pasión(telenovela)2.Un refugio para el amor(telenovela)3.Por ella soy Eva(telenovela)4.Amor bravío(telenovela)5.Cachito de cielo(telenovela)6.Mis XV(telenovela)7.Amores verdaderos(telenovela)8.Corona de la grimas(telenovela)9.La mujer del vendaval(telenovela)10.Que bonito amor(telenovela)11.Porque el amor manda(telenovela)12.La familia Peluche(comedyseries)13.Cloroformo(series)14.El diez (series)15.Los he roes del norte 2 (series)
TV Azteca: 6 national titles16. La mujer de Judas(telenovela)17.Quererte así(telenovela)18.Amor cautivo(telenovela)19.Los Rey(telenovela)
IMPORTED PREMIERE TITLES: 18
Televisa: 11 imported titles29.Marina(telenovela-USA)30.Amor sincero(telenovela-Colombia)31.Chepe fortuna (telenovela-Colombia)32.Rosa diamante(telenovela-USA)33.Una maid en Manhattan(telenovela-USA)34. Corazón valiente(telenovela-USA)35.El alma herida(telenovela-USA)36.El fantasma de Elena(telenovela-USA)37.Los herederos del monte(telenovela-Colombia)38.Rosario Tijeras(series-Colombia)39.Héroes(miniseries-Chile)
TV Azteca: 4 imported titles40.Acorralada (telenovela-Venezuela)41. Corazón apasionado(telenovela-Venezuela)42.Ángelrebelde(telenovela-Venezuela)43. Estoy en la banda (series-USA)
352 | Obitel 2013
20.La otra cara del alma(telenovela)21.La teniente(series)22.Pinche Pancho (series)
Once TV Mexico: 3 national titles23. Paramédicos (series)24.Estado de gracia(series)25.Kipatla(series)
Cadena Tres: 3 national titles26. Infames (telenovela)27.El albergue (series)28.La clínica (series)
Cadena Tres: 2 imported titles44. La ruta blanca(telenovela-Colombia/Mexico)45.La Pola(telenovela-Colombia)
Canal 22: 1 title46.Los archivos del cardenal (series-Chile)
RERUNS: 6
Televisa: 6 titles47.María la del barrio(telenovela)48.María Mercedes(telenovela)49.El clon(telenovela-USA)50.Una familia de diez(comedyseries)51.Vecinos(comedyseries)52.Que madre tan padre(comedyseries)
TOTAL EXHIBITED TITLES: 52
Source:IbopeAGBMexico,fromMondaytoSunday,from2:00to24:00,fromJanuary1sttoDecember31st,2012,ratingsdatabaseTV5domains,nationalhouseholds,MediaSmartStation.ElaboratedbyObitel-Mexico.
Thefirstelementtopointoutistheincreaseindomesticfictionproduction,sinceitwentfrom23to28titleswithrespectof2011.Televisacontinuestobetheleadingcompany,althoughtheupturnofchannelssuchasOnceTVandCadenaTresisworthyofmentionbecause theyhavemanaged toconsolidatea stockofproduction;however,theirnewvisual,narrativeaestheticshasnotbeenabletogetthroughtotheaudiencesandtheirproductionsdonotmanagetoobtainmore than two ratingpoints.This fact contrasts a greatdealwiththeratingsreachedbythererunsofclassicssuchasMaría
la del barrio andMaría Mercedes (both from the1990’s),whichobtainedmorethantenpoints,afigurethatnoneoftheTVAztecatelenovelas(thesecondmostimportantnetwork)managedtoattain.
Mexico – TV power on the spot. Television fiction between presidencial elections and audiences’ activation | 353
Table2.Premierefictionin2012:countriesoforigin
Country Titles % Chap-ters % Hours %
NATIONAL 28 61 2,136 62 2,020 56
IBERO-AMERICAN 17 37 1,336 38 1,556 44
Argentina - - - - - -
Brazil - - - - - -
Chile 2 4 88 3 126:35 4
Colombia 5 11 477 14 554:00 15
Ecuador - - - - - -
Spain - - - - - -
USA (Hispanic production) 7 15 462 13 585:40 16
MEXICO 28 61 2,136 62 2,020 56
Peru - - - - - -
Portugal - - - - - -
Uruguay - - - - - -
Venezuela 3 7 219 6 205:35 6
National co-production (*) 1 2 90 2 85:50 3
Others (productions and co-productions from other Latin American countries, not Obitel scope)
- - - - - -
TOTAL 46 100% 3,472 100 3,576 100%
Source:IbopeAGBMexico,fromMondaytoSunday,from2:00to24:00,fromJanuary1sttoDecember31st,2012,ratingsdatabaseTV5domains,nationalhouseholds,MediaSmartStation.ElaboratedbyObitel-Mexico.
Animportantdataisthefactthatin2012therewasadiversifi-cationinthecountriesfromwhichtitleswereimported,thepresenceofChileandthereturnofVenezuelabeingtwoelementstobecon-sidered.TheproductionofUSfictionandtheColombiantelenove-lasmaintainedtheirpresenceinMexico,although,unlikein2011,noneoftheirtitlesrankedamongthemostviewedintheyear.
354 | Obitel 2013
Table3.C
hapters/episodesandhoursbroadcastbytimeslot
Tim
e sl
otN
atio
nal
Iber
o-A
mer
ican
T
otal
C/E
%
H%
C/E
%H
%C/E
%H
%M
orni
ng (
6:00
-12:
00)
--
--
313
23322:30
2031
39
322:30
8A
fter
noon
(12
:00-
19:0
0)
51
024
389:05
19648
49867:30
561158
331,256
31Pr
ime
time
(19:
00-2
2:00
) 1,563
731,568
7830
232:15
31593
461,600
41N
ight
(22
:00-
6:00
) 63
363:30
3345
26334:10
21408
12397:40
10T
OT
AL
2,13
610
02,
020
100
1,33
610
01,
556
100
3,47
210
03,
576
100
Source:IbopeAGBMexico,from
MondaytoSunday,from
2:00to24:00,fromJanuary1
sttoDecem
ber31s
t ,2012,ratingsdatabaseTV5dom
ains,national
households,M
ediaSmartStation.ElaboratedbyObitel-Mexico.
11
Table4.FormatsofnationalandIbero-Americanfiction
For
mat
sN
atio
nal
Iber
o-A
mer
ican
Tit
les
%C/E
%H
%T
itle
s%
C/E
%H
%T
elen
ovel
a17
611,703
801,627
8114
781,215
911,390
89Se
ries
1139
433
20393:20
193
1763
571:20
5M
inis
erie
s-
--
--
-1
558
494:40
6Telefilm
--
--
--
--
--
--
Uni
tary
--
--
--
--
--
--
Doc
udra
ma
--
--
--
--
--
--
Oth
ers
(soa
p op
era,
etc
.)-
--
--
--
--
--
- T
OT
AL
2810
02,
136
100
2,02
010
018
100
1,33
610
01,
556
100
Source:IbopeAGBMexico,from
MondaytoSunday,from
2:00to24:00,fromJanuary1
sttoDecem
ber31s
t ,2012,ratingsdatabaseTV5dom
ains,national
households,M
ediaSmartStation.ElaboratedbyObitel-Mexico.
11DERECHOSRESE
RVADOS©IBOPE
AGBM
EXICO,S.A.D
EC.V.B
runoTraven60,G
eneralPedroM
a.Anaya,03340,M
exico,D
.F.,2013.T
he
presentpagecontainsmaterialsthataretheindustrialandintellectualpropertyofIbopeAGBM
exico,S.A.deC.V.,whichhavebeenputatthedisposal
ofObitelforresearchpurposesandtheanalysisrelatedwiththisproject,thereforeitsreproductionbythirdpartiesisprohibited,whetherpermanentor
temporary,totalorpartial,withoutthepreviouswrittenpermissionofthiscom
pany.V
iolationsshallbepunishedaccordingtopertinentlaw
s.
Mexico – TV power on the spot. Television fiction between presidencial elections and audiences’ activation | 355
Table5.Formatsofnationalfictionbytimeslot
Formats Mor- ning % After-
noon % Prime time % Night % To-
tal %
Telenovela 2 100 15 83 11 61 3 38 31 67
Series - - 2 11 7 39 5 62 14 30
Miniseries - - 1 6 - - - - 1 3
Telefilm - - - - - - - - - -
Unitary - - - - - - - - - -
Docudrama - - - - - - - - - -
Others (soap opera, etc.) - - - - - - - - - -
TOTAL 2 100 18 100 18 100 8 100 46 100
Source:IbopeAGBMexico,fromMondaytoSunday,from2:00to24:00,fromJanuary1sttoDecember31st,2012,ratingsdatabaseTV5domains,nationalhouseholds,MediaSmartStation.ElaboratedbyObitel-Mexico.
Theprimetimecontinuestobethefavoritetimeforthebroad-castoffiction(Table3).Themostprogrammedformatinthistimewasthetelenovelawith17titles,followedby11seriesandamini-series(Table4).Allinall31telenovelas,14seriesandaminiserieswerebroadcast(Table5),whichmeantanincreaseinfictionpro-ductiongoingfrom28to46titles.
Table6.Timeperiodoffiction
Time period Titles %
Present 43 93
Period piece - -
Historical 3 7
Other - -
TOTAL 46 100
Source:IbopeAGBMexico,fromMondaytoSunday,from2:00to24:00,fromJanuary1sttoDecember31st,2012,ratingsdatabaseTV5domains,nationalhouseholds,MediaSmartStation.ElaboratedbyObitel-Mexico.
What used to be the trademark of theMexican industry hasfallenintooblivion,fornoneofthe28domestictitleswerehistori-calproductionsorperiodpieces.ImportedtitlessuchasHéroesand
356 | Obitel 2013
La Pola (Colombia)aswellasLos archivos del Cardenal (Chile)aretheonlyproductionsthatbroughtthehistoricmemoryontotheMexicanscreens.Therestofthetitles,aswehavepointedout,areset inapresentthat isdecontextualizedonpurposeor twistedac-cordingtopoliticalintentions,caseinpoint,theseriesLa Teniente,which related the positive side of thewar against drug traffic inMexico.OtherproductionssuchasInfames or La Ruta Blanca(Ca-denaTres)thatdidpresentacriticalperspectivedidnotmanagetogenerategreatinterestamongtheMexicanaudience.
Table 7. The 10 most viewed titles: origin, rating, share
Title
Country of origin
of the idea or script
Pro-ducer
Chan-nel
Name of writer or
author of the original idea
Ra- ting Share
1Abismo de
pasiónMexico Televisa 2
Caridad BravoAdams
25.83 37.25
2Amores ver-
daderosArgentina Televisa 2
MarcelaCit-terio
25.64 38.96
3Porque el
amor mandaColombia Televisa 2 JörgHiller 24.15 37.02
4Por ella soy
EvaColombia Televisa 2 ElkimOspina 23.60 35.46
5Qué bonito
amorColombia Televisa 2
MónicaAgudelo
18.24 30.19
6 Amor bravío Mexico Televisa 2MaríaZarat-
tini17.91 29.56
7Un refugio
para el amorVenezuela Televisa 2 DeliaFiallo 16.94 32.21
8La familia
PelucheMexico Televisa 2
EugenioDerbez
16.87 27.65
9La mujer del
vendavalVenezuela Televisa 2
ÁngeldelCerro
15.76 28.99
10Cachito de
cieloMexico Televisa 2
MarioScha-jris
15.05 27.56
Total productions: 10 Foreign scripts: 6
100% 60%
Source:IbopeAGBMexico,fromMondaytoSunday,from2:00to24:00,fromJanuary1sttoDecember31st,2012,ratingsdatabaseTV5domains,nationalhouseholds,MediaSmartStation.ElaboratedbyObitel-Mexico.
Mexico – TV power on the spot. Television fiction between presidencial elections and audiences’ activation | 357
TheupturninthenumberoffictiontitlesinMexicodoesnotseemtogohandinhandwiththeregenerationofcreativity,becausein2012sixofthemostviewedtitleshaveaforeignscript;twomorethanin2011.
Regardingthecountrieswherethescriptscomefrom,thedrivethatColombiahadthisyearisworthyofnotice,sinceitmanagedtosurpassArgentinaasthecountrythatprovidesthemostscriptsforMexico,whichhadonlyoneamongthetoptenthisyear.VenezuelawithtwoscriptsandthreeproductionsbroadcastthisyearseemstowanttorecoverthelostgroundinMexico.
It isvital topointout theupturnof the rating in the top ten,becausethetitlewith thehighestaudiencein2011attained20.61points;forthisyearAbismo de pasiónobtained25.83.Thistenden-cytoriseisalsovisibleintherestofthepositions,sincethesecond,thirdandfourthplacesattainedmorethan20points.Asanaverage,theratinginthe2012toptenincreasedaround3.5pointspertitle.
Table 8. The 10 most viewed titles: format, length, time slot
Title Format Genre
Number of chapters/
episodes. in 2012
Date of thefirstand last
issue
Time slot
1Abismo de
pasiónTelenovela Fiction 161
23/01/1202/09/12
Prime
2Amores ver-
daderosTelenovela Fiction 86 03/09/12 Prime
3Porque el amor
mandaTelenovela Fiction 62 08/10/12 Prime
4Por ella soy
EvaTelenovela Fiction 167
20/02/1207/10/12
Prime
5Qué bonito
amorTelenovela Fiction 51 22/10/12 Prime
6 Amor bravío Telenovela Fiction 16605/03/1221/10/12
Prime
358 | Obitel 2013
7Un refugio para
el amorTelenovela Fiction 165
06/02/1223/09/12
After-noon
8La familia
PelucheSeries Fiction 26
07/08/1223/12/12
Prime
9La mujer del
vendavalTelenovela Fiction 36 12/11/12
After-noon
10Cachito de
cieloTelenovela Fiction 110
11/06/1209/11/12
After-noon
Source:IbopeAGBMexico,fromMondaytoSunday,from2:00to24:00,fromJanuary1sttoDecember31st,2012,ratingsdatabaseTV5domains,nationalhouseholds,MediaSmartStation.ElaboratedbyObitel-Mexico.12
RegardingTable8,thedeterminingfactortoattaintheratingis theprime time, specifically that covering the timeperiod from20:00 to 22:00, because telenovelas such asAmores verdaderos,Porque el amor manda, La mujer del vendavalandQué bonito amor (Televisa)withhalfthenumberoftitlesthanothershadmanagedtoobtainhigherratingsduetothefactthattheyoccupiedtheplaceofasuccessfultitle.AnexampleofthisisAmores verdaderosthattooktheplaceofAbismo de pasión.
Table 9. Themes of the 10 most viewed titles
Titles Central theme Social theme
1 Abismo de pasión
-Love-Familyconflicts-Paternityrevelation-Socialascent
-Agriculturalproblems-Ecologicalconflicts-Orphanage
2 Amores verdade-ros
-Infidelity-Love-Familyconflict
-Insecurity-Domesticviolence-Organizedcrime
12DERECHOSRESERVADOS©IBOPEAGBMEXICO,S.A.DEC.V.BrunoTraven60,GeneralPedroMa.Anaya,03340,Mexico,D.F.,2013.ThepresentpagecontainsmaterialsthataretheindustrialandintellectualpropertyofIbopeAGBMexico,S.A.deC.V.,whichhavebeenputatthedisposalofObitelforresearchpurposesandtheanalysisrelatedwiththisproject,thereforeitsreproductionbythirdpartiesisprohibited,whetherpermanentortemporary,totalorpartial,withoutthepreviouswrittenpermissionofthiscompany.Violationsshallbepunishedaccordingtopertinentlaws.
Mexico – TV power on the spot. Television fiction between presidencial elections and audiences’ activation | 359
3 Porque el amor manda
-Claimingmen-Loveandhate-Labourdisputes
-Discrimination-Gender-basedviolence-Organizedcrime
4 Por ella soy Eva-Identity-Love-Familyconflicts
-Sexualdiversity-Gender-basedviolence-Discrimination
5 Qué bonito amorMexicanfolkloreLoveandhateFamilyrivalry
AlcoholismDomesticviolenceOrganizedcrime
6 Amor bravío-Familyconflicts-Revenge-Restitutionofidentity
-Conflictsoverlandownership-Domesticviolence-Discrimination
7 Un refugio para el amor
-Familyconflicts-Love-Socialascent
-Cacicazgos-Gender-basedviolence-Oraltrials
8 La familia Peluche
-Familyproblems-Acceptanceandidentity-Comedyandsatire
-Corruption-Domesticviolence
9 La mujer del vendaval
-Romance-Familyconflict-Socialpromotion
-Politicscorruption-Landownership-Socialinsecurity
10 Cachito de cielo-Loveandromance-Comedy-Familyvalues
-Religiousidentity-Domesticviolence-Socialinsecurity
Source:IbopeAGBMexico,fromMondaytoSunday,from2:00to24:00,fromJanuary1sttoDecember31st,2012,ratingsdatabaseTV5domains,nationalhouseholds,MediaSmartStation.ElaboratedbyObitel-Mexico.
AsweexplainedinTable6,thefactthatmosttoptentelenove-lasorseriesaresetinthepresentdoesnotmeanthattheyalludetocurrentsocialissues;quitethecontrary,thesocialissuespresentedinTable9continuetobegeneralissuesthat,perhaps,donothelpto think about reality from fiction, or if they do, they do so in adecontextualized,deterritorializedmanner.Violence,asarecurrentthemeinTable9,ispresentedwithoutemphasizingtheissueofthenationalinsecuritythecountryisundergoingduetothewarthegov-ernmentstillwagesagainstdrugtraffic.
3. Transmedia reception As it had been anticipated in previousObitel yearbooks, the
networkshavebeguntorenovateinviewofthenewtransmediasce-nariosandtheriskthatwouldimplynottodoso,fortheycouldlose
360 | Obitel 2013
audiences.Attheendof2012,Televisabroadcastitsfirstwebnove-la Te presento a Valentín,aproductintendedtobewatchedfromdif-ferentdevices(PC,laptop,cellphones,smartphones,etc.)andtobeaccompaniedbythedifferentsocialnetworkssoastointeractwiththepublic,thatis,itimpliesatransmedianarrative.
Initsfirstwebnovela,Televisadecidedtotella lovestory,asubject that has been the center of the rest of its productions foroversixtyyears;apinkplot,withacertaindoseofhumorand,wemightadd,corniness.TheplottellstheadventuresofValentín,whoislookingforhisidealwoman;hefindsher,butfirsthehastogetaroundseveralobstacles.Withatotaloffivemaincharacters, thescenes take placemainly in the facilities of the publishinghousewhereheworksasareporterforamagazine(actually,itistheTele-visapublishinghousebuilding).Thewebnovelastartedbroadcast-ingonOctober29th,2012,itconsistedoffifteenchapters,approxi-mately sevenminutes long each, and it ended onNovember 30th of the same year. Itwas broadcast three times aweek (Monday,WednesdayandFriday)atnoon,fromitsofficialwebsite.
3.1. In search of the young audiences INEGIdataindicatethatinMexico49.5%oftheInternetusers
areyoung13.Sotheaimofthemediabusinesspeopleispreciselytowin themoveraspublic. Inaddition, theproducerEugenioCoboclaimsthatthescriptwritersofTe presento a Valentínareyoungerthan30yearsold,theyknowhowtohandlethewebandtheyknowhowtotellastoryinafewminutes.
Inordertointeractandgettoknowtheopinionoftheaudienc-esabouttheabove-mentionedtelenovela,anofficialwebpagewascreated,aswellasFacebook,YouTubeandTwitteraccounts.Ontheseplatforms,theaudiencehadasortofdifferentiatedparticipa-tion.Thisway,thecompanywasabletonotonlyknow(andputtothetest)thepublic’sopinionandthetypeofinformationaboutthe
13Seehttp://www.inegi.org.mx/.
Mexico – TV power on the spot. Television fiction between presidencial elections and audiences’ activation | 361
contents,butalsotopromotetheproductsthatsponsoredtheweb-novela.Creams,shampoos,sprays,water, juicesandabankwerethesponsorsandprotagonistsaswell,fortheywerepartoftheplot.
Eachofthenetworkspermittedandprovokedasortofdiffer-entinteraction(thatgoesfrom“viewing”to“transmediaviewing”)andapassiveoractiveinteractivity(seeTable11).Thefollowingisabriefdescriptionoftheaudience’sparticipationinthesitesmen-tioned.
3.2. Fiction on YouTubeOn this portal,we find a type of interaction called “interac-
tiveviewingon thenet”anda typeofaudienceparticipation thatis“passive”.TheproducersopenedachannelcalledTe presento a
Valentín,whichhas62subscribers,69videosandatotalof11,851views.Inthissite,inadditiontouploadingthefifteenepisodesofthewebnovela,theyhaveaddedinterviewsofalltheactors,includ-ingthemakeupartistsandproductionpersonnel.ThemostviewedvideowasEpisode1(4,496views)andtherewasadramaticdropafterwardssincethesecondvideoonlyhad438views.Astotheau-dience’sparticipationoutsidetheofficialchannel,wefoundamoreactiveparticipation, for someusersuploaded thewebnovelaontoYouTube(thattheythemselvesrecorded)andtheseepisodeswereviewedmorethanthoseontheofficialchannel.
3.3. FacebookOnthissocialnetwork,thewebnovelahad7,200“likes”,and
an“interactiveviewingonthenet”interaction.Themajorityofthemessages uploadedonto this social network came from the com-panyitselftourgethepublictowatchtheepisodeoftheday(663“likes”).Theareawherethepublicparticipatedwithmore“likes”wasthecast/actresses/actors’uploadedimages(491).Theirpartici-pationwasthe“active”type.
362 | Obitel 2013
3.4. Twitter and advice on loveIn spite of the fact that thewebnovela had already finished,
theaccount@TepresentoaVremainedactiveuntilDecember,2012,andthepeoplewhomanageditcontinueddemandingtheirfollow-ers’participation(17,659)withatotalof589tweets.Themostout-standingaspectof this typeofparticipationis that theaccount@TepresentoaV took on the role of a love counselor, thus offeringsuggestionstoitsfollowerssotheycouldfindapartnerordefiningthepracticeofwhatitistobeinlove,likethosefamouscardsLove
is…thatcirculatedinthe1980’s.
Table 1114.Transmediafiction: prevailing types of interaction and practices
Selected fiction
Net-work Internet pages
Types of transmedia interaction
Levels of interac-
tivity
Users’ domi-nant practices
Te pre-sento a Valentin
T e l e -visa
Officialwebsitehttp://televisa.esmas.com/entretenimiento/telenovelas/te-presento-a-valentin/
Facebookprofilehttps://www.facebook.com/TePresentoaVal-entin
Twitter@TepresentoaV
YouTubechannelhttp://www.youtube.com/user/tepresentoa-valentin
Viewing Passive
CommentCelebrationCollectionStorage
StorageCritique
Comment
CommentDiscussionRecommenda-tionImitation
CompartmentStorageComment
Interactiveviewingonthenet
Transmediaviewing
Active
Active
Interactiveviewingonthenet
Passive/Active
Source:Obitel-Mexico
14ThisMexicochapterdoesnotincludeTable10duetothefactthattheinformationtomakethetablewasnotavailable.
Mexico – TV power on the spot. Television fiction between presidencial elections and audiences’ activation | 363
Inthisexploratoryphase,Televisatrieditshandinwebnovelasobtaininglittletransmediaresponseonthepartoftheaudiences.Ifwecomparethefollowersandtheparticipationthatothertelenove-lashaveontheirsitesonsocialnetworks,likeAmores verdaderos
(184,880followersonFacebookand72,300onTwitter)orLa mujer
del vendaval (50,128onFacebookand21,036onTwitter),Te pre-
sento a Valentínwasnotsowellreceived.Itmustbepointedoutthatonsomeplatformsparticipationbythefollowerswasnotallowedorpromotedbeyondthe“likes”tothecontentswheresomesurveyswouldbeanswered.Theparticipationwasmoreactivewhentheywereinvitedtoseekadviceassociatedwithlove.
4. Highlights of the year
4.1. “Fiction a la carte” as a tendency Thegrowing linkbetweenfictionandpoliticalmarketing in-
creased in theyear2012.Thephenomenonof“fictiona lacarte”continues,termusedtorefertothosetelenovelasorseriesthatareproducedunder thegovernment’ssponsorshipandusedaspropa-ganda.That iswhathappened in2011withEl equipo (Televisa),whichunderscoredtheworkoftheFederalPoliceintheirstruggleagainstdrugtraffic.
In2012,another“fictionalacarte”titledLa tenientewaspro-duced(TVAzteca)soastounderscoretheactionsbytheArmytofightit.Nevertheless,accordingtoitsproducerRobertoGonzalez,La tenientewasnota“commissioned”televisionproduct,asitwasthecaseofEl equipo.15Quitethecontrary,La teniente,devoidofpoliticalinterests,neversoughtto“clean”theimageoftheNavy,since“theessentialcomponentwasnottheinstitutionbutthestoryofthemenwhomakeitup”(Notimex,2012).
Underthisposture,La teniente,andthepoliticaluseitwasgiv-en,presupposesanimportantriskforaTVgenrethatisbeginningto
15Inthisseries,theSecretaryofPublicSecuritypaidTelevisa118millionpesosforitsproductionandbroadcast.
364 | Obitel 2013
becomepoliticizedduetothelackofalegislationthatregulatesorprohibitstheinsertionand/ornaturalizationofpolitical,governmentandelectoralpropagandawithinseriesandtelenovelas.
La teniente is another case of this legislative void, since its24chaptersservedtofixanagendaandaspecificpriming(anap-proach)thatplacedtheArmyastheonlysecurityagentsthatarere-liableandbelievable,becausethey,unliketheFederalPolice(theirantagonistswithinandwithout fiction), are the realheroesof thewaragainstdrugtraffic.
4.2. Fiction and electoral advertising of the heartAsithasalreadybeenmentioned,thecandidatethatwonthe
presidentialelectionsinMexico,EnriquePeñaNieto,marriedoneoftheiconicactressesoftheMexicantelenovelas,AngelicaRivera,better knownas “LaGaviota”.This love relationship, questionedbymanyasanelectoralstrategy,allowedforthetwopersonstobepresent in the showworld, however, theywere never consideredtobeatfault,foritwasaprivateratherthanpoliticalmatter.The“happycouple”wasadvertisedindifferentshows,buttheonethatstoodoutthemostwastherealityshowstarringAngelicaRiveraonYouTubeduringalltheelectoralcampaign.
Lo que mis ojos ven y mi corazón sientewasa “home-madeproduction”whereGaviotatookadvantageofherhistrionictalentsandthespecialconnectionthat,asanactress,shehaswiththeMexi-canstonarrate“thebackstage”ofherhusband’scampaignandthusexposethehumanbeingbehindthecandidate.
ThisvideoseriessoughttobringEnriquePeñaNietoclosertothecitizensnotbymeansofhiscampaignproposals,butratherasaresultofhisadvertisedlovestory,andasifitwereatelenovela.Thisstorytransferredthenarrativeofthedifferentstatesofthecountrytoamoreintimate,privatespace,wherethecandidatewaspresentedina“natural,casualmanner”interactingwithhisfamilytonarratewhattheywerelivingthroughduringthecampaign.
Mexico – TV power on the spot. Television fiction between presidencial elections and audiences’ activation | 365
Lo que mis ojos ven y mi corazón sientewastheinaugurationofapoliticalrealityshow wherethecampaignproposalsweretradedbyloveandthepromisetheactressmadeattheendofthevideos,whensheassuredtheaudiencethat“herhusbandwouldkeepeachofhispromisesbecauseheisamanofhisword”.Thismeantinpo-liticalandfictionalterms,comingsandgoingsfromactresstochar-acter,sinceinthepoliticalceremoniespeoplereferredtoherasLaGaviota,thenameofhermostfamousfictionalcharacter.Fiction,thus,wasusedasaspringboardinbothsenses.Atotalof23videoswereuploadedontoYouTube,whichhadoveramillionviews;asanaverage,eachvideowasviewedby45,000usersperissue.
4.3. Dispute about rating and the change in the way it is measuredThe year 2012was ground-breaking both nationally and in-
ternationally in termsofmeasuringand followingaudiences.ThetraditionalparameterstoevaluatetheturningonofTVsetsathomerequire innovations to capture the contemporary phenomenon.Wherearethefictionaudiencesnow?Wherearetheygoing?HowdotheysharetheirviewingwithotherparticipationsontheInternetandsocialnetworks?Howdotheygetinvolvedindialogueswiththewebsites?Andaboveall,whatelsedotheyconsume,inadditiontotelevisionandthecinema?Inadditiontobeingmanyquestions,theyareexpressionsoftherecentconcernsaboutgivinganadequatefollow-uptotheaudienceswhoseroutes,staysandmediaconnec-tivityscenarioshavemovedandmultipliedlikeneverbefore.
InthisattemptatfindingnewmethodologiesandtoolsforTVmonitoringoftheaudiencesandofferingnewdatatothemarket,inMexicothetraditionalcompanyIbopeAGBfinisheditsoperationsonDecember31st, after20yearsproducing informationon ratingin the country.A new companywas inaugurated,Nielsen-Ibope,which,beyondspecificallyMexicansituations,mustbeunderstoodinthisworldwidecurrentinwhichinternationalaudiencemeasuringcompanieshavebeenmerging:Nielsen,theoldestofthemall,hasbecomeinvolvedfirstwiththeEuropeanSofresandin 2012with
366 | Obitel 2013
LatinAmericanIbope;Ibope,inturn,withGermancompanyGSK.IntheUK,NielsenandSofreshavedonethesame(interviewwithRubenJara,inZócalo Magazine,2013).Thisworldwidemergerorconcentrationtriesnewformsofexploringthepublicasconsumersbyrelating–whichisnowalreadytechnicallypossible–televisionandmediaconsumptionwiththerealconsumptionintheshoppingcenterswheretheaudiencesusuallyshop.Undoubtedlythisisanewstageintheproductionofknowledgeaboutthepublic,whichwillmakeanimpactonObitelasaproject.
5. Topic of the year: social memory and television fictionDuring2012,Mexican fictionhasmaintaineda relationwith
thepast thathasbeenestablishing itselfas thecentralelement inthe course ofMexican telenovela history: the past as a tradition,thepastastheplacewheretheessentialvaluesareevidentandvis-ible. In this sense, in spiteof thechanges inMexican fictionTVindustry, like thepurchaseof scriptswithproven success insteadofgeneratingtheirown,televisionhasmaintainedtheorderofthestructuresofthepastasitwasputforthbyNoraMazziotti(1996)inthe1990’s.Thepastismadeupasaconstantsourceofnarrativeandthematicmatrices.
Viewedfromthisapproach,Mexicantelenovelasin2012con-tinuedbuildingapast thathasbasicallytwonarrativeaxes:ranchlife in the haciendas/towns and an etherealmixture of referencestothegoldenageofMexicancinema.Onthebasisofthesescenes,fiction (and itsomnipresentmelodramaticbase) standsout as thedramaofthetransitionbetweentheruralandurbanworlds.
Makingaselectionofthemostviewedtelenovelasinthisyear,frombothTelevisaandTVAztecanetworks, it ispossible toap-preciatethepersistenceofthesethemesconstructedonthevisualaswellasthenarrativelevels.Inthissectionwewillputforthsomeoftheseelementsthatdenotetheconstantnegotiationbetweenpastandpresent.
Mexico – TV power on the spot. Television fiction between presidencial elections and audiences’ activation | 367
5.1. The hacienda as the nucleus of rural lifeDifferent telenovelas among themost viewed in each of the
opentelevisionnetworkshavefocusedonthehaciendaasthecen-tral locationfor thedevelopmentof traditionalplots.AsMexicantelevisionhasopenedtofilmingonlocation(asopposedtothefunc-tionalistcharacterofitssets),thenetworkshavefoundasourceofendlessthemesandscenariosinrurallifethatcombinewiththetypi-calstoriesofnationalmelodrama.
Togetherwithamovementtorescuethenationalruralheritage,thenetworks,partlywiththesupportofthelocalgovernments,havecombinedruralvisualizationwiththetypicalfamilydramasoftheconstructionofMexico’snationalidentity,presentedbythecinemaofthe1940’sgoldenage.
Inthissense,rurallifecenteredinthefamilyhaciendaandthetown/stage is theessentialcharacterof the telenovelas.Televisa’sAmor bravíoandAbismo de pasión,orTVAzteca’s Los ReyandLa
mujer de Judas,aregoodexamplesoftheabove.Todifferentex-tents,inthesetelenovelas(whichareamongthebest-rankingshowsinbothnetworks)thehaciendaalwaysimpliesreturningtotheruraloriginofthewealthyfamilies.Thiscountrylife,whetherasasourceofwealthorasasymbolicsourceofprestige,becomespresentinthesocialmemory.
5.2. Ranchera music, from beginning to endInthesamesenseofrescueofruralheritage,theranchertheme
hasbecomepracticallyomnipresent in the telenovelasof theyear2012.Aconstantvisualandsound referenceallowsus to see thereturnofthiselement:therancher’soutfitandthemariachimusic.BothelementshavebeencentralinMexicancinemathroughoutthe20thcenturyandtheyareconstantlyreutilizedbytheculturalindus-try(theTVindustryinparticular).
Thetelenovelaswehavemadereferencetoarenotextraneoustothesemovements.Firstly,wemayrefertoamusicalitythatgoesbacktooldelementsoftheMexican starsystem,suchasVicente
368 | Obitel 2013
Fernandez, with the theme song of “Cuando manda el corazón”fromthesoundtrackofthetelenovelaAmor bravío.Fromthesamecompany,Abismo de pasiónstartswith thecentralmusical theme“Solounsuspiro”,sungwiththeclassicmariachisaccompaniment.Ontheotherhand,wehavetheexampleofTVAztecawithtwoofitstelenovelas,La mujer de JudasandLos Rey,whichusemedleysofrancheramusicandcorridosnorteñosassoundtrack(“Amordeleyenda”and“ElimperiodeLosRey”respectively).
WiththesetwoexamplesofthehegemoniccompaniesinMexi-canfictionproduction,wehaveaclearideaofhowimportanttherancherathemeis,alongwiththeruralelementrepresentedbythehaciendasasthecentralspaceoftheplot.
TheaxesmentionedsofarshowapastbuiltonafictionalMex-ico,orratherafictionthatgeneratesitsownmemory.
Boththematicelementsareaccompaniedbyelementaryvisu-ality representedby the rancherooutfits that emerge andbecomestandardizedinthe1940’sand1950’sfilmindustryinMexico:theclassicalcharrogalasuit.Nowincorporatedtoafictionaleverydaylife,thesegarmentsusuallyreservedfortraditionalcelebrationsareincorporatedtocontrasttheruralandurbanworldswherethetele-novelacharacterslive.
Fromthisperspective,therecannotbeaclearerexamplethanthatofAmor bravío.Takingadvantageofanatmosphere thathastodowiththebullfightingtheme(withclearvisualreferencestoSpanishbullfighting),thecharacterswearthecharrosuitswornonspecialoccasions.
About this movement towards the rancher theme, FlorenceToussaint(2013)distinguishesapastwhenwealthwasfirmlyan-chored to the farm lands.Wemightsay that telenovelas live inaspecies of “other times” suspiciously similar to prerevolutionaryMexico.Theauthorexpandsthistelenovelamovementuntil2013,withtelenovelassuchasCorazón indomable,Amores verdaderos or La mujer del vendaval(thethreebyTelevisa).
Mexico – TV power on the spot. Television fiction between presidencial elections and audiences’ activation | 369
Within this land-centeredatmosphere, theclassical storiesoftheMexicanmelodramamoveverywell,widelyrevolvingaroundthethemeoftheunityoftheextendedfamily.Thedramasthatfacethefamilyofruraloriginwiththecountry’smodernlife(drugtraf-fic,abortion,homosexuality,etc.)takethedramaofnationaliden-titytoitsultimateheights,representedinthefamily.Inthissense,thepastandthememoryconstructedinrelationtotheproductsofthenationalculturalindustryitselfisacentralelementof2012fic-tion,notcharacterizedbyhistoricalfictions,butratherbringingtothepresenta“period”atmospherethatgivesnewmeaningtothelifeexperiencesofpresent-dayMexico.
ReferencesAMIPCI (2012),Hábitos de los usuarios de internet en México 2012.
RecoveredonApril10,2013fromhttp://www.amipci.org.mx/?P=esthabitos.
COFETEL(2011),Suscripciones a teléfonos móviles. SerieAnual.Reco-
veredonApril15,2013fromhttp://siemt.cft.gob.mx/SIEM/#!prettyPhoto/45/.
IABMéxicoet al. (2012).Estudio de Consumo de Medios entre Internau-
tas Mexicanos- RecoveredonApril10,2013from http://www.iabmexico.com/
Estudio_Consumo_Internautas_2013_Mexico.
MAZZIOTTI,Nora(1996).La industria de la telenovela. La producción
de Ficción en América Latina.BuenosAires:Paidos.
MERCA2.0(April,2013).Inversiónenmedios,134.
NOTIMEX(2012).Se inspira La Teniente en hechos reales.Recovered
on September 20, 2012 from http://www.veracruzanos.info/se-inspira-la-te-
niente-en-casos-reales-de-mexico/.
REVISTAZOCALO(2013,February)“Cambiosenmediciónderating,
noencontenidos”,interviewofGuillermoOrozcotoRubenJara.
TELEVISA(2013)Informe Anual 2012.Televisa.Mexico.
TOUSSAINT, Florence (March 2, 2013). Amores rancheros.Proceso,
1896.
9Peru: FIcTIon oF enTrePreneurs1
Authors:JamesA.Dettleff,GiulianaCassano,
GuillermoVásquezF.
Team:
RoggerVergara,TatianaLabarthe, ThaliaDancuart,NatalyVergara
1. Audiovisual context in the country
ForewordAfter the presidential election campaign in 20112 Peruvian
televisionregainedamoreactiveproductionin2012,whichmeantmorefiction,contestandreality shows,whichwerebroadcastedinfourofthesixnationwidestations.
ThemainformatsusedbyPeruvianfictionhavebeenminise-riesandtelenovelas,withindependentcompaniesbeingattheheadofproduction.Thishasestablishedagroupofcompanies thatareproducingfictionandrealityshows,whichallowustotalkaboutasmallaudiovisualindustry,besidesthebroadcastingcompaniesthattraditionallyweretheonesthatwerebehindtelevisionproductioninPeru.OfthethirteenPeruvianfictionspremieredin2012,sevenwereproducedby independent companies, beingDelBarrioPro-duccionesthemainonewithfourfictions.
Thethemesdepictedonthosefictionshavekepttargetingapartofthecitizensthatalmostdidnotexistforthetelevisionuntilade-
1WewishtoacknowledgeandthankIbopeMediaPerufortheirsupport.Alltheratingdatausedinthischapterhasbeenprovidedbythem.2Thepresidentialcampaignhadpolarizedgovernmentproposals,whichendedinuncer-taintyonseveraleconomicgroupsofthecountrythatleadtoareductionofinvestment,whichalsoaffectedinvestmentintelevision.
372 | Obitel 2013
cadeago:theemergingclass.46%ofthe2012PeruvianfictionshadasmaincharacterslowincomePeruvians,whorisetoendupbeingsuccessfulentrepreneursthankstotheirwork,effort,endurance,anda goodpart of sufferingon the story.This reflects the picture ofthenewPeruvian,workerandentrepreneur,picture thathasbeenbuiltinthecountryinthelastdecade,whenaclassofentrepreneursestablishedlegalbusinessesbecominganimportantforceofthena-tionaleconomy.3Inthissense,thepresenceandthemesonPeruvianfictionreflectthisemergingclass,whichalsorelatestotheacquisi-tionpowerandconsumerhabitsthisaudiencehas.Butatthesametimewecanalsotalkabouttheindependenttelevisionproductioncompaniesthathavebeenestablishedinthelastdecade,whicharealsoaresultoftheeffort,entrepreneurshipandhardworkoftheirownersandworkers.
A brief history of Peruvian televisionPeruvian televisionwas born in 1958,when the state-owned
station Canal 7 started broadcasting from the capital city Lima.Since that year several private television stationswere founded4,mainlybyradioowners.AmericaTelevisión,PanamericanaTele-visión,Canal9andCanal2werefoundedinthelatefifties,andin1967Canal115 started tobroadcast. In1968 therewasamilitarycoupleadedbyGeneralJuanVelasco,whotookcontrolofallTVstationsin1971,whichcausedareductionoffictionproduction,butwithoutdisappearingcompletely.
Whendemocracy returned toPeru in 1980only three of thepioneerbroadcastingstationssurvived:Canal7,AméricaandPana-mericana.InthefollowingyearsFrecuenciaLatina,ATV,RBCand
3Peruwasthirdontheentrepreneuractivityrankingin2011,with22.9%.Source:http://latierraesflat.wordpress.com/2012/06/01/emprendimiento-en-el-peru/. Reviewed on20/2/2013.4ThehistoricdatahasbeentakenmainlyfromFernandoVivas’sbook,quotedonthereferences.5AlltheseTVstationswerefoundedinLima.Nevertheless,in1959TelevisoraSurPe-ruanawasalsofoundedinthesoutherncityofArequipa.
Peru – Fiction of entrepreneurs | 373
GlobalTelevisiónwere founded,and fictionproduction restarted,althoughitbecamehighlyaffectedbythedeepeconomiccrisisthathitthecountryinthesecondhalfoftheeighties.Duringthegovern-mentofAlbertoFujimoriinthenineties,thetelevisionproductionregainedstrength,butagain,whenthegovernmentfellin2000andtherewasproofofembezzlementandcorruptionwhereTVownerswereinvolved,Peruviantelevisionwentintodeepcrisisthatendedin legal fights,someowners inprison,othersfleeing thecountry,and a dispute for ownership that meant the companies changinghandsorbeingundertheadministrationofatemporarycouncil.
1.1. Television networks in PeruTherearesixtelevisionstationsthatbroadcastonVHFfrequen-
cies.AllofthembroadcastfromLimaandhavesatellitetransmis-siontotheirassociatesinthemaincitiesofthecountry.Fiveofthemareprivate:FrecuenciaLatina,AméricaTelevisión,PanamericanaTelevisión,AndinadeTelevisión(ATV)andGlobalTV(memberoftheATVgroup,ownedbyMexicanÁngelGonzáles).Thesixthbroadcastingcompany,TVPerú,isownedbythePeruvianState.
Graphic 1. National open television networks in Peru
Private networks (5) Public networks (1)FrecuenciaLatina TVPerúAméricaTelevisiónPanamericanaTelevisiónATVGlobalTV
Total = 6Source:ObitelPeru
374 | Obitel 2013
1.2. Audience trends
Graphic 2. TV rating by network (homes)
Network %FrecuenciaLatina 5.61
AméricaTelevisión 8.45
PanamericanaTelevisión 1.65
ATV 5.77GlobalTV 2.11Others 0.62
Source:IbopeMediaPeru
Graphic 3. Share by network (homes)
NetworkIndivi- dual share
%
FrecuenciaLatina 14.70 23.8
AméricaTelevisión 22.10 35.8
PanamericanaTelevision 4.30 7.0
ATV 15.10 24.5
GlobalTV 5.50 8.9
Source:IbopeMediaPeru
Graphics2and3showhowAméricaTelevisiónleadstheaudi-encepreferences,followedbyATV.América’sdominanceissuchthat not even adding the numbers ofATV andGlobal TV –bothownedbythesamegroup–theycanmatchAmerica’snumbers.Fre-cuenciaLatinaholdsthirdplaceoftheaudience,whilePanameri-cana(thatshowsmainlyseriesfromthe70s)is inaveryfarfifthplace.Wemustsaythatseveralyearsagothestate-ownedTVPerúaskednottobeconsideredbytheratingcompanies,sotherearenoofficialnumbersforit.
Rating (Homes)
FrecuenciaLatina
AméricaTelevisión
PanamericanaTelevisión
ATV
GlobalTV
Others
5,77
8,45
5,61
1,65
2,11
0 0,62
Share (Homes)
FrecuenciaLatina
AméricaTelevisión
PanamericanaTelevisión
ATV
GlobalTV
Others
15,10
22,10
14,70
4,30
5,50
0 1,70
Peru – Fiction of entrepreneurs | 375
Graphic 4. Genres of shows offered by Peruvian TV
Genres broadcasted
Hours broad-casted
%
Information 11,904:00 24.5Fiction 18,097:35 37.2
Entertainment 14,509:50 29.9Religious 163:55 0.3Sport 2,269:30 4.7
Education 1,453:45 3.0Others 200:00 0.4Total 48,598:35 100
Source:ObitelPeru
Graphic4showsthatfictionhashadahugepresenceonPeru-vian television in2012, followedbyentertainment showsand in-formation.24%ofentertainmentshowshavetheformatofwhatisknownasrealityshowsthathavebecomehighlypopularinthelastfouryears6.
Informationprogramsholdalmost25%ofprogrammingtime,wherenewsshowsandmagazinesabound.Inthelastdecades,jour-nalism hasmoved its interest for red press and celebrity gossip,whilepoliticalandnationalinteresttopicshaveyieldeditspresence.
Fictionholds37.2%of theprogramming time7,and thisvastpresence goes hand by handwith audience results and advertise-mentinvestment,asweshallsee.
1.3. Advertisement investmentAccordingtoIbopeMediaPeru,advertisement investment in
Peruwasequivalentto4,321milliondollars8in2012,butitshowedapercentagedecreaseinmostmediacomparedto2011.Televisionand printed newspaperswere the onlymedia that showed higher
6SomethingtobehighlightedforPeruviantelevisionisthat,contrarytowhatusedtohap-peninpasttimes,reality formatshavebeenboughttothefranchiseowners.7Forthisnumberswehaven’tcountedthererunhoursthatarecustomaryinthehoursbeforedawn.Ifwehaddoneit,thefictionpercentagewouldhavebeenevenlarger.8Takenintoconsiderationthecostbyadvertisementproductspublishedbytheownme-dia.
Horas de Exibição
Information
Fiction
Entertanment
Religious
Sport
Education
Others
37,2%
24,5%
29,9%
4,7%3,0%
0,4%0,3%
376 | Obitel 2013
percentages of the advertisement funds, where the first gathered72.04%oftheinvestment(whichmeansanincreaseof2.05%com-pared to 2011) and the second had a 6.88% participation of theinvestment,whichmeansan increaseof5.3%compared to2011.Cablewasthesecondmediawithhigherinvestmentin2012,gather-ing14.37%ofadvertisementincome(1.3%lessthanin2011),whileadvertisinginvestmentinradiowas5.12%ofthetotal,andmaga-zinesgathered1.6%.Thesepercentagesreflecttheinvestment,butnotthenumberofadvertisementproducts.Wemustnotforgetthatthepriceforairingaspotontelevisionisprettymuchhigherthanthatonradiooranadonanewspaperormagazine,andwehavetoconsiderthisbeforereadinganythingfurtherofthehugedifferenceofinvestmenttowardstelevision.
1.4. Merchandising and social merchandising.Peruvian television programs have found on merchandising
andproductplacement away to achieve resources for thebroad-castingstationsandtheindependentproductioncompanies.Severalshowsproduceandselllotsofmerchandisethathavepicturesofthepopularfiguresofthetelevisionshows:notebooks,toys,dolls,col-lectioncards,lunchboxes,foodproducts,etc.Itisalsocustomarythatshowsandtourswiththemaincharactersgoarounddifferentpartsofthecountryeveryotherweekend,orthatonnationalholi-dayssomecircus(thatarrivetothecitiesonthosedates)takethenameofapopulartelevisionshow,wherethecharactersperform.
Also, in severalepisodesof the showswecanseeonscreenpanel boards, clocks, calendars that have in large size the nameofcompaniesor itsproducts,whichare theones thatsponsor theshows;itcanalsobeseeninsomeepisodesthatcharactersuseorconsumetheproductsofthesponsorcompanies.
Socialmerchandisinghavebeenpresentthroughreferencesofservicesorbenefitsinsomeshowsthathavesocialproblemsaspartof their themes, such as domestic violence, discrimination, pedo-philiaordisability.Thiswasmainlypresent in fictions likeSola-
Peru – Fiction of entrepreneurs | 377
mente milagros(seasons1and2)andinConversando con la luna,
whichhadaclearsocialinterestontheirthemes.
1.5. Communication policiesInApril,2009,PerudecidedtogowiththeBraziliansystemof
digitaltelevision,andonMay31st,2010thehighdefinitiontrans-missions began.This system (and the transition towardsDTT, ingeneral) was chosen under the premise that digital channels andmostoftheavailablefrequenciesweregoingtoallowtelevisionde-mocratization,whichwouldhavebeengrantedinamorepluralwaywithinthedifferentregionsofthecountry.
“Digitaltelevisionisagreatopportunitytode-mocratize the Peruvianmedia system endow-ing it withmore diversity and pluralism and,therefore, put it in tunewith the principal in-ternational recommendations inmatterof freespeech”(Gómez,2012).9
Thegovernment is stillworkingon themechanics related totheprocessforgrantingdigitallicenses,butthemostimportantTVstationsofLimahavealreadygottenintoaccountafairnumberoffrequencies to transmithighdefinitionandstandarddigital signalsimultaneously, althoughnot everyone isusing theadvantagesofthisoption.
Through the 2004 Telecommunications Law, the ConsultiveCouncilofRadioandTelevision(ConsejoConsultivodeRadioyTelevisión–CONCORTV)wascreatedanditorganizescitizenandmonitoring activities and poles about television, but its opinionsandrecommendationsarenotbinding.Duringitsyearsoffunction-ing,CONCORTVhasrealizedseveralpublicaudiencesindifferentpartsofPeru, includingintheagendasubjectssuchaschildhood,
9 http://www.concortv.gob.pe/index.php/noticias/992-como-fortalecer-la-pluralidad-en-la-transicion-a-la-tv-digital-en-el-peru.html.
378 | Obitel 2013
gender,equality,etc.,althoughthepoliciesassociatedtothismat-tershavenotbeennecessarilyachieved.
1.6. Public televisionTVPerúisthenameofthestate-ownedTVstation10that,in-
steadoffunctioningasapublicaccessTVchannel,hasbeenman-agedasastationinserviceofthedifferentgovernments11asapropa-gandisticmedia,withfrequentinterruptionsinitsprogrammingtoissuesomeofficialactoftheExecutivePower.Themostoutstand-ingcase–inregardtothisobservatory–wastheinterruptionofthefinalepisodeoftheonlyfictionproducedin2012byTVPerú(Con-
versando con la luna) tobroadcastaliveinterventionfromPresi-dentHumala.After this interruption the TV programming beganagainwiththenews,andthelast10minutesfromthisfinalepisodewerenotbroadcasted.
Itsprogrammingisprimarilynon-fiction,butin2012itoptedfortheTVfictionConversando con la luna.Raisingsocialissuessuchasdiscriminationandsocialinclusion,theprojectconsistedoffour fictionsof five episodes each,whichwerebroadcasted fromMondaythroughFriday.Afterthemonthofrelease,theywerere-peatedthreemoretimes.Ithasbeenannouncedthattherewillbeasecondsetofstories,whichwillbereleasedin2013.
1.7. Pay TVThereareanumberofcompaniesofferingpayTVsystemsin
Peru, althoughmany operate informally or in smaller cities. Thethreemain companies offering pay television inmuchof thePe-ruvianterritoryareMovistarTV,DirecTVandClaroTV.Theyof-fer(alongwitharangeofinternationalchannels)PeruvianstationsonVHFairwaves,someofthemthataretransmittedinUHF,and
10TherearealsopublicTVstationsinhandsoflocalmunicipalities.Nevertheless,thisistheonlypublicstationofnationalreach.11TheConsultiveCouncilofRadioandTelevision(ConsejoConsultivodeRadioyTele-visión-CONCORTV)hasstartedacampaigntopromotetheneedofhavingaTVstationofrealpublicuseinPeru.
Peru – Fiction of entrepreneurs | 379
premiumchannelsexclusiveofcableTV.Oftheselastones,Movis-tarTVhassevenPeruvianTVchannels12exclusiveforcabletelevi-sion,whileClaroTVoffersoneexclusivelytheirsandalsohasoneofferedbyMovistarTV.Themainprogrammingofhalfoftheeightchannels is informative,while two are sports channels, one is anentertainmentchannelandtheotheroneisreligious.
Asfor theaudienceofcablechannels,after thePeruvianna-tionalchannelsthatarealsooffered,TLNovelasistheprimewithashareof3.7,whichisbarely0.6lessthanPanamericana’sshare.BehindTLNovelasareCartoonNetwork,DiscoveryKidsandDis-neyXD.
1.8. Digital Terrestrial Television (DTT) and InternetAssaidbefore, themainstationsofLimahavebeengranted
digitalsignals,althoughtheyarenotalwaysusedforairingdifferentcontentsfromtheirstandardsignal.FrecuenciaLatina–whichhasadigitalchannel–,AméricaTelevisiónandPanamericana–eachair-ingontwodigitalchannels–issuethesameprogrammingastheirregular broadcasting. TVPerú uses three digital channels,whichbroadcastdifferentprogramming,whileATVgrouphasfourchan-nels,broadcastingATVprogramminginone,inanotheroneitsin-formativechannelATV+, in the thirdoneGlobalTV, and in thefourthoneitsUHFchannel,LaTele.
DTTtechnologyalsoallowsreceivingwirelesssignal inmo-bilephones,andinthatsenseitisAmericaTelevisiónthathasbeenattheforefront,duetothefactthatitbroadcastsitsdigitalprogram-minginaformatthatcanbereceivedbymobilephonesthathavebuilt-indigitaltuner.
All channels observed in this research havewebsites,wherepostedchaptersofitsvariousprogramscanbefound,andinsomecasesthereislivestreamingofitsprogramming.ATVhasaplat-
12 TheseareCMD,PlustTV,CanalN,RPPTV,Willax,CanalJCPandTeleJuan.ThislastoneisareligiouschannelwhichissuesinopensignalbyUHF,butthecablechannelmixesthissignalwithotherreligioussignalsofcableTV.
380 | Obitel 2013
formthatprovidesaccesstothefourLimachannelsofthegroup,and it provides information, the possibility towatch any of theirprograms–bothliveandlater–,forums,commentsandlinkstoitsFacebook page andTwitter profile.AméricaTelevisión and Fre-cuenciaLatinaofferthesameoptionsasthosedescribedabove,butalsohavechatswithactorsfromtheirproductions,thechancethatwebsiteusersuploadtheirphotoswithseveralofthefamousfacesofthestation,andtheoptiontodownloadwallpapersofthestationanditsproductions.However,theorganizationoftheirpagesisnotfriendlyanditishardtogettotheoptions,soitdoesnotleveragethefullpotentialofinteractionthattheyhave.InthecaseofPanameri-canaTelevisión andTVPerú, information predominates on theirwebsiteswhereyoucanfind thedifferentsegmentsof theirnewsprograms,alongwithlivebroadcastprogramming.
2. Yearly analysis: premiere of national and Ibero-American fic-tion
DespitethemassiveappearanceofrealityshowsonPeruviantelevision,ithasbeenfiction–andparticularlythePeruvianfiction–whohashadagreatpresenceandacceptancebytheaudience.Ex-ceptforsomesportingevents,fictionhasoccupiedthetoptuning.In2012,thirteenPeruvianfictionspremiered(whichwerebroadcastedinfourofthesixstationswithnationalcoverage)andelevenPeru-vianfictionsmadeinpreviousyearswerererun.
Peru – Fiction of entrepreneurs | 381
Chart 1. Fictions broadcasted in 2012
NATIONAL PREMIERED TITLES- 13
América Televisión - 91.Al fondo hay sitio(telenovela)2.Gamarra(miniseries)3.La AKdemia(series)4.La faraona(miniseries)5.La reina de las carretillas(miniseries)6.Mi amor el wachimán(miniseries)7.Solamente milagros(series)8.Solamente milagros 2ndseason(series)9.Yo no me llamo Natacha 2(miniseries)
Frecuencia Latina - 2 10.La bodeguita(series)11.La Tayson(telenovela)
TV Perú - 1 12.Conversando con la luna(miniseries)
ATV - 1 13.Corazón de fuego(telenovela)
IMPORTED PREMIERED TITLES - 27
América Televisión - 11 1.Abismo de pasión(telenovela-Mexico)2.Amor bravío(telenovela-Mexico)3.Amorcito corazón(telenovela-Mexico)4.Amores verdaderos(telenovela-Mexico)5.Cachito de cielo(telenovela-Mexico)6.Como dice el dicho(series-Mexico)7.Dos hogares(telenovela-Mexico)8.Esperanza del corazón(telenovela-Mexico)9.La que no podía amar(telenovela-Mexico)10.La Rosa de Guadalupe(serie-Mexico)11.Rafaela(telenovela-Mexico)
ATV- 10 12.Corazón valiente(telenovela-USA)13.Decisiones extremas(serie-USA)14.El secretario(telenovela-Colombia)15.Grachi(telenovela-USA)16.Herederos del monte(telenovela-Colombia)17.Insensato corazón(telenovela-Brasil)18.La reina del sur(telenovela-USA)
RERUN TITLES- 61
Frecuencia Latina1.Clave uno(series)2.Demasiada belleza(telenovela)3.El encantador(telenovela-Colombia)4.Grafitti(telenovela)5.La paisana Jacinta(series)6.Los Barriga(telenovela)7.Pataclaun(series)8.Tiempo final(telenovela-Colombia)9.Vírgenes de la cumbia(miniseries)
América Televisión10.Amar otra vez (telenovela-Mexico)11.Apuesta por un amor(telenovela-Mexico)12.Así es la vida(telenovela)13.Blancanieves y los churi churin chunflais(telefilm-Mexico)14.Chespirito(series-Mexico)15.Contra viento y marea(telenovela-Mexico)16.Destilando amor(telenovela-Mexico)17.El chapulín colorado(series-Mexico)18.El chavo del ocho(series-Mexico)19.Fuego en la sangre(telenovela-Mexico)20.Hasta que el dinero nos separe (telenovela-Mexico)21.María la del barrio(telenovela-Mexico)22.María Mercedes(telenovela-Mexico)23.Marimar(telenovela-Mexico)24.Mi destino eres tú(telenovela-Mexico)25.Mujer casos de la vida real(series-Mexico)26.Nacida para triunfar(miniseries)27.Rosalinda(telenovela-Mexico)28.Sueña conmigo(telenovela-Argentina)
Panamericana Televisión29.1000 oficios(telenovela)30.Augusto Ferrando de pura sangre (miniseries)31.Doña Bella(telenovela-Brazil)32.Esposos pero tramposos(series)33.Gata salvaje(telenovela-Venezuela/USA)34.Los exitosos Pérez(telenovela-Mexico)35.Pantanal(telenovela-Brazil)
382 | Obitel 2013
Source:ObitelPeru
This national fiction production means an increase of 44%comparedto2011,whenitpremieredninePeruvianfictions.Inthecaseofpremieredforeignfictions, in2012onemoretitlewasre-leasedcomparedtothepreviousyear.
19.Oye bonita(telenovela-Colombia)20.Pasiones(telenovela-Brazil)21.Una maid en Manhattan(telenovela-USA)
Frecuencia Latina- 3 22.Calle luna calle sol(telenovela-Venezuela)23.Los caballeros las prefieren brutas (series-Colombia)24.Pasión morena(telenovela-Mexico)
Panamericana Televisión- 2 25.La viuda joven(telenovela-Venezuela)26.Luna roja(telenovela-Portugal)
Global TV- 1 27.Génesis(series-Spain)
36.Salvador de mujeres(telenovela-Venezuela/Colombia)37.Taxista ra ra(series)38.Xica da Silva(telenovela-Brazil)
ATV39.Cada quien su santo(series-Mexico)40.Decisiones de mujeres(series-USA)41.Desastres de la guerra(series-Spain)42.Hay alguien ahí(series-Spain)43.Historias de sexo, gente común(series-Argentina)44.La hija del mariachi(telenovela-Colombia)45.La mujer en el espejo(telenovela-Colombia)46.La vida es así(telenovela-Colombia)47.Lo que callamos las mujeres(series-Mexico)48.Lo que la gente cuenta(series-Mexico)49.Mujeres asesinas(series-Mexico)50.Pasión de gavilanes(telenovela-Colombia)51.Sangre fría(miniseries-Argentina)52.Séptima puerta(series-Colombia)
Global TV53.A cada quien su santo(series-Mexico)54.Casado con hijos(series-Argentina)55.Decisiones(series-USA)56.En los tacones de Eva(telenovela-Colombia)57.La bella Ceci y el imprudente (telenovela-Colombia)58.La hija del jardinero(telenovela-Mexico)59.La niñera(series-Argentina)60.Lo que la gente cuenta(series-Mexico)61.Toda una dama(telenovela-Venezuela)
TOTAL BROADCASTED TITLES - 101
Peru – Fiction of entrepreneurs | 383
Chart2.Premierefictionin2012:countryoforigin
Country Titles % Chapters/Episodes % Hours %
NATIONAL(total) 13 32.5 733 24.3 552:25 23.3
IBERO-AMERICAN(total) 27 67.5 2,279 75.7 1,820:00 76.7
Argentina 0 0.0 0 0.0 00:00 0.0Brazil 2 5.0 247 8.2 189:55 8.0Chile 0 0.0 0 0.0 00:00 0.0Colombia 4 10.0 153 5.1 127:10 5.4Ecuador 0 0.0 0 0.0 00:00 0.0Spain 1 2.5 17 0.6 14:20 0.6USA(Hispanicproduction) 5 12.5 482 16.0 381:55 16.1Mexico 12 30.0 1,152 38.3 916:35 38.6PERU 13 32.5 733 24.3 552:25 23.3Portugal 1 2.5 22 0.7 17:50 0.8Uruguay 0 0.0 0 0.0 00:00 0.0Venezuela 2 5.0 206 6.9 172:05 7.3LatinAmerican(Obitelscope)
33 82.5 2,492 82.7 1,958:10 82.5
LatinAmerican(notObitelscope)
0 0.0 0 0.0 00:00 0.0
Others(LatinAmerican/Ibero-American)
7 17.5 520 17.3 414:05 17.5
TOTAL 40 100 3,012 100 2,372:15 100
Source:ObitelPeru
Thenationalfictionsaretheonesleadingthenumberofpre-mieresin2012,occupyingalmostthethirdportionofpremieredfic-tionissuedduringthatyear.Mexicoproductionsarenext,especiallyby the largeamountof fiction in that country issuedbyAméricaTelevisión13.TheSpanish-speakingU.S.productionandColombianfictionfollowthem,thankstothepresencetheyhadonATV.WeshouldclarifythatthepresenceofPortuguesefictiononthelistisduetothebroadcastingofthetelenovelaLuna RojabyPanameri-canaTelevisión.However,theprogrammingofthisstationhasbeenveryunstable,constantlybeingmodified.
13Ofthesixobservedstations,AméricaTelevisiónistheonlyonewherethehoursoffic-tionbroadcastedduringtheyearexceedthehoursofnon-fiction,withaslightdifferenceoftwopercentagepoints.
384 | Obitel 2013
Chart3.C
hapters/episodesandhoursbroadcastedbytimeslot
Tim
e sl
ots
Nat
iona
lIb
ero-
Am
eric
anT
otal
C/E
%H
%C/E
%H
%C/E
%H
%
Morning(6:00-12:00)
00.0
00:00
0.0
733.2
58:30
3.2
732.4
58:30
2.5
Afternoon(12:00-18:00)
395.3
30:50
5.6
1,021
44.8
791:10
43.5
1,060
35.2
822:05
34.7
Primetim
e(18:00-23:00)
695
94.7
521:00
94.4
763
33.5
527:20
29.0
1,458
48.4
1,048:15
44.2
Night(23:00-6:00)
00.0
00:00
0.0
421
18.5
442:55
24.3
421
14.0
442:55
18.7
Tot
al73
310
055
1:50
100
2,27
910
01,
819:
5510
03,
012
100
2,37
1:45
100
Source:O
bitelPeru
Chart4.N
ationalandIbero-Americanfictionform
ats
For
mat
sN
atio
nal
Iber
o-A
mer
ican
Tit
les
%Chap/Ep
%H
ours
%T
itle
s%
Chap/Ep
%H
ours
%
Telenovela
323.08
482
65.67
360:50
65.31
2281.48
1,918
84.15
1,551:10
85.22
Series
430.77
9312.64
73:20
13.27
518.52
361
15.85
269:10
14.78
Miniseries
646.15
159
21.69
118:20
21.42
00.0
00.0
00:00
0.0
Telefilm
00.0
00.0
00:00
0.0
00.0
00.0
00:00
0.0
Unitary
00.0
00.0
00:00
0.0
00.0
00.0
00:00
0.0
Docudrama
00.0
00.0
00:00
0.0
00.0
00.0
00:00
0.0
Others
00.0
00.0
00:00
0.0
00.0
00.0
00:00
0.0
Tot
al13
100
733
100
552:
3010
027
100
2,27
910
01,
820:
2010
0
Source:O
bitelPeru
Peru – Fiction of entrepreneurs | 385
RegardingObitelfiction,telenovelaremainsthemostcommonformat(62.5%ofalltitles)followedbytheseries(22.5%)andtheminiseries(15%).InparticularforPeru,theminiseriesisthemostcommontypeofformatfortheirproductioncostsanddurationre-ducinginvestmentrisks.Almosthalfof thenationalfictionshavechosenthisformat.Duringthebroadcastingofaminiseries ithasbeendecided tomodify its end to allow theproductionof anewseason,thankstothegoodaudiencenumbers.Ithasbeenannouncedthatthreeofthesixminiseriesbroadcastedin2012willhaveasec-ondseason,whileanotherminiseriesissuedin2012wasalreadyasecondseasonofaminiseriesbroadcastedin2011.
Chart5.Nationalfictionformatsbytimeslot
FOR-MATS
Morn-ing %
Af-ter-
noon% Prime
time % Night % TO-TAL %
Tele-novela 0 0.0 0 0.0 3 25 0 0.0 3 23.1
Series 0 0.0 1 100 3 25 0 0.0 4 30.8
Minise-ries 0 0.0 0 0.0 6 50 0 0.0 6 46.2
Telefilm 0 0.0 0 0.0 0 0.0 0 0.0 0 0.0
Unitary 0 0.0 0 0.0 0 0.0 0 0.0 0 0.0
Docu-drama 0 0.0 0 0.0 0 0.0 0 0.0 0 0.0
Others 0 0.0 0 0.0 0 0.0 0 0.0 0 0.0
Total 0 0.0 1 7.7 12 92.3 0 0.0 13 100
Source:ObitelPeru
InPeru,nationalfictionismainlybroadcastedatprimetime,competing against the most viewed shows on television. During2012, thefictionsfromthis timeslothavecompetedagainst real-ity contests, entertainment and show-business programs, finallyachieving the leadership on the audience’s measurement, whichwasachievedbyonlyonefictiontheyearbefore.Fromallnationalfictionspremieredin2012,twelvehavebeenbroadcastedonprime
386 | Obitel 2013
time, proving the confidence that the audience had by acceptingtheseshows.
In case of Ibero-American fiction, they share their presenceinafternoonsandprimetime.However,itisinterestingtoseethatsomestationswereencouragedenoughtopremierefictionsinthenightslot,evenaftermidnight.Thisresultsinasignificantpercent-age in comparison to premiered shows during the morning slot,sincethisisatimeframededicatedmostlytoinformationanden-tertainmentshows.
Chart 6. Time periods
AgeNational Ibero-American TOTAL
Titles % Titles % Titles %
Present 13 100.0 27 100.0 40 100.0
Vintage 0 0.0 0 0.0 0 0.0
Historical 0 0.0 0 0.0 0 0.0
Other 0 0.0 0 0.0 0 0.0
Total 13 100 27 100 40 100
Source:ObitelPeru
InPeru,fictiontimeperiodshownin2012iscompletelycon-temporary.Thestoriesdevelopthemselvesinpresenttimeorinaveryrecentpast.Somefictionsmayhavescenesthatstartwiththecharacters’storyinthepast,butthentherestofitisplayedcontem-porarily.
Peru – Fiction of entrepreneurs | 387
Chart 7. The 10 most watched titles: origin, rating, share
Title
Country of origin of the original idea
or script
Produc-tion
companyStation
Author of the script
or the original
idea
Ra- ting
Sha- re
1Al fondo hay sitio (4thseason)
PERUAméricaTelevisión
AméricaTele-visión
GigioAranda
16.56 53.82
2Mi amor el wachimán
PERUDelBarrioProduc-ciones
AméricaTele-visión
VíctorFalcón
15.42 46.11
3La reina de las carretil-las
PERUDelBarrioProduc-ciones
AméricaTele-visión
VíctorFalcón
14.11 43.37
4 La faraona PERUAméricaTelevisión
AméricaTele-visión
RosaGutiérrez
11.88 35.13
5La que no podía amar
Mexico TelevisaAméricaTele-visión
Delia Fiallo/XimenaSuárez
11.64 35.10
6Solamente milagros(2ndseason)
PERUAméricaTelevisión
AméricaTele-visión
RosaGutiérrez
9.96 35.64
7 Gamarra PERUDelBarrioProduc-ciones
AméricaTele-visión
VictorFalcón/EduardoAdrianzén
9.47 31.38
8La reina del sur
USATelemun-do/RTI
ATV
Adap-tacióndelanoveladeArturoPérez-Reverte
8.90 29.28
9Yo no me llamo Nata-cha 2
PERUDelBarrioProduc-ciones
AméricaTele-visión
VictorFalcón
7.99 30.92
10Corazón de fuego
PERUGrupoATV
ATV
KathyCárdenas/MarianaSilva/Bruno
Ascenzo/NataliaParodi
6.23 22.52
Total productions: 10 Foreign scripts: 2
100% 20%
Source:ObitelPeru/IbopeMediaPeru
388 | Obitel 2013
Chart 8. The 10 most watched titles: format, duration, time slot
Title Format Genre
Number of chapters/episodes(in 2012)
Date of the firstand
last issue (in 2012) (*)
Time slot
1Al fondo hay sitio (4thseason)
Telenovela Comedy 211 27/02-14/12 Prime
2Mi amor el wachimán
Miniseries Comedy 43 01/10-09/11 Prime
3La reina de las carretillas
Miniseries Drama 22 12/11-(cont.) Prime
4 La faraona Miniseries Drama 22 27/08-28/09 Prime
5La que no podía amar
Telenovela Drama 166 11/01-24/08 Prime
6Solamente milagros(2ndseason)
Series Drama 11 17/12-(cont.) Prime
7 Gamarra Miniseries Drama9(startedin2011)
02/01-10/01 Prime
8 La reina del sur TelenovelaDrama / action
82 02/01-10/04 Prime
9Yo no me llamo Natacha 2
Miniseries Comedy 22 02/01-27/01 Prime
10Corazón de fuego
Telenovela Drama 146 02/01-17/07 Prime
Source:ObitelPeru/IbopeMediaPeru
ThepredominanceofAméricaTelevisión’sbroadcastedpro-ductions in2012canbeseen inChart7.Here, theseven fictionswiththelargestaudiencebelongtothisstationanditalsohaseighttitlesintothetenmostwatchedshows’list.OnlytwoproductionsbroadcastedbyATVhaveachievedtobeintothislistthathasmainlynationalfictions.ThetelenovelasLa que no podía amar(América)andLa reina del sur(ATV)aretheonlyforeignfictionsthathavemanagedtobeamongthemostviewedfictionsinPeru.
AméricaTelevisión’sprimetimeprogramming(between20:00and22:00)hasbeencompletedmostlywithnationalfictionsthatre-ceivedabigaudienceresponse.Asthe20:00scheduleisdedicatedtoitsverysuccessfulAl fondo hay sitio,onefictionaftertheotherwasprogrammedinthe21:00,alsowithgoodaudienceresponse.
Peru – Fiction of entrepreneurs | 389
Chart 9. Themes of the 10 most watched titles
TitlesDOMINANT THEMES(Up to 5 most important
themes)
SOCIAL THEMES(Up to 5 most important
themes)
1Al fondo hay sitio(4thseason)
-Secretfromthepast-Socialclimbers
-Infidelity-FamilyRelationships
-Romance
-Socialinclusion-Racism-Migration
2Mi amor el wachimán
-Tributetoprivatewatch-men
-Socialdifferences-Loyalty-Romance
-Overcoming-Entrepreneurship-Familyvalues
3La reina de las carretillas
-Peruviancuisine-Loyalty
-Motherhood-Infidelity
-Familyvalues-Entrepreneurship-Overcoming
-Violenceagainstwomen-Solidarity
4 La faraona-Popularmusic
-Biographicminiseries-Betrayal
-Entrepreneurship-Overcoming-Familyvalues
5La que no podía amar
-Romance-Familydisintegration
-Sacrifice
-Genderviolence-Disability
6Solamente milagros(2nd season)
-Home-Family
-Religiousness
-Familyvalues-Corruption-Pedophilia-Drugabuse
7 Gamarra-Familyrelationship
-Betrayal-Vengeance
-Entrepreneurship-Overcoming-Solidarity
8 La reina del sur-Death-Betrayal-Friendship
-Drugtraffic-Culturalidentity
9Yo no me llamo Natacha 2
-Romance-Loyalty
-Peruviancuisine
-Entrepreneurship-Overcoming-Solidarity
10Corazón de fuego
-Secretfromthepast-Infidelity-Betrayal
-Peruvianpisco
Source:ObitelPeru/IbopeMediaPeru
Thecharacters’personalgrowthtroughhonestwork,thesuc-cessthankstotheirperseverancedespiteconstantfrustrations,theirloyalty and solidarity against treason and adverse situations have
390 | Obitel 2013
beenrecurringthemesinmanynationalfictions.Asmentionedbe-fore,theyallwentfortheentrepreneurpicturewithaverydifficultandhumbleorigin.Thischaracterrisesupandovercomesobstacles,disgraces,meanness,untilachievingnewheights,successandper-sonalandprofessionalfulfillment.SuchcharactershavealwayshadPeruvian related qualities: beinggood cooks forPeruvian dishes,beingdressmakingprofessionalsortraders,vineyardfarmingandpiscoproducers,orbeingpopularmusicsingers.Theyallhavetogetinvolved,competeandsucceedinoneoftheseactivities,whiletheyfindasolutionfortheirfamilyorlovingtroubles.
Romancebetweencharactersfromdifferentsocialclasseshasalsobeenpresent.Farfrompresentingromanticrelationsaswaysofsocialclimbing14, theyestablishthemselvesaswaysofidentityassertiveness,whereloveovercomesthebarriersandprejudicesofPeruviansociety. Itmakespossible that theromanticpairsacceptthemselveswiththeconditionsandcharacteristicsofeachother.
Inthisway,nationalfictionstalktousaboutaPeruvianimag-inary and a longing society thatmay not be true, but sometimesseemstobeconfiguringitselfontelevision.Thisimaginaryshowsapossibilitywheredifferencescanbeovercome,thesamewayindi-vidualssucceednotgivingupwiththeirdailystruggle.Itisimpor-tanttosaythattwoofthefictionsthatareinthischart(GamarraandLa faraona)arebasedontrueevents,thereforethesuccessstoriesdonotremainonlyonprobablefictions,butalsoonexistentrealitieswhichreinforcetheoptimismforapossiblesociety.
14Thisisincaseofleadingcharacters.Thisoptionmaybepresentfortheantagonistsandvillainsofthenationalfictions.
Peru – Fiction of entrepreneurs | 391
Chart10.Audienceprofileofthe10mostw
atchedtitles:gender,age,socioeconom
iclevel
Tit
les
Stat
ion
Gen
der
Age
gro
ups
Soci
oeco
nom
ic le
vel
Wo-
m
enM
en3-
1011
-17
18-2
526
-37
38-4
959
-99
AB
CD
E
Al f
ondo
hay
sit
io(4t
h season)
AméricaTelevisión
59.18
40.82
13.63
16.54
16.86
17.99
14.49
20.49
21.35
37.13
41.52
Mi a
mor
el w
achi
mán
AméricaTelevisión
56.71
43.29
18.47
16.38
15.67
17.63
13.62
18.24
13.63
34.59
51.78
La
rein
a de
las
car-
reti
llas
AméricaTelevisión
60.86
39.14
17.04
18.85
14.45
19.60
14.85
15.22
10.69
35.63
53.68
La
fara
ona
AméricaTelevisión
60.44
39.56
16.96
17.25
12.12
18.57
15.12
19.99
9.27
33.98
56.75
La
que
no p
odía
am
arAméricaTelevisión
65.11
34.89
14.17
15.16
14.89
17.30
18.28
20.21
12.92
31.44
55.64
Sola
men
te m
ilag
ros(4
th
season)
AméricaTelevisión
63.00
37.00
18.10
21.43
14.22
15.29
13.56
17.39
9.51
33.77
56.72
Gam
arra
AméricaTelevisión
57.45
42.55
13.66
16.10
12.00
20.88
13.58
23.79
14.65
31.90
53.45
La
rein
a de
l sur
ATV
62.35
37.65
10.83
8.63
17.87
22.08
17.66
22.94
14.49
40.50
45.01
Yo n
o m
e ll
amo
Nat
acha
2
AméricaTelevisión
59.11
40.89
19.89
15.00
12.16
19.65
12.62
20.67
15.41
34.28
50.32
Cor
azón
de
fueg
oATV
63.72
36.28
15.85
12.68
14.09
16.86
14.07
26.45
9.14
38.38
52.49
Source:IbopeM
ediaPeru
392 | Obitel 2013
Chart10 shows that fictions remainmostviewedbywomenthanmen,sincethepercentagesineverytitlegivemoreadvantagetowomen incomparison tomen–even though they reachan im-portant40%–,beingthetelenovelaLa que no podía amarthemostnoticeabledifferencewherethefeminineaudiencealmostdoublesthemasculineone.
Inallcases,thehighestaudiencebelongstoDEsocioeconomiclevel,beingLa faraonaandSolamente milagroswhereitspresenceismorenoticeable.ItisinterestingtoseethatthemostpresenceofABsectoraudienceisfoundinAl fondo hay sitio,wherethissectorisparodiedandshowninastereotypedway.
3. Transmedia receptionTherelationshipbetweentelevisionandInternethasbeenun-
deniablydeveloping these lastyears inPeru.Theyare twomediathatenricheachotherandwhoseconnectionmaybeverybeneficialifattendedefficiently.
“(…)Internet technologiesproducean impactintheproductionprocessesandalsointhecon-tentdistribution.Theirinfluenceontraditionalbroadcast-basedenterprisemodelsisdevelopedondiverseways”(Igarza,2008:128)
Inordertoobservethetransmediacharacteristicsinpremierednationalfictionsduring2012inPeru,wehavechosenthetelenovelaAl fondo hay sitio(AFHS),becauseitisthelocalproductionthathasobtained thehighestaudience indexesonpremiered fictions fromthisyear15andbecauseitkeepsmaintainingitforfourconsecutiveyears.
15Seecharts7and8ofthischapter.
Peru – Fiction of entrepreneurs | 393
Chart11.Transmediafiction: interaction types and dominant practices
Fiction Broadcasting company
Internet pages
Transmedia interaction
types
Interactivity levels
Dominant practice of the users
Al fondo hay sitio
AméricaTelevisión
Officialpage
Transmediaviewing
Active
CommentInterpretRecom-mendParodyCriticizeArgue
Facebookpage
Interactiveviewingonthenetwork
Active
Twitterpage
Interactive Active
YouTubepage
Interactiveviewingonthenetwork
Active
Source:ObitelPeru
Forthereadingoftheseresults,onlyofficialpageshavebeentakenintoaccount.Thechosenobservationperiodisthefinalweekofbroadcastofthefourthseason.ThiscoversfromMonday10thtoSunday16thofDecember,2012. AFHSmakesitspresenceonInter-netasawebpage,aFacebookprofile,aTwitteraccountandaYou-Tubechannel.InspiteofthecharacteristicspresentedinChart11regardinginteractionkindsandinteractivitylevels,thetransmediaofferingrevealssomelimitations.Firstofall,theofficialwebpagefromAFHSworksasa link thatbelongs to theofficialwebpageofAméricaTelevisión, the station that broadcasts it.This stationfollowsthesameexactlogicwithallitsotherproductions,becausetheyhavetoadjust themselves to thecharacteristics that thiswebpossesses.Thereonecanfindepisodes,previews,picturegalleries,seriescontentamongothers,butthereisnoclearwaytoconnectthispagetotheofficialFacebook,TwitterorYouTubeoftheirownpro-ductions.HereisanoptionthatshouldbeworkedbyAméricaTele-visión’sweb.Besides,thepagedesignmakesitdifficulttoreachtheofferedsections,becauseitdoesnotallowaneasylocationforthelinksthatcantaketheuserswheretheirinterestsare.
394 | Obitel 2013
Wewill focusonFacebookforbeing thefavoritesocialnet-work among Peruvian Internet users16. On its Facebook profile,AFHS shows12,794peoplewho like thispageand1,729 talkingaboutthisproduction.Thesemodestnumbers,whichdonotreflectAFHS’s audience, can be explained for instancewith the unclearpossibilitytotieAméricaTelevisión’swebwiththeofficialFace-bookprofileofthistelenovela.Otherunofficialprofilestakeadvan-tageofthissituationandappearasanattractiveoptionforthefol-lowersofAFHS.Aswewillseelater,theirgeneralnumbersexceedtheonesoftheofficialprofilebywidemargins.
Somethingtoemphasizeisthegeneraldistributionof“posts”,“like”,“comment”and“share”duringthechosenobservationweek:
Mon 10
Tue 11
Wed 12
Thu 13
Fri 14
Sat 15
Sun 16 TOTAL
Posts 0 1 1 4 3 2 1 12Like 0 7 52 113 398 252 40 862
Comment 0 13 4 25 206 97 10 355Share 0 0 13 16 4 34 0 67
Forthe“posts”,thereisagrowingtendencyasthefinalchapterofthe2012season(onDecember14th)wasapproaching.OnThurs-daythe13ththerearemorepostsinordertogeneratemoreexpecta-tionfortheupcomingfinalepisodethenextday.Itisworthmen-tioning,evennotinfavorofkeepingAFHS interesting,thelossofactivityregisteredonMondaythe10th,despitebeingthefirstdayofthelastweekofseasonfourbroadcast.Somethingsimilarhappenedwith the number of “like”: Fridaywas the daywithmore “like”activityandtheshownnumberisrelatedtothe41audiencepointsobtained on that day17. The results of the “comment” prove such
16AccordingtodatafromthemarketresearchenterpriseIpsosAPOYOOpiniónyMer-cado,98%ofInternetusersinLimathatarepartofasocialnetworkpreferFacebook.ThesamehappenedwithInternetusersintherestofthecountry,wherethepercentagereached95%.17 Source: elcomercio.pe. In:http://elcomercio.pe/espectaculos/1511035/noticia-final-al-fondo-hay-sitio-llego-41-puntos-rating.
Peru – Fiction of entrepreneurs | 395
activity.Inthecaseofthe“share”duringthatweek,thesenumberswereobtainedasaresultofthefinalepisode’simpactwithapeakonSaturdayafteritwasbroadcasted.
Outofthetotal“posts”publishedontheobservationweek,mostofthemarerelatedtothepossibilityofwatchingthedailyepisodeagainortothecomingseason’sfinale.Inthiscase,oneofthetwoposts publishedonSaturday the15th standsout, since it promotesthearrivalofAFHS’s newseasononthefollowingdayofthefourthseason’sfinalepisodebroadcast.Thispromisecombinesitselfwithpicturesthatremindthestorylinesthatwereleftunsolvedonthislastepisode.Thisway, the followers’ intereston this telenovelakeepsgrowinguntilthebeginningofthefifthseason.Astherestoftheoth-erpostsfromtheobservedweek,mostofthe64“comments”aboutthispostarepositivetowardsAFHS.Thefollowersevenwritetheirmessagesincludingthetypicalphrasesofsomecharacters.Therestofthe“comments”maybeconsiderednegative,astheyaremostlyrelatedtothebroadcasttimeofthisproduction(fouryearsinarow),oralsototheantipathytowardssomecharactersorstorylines,evenifthelatterrevealsamoderateaudienceofthistelenovela.
Finally,wemustmentionthetransmediaofferthatcomesfromtheunofficialside.InDecember2012therewere343resultsrelatedtoAFHSonFacebook,wheretheprofilescriticizingthistelenovelabarelywere20.Themostpopularandinfavorofthisfictionprofilereached1,504,574followers,whilethemostpopularprofileagainstAFHSonlyhad7,152followers.Althoughwehavetoconsiderthattheunofficialprofilesonthissocialnetworkallow“posts”,“com-ment”and“share”abouttopicsnotnecessarilyrelatedtoAFHS,thisdoesnothappenontheofficialprofile.Thisproductioncouldtakeadvantageofthoseunofficialprofilesforpromotionorforsupport-ers.However,itwouldbebetterifAFHScouldexplore,reinforceand exploit its official internet places: exclusive content, promo-tions,contests,fancreations’boards(fanfiction andothers),etc.Allthismayhelp the followersofAFHS to approach andparticipatefromthepossibilitiesthattransmediahastooffer.
396 | Obitel 2013
4. Highlights of the yearThefirst thing thatstandsout in2012 is thehighpercentage
that thefictionhasof the totalhoursbroadcastedby thedifferentstations.Thegeneralfictionreaches37.2%ofallprogramminginthePeruvianscreens,whichisnotasmallnumber.Also,itisimpor-tanttoremarkthatthe44.3%ofthisgeneralfictioncorrespondstotheObitelscopefictions,whereMexicanproductionsareinthetopoftheLatinAmericantitlelist.
Fourofthesixstationsobservedin2012havescheduledpre-mierelocalfictions.FrecuenciaLatinascheduledtwotitles,La Ty-
son–anewversionofMuñeca brava–andLa bodeguita.TVPerú–on an adventurewhere it seemed that theState recognizedhowessentialisthetelevisionmediumingeneralandthefictioninpar-ticular for approaching some themes– performedConversaciones
con la luna,project thatsought toapproachfoursocial issuesformeditation:racism,exclusion,disabilityandviolence.ATVbetforCorazón de fuego,astorywithforeignactorsthatshowsthescen-eryofcoastdesertandthedesignationofpiscolikenationalliquor.Finally,AméricaTelevisiónwasthestationwhichscheduledmorefiction hours throughout 2012, premiering nine national produc-tions in theyear, allwithgreat acceptance from the audience. Inthissense,oneaspectthatstandsoutisthatPeruvianfictionisbeingprogrammedintheprimetimeschedulein94.7%,takinganimpor-tantspace,andmakingthefictionacentralproductintheprogramschedule.
Miniserieshavebeenin2012fictionstoriesthathavebeencon-solidatedonthescreensandinthetasteoftheaudienceinPeru.Pe-ruviantelevisionandtheirdifferentaudienceshavebetforminise-rieswithwell-establishedfeatures:shortstory–between20and40chapters–,averynotoriousmelodramatickey,abiographicalnar-rativeofthecharacter,astronglocalaccentinthelanguage,prac-ticesandpreferencesofthecharacters,conflicts, jealousies,fears,achievementsanddreamsaccomplished,happyendingor at leastahopefulone.Thecentralaxisthatarticulatesthenarrativeisthe
Peru – Fiction of entrepreneurs | 397
struggleofanentrepreneur,whopursueshisdreamswithhonestyandeffortintoarealitythatisadverse.Thisaxisiswhatturnstheminiseriesintonarrative,wheresymbolicallystoriesofmigrantsinthecapitalarerecognizedanddisplayed.Itmeansaneffectivefic-tionalstorytounderstandthecomplexdimensionsofPeruviansoci-etywheredifferencesandsocioeconomicgapsstillexist.
MiniserieshavebecomethecentralaxisinthesmallPeruvianaudiovisual industry because continuous production has boostedtraining and employing, but, above all, it has generated differentdynamics around the audiovisual themes. Television productioncompaniesofrecentyears18haveturnedintolargercompaniesthatorganizesimultaneously in threecrews.DelBarrioProducciones,e.g.,hasproducedthisyearfourofthesixPeruviantelevisionmini-seriesprojects and alsohandlesotherdocumentaryprojects.Thisboost of fiction production has also organized casting companiesandactorstraining,equipmentrental(lights,cranes,scenery),andtechnicalstaff,generatingspecializationsinalltheseareas.
Thisalsomeansachangeintheproductionprocessitself.Until2012 itwasmainly the television stations thatproducedandper-formeditsownfictionprojects.Todaytheseindependentproductionhousesaretheonesthatfeedfictionprogramsfordifferentstationsinterchangeably.AméricaTelevisión–whichalsobroadcastsinde-pendentproductions–keepsadivisiondedicatedtofictionmaking,which is responsible for itsown televisionprojects:Al fondo hay
sitio, Solamente milagros 1, Solamente milagros 2 and La faraona;
whiletheATVgrouphasbetinthelasttwoyearsforonetelenovelaperyear.
AnotherhighlightthisyearisthecontinuityandconsolidationofAl fondo hay sitio,thefictionwiththemayorTVaudience,whoseendofseasonreached50audiencepoints.Sinceitwaspremieredin
18Until2005theseindependentfilmmakers’housesthatpreparedprojectsforthetelevi-sionstationswerefewandhandledminimumshootingequipment.InthePeruvianmarkettherebarelyweretencompaniesandmanyofthemdidnotmaintaincontinuousproduc-tion.
398 | Obitel 2013
2009,ithastakenthefirstfictionTVaudience,secureditspresenceonscreensuntil2014andbytheendofitsfourthseasonin2012itwasabouttoreach800episodes,whichisuncommoninPeru.Thesuccessofthisfictionhasaccomplishedtobesold,uptodate,tofiveLatinAmericancountries.
5. Topic of the year: social memory19 and television fiction
“Memoryactivatesthepastinthepresent”
PaulRicoeur
To think about social memory within our television fictionmeanslookingforreconstructionsofourhistory,identities,andcul-turalexpressionsinthePeruviantelevisionnarrativesinmorethan50 years, since “addressingmemories involves remembering andforgetting,narrativesandactions,silenceandgestures”(Jelin,2012:51).
ForHalbwachs(2004),memoryisnotlimitedonlytoindividu-als,but there isalsoacollectivedimensionof it, thememorywebuildandsharewithotherssupportedbysocialparameters.“Theseparameters are –precisely– the instruments used by collectivememory to reconstruct images from the past according to a timeandintunewithsociety’sdominantthoughts.”(Halbwachs,2004:10)Now,itisnecessarytoconsiderthatinsocietytherearemanysocialmemorieswhosecoexistencecreatestensionsanddialogues,convergenceandconflict.Thesesocialmemoriesarethosethatal-lowconstructingnarrativesabouttheexistenceofdifferentgroups,givingthemcoherenceandcontinuity.
InthePeruviancase,evocationofthepasthasbeenbasedonnationalliteraryworks,charactersandeventsoftheofficialandpop-ularhistory,allofthemadaptedtoTVfictions,unitaryprograms,
19Historicaldatafromthelate20thcenturyandearly21sthavebeentakenfromthetextbyGiulianaCassano:"Lasminiseriesbiográficascomoposibilidadde reconocimientoenladiversidad".
Peru – Fiction of entrepreneurs | 399
seriesandminiseries.IntheearlyyearsofPeruviantelevision,ad-aptationofliteraryworks–presentinthenationalimaginary–weretheLimaproducers’bet.
In1959Tradiciones peruanas premieredasahalf-hour fictionadaptedfromtheworkofRicardoPalma.Initsoriginalformat,thisbookbringstogetherasetoftraditionsthatreflectthehistoricalpastoftheyearsofthecolony,theindependence,andtheyoungPeru-vianrepublic.Ifwethinkintermsoffoundationalstories,Palma’sworkisanimportantkeyintheconstructionofthenationalcharac-ter;incorporatedintotheschool’scurriculum–theonethateducatescitizens–,thesestorieshavemadeformuchofthetwentiethcenturyafictionalhegemonyofourpast.In1964theworkofEnriqueLopezAlbujar,Matalaché, wasbroughttothescreen,aninterraciallovestory,evokingtheyearsofslaveryinPeruandasocietystructuredaccordingtotheracialandsocialdifferences.
Intheseproductions,thereisalooktoamoredistantpast,andwhatisinterestingisthecontextfromwhereyoulook;inPeru,the50swereadecadeofchange,thegreatestmigrationfromthecoun-trysidetothecityhappenedinthoseyears,andthecitiesmoderniza-tionwastakingplace.Inthesestories,thereareconflictsandcontra-dictionsthathelpedunderstandsocialprocessesandpracticesthatstillexisttoday.
Later,inthecontextofthecentennialofthewaragainstChile,Peruvian Television launches Nuestros héroes de la guerra del
Pacífico (1979),aserieswhichpremieredonapoliticalandsocialscenariothathadundergonestructuralchangesasaresultofstatepoliciesdecidedbytheMilitaryCouncilthatruledPerufromOc-tober1968 toJuly198020. In thisseries,a look to thepastbringstothepresentcharactersfromourhistorythatembodiedvaluesof
20Duringtheseyearstheagriculturalreform,educationalreform,nationalizationandex-ploitationofnaturalresources–petroleum,miningandsea–tookplace.Thelandowningsystemcomestoanendandlandishandedovertothosewhowork.Mediawasexpropri-ated.Citizenshipwasgrantedtotheindians,theilliteratepopulationhadaccesstovotetoelectofficials,whileQuechuaandAymarawererecognizedasofficiallanguagesalongwithCastilian.
400 | Obitel 2013
honor, loyalty, sacrifice, sportsmanshipand integrity.Against theconcretefactofdefeatinthebattlefield, thePeruvianofficialhis-toryhasbuiltanarrativerootedinthesevalues.Andfictiondoesnotescapehistory,emphasizingnationalismandglorytoourheroesinthesocialandpoliticalcontextofamilitarygovernmentthatcalleditselfrevolutionary.
Inthe80swiththereturnofdemocracytoPeruandthereturnofstationstotheirpreviousowners,continuityintheproductionoffictionwassought.Inthisdecadewecannoticethattheexerciseofthesocialmemoryinfictionaltelevisionsismarkedbythetensionbetweenlookingattherecentpastandtheinterpretationofaremoteone.
In1983PanamericanapremieresGamboa,apoliceseriespor-traying–dramatically–casesextractedfromthefilesoftheInvesti-gativePoliceofPeru.Inlate1985theproductioncompanyPROAandATVoptedfortelenovelasBajo tu piel(1986)andMalahierba (1987),whichdepictedsocial issuessuchasmedicalmalpractice,drugdealing,andjournalisticresponsibilities,boominginPeru.
Inthesestorieswefindindicatorsofcontemporarysocialcon-cerns thathavebeen incorporated intoPeruvianfictions,still inashyway; some characters are portrayed asmarginal –prostitutes,homosexuals,criminals–andthethemesaremorerelatedandclosertotheexperienceofLima–drugs,influencetrafficking,corruptionandviolence–.Butitisintheminiseriesthatwecanmakethelinkbetweenmemoryandfiction.Between1987and1991oneminise-riesperyearwasproduced,highlightingtheneedforimaginingthepastalwaysrelatedtohistoricalcharacters,mythicalstoriesandem-blematicexperiences.In1998theduoGomez-AdrianzenproducedLa Perricholi,which brought to the presentMicaelaVillegas, aneighteenth-century famous actresswhowasVirreyAmat’s lover.Inthisstory,characters,situationsandconflictsportrayedwelltheclashofIndianandSpanish,dreamsofindependenceofthecriollos, theprudishnessofthecapitaloftheViceroyaltyofPeru,andespe-ciallythedoublemoralandfrivolityofthesocialclasses.
Peru – Fiction of entrepreneurs | 401
In1993LuisLlosaproducedEl ángel vengador, astoryfocusedonacriminalfromLimawhosemurderstillremainsunsolved.Theyear1994wasveryproductive:Gomez-AdrianzenbroughtusTa-
tán, astoryaboutLuisD’unianDulanto,athieffromthe50sturnedintoanationalRobinHoodbylocalpress;PanamericanaproducedEl espejo de mi vida,portrayingthelifeofFelipePingloAlva,animportantfolkmusiccomposer,andAmericatooktothescreenLa
captura del siglo, aminiseries that recreates the researchprocessandcaptureofterroristleaderAbimaelGuzmanbytheSpecialIntel-ligenceGroup,reproducingtheexplosionofacarbombinthecitycenterofmiddleclassLima,afactthatsymbolizedthepresenceoftheterroristwarintheheartofthePeruviancapital.
Theseproductionsretainedthetensionbetweenrememberingtherecentpastandthemoredistanttimes.ExoticurbanviolenceispresentedinthecasesofEl ángel vengadorandTatán,anostalgiclookofthedistantpastinthetimesofPinglo,andwithLa captura
del siglo,therecreationofthesiegeofterrorism,thebeginningoftheendofapainfulstageintherecentPeruvianhistory.Thispro-ductionshowedatextattheendoftheopeningcreditsalludingtotheneednottoforgetthesefacts.Ratherreflectingwhathappened,itisatributetoandrecognitionofthepolicegroupeffortandsacri-ficethatmanagedtocapturetheterrorist.
Stillin1994,somethingimportanthappenedinPeruviantele-vision because the country that wasmainly portrayed in fictionschangesitsface,socialclassandorigin.ThetelenovelaLos de ar-
riba y los de abajoshowsusanotherPeru,adifferentculturalandsocialcountryfromtheonebuiltandrepresentedinthebeforemen-tionedstories,thosethatkeptthesocialandeconomicalstructureofdominantsectors.Thereforeitisnecessarytodwellonthisproductbeyondthefactthatitdoesnotevokeapast,butdoestalkaboutdif-ferentsocialparameters.Los de arriba y los de debajo fromtheduoGomez-Adrianzen
402 | Obitel 2013
“(...)offersusaportraitofamorecomplexandless
idyllic city, aLimawhere traditioncoexistswith
modernity,aLimaofmigrantswhohavebuilttheir
ownnetworkstosurvive,butalsoaLimawherea
hierarchicalorderofeconomic,politicalandsocial
iskept,hidingthechangessufferedbysociety(…)
thecharactersof thestoryareseeking toachieve
theirdreamswhile living inahostile reality.Mi-
grantsandchildrenofmigrantscomingtothecity
searchingforaplace.”(Cassano,2012:23).
This telenovela gives us a portrait of poverty and exclusion,butalsoofthestrengthandnatureofthesenewindividualslivinginLima.ThePeruofthe90ssummarizesthedifferentprocessesofchangeexperienced in thepast40years,drivenby state reforms,migration,economiccrisesandsocialconflictsthatoccurredinthecountry.Inthelate80sandearly90sPeruexperienceswhatAppa-durai(2001)calls“terrordiasporas”,whenruralandurbanpopula-tionsofthemountainprovincesandthePeruvianjunglemovedtothecoastfleeingterrorismofSenderoLuminosoandtheMRTA21.Inthe90s,Limabecomesacityofoversixmillionpeople22.Theseprocessesoverthedecadeschangedthefaceofthecapital.InLimamajorculturaltransformationstookplaceinrelationtomusic,food,fashion,festivalsandarchitecturalformsofurbanization.
WhileLos de arriba y los de abajomeanimportantchangesinrepresentingacityimmersedinmanycontradictions,thatwouldnotbethepaththat thelatestfictionprojectsof thetwentiethcenturyfollowed.Probablythechangesweretoointenseforfictionaltelevi-sionitselfandsoitwentbackandtookshelterinthedistantpast.
21TerroristattacksinPerubeganonMay18th,1980.Thecivilwarlastedover20yearsin thecountry.According tonumbersof theTruthandNationalReconciliationCom-mission,thedisappearedanddeathtollexceeds70,000people.Mostofthevictimswereindigenous.22Source:Socio-demographicprofileofPeru.In:http://www.inei.gob.pe/biblioineipub/bancopub/Est/Lib0007/caP0105.htm
Peru – Fiction of entrepreneurs | 403
AmericaProducciones(atthattime,contentproductioncom-pany for América Televisión) premiered two telenovelas: Luz
María(1998)andIsabella, mujer enamorada(1999).Inbothcasesthepastisevokedasuprisingandashavinginstitutionalorder.Itisonlyduringthenewcenturythattheannouncedchangeswouldconsolidate.
5.1. The new boom in miniseries and recent memory InPeru,theminiseriesproducedinthe21stcenturyare,more
than a televisionphenomenon, culturalmanifestationswith fieldswhereexperiencescoincide,historiesarerecognizableandcharac-tersfeelclosertotheaudience.Thefolletín mentionedbyJesusMar-tinBarbero(1993)isthefirstwrittentextinpopularformat.WithPeruvianminiseriesofthe21stcenturywehaveasimilarphenom-enon.Withcontinuousproduction,theyhavemobilizedthefictionindustrywhilekeepingacaptiveaudiencewithhighrating,provingthatPeruviantelevisionhasmanagedtoobservesocial,culturalandeconomicalchangesinthecountryandadaptitsproductiondynam-ics,searchingforawaytoupgradeitspositionwithupdatedstoriestooffertoitsaudience.Thefictionalcharactersaremaleandfemalemigrants –inmost cases–, subaltern individualswho have foughthonorablyforaplaceinthecity.Manyofthemlinkedtotheculturalindustryof folkmusic,party,Peruviancuisineandcelebration inpopularvenues.
Between2005and2012,up to four titleswereproducedperyear,manyofwhichrevealtensionsbetweentheexistenceandrec-ognitionofsubordinatecharacters,expressingastrongneedtoreas-sertthedifferentsubjectivitiesthatshareemotions,knowledgeandrelationshipsintheparticularcaseofPeruviansociety.ThesefictionproductionsseemtoembodytheideaofElizaBachega(2010)that“societies undergoing rapid changes tend to feel an obligation toremember”(Bachega,2010:153),alsoshowinginterestingreformsbasedonwhoremembersandhowthepastisevoked.ThecurrentPeruvianstoriesaretalkingaboutdifferentexperiencesofPeruvians
404 | Obitel 2013
entrepreneursrecognizingthattheybelongtoadiversitythatcomesfromthepast,essentialtoourpresentandfuturelife.
References APPADURAI,Arjun (2001) LaModernidadDesbordada, dimensiones
culturalesdelaglobalización.FondodeCulturaEconómicadeArgentina.
BACHEGA,Eliza (2010)MauriceHalbwachs eMarcBloch em torno
doconceitodememóriacoletiva.RevistaEspaçoAcadêmicoN.108.May.In:
http://eduemojs.uem.br/ojs/index.php/EspacoAcademico/article/downlo-
ad/9678/5607.
CALDERóN,Bruno(2012)ElemprendimientoenelPerú.In:Latierra
esplana.
http://latierraesflat.wordpress.com/2012/06/01/emprendimiento-en-el-
-peru/.
CASSANO,Giuliana (2012)Lasminiseries biográficas como posibili-
daddereconocimientoenladiversidad.In:RepresentacióneInclusiónenlos
nuevosproductosdecomunicación.JamesA.Dettleff(editor).Departamento
AcadémicodeComunicaciones.PUCP.Lima.
COLACRAI,Pablo(2010)ReleyendoaMauriceHalbwachs,unarevisi-
óndelconceptodememoriacolectiva.UNReditora.Argentina.
ComisióndelaVerdadyReconciliación(2004)HatunWillakuy:versi-
ónabreviadadelInformefinaldelaComisióndelaVerdadyReconciliación.
Peru.
GóMEZ,Gustavo(2012)“¿Cómofortalecerlapluralidadenlatransición
alaTVdigitalenelPerú?”In:AlexanderChiu;AlejandraOroscohttp://www.
concortv.gob.pe/index.php/noticias/.
HOLBWACHS,Maurice(2004)Losmarcossocialesdelamemoria.An-
thropos.Mexico.
IGARZA,Roberto(2008)Nuevosmedios:Estrategiasdeconvergencia.
LaCrujía.BuenosAires.
IpsosAPOYOOpinión yMercado (2012) Perfil del usuario de redes
sociales2012.Lima.
JELIN,Elizabeth(2012)Lostrabajosdelamemoria.IEP.Lima.
MARTÍNBARBERO, Jesús (1993)De losmedios a lasmediaciones,
Comunicación, cultura y hegemonía. Third edition. EdicionesGustavoGili.
Mexico.
Peru – Fiction of entrepreneurs | 405
RICOEUR,Paul(1999)Lalecturadeltiempopasado:memoriayolvido.
UniversidadAutónomadeMadrid.Spain. In:http://200.95.144.138.static.ca-
bleonline.com.mx/famtz/smr/index_archivos/cursos/.
VIVAS,Fernando(2001)Envivoyendirecto:unahistoriadelaTelevi-
sionenelPerú.FondodedesarrolloeditorialdelaUniversidaddeLima.Peru.
10PorTugAl: FIcTIon And AudIences
on TrAnsITIon
Authors: CatarinaDuffBurnay,IsabelFerinCunha
Team:FernandaCastilho,BiancaFaciola
1. Audiovisual context in the countryThe financialbailout situation inwhichPortugal is currently
living, under the intervention of three international institutions,popularly calledTroika –the InternationalMonetaryFund (IMF),EuropeanCentralBank(ECB)andEuropeanUnion(EU)–condi-tioned,in2012,notonlysocietybutalsothemedia.Thiscontextoffinancialconstraints,guidedbyeconomicausteritymeasures,influ-encedthemediainsixpredominantaspects:(1)thediscussionsonthefutureofthestate-ownedRádio e Televisão de Portugal(RTP);(2) theinflux, thevolume,andtheopacityof theAngolancapitalintoPortuguesemedia;(3)thetransitiontoDTT;(4)theaudiencemeasurement;(5)thecollapseofadvertising;and(6)theuseofdigi-taltechnology.
ThedeclineofpublicspendingonRTPispartofthecommit-mentsmadebythePortugueseGovernment(GoP)whensigningthebailout, and alsopart of theprogramof themainpolitical power(PartidoSocialDemocrata,PSD)inthecurrentcoalitiongoverningPortugal.Throughout2012,thegovernmentdiscussedfourscenari-osforRTP.ThefirstscenarioanticipatedtheconcessionofRTPtoaprivategroupfor20to25years,withtheobligationofmaintain-ing a “public service”, but restricting advertising to half of otherprivate channels –i.e., about 6minutes/hour and not 12minutes/
408 | Obitel 2013
hour–and,inreturn,receivedacompensationof140millionEuros,which isequivalent to theaudiovisual taxpaidby thePortuguesein theelectricalbill.Thesecondscenariosuggestedtheprivatiza-tionofRTP1,and the subsequentdistributionamong the remain-ingfree-to-air(FTA)channels,ofthe“publicservice”functionandwiththeauthorizationof12minutes/hourofadvertising.Thethirdscenarioproposed theprivatizationofRTP1,whichwouldbe re-quired toprovide“public service”,would receive theaudiovisualtaxandtheauthorizationtobroadcast12minutes/hourofadvertis-ing.Inthefourthscenario–theonethatincludedthecontinuationofRTP2,achanneldedicatedtoculturalissues,instateownershipandwithout advertising– RTP1 would be privatized, competing withotherprivateoperators.Attheendoftheyear,theGoPprivilegedthe implementationof a restructuringplan (PlanodeSaneamentoEconómicoeFinanceiro),whichhadbeensuggestedbytheprevi-ousadministration,proposingtheclosingofRTP2,thedevolutionofRTPMadeiraandRTPAçores to therespectiveregions,whilekeepingoneinternationalchannel,leavingundeterminedthefutureofRTPInformação.
Throughout 2012, the controversy surrounding the inflowofAngolan capital in Portuguese media groups increased. In 2011,wehadalreadynotedthis tendency.Speculationssurroundingtheassociatedpoliticalandeconomicissuesareaconsequenceof thecapitalbelonging,directlyorindirectly,tothefamilyofPresidentofAngolaandtheirsupporters,whichareunderjudicialinvestiga-tioninPortugalforallegedcorruption.Ontheotherhand, the in-abilitytoidentifytheshareholdersofcompaniesexpressinginterestinthePortuguesemediaprivatizations,includingRTP,hasgener-ateddiscomfortinthemediafield.Amongthesegroups,weempha-sizetheAngolanmediagroupNewshold,whichowns96%oftheweeklySol,2%ofImpresa,ownerofSIC,andthemainshareholderofCofina,ownerofthenewspapersCorreio da Manhã,Jornal de
Negócios,Record and themagazine Sábado. In December 2012,theStockMarketCommission(ComissãodeMercadodeValores
Portugal– Fiction and audiences on transition | 409
Mobiliários),followingthedisclosureoftheinterestofNewsholdin case of an eventual privatization of RTP, requested the grouptodisclosetheirdirectandindirectshareholders.ÁlvaroSobrinho,presidentofNewshold,chairmanofBancoEspíritoSantoAngolaandshareholderofAkoyaAssetManagementSA(accusedofmon-ey laundering in the lawsuit “White Mountain”), confirmed thatthegroupwasownedbyPineviewOverseas,withheadquartersinPanama,andrevealedthenamesofitsshareholders–allpartofhisfamily–.InearlyDecember,theRTPpresident,AlbertodaPonte,visitedLuanda,wherehemetDominicVunge,oneofthesharehold-ersofScoreMediawithlinkstoOngoingandNewshold.Thisentre-preneurhasopenlyexpressedinterestinpurchasingthePortuguesedailyDiário de Notícias(DN)andJornal de Notícias(JN),aswellasRTP,throughaparticipationinCofina.
Thethirdaspectwhichpervadedin2012wasthetransitiontoDigitalTerrestrialTelevision(DTT),subjecttobedevelopedlaterinthispaper.
Thetitlegiventothischapter–Fiction and audiences in transi-
tion–stemsfromchangesinthefieldofserialfictioninFTAchan-nels.WeemphasizethatthisyearwasmarkedbythereturnoftheaudiencestoTVGloboproductionsbroadcastedbySIC(Fina Es-
tampa,GabrielaandAvenida Brasil),makingSICawinnerinprimetime, overtaking thePortuguese fictionbroadcastedbyTVI.Fur-thermore,wenoteanincreaseofinternationalseriesratingsbroad-castedbyallFTAchannels.The titleof thischapter isalso justi-fiedbytheendofthejuvenileseriesMorangos com Açúcar(TVI),whichcaptivatedtheyoungestintheperiodofaccesstoprimetimeforalmosttenyears.
410 | Obitel 2013
1.1. Free-to-air television in Portugal
Table 1. National FTA Networks in Portugal
Public channels (2) Private channels (2)RTP1 SICRTP2 TVI
Totalofnetworks=4
Table 2. Rating per channel in 2012
Channel 000 indv. %RTP1 258.07 16RTP2 62.57 4SIC 404.32 25TVI 451.64 27Cable/other 469.93 28Total 100
Source:ObitelPortugal,MediaMonitor/Audimetria/KantarMedia;GfK
Table 3. Share per channel in 2012
Channel %RTP1 15.6RTP2 3.7SIC 24.6TVI 27.4Cable/other 28.7Total 100
Source:ObitelPortugal,MediaMonitor/Audimetria/KantarMedia;GfK
Table 4. Genres offered in 2012
Genres %Culture/Knowledge 9Sports 5Entertainment 18Fiction 22Information 17Juvenile 9Advertising 16Other 4Total 100
Source:ObitelPortugal,MediaMonitor/Audimetria/KantarMedia;GfK
RTP1
RTP2
SIC
TVI
Cable/other
28%4%
16%
27%25%
RTP1
RTP2
SIC
TVI
Cable/other
28.7%
3.7%15.6%
27.4%
24.6%
Culture/Knowledge
Sports
Entertainment
Fiction
Information
Juvenile
Advertising
Other
17%
4%
5%
22%
9%9%
16%
18%
Portugal– Fiction and audiences on transition | 411
Thegroupsholdingtelevisionchannelsin2012remainasfol-lows:Rádio e Televisão de Portugal(RTP,public),whichhastwoFTA channels (RTP1 and RTP2); group IMPRESA, SociedadeGestoradeParticipaçõesSociais,ownerofSIC;andGrupoMediaCapitalSGPS,whichincorporatesTVI.Allthesegroupsalsooper-ateinpayTV,keepingthematicchannels,particularlydedicatedtoinformation. 1.2. Audience Trends in 2012
Apublic tender effected by theCommittee for the Study ofMediaAnalysis in2011, at the requestofnetworks,mediaagen-cies andadvertisers, selected theGermancompanyGfK (GrowthfromKnowledge)forthemeasurementoftelevisionaudiences.ThiscompanystarteditsexperimentalactivitiesinMarchand,sincethestart of publicationof thedata, received criticism fromall stake-holders.Thebases for this criticismare themethodologyused tomeasuretheaudience,particularlythetechnologicalproceduresofdatacollectionandanalysis,aswellasthecompositionofthepanel.
Initswebsite,GfKdescribesthetechnologyusedforaudiencemeasurement:audio-matchingprocess,whichallowsmeasuringallplatforms(analoganddigitalcable,satellite,terrestrialandIPTV),video-on-demandcontentandtime-shiftcontent(uptosevendaysafter broadcast). The audio-matching technology recognizes thechannel being viewed from the audio information, and programswithmultiple audio tracks can be divided andmeasured, aswellasadvertisingspaces.Theinformationrecordedontheboxisthensent to a centralwhere the sound samples collected at home arecomparedwiththeaudiosamplesrecordedonthecompany.Tele-visionnetworks,especiallythosechannelswhichsawtheirratingsnegatively affected and subsequently their advertising values di-minished,demandedanaudittothemethodologyandthecompanycommitteditself toreviewingthepanelbasedonthe2011censusofthePortuguesepopulation.Initsdefense,GfKreportedtoPrice-waterhouseatthetimeoftheauditbythiscompanythat,duetothe
412 | Obitel 2013
limitedqualityofsatelliteDTTtransmissions,lapsesandfailuresinthedatacollectionhadoccurred.
Changesinmethodologiesformeasuringtheaudienceshigh-lightedtheroleofpaytelevisionandnarrowedthegapbetweenthesharesandratesofprivatebroadcastersSICandTVI.Weempha-sizethatSICincreasedshareinprimetime,withthebroadcastoftelenovelasDancin’Days,GabrielaandAvenida Brasil,whileTVIincreasedtheiraudiencesindaytime.RTP1wasthechannelthat,basedonthenewpanel,recordedalargerdropinaudience(about5%),whileRTP2remainedapproximatelyitsusualvalues. 1.3. Advertising on Television and on Fiction
InayearwhentheGDPshrankbyc.3.3%,ontopofthe1.7%recorded in 2011, advertising on television decreased c. 15%, inspiteofthePortuguesehavingspent,onaverage,c.4hoursand40minuteswatching television.Theanalysisof theduration,orper-centageofthebroadcastofFTAchannels(RTP,SICandTVI)de-votedtoadvertising(advertisingsaturation)–whichexcludesself-promotions,self-promotionsofthestationandtelesales–inrelationto the totalbroadcast time,decreasedc.9%.Thisdecrease isnotdue to theuseof shorter spots,which remainwithin18 seconds,buttothenumberofinsertsinc.10%.Inthesecondhalfof2012,thisdecreasesteepenedfrom-3.8%to-14.1%,followingthepro-cessofGDPcontraction,andofthe(lackof)investmentinPortu-gal,aswellastheimpactonprivateconsumptionandonthecon-sumerconfidenceindex.Weemphasizethatthisindexhasdeclinedsince2011,reaching,inDecember2012,thelowesteverrecorded(-59.8%),whichfollowstheeconomicindicatorofthecompanies.However,comparedwiththevalueoftheadvertisinginsertsinfilm,radio, print andonbillboards, televisionmaintains anundisputedleadership,withc.75%oftheinvestmentinadvertising.Amongthe20largestinvestorsaresixlarge-scaledistributors,fivetelecommu-nicationscompanies,fourfoodretailers,andfiveofothersectors.Whilethecurrentinvestmentlevelsareatthelevelof2002,thein-
Portugal– Fiction and audiences on transition | 413
ternetadvertisinghasrisenincounter-cycle.Accordingtoanalysts,thisgrowthisassociatedwiththeincreasinguseofdigitalmedia,aswellaswiththe(still)smallinvestmentsonthismedium.Thefi-nancialcrisisandthelimitationsinthefinancingofcompanieshavealsoboosted thisgrowth trend that iscurrently in the lowdoubledigits. 1.4. Merchandising and social merchandising
Dancin’Daysisaparadigmaticcaseofproductplacement(orsoftsponsoring,whichmeanstheplacingofconsumerproductsinvisiblelocations).InitiatedwithLaços de Sangue,thisactioncom-binesproducts/brands/placeswiththenarrative,makingthemanin-tegralpartofthestory.Thebrandsmustaccepttheinclusionoftheirinsigniaandtheirmessageattributesinanartisticcontext,respect-ingthetimesandtheevolutionarycourseoftitlesandcharacters.
Inadditiontothediversificationofformatsandthemeswiththegoalofreachingaudiencesacrosstheboard,RTPhasdevelopedtwoprojectsthatstandoutagainstthegeneralofferoffiction:thecycleof12telefilmstitledGrandes Histórias: toda a gente contaandtheseries Contos de Natal.Thefirstprojectwasbasedonanintegratedactionbetweenfictionandinformationthroughtheexplorationofsocialissues,suchasdrugabuse,bullyingorneglectofolderpeo-ple.Forover12months,foraweek,informationprogramsexploredtheseissuesfromdifferentperspectivesinconjunctionwiththepre-sentationofaTVmovie.Thesecondproject,Contos de Natal,re-sultedfromapartnershipbetweenRTPandPortugueseuniversitiestoproducestorieswithhappyendings.Theseinitiativeshavepow-eredtherelationshipbetweentelevisiongenres,betweentelevisionandthepublic,aswellasbetweenacademiaandthemarket.
1.5. Communication policies (laws, reforms, incentives, digital TV, etc.)
The final transition to Digital Terrestrial Television (DTT)occurredin2012(April26).This transition,whichbeganinMay
414 | Obitel 2013
2011,wasaprocessdelayedforabouttenyearsandwhichmodelelicitedmuchcriticism,notonlyfromexpertsbutalsofromthecivilsociety.AmongtheformeristhechairmanofVodafonePortugal,whoqualifiedtheintroductionofDTTinthePortuguesemarketasa“failedmodel”becauseitfacilitatedthe“penetrationofpaytelevi-sion”andfornothavingexpandedthenumberofFTAchannels,ashappenedinallotherEuropeancountries.
Inthesamevein,aworkdonebyaresearcherfromtheUniver-sityofMinhoclaimstohaveevidenceofcorruptionintheimple-mentationprocess, inwhichPortugalTelecom(PT)wasthemainbeneficiary,havingachieved715,000newcustomersforthepack-ageMEO.Accordingtothisresearcher,thishappenedbecausetheofferofFTAchannelswithhighqualitywasnotsuitedtoPT,withtheStateparticipationandwithpoliticalinterestsinvolved.Portu-gal,thus,missedtheopportunitytoincreaseofferofchannelsandto introduce a higher image quality.TheNationalAssociation ofPortugueseMunicipalitieshaveasimilaropinion,expressingpub-licly that it considers “scandalous and shameful” the endof ana-logueTVandtheDTTdeploymentprocess,whichdeprivedmanycitizens,especiallythemunicipalitiesofthedeepPortugal,“accesstoinformationatatimewhenmanycouldnotaffordtobuyaset”.Thesameassociationdenouncestheinterestsinvolvedinordertofavoracompany.AttheendofOctober,theAuthorityforCommu-nications(ANACOM)madeapositiveassessmentoftheprocess,inspiteofnoting8.000complaints.Themajorityofthesecomplaintsoriginatedfromindividualswho,nothavingpaidsubscription,buthavingboughtequipment,didnothaveaccesstotheFTAchannelingoodconditions.
1.6. Pay TVWenotethatin2012TVIcreatedachanneldedicatedtofiction
(TVI Ficção/Channel11), inpartnershipwith the telecommunica-tionscompanyPT/MEO,withthepurposeofbroadcastingthesta-tion’sreruns.
Portugal– Fiction and audiences on transition | 415
1.7. ICT TrendsInPortugal,theinternetisusedby62.8%ofindividualsover15
yearsofage,withthehighestpercentagebeingofmalesandyoungpeoplebetweentheagesof18and24,withresidenceintheareaofGreaterLisbon,andbelongingtothehigherincomegroup,andmidandhighlevelprofessionals.Thegroupspresentingalowerusagearewomenandtheelderly,residentsintheNortherninterior,aswellaslowincomepeopleandhomemakers.AsperMarktest–inalon-gitudinalstudyconductedabouttheinternetusersinthelastsixteenyears–thenumberof“internauts”hasnotstoppedrising,increasinginthisperiodc.10%(from6.3%in1997to62.3%in2012).Weemphasize that theyoungest, thosebelonging to thehigh incomegroupsandstudents,arethesocialdemographicgroupswithhigherratesofuse.Onaverage,usersofsocialnetworkingsitesdedicate88minutesperdaytothesesites,rangingfrom62minutesamongindividualsbetween35and44yearsofage,and116minutesamongindividuals between15 and24years of age.Thehighest activityis located in theafterworkand schoolhours (54.7%),mainlyonFacebook.
2. Yearly analysis: premiere of national and Ibero-American fic-tion
Table 1. Fiction broadcasted in 2012 (national and imported; premier and rerun; co-production)
NATIONAL TITLES IN PREMIER – 26
RTP1 – 13 national titles1. 4-Portugal hoje(unitary)2.A rapariga da máquina de filmar (miniseries)3.A sagrada família(sitcom)4.Barcelona, cidade neutral(miniseries)5.Contos de Natal(series)6.Grandes histórias: toda a gente conta (TVmovie)7.Liberdade 21(series)8.Maternidade(series)
IMPORTED TITLES IN PREMIER – 9
RTP1 – 2 imported titles1. O direito de nascer(telenovela-Brazil)2.Vidas em jogo (telenovela-Brazil)
SIC – 7 imported titles3. Avenida Brasil(telenovela-Brazil)4.Dance!(series-Uruguay)5.Fina estampa(telenovela-Brazil)6.Gabriela(telenovela-Brazil)7.Insensato coração(telenovela-Brazil)8.Morde e assopra(telenovela-Brazil)
416 | Obitel 2013
Source:ObitelPortugal
9.Os compadres(sitcom)10.Pai à força(series)11.Perdidamente florbela(miniseries)12.Sangue do meu sangue(miniseries)13.Velhos amigos(sitcom)
SIC – 4 national titles14. A família Mata(sitcom)15.Cenas de um casamento(sitcom)16.Lua vermelha(series)17.Rosa fogo(telenovela)
TVI – 9 national titles18. Anjo meu(telenovela)19.Casos da vida(unitary)20.Doce tentação(telenovela)21.Doida por ti(telenovela)22.Filmes TVI(TVmovie)23.Louco amor(telenovela)24.Morangos com açúcar IX: segue o teu sonho(series)25.Morangos com açúcar IX: férias de verão(series)26.Remédio santo(telenovela)
9.O Astro(telenovela-Brazil)
TITLES IN RERUN – 20
RTP11. Poder paralelo(telenovela-Brazil)2.Revelação (telenovela-Brazil)3.Ribeirão do tempo(telenovela-Brazil)4.Cidade despida(series)
SIC5. Perfeito coração(telenovela)6.Podia acabar o mundo(telenovela)7.Rebelde way(series)8.Floribella(series)9.Páginas da vida(telenovela-Brazil)
TVI10. Campeões e detectives(series)11.O bando dos 4(series)12.Detective maravilhas(series)13.Clube das chaves(series)14.Ilha dos amores(telenovela)15.Inspector Max(series)16.Jardins proibidos(telenovela)17.Olhos de água(telenovela)18.Filha do mar(telenovela)19.Tempo de viver(telenovela)20.Sonhos traídos(telenovela)
CO-PRODUCTIONS – 2
RTP1 – 1 title in co-production1. Barcelona, cidade neutral(Portugal/Spain)
SIC – 1 title in co-production2. Dancin’Days(Portugal/Brazil)
GRAND TOTAL: 57
Portugal– Fiction and audiences on transition | 417
Table2.Originofthepremieredfictionaltitles
Country Titles % Chapters/Episodes % Hours %
NATIONAL (total) 27 71 1.504 55.5 1.164:15 58
IBERO-AMERICAN (total) 11 29 1.205 44.5 835:50 42
Argentina – – – – – –
Brazil 9 23.7 1.191 44 814:35 40.7
Chile – – – – – –
Colombia – – – – – –
Ecuador – – – – – –
Spain 1 2.6 4 0.1 03:00 0.2
USA (Hispanic production) – – – – – –
Mexico – – – – – –
Peru – – – – – –
PORTUGAL 27 71.1 1.504 55.5 1.164:15 58.2
Uruguay 1 2.6 10 0.4 18:15 0.9
Venezuela – – – – – –
Latin American (Obitel) – – – – – –
Latin American (not Obitel) – – – – – –
Other (productions and co-produc.ofotherLatinAm./Ibero-Am.)
2 – 14 – 21:15 –
TOTAL 38 100 2.709 100 2.000:05 100
Source:ObitelPortugal,MediaMonitor/MarktestAudimetriaandGfK
In2012,weobservedadecreaseintheofferofdomesticfictionand Ibero-American fiction in justone title, although thenumberofchapters/episodesandthenumberofbroadcasthours increasedslightly. Breaking down by channels,we observe thatRTP1 andSICmaintaintheiroffer,whilethereisa30%decreaseintheofferofTVIcomparedto2011.Inspiteofthissituation,TVIcontinuesleading thenational televisionfictionmarket in the totalofhoursand inchapters/episodes,aconsequenceof thecontinuedproduc-
418 | Obitel 2013
tionof the telenovelaformat forprime time.TheIbero-Americancontents are73%(8 titles)ofBrazilianorigin, and the remaining27%aredistributedacrossthreetitles:Dance!(SIC),aUruguayanseriestargetingtheyoungpublic,andtwoco-productions,thetele-novelaDancin’Days(SIC/SPTelevisão/TVGlobo)andthemini-series Barcelona, Cidade Neutral (StoplineFilms,RTP/ProdigiusCinema,TV3).Contentbroadcastonpublicservicechannelispro-ducedbyRecordandSBT,whereasthecontentbroadcastonSICisexclusivelyfromTVGlobo.Asinyearspast,TVIdoesn’tbroadcastIbero-Americancontent.
Reruns and repeats are recurringprogramming strategies, al-lowingthefillingofmarginalslots,suchasmorning,afternoonandlate night. In 2012, 20 titleswere reruns,with TVI leadingwith11titles,followedbySIC,withfive,andbyRTP1,withfour.Ti-tles rebroadcastedbyTVI, fromnational origin, are series for anadolescent public and relevant telenovelas, such asFilha do Mar (2001/2002),whichhadanendchosenbythepublic,orTempo de
Viver(2006/2007),wherethedisclosureoftheidentityofthecrimi-nal“Tubarão” left theaudience insuspenseuntil the lastchapter,likethestorylinesdevelopedinBrazil(e.g.A Próxima Vítima,1995/TVGlobo).
Domesticfictionkeepsfillingtheprimetimeslot,andweseeanincreaseof37.5%inthenumberofchapters/episodesandhourscompared to 2011. In other time slots, there are no significantchanges,with theafternoon insecondplace,morning in the thirdandlatenightinthelastplace.Withintheafternoonslotlies“pre-primetime”,theperiodbetween7P.M.and8P.M.,usedinprogram-mingforthetransmissionofstrongproductsthatallowaspillovereffectofaudienceforprimetime.
Inspiteofmaintainingapattern,wenotean81.4%dropinthebroadcastoftitlesinpremiertotheyoungerpublicinthemorningslot,andtheuseofproductsinstockinrerun.TheIbero-Americancontentscontinueoccupyingmoresignificantlytheafternoonslot,followedbyprimetime,withthebroadcastofthemostrecenttele-
Portugal– Fiction and audiences on transition | 419
novelasofTVGlobobySIC,likeO Astro,GabrielaandAvenida
Brasil.While thesecontentsstartwithin themainslotof theday,themajorityofthetransmissiontakesplacealreadyduringthelatenightslot.
420 | Obitel 2013
Table3.C
hapters/Episodesandhoursbroadcastedbytimeslot
T
ime
Slot
sN
atio
nal
Iber
o-A
mer
ican
T
otal
C/E
%
H%
C/E
%H
%C/E
%H
%
Mor
ning
(6:0
0-13
:00)
18
1.2
14:15
1.2
100.8
18:15
2.2
281
32:30
1.6
Aft
erno
on (1
3:00
-20:
00)
234
15.6
172:25
14.8
636
52.8
527:50
63.2
880
32.4
700:15
35
Pri
me
Tim
e (2
0:00
-24:
00)
1.245
82.8
975:00
83.8
559
46.4
289:45
34.6
1.804
66.5
1.264:45
63.3
Lat
e ni
ght (
24:0
0-06
:00)
70.4
2:35
0.2
–0
–0
70,1
2:35
0.1
TO
TA
L1.504
100
1.164:15
100
1.205
100
835:50
100
2.709
100
2.000:05
100
Source:O
bitelPortugal,MediaMonitor/MarktestA
udimetriaandGfK
Ta
ble
4. F
orm
ats o
f Nat
iona
l and
Iber
o-A
mer
ican
fict
ion
titl
es
For
mat
sN
AT
ION
AL
IBE
RO
-AM
ER
ICA
NT
itle
s%
Cha./E
p.%
Hou
rs%
Tit
les
%Cha./E
p.%
Hou
rs%
Tel
enov
ela
725.9
1.071
71.2
853:10
73.3
981.8
1.191
98.9
814:35
97.4
Seri
es7
25.9
260
17.3
192:35
16.5
19.1
100.8
18:15
2.3
Min
iser
ies
414.8
120.8
10:40
0.9
19.1
40.3
03:00
0.3
TV
mov
ie2
7.4
201.3
26:30
2.3
––
––
––
Uni
tary
27.4
60.4
4:45
0.4
––
––
––
Doc
udra
ma
––
––
––
––
––
–O
ther
(sit
com
)5
18.6
135
976:35
6.6
––
––
––
TO
TA
L27
100
1.50
410
01.
164:
1510
011
100
1.20
510
083
5:50
100
Source:O
bitelPortugal,MediaMonitor/MarktestA
udimetriaandGfK
Portugal– Fiction and audiences on transition | 421
In2010andin2011,serieswasthemostexploredformatbynationalgeneralistchannels,followedbytelenovela.In2012,thereisabalancebetweentheseriesandtelenovela,withseventitlesforeachformat.Thetelenovelaisaformatadoptedonlybycommercialchannels,withTVIproducingfivetitlesandSICtwo,whiletheseriesformatismostlyproducedbyRTP1(fourtitles),followedbyTVI(twotitles)andSIC(onetitle).Theseriesproducedbypublicser-vicechannelaregearedtowardsanadultaudience,addressingpro-fessionalthemes(e.g.MaternidadeandLiberdade 21)andbybeingbroadcastedinlaterslots(pre-primetime,primetimeandlatenight).Seriesproducedbytheprivatechannelsaddressissuesclosertotheadolescentpublicandarebroadcastedinthemorningandafternoonslots(Lua Vermelha,SIC,Morangos com Açúcar,TVI).Thesitcomremainsaformatadoptedbyboththepublicandprivatechannels,to-talingfivetitlesin2012.Itsshortdurationcomparedtootherfictionalformats,aswellastheirbasiccharacteristics–humoroushouseholdplots,limitedcast,fixeddecors,amongothers–allowlow-costpro-ductionandthecreationofapoolofassetsavailabletofillupslots. TheminiseriesformatwasexploredbyRTP1,continuingthetrendof previous years. The characteristics of this format in conjunc-tionwith thepublicnatureof thestationallowedthepresentationof four titles:Barcelona, Cidade Neutral, a co-production Portu-gal/Spainwithadurationoffourchapters,andthreefeaturefilmsturnedintominiseries,A Rapariga da máquina de filmar,Sangue do
meu SangueandPerdidamente Florbela.Theconversionoffeaturefilmsintominiseriesisaccomplishedthroughadaptation,whichattimesincludesscenesnotseeninthefeaturefilm,havingasacon-sequenceanincreaseinthecirculationofPortuguesefilmsandofthenumberofviewers.
TheTVmovieformatassumedaprominentrolein2012,re-sulting from the initiatives of RTP1 (Grandes histórias: toda a
gente conta)andTVI(Filmes TVI),bringingtothegeneralpublic,allyearroundandregularly,storiesinspiredinreality.
422 | Obitel 2013
Table5.FormatsofNationalfictionaltitlesbytimeslot
Formats Mor ning- %
Af-ter-
noon% Prime
Time % Late Night % To-
tal %
Telenovela – – – – 7 41.2 – – 7 25.9
Series 1 100 4 50.0 1 5.9 1 100 7 25.9
Miniseries – – 1 12.5 3 17.6 – – 4 14.8
TV movie – – – – 2 11.8 – – 2 7.4
Unitary – – 1 12.5 1 5.9 – – 2 7.4
Docudrama – – – – – – – – – –
Other (sitcom) – – 2 25.0 3 17.6 – – 5 18.6
TOTAL 1 100 8 100 17 100 1 100 27 100
Source:ObitelPortugal,MediaMonitor/MarktestAudimetriaandGfK
All formats explored by the Portuguese generalist channels are present in prime time,with a clear predominance of the tele-novela,followed by the afternoon slot and,ex aequo,withonetitle, the morningandthenight slots.The morning slot is occupied with content destined to a juvenile audience (Dance!,SIC),and the night slot by a series (Contos de Natal,RTP1).
Table 6.Timeperiodoffictionaltitles
Time period Titles %
Present 24 88,9
Period piece 1 3,7
Historical 2 7,4
Other – –
TOTAL 27 100
Source:ObitelPortugal
The present is the dominant epoch with the exploration of themes anchored in contemporaneity (24 titles). In 2012, we can also find two historical titles:Barcelona, Cidade Neutral (RTP1),
Portugal– Fiction and audiences on transition | 423
whichtells the story of Barcelona as a neutralcityduring the World War I,and Perdidamente Florbela (RTP1),theintimate story of the Portuguese poet Florbela Espanca (nineteenth century).Lastly,weconsider the telenovela Anjo Meu (TVI)a period piece,asitisset in Portugal in the 70s of the twentieth century.
Table 7. Top Ten titles: origin, production house, rating, share
Title
Countryof origin of the original
idea or script
Production house
Chan-nel
Name of the writer or
author of the original idea
Ra- ting
Sha- re
1Dancin’ Days
Brazil/Portugal
SIC/SPTelevi-são/TVGlobo
SIC
PedroLopes(adapted
fromGilbertoBraga)
15.1 30.9
2Louco amor
PortugalTVI/PluralEntertainment
TVI TozéMartinho 13.0 29.2
3Doce tentação
PortugalTVI/PluralEntertainment
TVI SandraSantos 11.1 28.3
4 Rosa fogo PortugalSIC/SPTele-
visãoSIC PatríciaMüller 9.6 26.6
5Remédio santo
PortugalTVI/PluralEntertainment
TVIAntonioBar-
reira9.4 28.6
6Doida por ti
PortugalTVI/PluralEntertainment
TVIMariaJoão
Mira8.4 22.0
7
Moran-gos com açúcar IX: segue o teu sonho
PortugalTVI/PluralEntertainment
TVI
Casa da Cria-ção(CláudiaSampaio,
IrinaGomes,MafaldaFer-reira,MarinaRibeiro,PedroCavaleiro)
7.6 21.9
8 Anjo meu PortugalTVI/PluralEntertainment
TVIMariaJoão
Mira6.9 28.3
9Os compa-dres
PortugalRTP1/Cine-
coolRTP1
NicolauBreyner
6.4 19.8
10A família Mata
SpainSIC/SPTele-
visãoSIC
DavidBer-mejo
6.3 19.1
Total of production: 10 Foreign scripts: 2
80% 20%
Source:ObitelPortugal
424 | Obitel 2013
The return of Brazilian fiction, especially the productions of TV Globo,was one of the highlights of the year.Throughout the year,the intercalated presence ofnationalandforeignproductions(mainlyfromBrazil)generated different behaviorsofthe audience.The Portuguese titleswiththehighestimpactinthemediawere re-spectively Dancin’Days (SIC),Louco Amor (TVI),Doce Tentação (TVI)and Doida por ti (TVI).Among the Brazilian,threeTVGlobo fictionsdisputedthe audience ratings withthenational ones: Gabri-ela,Avenida Brasil and Fina Estampa.
TVI ended the year leading the total audience and occupied the first positions of the ranking of fiction titles.However,in 2012,TVIlost groundtothefictional productionsofSIC andTVGlobo inprimetime,withSICbecomingtheleader in this time slot.Aswecansee inTable7,SICdislodgedTVIfrom the first place in the Top Ten.These data, however, indicate that, althoughfallingsome positions,TVIremainswithastrong presence,occupying60% of theTop Ten.SIC ends the year with 30%,andRTP1withonly 10%.
The news about possible dismissals in national productioncompanies (Plural andSP Televisão)made it clear that, in times of crisis and austerity measures,fiction production is also affected.
Table 8. Top Ten: format, length, schedule
Title Format Genre
Number ofchapters/episodes(in 2012)
Date of the firstandof
the last issue(in 2012)
Time slot
1Dancin’Days
Tele-novela
Drama,sus-pense,comedy
14604/06to
31/12(cont.)PrimeTime
2Louco amor
Tele-novela
Drama,sus-pense,tragedy,
comedy189
06/05to31/12(cont.)
PrimeTime
3Doce tentação
Tele-novela
Comedy,dra-ma,romance
28408/01to
31/12(cont.)PrimeTime
4 Rosa fogoTele-novela
Drama,sus-pense,tragedy,
comedy143
02/01to30/06
PrimeTime
Portugal– Fiction and audiences on transition | 425
5Remédio santo
Tele-novela
Comedy,dra-ma,suspense,romance
19202/01to15/09
PrimeTime
6Doida por ti
Tele-novela
Comedy,dra-ma,romance 44
24/10to31/12(cont.)
PrimeTime
7
Moran-gos com açúcar IX: segue o teu sonho
Series
Juvenile,ro-mance,drama,
comedy,Musical
12302/01to15/09
After-noon,access toPrimeTime
8 Anjo meuTele-novela
Historical,dra-ma,romance
9402/01to
05/05PrimeTime
9Os compa-dres
Series Comedy8
07/01to31/12(cont.)
PrimeTime
10A família Mata
Series Comedy21
11/07to31/11
PrimeTime
Source:ObitelPortugal
Dancin’Days (SIC)and Louco Amor (TVI)hadthehighestim-pactinthenews.The former,inadditiontoleading the Top Ten,was among the most watched television programs of 2012. It is important to note that this telenovela is a remake/adaptation of an originally Brazilianscriptand follows the co-production model,usedinpre-viousyearsbySIC and TV Globo.Dancin’Days and Louco Amor have some similarities:mostofsub-plots are set in nightclubsandin both the two main characters were imprisoned for many years and strive,on the one hand,forsocialreintegrationand, on the other,forfamily reconciliation.
Doce Tentação (TVI),both in terms of plot as aesthetics, re-veals elements inspired by fables and fairy tales.Tothe classic con-trast between the main characters–the sweet and feminine young woman and the artisan and uncouth young man– are the outdoor images, such as themysterious and magnificent sceneries of the mountains and the Sintra Royal Palace.Rosa Fogo, Remédio Santo, Anjo Meu and Morangos com Açúcar IX: segue o teu sonho, all fromTVI,migrated from the 2011 ranking for 2012,stayingin the
426 | Obitel 2013
spotlight. Doida por ti (TVI)also does not innovate,but,neverthe-less,conquers the audience with a loving urban plot.
Intheend,thesitcomsOs Compadres (RTP1)and A Família Mata (SIC)achieve prominencebybetting in the family environ-ment and the vicissitudes of daily life.
Table 9. Subject-matter in Top Ten titles
Titles Dominant Themes Social Themes
1 Dancin’Days–Familyrelationships–Vengeanceandambition–Revelationofidentity
–Socialreintegration–Alcoholaddiction–Homosexuality
2 Louco amor–Crimeresolution–Amorousrelationships–Familyrelationships
–Oldage–Lovebetweenelderpeople–Socialreintegration
3 Doce tentação
–Mystery–Amorousrelationships–Murdered–Illegitimatechildren
–Orphanage–Religiosity
4 Rosa fogo–Amorousrelationships–CrimeResolution–Illegitimatechildren
–Infertility–Breastcancer–Illegalfights
5 Remédio santo–Mysticism–Vengeance–Illegitimatechildren
–Religiosity–Hearinginsufficiency–SocialCritic
6 Doida por ti
–Amorousrelationships–Infidelity–Revelationofsecretsandidentities
–Unemployment–Economiccrises
7Morangos com açúcar IX: segue o teu sonho
–Adolescence–Conflictsandrivalries–Fashionworld–Envy
–Recycling–FeminineProtagonist–OlderpeopleatUniversity
8 Anjo meu–Crimeresolution–Lovetriangle–Vengeanceandambition
–Socialandhistoricalmove-ments–Politicalconflicts
9 Os compadres
–Familyrelationships–Neighboredrelation-ships–Friendship
–Financialcrises–Nostalgia–Moralprinciples
10 A família Mata–Familyrelationships–Adulteryandtreason–Generationalconflicts
–Financialcrises–Pettythefts–Moralprinciples
Source:ObitelPortugal
Portugal– Fiction and audiences on transition | 427
The main highlight of the year in the field of social issues was the tendencytoproducestorieswithandforsenior citizens.Devel-oped in different ways,the theme was present in Louco Amor (TVI),with love happening in old age, inOs Compadres and inVelhos Amigos (RTP1),with incidents and adventures among relatives and neighbors.The presence of unemployed characters and dialogues on various financial difficulties revealed as another trend:the concern of domestic fiction to address, even ifgently, issuesofeconomic crisis.
428 | Obitel 2013
Table10.AudienceprofileoftheTopTentitles:gender,age,socioeconom
icstatus
T
itle
sC
han-
nel
Gen
der
%A
ge g
roup
%So
cioe
cono
mic
sta
tus%
Wo-
m
enM
en4-
1415
-24
25-3
435
-44
45-
5455
-64
65+
A/B
CD
E
1Dancin’
D
ays
SIC
62.0
38.0
8.0
16.6
17.4
16.7
15.6
10.4
15.2
18.0
19.9
35.9
26.2
2L
ouco
am
orTVI
63.6
36.4
6.2
7.3
8.1
9.6
13.0
19.6
36.3
9.4
13.2
44.8
32.6
3D
oce
tent
ação
TVI
64.1
35.9
8.0
9.4
9.3
10.8
13.7
18.0
30.8
7.4
17.8
39.8
35.0
4R
osa
fogo
SIC
61.7
38.3
7.8
12.2
18.5
16.9
15.8
12.7
16.1
13.8
22.2
37.5
26.5
5R
eméd
io s
anto
TVI
64.4
35.6
6.5
9.1
9.2
9.5
13.7
18.5
33.5
6.9
18.6
38.0
36.5
6D
oida
por
tiTVI
64.2
35.8
11.8
12.8
8.7
10.8
11.1
15.7
29.2
11.2
10.3
44.1
34.4
7M
oran
gos
com
açú
car
IX:
segu
e o
teu
sonh
oTVI
63.3
36.7
17.6
17.2
10.0
12.4
12.8
9.8
20.2
8.9
17.7
40.5
32.9
8A
njo
meu
TVI
62.4
37.6
5.5
8.6
9.5
10.5
13.6
18.2
34.1
8.5
21.5
36.7
33.4
9O
s co
mpa
dres
RTP1
58.0
42.0
0.9
6.3
3.9
6.9
13.1
18.8
50.1
17.4
14.8
41.3
26.6
10A
fam
ília
Mat
aSIC
54.7
45.3
13.9
13.7
19.1
19.3
14.6
9.1
10.2
13.5
19.2
45.1
22.3
Source:O
bitelPortugalM
ediaMonitor/MarktestA
udimetriaandGfK
Portugal– Fiction and audiences on transition | 429
Asinpreviousyears,theprofileofSICandRTP1fictionau-diencesremainedmorebalancedinrelationtotheTVIspectators.InDancin’Days(SIC),forexample,thismoreuniformdivisionisobserved in age groups and socioeconomic status. The profile oftheaudienceofOs Compadres(RTP1)andA Família Mata(SIC)remainedmorebalanced in termsofgender.However, theageofRTP1viewersisconsiderablyhighertoSIC,with50.1%ofview-ersofOs Compadresover65yearsofage.Ingeneral,womenarestillthelargerpublicoffiction,aswellasolderpeople(excepttheproductionsbroadcastedbySIC,viewedbypersonsofallages)andthelowincomegroups,suchasDandE.ThesedatapointtotheideathatSIC/TVGlobotelenovelasreachmorediversifiedaudiences. 3. Transmedia reception
Theuniverseofcirculationof television fictionhasbeenex-pandedsignificantlyinrecentyears.Acrossdifferentplatforms,thefictionalproductionsandtheiraudiencesrelateinamoreparticipa-toryway,establishingnewtransmediadynamics.
In this section,we intend toconductananalysisof transme-diaofferandusers’practicesoftelenovelaDancin’Days(SIC),thefirst titleof theTopTen.Asaplatformforanalysis,weselectedFacebook,giventhatthissocialnetworkprovidesgreaterinteractiv-itybetweenproducers and fans.However,wemust point out theexistenceofaconcertedactionbetweentheofficialpageofthetele-novelaintheSICwebsiteanditsofficialFacebook.
Theobservationincludedtheweekof8thto14thofApril2013,correspondingtoepisodes212-217.UsuallybroadcastedfromMon-daytoFridayinprimetime,intheanalyzedperiodtherewasaspe-cialchapteronSunday,the14th,atthesametimeofthepremierofthenewtelenovelaofTVI,Mundo ao Contrário.
Therecordingofthedatawasdonedaily,withthetotalnum-bersofeachobservedcategorycollectedat theendofthesampleweek.Thus,thenumberoffans,orthosewho“like”thepage,was48,004andthevolumeofparticipantsreached3,145members.The
430 | Obitel 2013
production made 28 publications (posts), which received 2,885“likes”fromthefans.Itwasalsoobservablethatthefanspublished619 reviewson the content and shared the contentof theofficialpage119times. 3.1. Transmedia offer of Dancin’ Days
Regardingthetransmediainteractionofferedbythetelenovelaproducers,wenotea“transmediavisualization”.Inthismanner,thisplatformallowsthevisualizationoffictionvideos,photosdownload,theinteractionofusers inreal time, thesharingofpostedcontentandevendirectinteractionwithactorsofthetelenovelathroughthechat.Thisdynamic,weeklyperiodicityisentitled“FacebookHour”,inwhichanactortalkstothenetworkusersdirectly,answeringtheirquestionsandcomments.Followingthechat,socialnetworkadmin-istratorsprovideavideobytheactor,givinghisstatementregardingtheexperienceofinteractingwiththefans.
Anaverageoffourtosixpostsarepublisheddaily.Usually,thesocialnetworkmoderatorstalkaboutscenesthatwillbeairedinthenextchapters,launchinginquiriesabouttheplot,andprovidelinkstotheofficialwebsiteofthetelenovela,wheretheparticipantshaveaccess to synopsis, complete previous episodes and videos withpreviewof selected scenes.The last post of the day is publishedminutesbeforethestartofDancin’Daystransmission.Theadmin-istratorsseektoattracttheattentionoffansandinduceexpectationsregardingthechapterthatwillbebroadcastednext.However,theypostnocommentsduringtheactualbroadcast,whichmayindicateastrategytoallowafreerandmorespontaneousinteractionoftheparticipants.
3.2. Interactivity and users practices Regarding interactivity (Table 11),we note that the level of
useractiveinteractionispredominantandnotcreative.Thelackofcontentcreatedby thefansmightpoint to theabsenceofpropos-alsfromFacebookandofficialwebsiteproducersinordertomake
Portugal– Fiction and audiences on transition | 431
availablestrategies in theseplatforms thatenableamorecreativeappropriationoffiction.
In this sense, it is fair to refer to the transmedia initiativeoftheofficialwebsiteofseriesA Família Mata,broadcastedbySICin2012andin10thplace in theTopTen,whichorganizedanac-tioncalled“Uma Família Portuguesa, com certeza”.Suchastrategyrequestedthatthespectatorssendasmall30-secondvideowithim-ages,statementsandhumorousscenesoftheirfamilies.ThefunniervideoswereselectedtobebroadcastedattheendofepisodesoftheseriesandweremadeavailableinFacebookandinthewebsite.
Thus,basedonthePortuguesefictionDancin’Days,weunder-standthatthetransmediareceptionispartiallydeveloped,sincetheparticipationoccursmoreintermsofresponseandinteractionwiththe proposed content –through practical recommendation, discus-sion, critique and sharing– than actually in the transformation oftheconsumer intoproducerofnewcontents. Inaddition,wenoteamoderateproductionof fictionalnarrativematerial intendedex-clusivelyforthoseotherplatforms,independentlyofwhatisbroad-castedontelevision.
Table 11. Types of interaction and dominant practices
Chosen title Channel Internet
pages
Types of transmedia interaction
Levels of in-terac-tivity
Dominant prac-tices by users
Dancin’Days SIC
FacebookTransmediavisualization Active
CommentaryCelebrationRecommendationSharingInterpretationCriticCollectionStorageDiscussion
Regardingthecontentof thecommentaries, theusers tendtousethenetworktoexpresstheiropinionaboutthebehaviorofthe
432 | Obitel 2013
charactersandtheplot,aswellastocelebratethequalityoffictionandofgoodperformanceoftheactors.It iscommontocommentoneachother’scomments,expressinghopeforthebeginningofthetelenovelaandreportinginrealtimethattheyarereadytowatchtheepisode.
ItisworthmentioningonecritiqueoftheonlinecontentofferedbytheproducersofDancin’Days.Acertainpost,inwhichthead-ministratorsofthesocialnetworkrevealedinadvancetheoutcomeof aparticular situation, causeddispleasure to some fans.This islikely to indicateaproblem thatarises forproducersbetween thestrategy of providing asmuch content on the social network andthedesireofsomeuserstonotknoweverythingthatwillhappeninadvance,prioritizing,inthiscase,thesuspenseofanunforeseeableoutcome.
Basedonthatweek’sanalysis,weidentifyamajorityparticipa-tionofayoungaudience,inspiteofstatisticalindexesrevealingthattheDancin’Daysaudiencecrossesseveralagegroups.Thereviewsoffemaleusersweremorefrequentinaratioofapproximately2/3rela-tivetomale,pointingtoahigherconsumptionofthisfictionbythefemaleaudience,butstillwithconsiderablecontingentofmalefans. 4. Highligths of the year
2012wasayearoftransition.Thenumberoftitlesperchan-nel,theprofileoffictionofferedandtheaudienceschanged,lead-ingtotheestablishmentofanewstageofproduction,supplyandconsumptioncomparedtopreviousyears.Thepublicservicechan-nel,despitetheuncertaintyofitsfuture,duetotheeconomiccrisis,broadcasted the same number of titles of the previous year (12).ThecommercialchannelSICstoodouton thenationalpanoramawiththerelationshipwithTVGlobo.Theremake/adaptationofthetelenovelaDancin’DaystocontemporaryPortugalwasabetofco-productionon thepathof the successof2011,Laços de Sangue,allowingthetitleandthechanneltobeonthefirstplaceoftheTopTen.LiketheEmmywinnertitleof2011,Dancin’Daysmanagedto
Portugal– Fiction and audiences on transition | 433
captivateaudiencesofallagegroupsandsocioeconomicstatus,go-ingagainstthetypologyoftelenovelaviewer(women,fromlowerincomegroupsandwithover64yearsofage).Thisachievementcanbe related to theprofile of the channel viewer-type (youngerindividualswith ahigher levelof interactivity), but alsowith thescript, with production conditions, including the coaching of thecastwhichallowsthedevelopmentofconsistentcharacters,aswellasproduction/broadcastingstrategiesandadvertisingactions.Thesestrategiesdifferfromtheofferoftheotherchannels,especiallyfromTVI,themaincompetitor.
From theproduction/broadcasting strategieswehighlight thedaily transmission at a fixed time, the inflexible pre-establishedlength,aswellastheuseofhooksattheendofeachchapter.Theseelementsallowtheestablishmentofalinkbetweenthecontentandtheaudience,creating,ontheonehand,aviewingroutineand,ontheotherhand,momentsofexpectation.Inrecentyears,thegrow-ingcompetitivenessledtothealignmentofthetransmissiontimesof the fictional contents with commercial imperatives, becomingregularthebroadcastofchapterswithdifferentlengths,abruptfinalsorevenfailingtobroadcastanepisode.
TheotherhighlightofSICwas the returnof theaudienceofBraziliantelenovelas,forwhichcontributedthebroadcastofthere-makesGabriela andO Astro, first broadcasted inPortugal in the70’sandwhichremainintheimaginaryofthePortuguesepublic.Inordertogivemoreprominencetothesetitles,thepremiereswereinpre-primetimeandspecialchapterswerebroadcastedwiththedes-ignationof “firstweek”, “presentation”or “finalmoments”.ThisreturnofBrazilian telenovelaswasalsomadeby the rerunof thesuccessofaudiencesPáginas da Vidaonthelatenightslot,aswellasbythedebutofAvenida BrasilwhenitwasendinginBrazil.TheimpactofthislatterstoryarrivedinPortugalthroughgossipmaga-zinesandtelevisionshowsthatfollowthelivesofthefamousandthebackstageworldofBrazilianandPortuguesefiction,contribut-ingtoexcitethecuriosityofthePortuguesepublic.
434 | Obitel 2013
TVI,thechannelthathasbeenleadingthefictionofferinre-centyears,aswellasthetelevisionmarket,keptthecontinuedpro-ductionoftelenovelastoprimetimeandbroadcastedMorangos com
Açúcar in pre-primetime for a younger audience. This latter titleremainedintheairfornineconsecutiveyearsanditslastseasonhasalreadybeenannounced.Afeaturefilmwasproducedtoclosetheserieswithcharactersfromallseasons,andwasthemostwatchedPortuguesemovieofalltime.Thehighlightofthestationwas,how-ever,theprojectFilmes TVI,aseriesof26TVmoviesproducedandperformedbydifferentteams.For26weeksstoriesbasedonthemesanchored in reality fromdifferentgenres, likecomedy, thrillerordrama,werebroadcasted.
Thespecificitiesidentifiedin2012introducebreaksinthety-pologyofsupplyanddemand,sotheOld strategies for new times (2011)ledtoayear of transitionandmaderoomfornewdevelop-mentsfornationaltelevisionfiction. 5. Topic of the year: social memory and television fiction
Toproduceandtoconsumetelevisioncontent in the twenty-firstisachallenge.Thescreensmultiply,thesupportingtechnolo-giesdevelop,thepossibilityofinteractionincreasesandconsump-tion practices becomemore plastic and adapted to everyday life(Ganitoetal.,2012).Withinthisreality,themostdynamicsegmentisundoubtedlyfiction,because,duetoitsserialnatureanditsnarra-tivestructure,ithastheabilitytosynchronizecurrentsocietalissuesin the actual society, to align social times and to create a collec-tivetime.Usingvariousformats(telenovela,series,TVmovie)andmultiplegenres(comedy,thriller,romance),thestoriespresentedinsmallscreenfunctionsimultaneouslyasamirror that reflectsandprojects,i.e.,asameansofpresenting,producing,andreproducingidentity(oridentities).
Societies live under the aegis of the present time, under theimperative of urgent and emergency of alternative values which
Portugal– Fiction and audiences on transition | 435
competewith the institutions andwith the establishment.At thiscrossroads,individualsfeel,cyclically,thewillandtheneedtocre-ate, strengthenorbreak the identitybonds theybuiltorassumed.Giventhisscenario,theintellectualsarecalledtoseteachtimeinanattempttocatalogtherealitiesandofferasafeharbortothosewho wander through liquid modernity (Bauman, 2001), to thosewhomeetdailytheplaces,thenon places(Augé,1994)andthenew
places(Monteiro,2003).Thispatternoflife,inwhichboundariesareblurred,meansthat
the“other”ismoreeasilyreached.Ifthisfactorcanbeunderstoodas a step towards a broad spectrumof co-living, it can also be asourceofpromotingaseparationfromtheaxisandadevaluationofthe“I”andofthe“we”asguidingcoordinates.Thus,wemustpayattentiontothetwofacesofJanus:knowingwhoweareandwhatsetsusapartfromthe“other”(Bhabha,2006).Inaddition,itisnec-essarynottofallintoeitheramnesia or excess of memory(Martins,2007, p. 13), so as to avoid resentments and inorder topromotelearningbyexperience.
Theworking of memory(Martins,2007,p.14)isessentialforthe(self)knowledgeandrecognition,whilefunctioningasoneac-tiveelementofidentity,especiallyatatimeinwhichconceptsofglobalizationandEuropeanizationarebeingexplored,beyondtheconceptsofnationalizationandregionalization.
Directly or indirectly, all individuals practice that exercisethroughthesociallyinstitutedrites,whichassumesanalmosttotemicdimension.Throughfestivals,thereisa(re)constructionofmultiple
layers of time and spacethatcomprisethe“I”and“we”(Feldman-Bianco,1995,p.76),presentingitselfasthequintessentialsymbolsofthedramatizationofsaudade.Withthedevelopmentofthemedia,“festivals”occurdailyandinprivatespaces,andweseeadeepen-ingofmediation,andeventhe“mediatization”ofmemory,leadingto theapparatus,suchas television,cometobeseenasmnemonic
devices or memorials par excellence(Sobral,2006,p.6).Tofulfillthismission,televisionlookstothepast(s),functioningasamade-
436 | Obitel 2013
for-TV history (Edgerton,2010),aglobalphenomenon thatbeginstotakeshapeinthe90s,withtheappearanceofchannelsspecializedinthepast(s)astheHistoryChannel,aswellasthedevelopmentoffictionalnarratives.The(re)constructionofHistoryinstorieshastooccurinanhonestanddocumentedway,since,formanyviewers,thisistheonlylinkbetweentheindividualandcollectivememory,functioningasasymbolic representation(Yeste,2009).
Theseexercisesofculturalproximity(Rueda,2011)gaindif-ferentshapesaccordingtothesubjectdiscussed,aswelltothepro-ductionandbroadcastingspaces.Accordingly, if the internationalchannelsexplore,aboveall,revisitationsofepicmomentsofgen-eralhistoryofmankind,suchastheseriesRome(2005)orThe Bor-
gias (2011), national channels have to lookon their past, events,momentsandpersonalities thatgivesubstance to the local imagi-nary.Withinthislineofthought,andlookingatthePortugueseex-perience,inthelastyears,televisionchannelshavebeenrevisitingimportantmomentsofpoliticalandsocialhistorywithtitleslikeO
Dia do Regicídio (2007),whichdealswith the fallof themonar-chy,Noite Sangrenta(2010),whichpresentstheFirstRepublic,A
Vida Privada de Salazar(2008),whichexplorestheinnerlifeofthePortugueseDictatorAntóniodeOliveiraSalazar,Conta-me como
Foi (2007-2012),whichdealswith thesocialand family lifedur-ingtheperiodofEstado Novoor,morerecently,Depois do Adeus (2012/2013),whichdepicts the returnof thePortuguese from theformercolonies.ThelattertitlerepresentsasectioninthetrendofhistoricalfictionalproductioninPortugal,sinceitisasubjectthatoccurredmorerecently,allowing,ontheonehand,challengingtheneedofdistancefromthepast,toreflectonit(Sobchack,1996)and,ontheotherhand,tostrengthentheroleoftelevisionasanautho-
rized historian(Dayan&Katz,1992).If we look at the Portuguese fictional television production
consideredhistoricalinthelasttwodecades(1990-2012)–titlesun-rolledinapasttimeand/oronrealmomentsandpersonalities–35titlescanbefound.Fromthesetitles,40%arelocated,infact,inthe
Portugal– Fiction and audiences on transition | 437
recentpast(between1930and1970),followed,withanincidencerate of 26%, by the adaptation ofworks by canonical authors ofthenineteenthcentury,and,with20%,thefirsttwodecadesofthetwentieth century (theFirstRepublic and the consequent govern-mentinstability).Theremaining14%ofthetitlesarescatteredbyundifferentiatedtimes(Torres&Burnay,2013).
Inabreakdownbychannels,itisclearthatpublicservicemakea continued commitment to this typeof content (27 titles),whileprivate channels do it irregularly and inmeetingother objectivessuchasthecreationoffantasticmomentsonthescreen(Equador,TVI)ortheexplorationofprivatelifepersonalities(A Vida Privada
de Salazar,SIC)(Burnay&Lopes,2013).In2012,weidentifiedtwotitlesconsideredhistorical–Perdi-
damente FlorbelaandBarcelona, Cidade Neutral(RTP1)–andoneconsideredaperiodpiece–Anjo Meu (TVI)–.Perdidamente Flor-
belapresentsthelifeofthePortuguesepoetFlorbelaEspancadur-ingtheearlytwentiethcentury.DirectedbyVicenteAlvesdoó,thefeaturefilm,whichwasbroadcastedontelevisionasathree-episodeminiseries,wasshowedinnationalandinternationalmoviefestivals(Rio de Janeiro, Bissau, Spain, andUnited States), accumulatingnominationsandawards.Barcelona, Cidade Neutral,alsoaminise-ries,butproduceddirectlyfortelevision,portraysBarcelona,duringtheWorldWarI,asaneutralcity.Onceagain, thepublicservicechannelparticipatedintheproductionthroughfinancialinvestment,allowingnotonly thepresenceofPortuguese actors, but also thepossibility to broadcast the content. The last titlementioned is atelenovela.TheplotofAnjo Meu took the70sasabackdropandthemeforthedevelopmentofthestory,andthescriptdidnotdepictrealevents.
Theinstabilityofthefutureofpublicservicechannel,themaindriverofthiskindofcontents,leavesopenthefutureofthisgenreoffiction.
438 | Obitel 2013
ReferencesAUGÉ,M.,Não Lugares: introdução a uma antropologia da sobremoder-
nidade.Lisbon:BertrandEditora,1994.
BAUMAN,Z.,Modernidade líquida.RiodeJaneiro:JorgeZaharEditor,
2001.
BHABHA,H.,Nation and Narration.NewYork:Routledge,2006.
BURNAY,C.D.;LOPES,P.«HistoryintoStories:Portuguesememories
andtelevisionfictionalnarratives»Revista VIA,Centred’EstudisJordiPujol,
Barcelona,2013,pp.138-147.
DAYAN,D.,KATZ,E.Media events: the live broadcasting of history.
Cambridge:HarvardUniversityPress,1992.
EDGERTON,G.R.“Where thepastcomesalive?”: television,history
andcollectivememory.In:WASKO,J.(ed.)A companion to television.United
Kingdom:Blackwell,2010,pp.361-378.
FELDMAN-BIANCO,B.«Reconstruindoasaudadeportuguesaemví-
deo:históriasorais,artefatosvisuaiseatradiçãodecódigosculturaisnapesqui-
saetnológica».Horizontes Antropológicos,year1,n.2,PortoAlegre:UFRGS,
1995,pp.73-86.
GANITO, C.; BURNAY, C.D.; FERREIRA, C. «Serialized Participa-
toryCulture:TheDigitalTransformationofYouthAudiences».Observatório
(OBS*) Journal Obercom,2012,pp.51-78.
JENKINS,R.Social Identity.London:Routledge,1996.
MARTINS, G. O. Portugal: identidade e diferença. Lisbon: Gradiva,
2007.
MONTEIRO,P.«Espaçopúbliconocentrocomercial:oAmoreirascomo
portadeentrada».Trajectos–Revistade Comunicação, Cultura e Educação,n.
3,Lisbon:ISCTE,2003,pp.9-19.
RUEDA,J.C.«Estatierraesmía.Espacioshistóricosygeografíadela
memoriaenlaficcióntelevisivaespañola».Haol,26,pp.27-39,2011.
SOBCHACK,V.The persistence of history: cinema, television and the
modern event.NewYork/London:Routledge,1996.
TORRES, E. C.; BURNAY, C.D. «The subject-matter of audiovisual
historical fiction inPortugal (1909-2010)». In:Cabecinhas,R.&Abadia,L.
(eds.).Narratives and social memory: theoreticalandmethodologicalapproa-
ches.Braga:UniversityofMinho,2013.pp.190-201.
YESTE,E.«Losmediosrevisitandoelpasado:loslímitesdelamemoria.»
Análise, 38,pp.71-84,2009.
11urugAy: seArchIng For
A susTAInAble model
Author:RosarioSánchezVilela
Team:PaulaSantos,LucíaAllegro,
EugeniaArmúa,IsabelDighiero
1. Audiovisual context in the country
Introduction The audiovisual production in Uruguay has always had to
face theproblemofhighcosts related toasmallmarket.Thede-mand for stimulus policies and promotion of national produc-tion screen quotas have been recurrent over time,while employ-ers often insist on the difficulties to recover the investment. Thesustainabilityofproduction is thusoneof thekeys to thevariousstakeholdersanditisexacerbatedwhenitcomestotelevisionfic-tion.At the same time, initiatives to legislateon audiovisual ser-vicesand theadventofDigitalTerrestrialTelevisionarousevari-ouspositionsandinduceexpectationsregardingthetransformationof television.However, progress has been irregular,whenno ac-tion has been left in abeyance. Meanwhile, audiovisual produc-tionshowssomesignsofvitalityandpersistence:nationalcinemain2012openeda lockeroffifteen titlescorresponding to72,2741 tickets sold; about 150 active production companies diversifytheir linesofwork; theopentelevisionoffersagain threeproduc-
1Source:DataprovidedbyCinemaandAudiovisualInstitute(InstitutodelCineydelAudiovisual-ICAU).
440 | Obitel 2013
tions of television fiction, but this year not reaching the top ten. Strategicalliancesaimedattheexportofdomesticproductionsareconstant in various actors involved, both independent producersandproductionareasofthechannels.Inthissense,SaetaChannel10, that has takenmore strongly the production of fiction in re-centyears, developedvariouspartnershipswith foreign resources(producers,writers, directors),while pitching instances generatedwithin the channel to identify newproducts, and sells its outputsthroughagreementswithTelemundoInternacionalorFlorLatina.Itisalsoasignofthislooktowardstheinternationalizationofdomes-ticproductionthatOZMedia–tocelebrateitstenyears–organizedMonTV,aneventthatfocusedonnewtelevisionbusinessmodels,creatingnewformatsandmarketinganddistributingthemininter-nationalmarkets.Apart fromOZMedia, in recent years, severalindependent producers (Microtime,Nepal Films,ContenidosTV,etc.)participatedatinternationalfairsandfestivalsinordertoselltheirformats.2
1.1. The open television TheopenbroadcasttelevisionsysteminUruguayiscomposed
of 28 private television stations and 33 public ones, assigned toUruguayNationalTelevision(TelevisiónNacionalUruguay-TNU,Channel5).3TheprivatebroadcastiscomposedofthreefrequenciessettledinMontevideoandlinkedtothreeeconomicgroups:DeFeo-Fontaina group, owner ofChannel 10; theRomay-Salvo/Romay-Ecchergroup,ownerofChannel4;andtheCardoso-Pombo-Scheckgroup,ownerofChannel12.Oftheremaining25privatetelevisionstations,sevenareownedbyanyofthesegroupsortheirassociation
2 http://elobservador.com.uy/noticia/237518/productoras-van-tras-las-ideas-con-audien-cia-global/.3Source:CommunicativeServicesRegulatoryUnit(UnidadReguladoradeServiciosCo-municacionales-URSEC).Listofavailablestationsathttp://www.ursec.gub.uy/scripts/templates/portada.asp?=nota=Contenidos/Operadores/Radiodifusion/AM%20%20FM/DATOS%20TECNICOS%20EMISORAS&Despliegue=DATOS_big.asp.
Urugay – Searching for a sustainable model | 441
inRUTSA4.Throughthiscompanytheyprovidecontenttoothertenchannelswithinthecountry.5
Even though they do not constitute national chains, the pro-gramming of themetropolitan private channels aswell as of thepublictelevision(alsobasedinMontevideo)areexpandingtootherregionsofthecountry.Ononehand,localchannelsproducesomeprograms, particularly informative ones, but they do not tap intofiction.ThestudyofObitel-Uruguayfocuses in thefourchannelswhicharerecordedinGraph1.Ontheotherhand,itisrelevantnot-ingthatMontevideoanditsmetropolitanareaaccountforhalfofthecountry’spopulation.Moreover,audiencemeasurementsbyIbopearealsoperformedonthispopulation.6
Graph 1. National television chains in Uruguay
PRIVATE CHAINS (3) PUBLIC CHAINS ( 1 )MontecarloTV(Channel4) TelevisiónNacional(TNU,Channel5)
Saeta(Channel10)Teledoce/LaTele(Channel12)
TOTAL CHAINS = 4
Graph 2. Audience and share per channel
Total Channels Ra- ting
Sha- re
Teledoce/LaTele(Channel12) 8.6 43.2%
MontecarloTV(Channel4) 5.3 26.6%
Saeta(Channel10) 4.9 24.6%TelevisiónNacional(TNU,Channel5) 1.1 5.5%
Total 19.9 100Source:Obitel-UruguayonIbopedata
4RedUruguayadeTelevisiónS.A.,alsoknownasLaRed.5Thedetailof theconcentrationofownershipandcontrolover thegeneral televisionsystemisavailableatEdisonLanzaandGustavoBuquet(2011).La televisión privada comercial en Uruguay. Caracterización de la concentración de la propiedad, las audien-cias y la programación. Fesur,Montevideo.Seegraphicsonpage14to21.6 IbopeperformedtheirmeasurementsonauniverseconsistingofMontevideoprivatehouseholdswithat leastoneTV,coveringindividualsover4yearsoldlivinginthosehomes.In2012householduniversewas438,822.Aratingpointis1%oftheuniverseofreference.
Teledoce/LaTele
(Channel12)
MontecarloTV
(Channel4)
Saeta(Channel10)
TelevisiónNacional
(TNU,Channel5)
24.6%
5.5%
26.6%43.2%
442 | Obitel 2013
Graph 3. Genres offered in TV programming
Genres transmitted
Exhibition hours %
Entertainment 6,243:25 25.2Fiction 6,050:20 24.5Information 5,700:20 23.0
Others 2,352:30 9.5
Documentary 1,106:20 4.5Sports 963:30 3.9Educative 702:35 2.8
Religion 541:40 2.2
Agriculture 485:25 2.0Infotainment 250:00 1.0Specials 221:20 0.9
Health 113:30 0.5
Total 24,730:55 100
Graph 4. National production offer by genre7
Genres transmitted % Exhibi-tion
hours Information 38.4 5,684:55Entertain-ment
23.3 3,445:15
Others 15.9 2,352:30Sports 4.3 635:20Educational 4.3 633:50Documen-tary
4.1 602:55
Agriculture 3.3 485:25Religion 1.6 236:00Infotainment 1.6 232:50Fiction7 1.3 192:05Specials 1.3 195:40Health 0.8 113:30Total 100 14,810:15
7Nationalcinemaandrerunsareincluded.Mostly,thenationalproductionofferfollowsthesametrendofthepreviousyears.
Entertainment
Fiction
Information
Others
Documentary
Sports
Educative
Religion
Agriculture
Infotainemt
Specials
Health
9.5
0.9
24.5
25.2
23.0
0.5
4.53.9
2.82.2 2.0
Information
Entertainment
Others
Sports
Educational
Documentary
Agriculture
Religion
Infotainment
Fiction
Specials
Health
4.3%
1.3%
23.3%
38.4%
15.9%
0.8%
3.3%1.6%1.6% 1.3%
4.3%
Source:Obitel-UruguayonIbopedata
Source:Obitel-UruguayonIbopedata
Urugay – Searching for a sustainable model | 443
The supplyofbroadcast televisionprogramming reveals thatentertainment, fiction and information concentrate the highestairtime (72.7%). The programming of national origin occupied14,810:15hours, representing about 60%of total broadcast time.Whenanalyzingitscomposition,itisobservedthat38%ofnationalproductionisdevotedtonationalnewsand23.3%toentertainment,whilenationalfictionrepresented1.3%oftotalhours. 1.2. Advertising investment of the year: in TV and fiction
Establishing exactly what was the advertising investment intelevisionfictionin2012isnotaneasytask.Theavailableinforma-tionispartialandscattered.However,usingdifferentsourcesmadeitpossibletoachievesuchanapproachtothetopic.
GlobaladinvestmentinUruguayin2012wasestimatedatUS$263millionaccordingtoareportbyCINVE.8Itnotesthat“in2012openTV(56%)andradio(14%)participationwouldhaveremainedstable, while the share of investment in press would have fallen(9%).Meanwhile,therewasaslightincreaseintheshareofpublicparticipations(14%).Finally,itisemphasizedthateventhoughtheshareof investment in Internet is locatedatvery lowpercentages(5%),itcontinuestogrowsteadily”.Basedonthesedata,then,tele-visionadspendingwouldreachaboutUS$147million.
Howmuchofthatinvestmentwasconcentratedontelevisionfiction?Anapproximationcanbeobtainedfromthedataofadver-tisingseconds.During2012,totalsecondsforTVadvertisingwas13,324,2089andtotalsecondsforfictionwas2,557,177.TheIbero-Americanfictionpremiereissued1,546,056secondsofadvertising.Asfarasnationalfictionsrelates,thenextthreehadanunevendis-tributionofadvertisingturns:Bienes ganancialestook31,542sec-
8CINVE(CentrodeInvestigacionesEconómicas,orinEnglish,EconomicResearchCen-ter)reportforAUDAP(AsociaciónUruguayadeAgenciasdePublicidad,orUruguayanAssociationofAdvertisingAgencies),December2012.In:http://comunicacionpublicita-ria.com.uy/la-industria-publicitaria-y-su-impacto-en-la-economia-uruguaya/.9 Source:Data provided by Ibope-Uruguay fromMonitor Evolution, from January toDecember2012,includingalltypesofcommercialbroadcastinbatch.
444 | Obitel 2013
onds;Somos,6,241;andRec,859.Convertingthisdataintoaccuratefinancialinvestmentisnotpossiblewiththeinformationavailable.Theratesofthechannelscanbetakenasareference,10butthefinalcost for thesecondad is theresultofnegotiationswitheachcus-tomer.Accordingtovariousqueriesperformedinadvertisingandmediaagencies,theagentsstatethatfinallythepriceofthetelevi-sionminutefluctuatesbetweenUS$600andUS$2,500.
1.3. Communication policiesOnMay11th,2012theExecutiveapprovedthedecreereferred
totheregulatoryframeworkofdigitalTV11byestablishingthatforMontevideoanditsmetropolitanareatherewouldbesixpublicchan-nels(oneofwhichisreservedforTNU,onefortheMunicipalityofMontevideo, another to disseminate public channels of the region)and sevenprivate (ofwhichonewillbe “mirror signal”ofprivatechannels4,10and12andtheremnantthreecouldbegrantedtoeachoneofthesesignalstotransformtheirservicestodigital).Therewillalsobeothersevennonprofitcommunitychannels,appointedafteranopencall.Fortherestofthecountrytherewillbethreepublicchan-nels(oneofwhichisforTNU),threeprivateandthreecommunal.
Thedecreemadeitmandatorytodevote15minutestopublicwelfarecampaigns,whetherpublicornot,andtheneedtopromotenationalproducts.Inaddition,digitalservicesshouldofferprogres-sivelyaccessibilityforpeoplewithvisualandhearingdisabilities.Italsosetsanumberofconditionsforgrantingthosesignalstotheones that present to thepublic call.Among themost relevant re-quirementsare thedemonstrationofeconomiccapacityand trust-worthiness, as well as the presentation of a communication andbusinessplantobesubmittedtotheevaluationofannon-bindingIn-dependentHonoraryandAdvisoryCommission,whichwascreated
10Thesecondofprimetimecosts$3,429;atnight$1,649;and$1,008intheafternoon,accordingtothetariffofSaetaChannel10fromJanuary1st,2013whichwaspossibletoaccess.11 Original decree: http://archivo.presidencia.gub.uy/sci/decretos/2012/05/miem_585.pdf.
Urugay – Searching for a sustainable model | 445
bythesamedecree.Theauthorizationswillbegrantedfor15yearswithanoption to renewevery10years,“provided that therewasno negative evaluation of the communication plan and that therewere nonewpre-qualified interestedpartiesforwhich therewerenotavailablechannelswithinthereservedones”.12
However, onDecember31st, 2012, thegovernmentmodifiedthisdecreeandprivatetelevisionswereexoneratedofcompliancewith therequirementsabovedescribedasa“convenientmeans topromotecontinuityofexistingcommercialtelevisionbroadcastingservicesinthenewdigitalenvironment,inresponsetogeneralandculturalinteresttargetsthathaveprovidedsofar,forwhattheback-groundofthechannelswillbeconsideredintheprocedurestobeestablished”13.Thus,privateopentelevisionchannelsinthecountry(Channels4,10and12)automaticallygetonedigitalsignalforape-riodof15yearswithoutexhibitinganyofthedocumentsrequestedtothenewstakeholders.Thismodificationandthedatewhenitwasdonecauseddiscomfort,mainlywithin theIndependentHonoraryandAdvisoryCommittee,responsibleforevaluatingtheprojects.
Thedecree signedonDecember 31st stated that the deadlineforsubmissionofproposalsfordigitalTVtotheRegulatoryUnitof Communication Services (Unidad Reguladora de ServiciosdeComunicaciones -URSEC)was February 25th, 2013, but twodays before President José Mujica suspended the call to stake-holdersina“transitory”wayarguing“reasonsofopportunityandconvenience”14.Theresumptionof thecallwasexpected inApril
12Article8.Initsliterale)setsoutindetailthecontenttheplanshouldhave:program-ming,amountandtypeofgenrestooffer,advertisingguidelinepolicy,amountandtypeofdomesticandownproduction,accessibilityforpeoplewithvisualandhearingimpair-mentsandemploymentitgenerates.13 http://www.presidencia.gub.uy/wps/wcm/connect/presidencia/portalpresidencia/comu-nicacion/comunicacionnoticias/ejecutivo-aprobo-pliego-para-llamado-tv-digital-abierta.14 Sources: http://www.180.com.uy/articulo/26133_Asi-sera-la-TV-digital-uruguaya;http://www.elobservador.com.uy/noticia/242125/mujica-freno-llamado-sobre-tv-digital-tras-pedido-de-los-canales/;http://www.presidencia.gub.uy/wps/wcm/connect/presidencia/portalpresidencia/comu-nicacion/comunicacionnoticias/ejecutivo-aprobo-pliego-para-llamado-tv-digital-abierta;http://180.com.uy/articulo/32687_TV-digital-La-antiguedad-da-prioridad-a-canales-pri-
446 | Obitel 2013
2013.ThemonitoringofthisissueinthelasttwoObitelYearbookshadshownupsanddowns,andthosereversalshadcontinuedduring2012.Attheclosingofthischapter,advancedthe2013,thecomple-tionofthenewcallisstillpending.Nevertheless,somestepshavebeenfinalized.InAugust2012,pilotemissionsfromTNUpublicchanneltoMontevideobegan.Privatechannelshavealsotested,butarenottransmittingintheirdigitalsignals.15Thedateforthe“digitalswitchover”apparentlyremainsNovember21st,2015.
RegardingtheAudiovisualServicesAct(LeydeServiciosAu-diovisuales), theproject isbeingconsideredby theExecutive. Itscontentshavebeenpartiallyrevealedinpressreleasesfromvariousgovernmentsources,butitsfulltexthasnotbeenpublishedyetnorenteredParliament.16
Tothesedebatesaboutthemedia,inAugust2012itwasaddedthecalloftheExecutivetoaTechnicalAdvisoryCommitteeontherightsofchildrenandadolescents,freedomofexpressionandmediawiththetaskofdevelopingasetofrecommendationsfromadiscus-sionagenda.17Theworkof thecommissiongeneratedsomepressdiscussionsaboutthelinksbetweenself-regulationandregulation,the desirability of regulation regarding contents and advertisingduring thehoursof childprotectionandchildren’sprogramming,amongothersubjects.
1.4. Pay TVThe number of paid TV services has experienced a steady
growthfromyeartoyear:inDecember2012thenumberamounted
vados; http://historico.elpais.com.uy/130124/ultmo-690824/ultimomomento/postergan-llamado-para-operar-la-television-digital/.15 http://www.180.com.uy/articulo/28114_La-television-digital-llego-a-medias.16 http://brecha.com.uy/index.php/politica-uruguaya/1111-el-modelo-uruguayo;http://www.montevideo.com.uy/notnoticias_174665_1.html.17Theminutesofeachmeetingweremadepublic,andtogetherwiththefinalreportandrecommendations, are available at: http://www.presidencia.gub.uy/wps/wcm/connect/presidencia/portalpresidencia/comunicacion/informes/comite-consultivo-sobre-ninez-y-medios.
Urugay – Searching for a sustainable model | 447
to592,699,itmeans55,887morethanthepreviousyear.18Asfornationalcablechannelsprogramming, the trendofpreviousyearscontinues: they broadcast programs produced by open TV andamong these programs the journalistic ones of different themesdominate.Thenoveltyin2012wasthatthepubliccablechannelof-feredtwonationalfictiontitles:Laboratorio en casaandContámela
en colores.Thelatterreferstodifferentperiodsofnationalhistoryandhence it is related to theyear’s theme tobedeveloped in thecorrespondingsection.Laboratorio en casa isaprogramaimedatchildrenandeducation.ItisafictionproducedbyOZMedia,whichsomehowrecognizesas inspirationEl mundo de Beakmnan,19 butunlikethelatter,hasamoredevelopedfiction:varietyofcharacters,humoroussituationsmanagement,domesticspacewhereactionofthecharactershappens,amongothers.Thefictionalcomponentsaredeployedandsotheframeworkinwhicheducationalcontentdevel-ops.
1.5. Trends in ICTsIn the telecommunications market, there are 580,669 fixed
broadband services throughout Uruguay (97% operated by state-ownedAntel)and1,084,500mobilebroadband.Mobiletelephonycontinues to grow: it reached a total of 4,995,459 services untilDecember2012,implyingthatmobileteledensityservicesreached151.5pereach100inhabitants.20
Thestudyon theUruguayan InternetUserProfile (PerfildelInternautaUruguayo)thatRadarGroup21annuallypresentsshowed
18 http://www.ursec.gub.uy/scripts/locallib/imagenes/Informetelecomunicacionesdic 2012.pdf.19InterviewwithSeniorProducerPaulArriolapublishedinEl País,onSeptember8th,2012.20 http://www.180.com.uy/articulo/29534_El-42-de-los-uruguayos-tiene-banda-ancha;http://www.180.com.uy/articulo/31678_Uruguay-tiene-la-mejor-banda-ancha-http://www.ursec.gub.uy/scripts/locallib/imagenes/Informetelecomunicacionesdic2012.pdf;de-la-region.21 http://www.gruporadar.com.uy/01/wp-content/uploads/2012/08/El-Perfil-del-Internau-ta-Uruguayo-Resumen-ejecutivo.pdf.
448 | Obitel 2013
that in 2012 Uruguay reached almost two million Internet us-ers(17%haveinternetontheirmobilephoneanduseitmainlytoaccess socialnetworks), a totalof1.2millionFacebookusers,ofwhichmorethanhalfenterthenetworkeveryday,andabout140thousandusersofTwitter(ofwhich43%tweeteverydayoreverytwoorthreedays).Inaddition,thereareapproximately150thou-sandUruguayanblogsthataredevelopedmostly(56%)bypeopleunder20yearsold. 2. Yearly analysis: premiere of national and Ibero-American fiction
Table 1. Fictions exhibited in 2013
PREMIERE NATIONAL TITLES: 3 SAETA, Channel 101.Bienes gananciales(series)2.Somos(unitary)
TNU, Channel 5(Televisión Nacional del Uruguay) 3.REC.Una serie casera(miniseries)
PREMIERE IMPORTED TITLES: 44 SAETA, Channel 101.Amor real(telenovela-Mexico)2.Búsqueda desesperada(miniseries-Spain/Colombia)3.En terapia(series-Argentina)4.La promesa(miniseries-Colombia)5.Los Sánchez(telenovela-Mexico)6.Mentes en shock(series-Colombia/USA)7.Reparaciones (unitary-Argentina)8.Super Pá(series-Colombia)9.Una maid en Manhattan(telenovela-USA)
TELEDOCE, Channel 12 10.Condicionados(miniseries-Argentina)11.Cuchicheos(telenovela-Brazil)12.Cuento encantado(telenovela-Brazil)13.Daños colaterales(unitary-Argentina)14.El astro(telenovela-Brazil)15.Escrito en las estrellas(telenovela-
Brazil)16.Fina estampa(telenovela-Brazil)17.Herederos de una venganza (telenovela-Argentina)18.Insensato corazón(telenovela-Brazil)19. Maltratadas(unitary-Argentina)20.Passione (telenovela-Brazil)21.Sos mi hombre(telenovela-Argentina)22.Violetta(telenovela-Argentina/USA)
MONTECARLO, Channel 4 23.40 y tantos(telenovela-Chile)24.Abismo de pasión(telenovela-Mexico)25.Al fondo hay sitio(telenovela-Peru)26.Amar y temer(telenovela-Colombia/USA)27.Amor bravío(telenovela-Mexico)28.Aquí mando yo (telenovela-Chile)29.Dos hogares(telenovela-Mexico/USA)30.Dulce amor(telenovela-Argentina)31.El hombre de tu vida(series-Argentina)32.Graduados(telenovela-Argentina)33.Herederos del monte(telenovela-Colombia/USA)34.La dueña(telenovela,Argentina)35.La fuerza del destino(telenovela-Mexico)36.Los caballeros las prefieren brutas (series-Colombia/USA)
Urugay – Searching for a sustainable model | 449
Source:Obitel-Uruguay
Inbroadcasttelevisionprogramming,fictionasawholerepre-sented24.5%ofthetotalandIbero-Americanfictionpremiererep-resented8.9%:itoccupied2,224:35ofthetotalhours(24,730:55).Premieretitlesaremostlyimportedproductions:fromatotalof47titles,only threewereproduceddomestically(Table1).Byobserv-ingthedistributionofthetitlesinrelationtothechannelsthatex-hibitthem,somepersistenttrendsarerevealed:Montecarlowasthechannel thatprovidedmore titles(17)ofdiverseorigin;TeledocefolloweditwithtwelvetitlesfromArgentinaandBrazilonly;Saetaemittedtentitles,amongwhichincluded twonationalproductions;TNU increased the supply of Ibero-American fiction titles com-paredtopreviousyears:fivetitles,beingoneanationalproduction.
37.Pablo Escobar: el patrón del mal (telenovela-Colombia)38.Pasión de gavilanes(telenovela-Colombia/USA)39.Triunfo del amor(telenovela-Mexico)40.Vecinos(telenovela-Colombia)
TNU, Channel 5 (Televisión Nacional del Uruguay) 41.Amar en Tiempos revueltos(series-Spain)42.Cuéntame(series-Spain)43.El Show de Alejandro Molina(series-Argentina)44.Vientos de agua (miniseries-Argentina/Spain)
IBERO-AMERICAN RERUNS: 9SAETA, Channel 101. Ana y los 7 (series-Spain)
2. Trillizos (telenovela-Argentina)3. La niñera (series-Argentina)
TELEDOCE, Channel 124. El chapulín colorado(series-Mexico)5. El Chavo(series-Mexico)
MONTECARLO, Channel 46. Casados con hijos (series-Argentina)7. Floricienta (telenovela-Argentina)8. Supertorpe (series-Argentina)
TNU, Channel 59. Ciega a Citas (telenovela-Argentina)
NATIONAL RERUNS: 1SAETA, Channel 101. Porque te quiero así
TOTAL TITLES OF IBERO-AMERICAN FICTION, RERUNS AND PREMIERES: 57
450 | Obitel 2013
Table2.Premierefictionin2012:countriesoforigin
Country Titles % Chapters/episodes % Hours %
NATIONAL (total) 3 6.4 82 2.6 36:35 1.6
IBERO-AMERICAN (total) 44 93.6 3,052 97.4 2,188:00 98.4
Argentina 12 25.5 658 21.0 514:00 23.1
Brazil 7 14.9 668 21.3 490:30 22.1
Chile 2 4.3 137 4.4 65:00 2.9
Colombia 4 8.5 235 7.5 165:12:00 7.4
Ecuador 0 0 0 0 0 0
Spain 2 4.3 557 17.8 405:20 18.2
USA (Hispanic production ) 1 2.1 61 1.9 46:05 2.1
Mexico 6 12.8 372 11.9 252:10 11.3
Peru 1 2.1 28 0.9 16:40 0.7
Portugal 0 0 0 0 0
URUGUAY 3 6.4 82 2.6 36:35 1.6
Venezuela 0 0 0 0 0 0
Ibero-American (not Obitel) 0 0 0 0 0 0
Others (productions and co-productionsfrom other Latin American/Ibero-American countries)
9 19.1 336 10.7 232:30 10.5
TOTAL 47 100 3,134 00 2,224:35 100
Source:Obitel-UruguayonIbopedata
Theofferofpremiereskept thegrowth trend thatwasmani-festedin201122.Thecompositionofthe47titlesaccordingtotheiroriginevidences thathigherpercentagesare fictions fromArgen-tineanandBrazilianorigin,althoughtherewasanincreaseofco-productions that tripled over the past twoyears.The presence ofMexicodecreasedand, instead, it shows thenoveltyof fictionofPeruvianoriginthatisunusualinthenationalscreen.Thepresenceofnational fiction remains in the same termsas in thepast threeyears:threetitles,1.6%oftotalairtimeoffictionmovies.
22SeeYearbooks2011and2012:thesupplyofpremiereswere37titlesin2010andwentupto46in2011.
Urugay – Searching for a sustainable model | 451
Table3.C
hapters/episodesandhoursbroadcastbytimeslot
Tim
e sl
otN
atio
nal
Iber
o-A
mer
ican
Tot
al
C/E
%
H%
C/E
%H
%C/E
%H
%
Mor
ning
(6
:00-
12:0
0)*
00
00
110
3.6
67:50
3.1
110
3.5
67:50
3.1
Aft
erno
on (
12:0
0- 1
9:00
)
00
00
1,147
37.6
816:20
37.3
1,147
36.6
816:20
36.6
Prim
e tim
e (1
9:00
-22:
00)
7692.7
31:45
86.7
1,082
35.5
868:50
39.7
1,158
37.0
900:30
40.5
Nig
ht (2
2:00
-6:0
0)
6
7.3
4:50
13.3
713
23.4
434:30
19.9
719
22.9
439:20
19.8
TO
TA
L82
100
36:35
100
3,052
100
2,187:30
100
3,134
100
2,224:00
100
Source:O
bitel-UruguayonIbopedata
Table4.N
ationalandIbero-Americanfictionform
ats
For
mat
sN
atio
nal
Iber
o-A
mer
ican
Tit
les
%Chap/Ep
%H
ours
%T
itle
s%
Chap/Ep
%H
ours
%T
elen
ovel
a0
00
00
029
65.9
2,266
74.2
1,641:20
75.0
Seri
es1
33.3
6781.7
28:30
78.0
818.4
677
22.2
471:25
21.6
Min
iser
ies
133.3
911.0
3:15
8.9
49.1
943.1
64:20
2.9
Telefilm
00
00
00
00
00
00
Uni
tary
133.3
67.3
4:50
13.1
36.6
150.5
10:25
0.5
Doc
udra
ma
00
00
00
00
00
00
Oth
ers
(soa
p op
era,
etc
.)0
00
00
00
00
00
0
TO
TA
L3
100
8210
036:35
100
4410
03,052
100
2,187:30
100
Source:O
bitel-UruguayonIbopedata
452 | Obitel 2013
Table5.Nationalfictionformatsbytimeslot
Formats Mor-ning % After-
noon % Prime time % Night % To-
tal %
Telenovela 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
Series 0 0 0 0 1 50 0 0 1 33.3
Miniseries 0 0 0 0 1 50 0 0 1 33.3
Telefilm 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
Unitary 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 1 33.3
Docudrama 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
Others (soap opera, etc.) 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
TOTAL 0 0 0 0 2 100 1 0 3 100
Source:Obitel-Uruguay
Table6.Timeperiodoffiction
Time period Titles %
Present 41 87.2
Epoch 5 10.6
Historical 1 2.2
Other 0 0
TOTAL 47 100
Source:Obitel-Uruguay
Over70%ofthepremierechaptersaredistributedbetweenaf-ternoonandprimetime,withaslightdifferenceinfavorofthelatterschedule.Thenational fictionswerebroadcast inprimetime threetimesaweek in thecaseofBienes gananciales, andonSaturdayinthecaseofREC. Una serie casera.Instead,Somoswasemittedin night time.Regarding formats, the telenovela is still dominantwith29titlesand75%ofairtime.Second,althoughwellbelow,theseriesappearedwitheighttitles,21.6%ofscreentime.Indomesticfiction, the series and the unitary are the formats adopted by theproductionsofChannel10.AndinthecaseofREC,eventhoughitpresentsitselfasaseries,itwasclassifiedasaminiseriesbecausetheamountofchaptersfitsbetterthisformat.Fictionstorieswereplacedpredominantlyinthepresent,fivetitlesdevelopedinepochsetting,withmoreorlesstemporalprecision,andonlyonefiction,
Urugay – Searching for a sustainable model | 453
Pablo Escobar: el patrón del mal,canbelocatedintothehistoricalcategory.
2.1. The ten most watched titles
Table 7. The 10 most watched titles: origin, rating, share
Title
Country of origin
of the original idea or script
Produc-tion
company
Chan-nel
Name of writer or author of the original idea
Ra- ting
Sha- re
1 Insensato corazón
Brazil TVGloboTele- doce
GilbertoBraga,RicardoLin-hares
20.7 32.0
2 Sos mi hombre
Argen-tina
PolkaTele- doce
LeandroCalderone 17.2 29.0
3 Passione Brazil TVGloboTele- doce
SilviodeAbreu 14.8 29.0
4 El Astro Brazil TVGloboTele- doce
Based on the homonymoustelenovela by Janete Clair(1977), was written by Al-cidesNogueira andGeraldoCarneiro, in collaborationwithTarcisioLaraPuiatiandVitor de Oliveira. Produc-tion:MauroMendonçaFilho
14.8 25.0
5Escrito en las estrellas
Brazil TVGloboTele- doce
ElizabethJhin 14.5 28.0
6 Cuchi-cheos
Brazil TVGloboTele- doce
Written by María AdelaideAmaral. Based on the tele-novela Ti-Ti-Ti by CassianoGabusMendes
14.2 27.5
7Hereder-os de una venganza
Argen-tina
PolkaTele- doce
LeandroCalderone 14.2 24.0
8 Fina estampa
Brazil TVGloboTele- doce
AguinaldoSilva 14.1 28.0
9 Dulce amor
Argen-tina
L.C.AcciónProduc-cionesandTelefé
Monte-carlo
Quique Estevanez, MarceloNacci,LauraBarneix
12.3 20.0
10 Maltrata-das
Argen-tina
FlorLatina
Tele- doce
Esther Feldaman, AlejandroMaci
11.4 25.0
Total productions: 10 Foreign scripts: 10
100% 100%
Source:Obitel-UruguayonIbopedata
454 | Obitel 2013
LeadershipintheaudienceisdisputedbetweenBrazilianandArgentinian fictions. For the second consecutive year aBrazilianproduction ranks first, but also the presence of fictions from thiscountrygrows:sixofthetenmostviewed,twiceasin2011.Regard-ingthe2011 ranking,twotitlesrepeat:PassioneandHerederos de
una venganza,whichbegantheirbroadcastthatyearandre-capturetheattentionofaudiences.
Thetentitleswereemittedinprimetimeandpre-primetime,inadditiontothenighttime,asinthecaseof Maltratadas or Herede-
ros de una venganza.Aninterestingaspecttonoticeisthatthefirstplacewasoccupiedby Insensato corazón, emitted after themainnewsand that recovered for theBrazilian telenovela a traditionalslot.
Unlikethelast threeyears, in2012noneof thenationalpro-ductionsmanagedtoplaceamongthetoptenmostwatchedtitles.Bienes ganancialeswas one of the threeUruguayan fictions thatcameclosestwith10pointsofratingand15ofshare(alittleoverapointofdifferencefromMaltratadas,butwithaten-pointdiffer-enceinshare),Somoshad8.7%ratingand16%share,whileREC. Una serie casera had1%ratingand2%share,percentagesthatareamongthehighestranksthatusuallygetpublicchannelprograms.
Teledoceleadershipwasalmostabsolute:justonetitlewasnotissuedbythischannel, which confirmsthepositionof2011,whilein2010Saetahadmanagedtoplacefiveofitstitlesinthetopten.Channel12istheonethatproducedlessnationalfictions:afterLa
oveja negrain2007andLas novias de Travoltain2009,Adiccio-
neswasissuedin2011,whichtooksecondplaceinthetoptenofthat year, although itwas not a production of the channel but ofContenidosTV,which is a company that produces several of itsprograms.Itshouldbenoted thatMaltratadasoriginallyemergedasanArgentine-Uruguayanco-productionwiththeparticipationofTeledoce.Researchondomesticviolencecases,subjectaddressedbythisfiction,washeldinTeledoceandthepilot(whichlaterbe-camethefirstchapter)wasfilmedinUruguay.Finallytheproject
Urugay – Searching for a sustainable model | 455
wasfinancedwithfundsfromtheFilmInstituteofArgentinaandgot apart fromTeledoce’s participation since the national fictionprojectofthischannelwhichhadbeenplannedforyearscouldnotbecarriedout.
Table 8. The 10 most watched titles:
format, length, time slot
Title For-mat Genre
Number of chapters/episodes(in 2012)
Dates of the firstandlast
issue (in 2012) (*)
Time slots
1 Insensato corazónTele-novela
Drama Romance
14604/10/2012to
2/25/2012Primetime
2 Sos mi hombreTele-novela
Melo-drama
5509/24/2012to12/27/2012
Night
3 PassioneTele-novela
DramaRomance
11701/02/2012to
06/12/2012Primetime
4 El AstroTele-novela
Drama 5007/23/2012to
12/31/2012 (cont.)
Primetime
5Escrito en las estrel-las
Tele-novela
DramaRomance
10506/13/2012to
11/06/2012After-noon
6 CuchicheosTele-novela
RomanceComedy
10701/02/2012to07/20/2012
After-noon
7Herederos de una venganza
Tele-novela
Melo-drama
4801/02/2012to
03/22/2012Primetime
8 Fina estampaTele-novela
Melo-drama
6610/01/2012to
12/31/2012 (cont.)
Primetime
9 Dulce amorTele-novela
Melo-drama
23102/13/2012to
12/31/2012 (cont.)
Primetime
10 Maltratadas Unitary Drama 1309/02/2102to
11/25/2012Night
Source:Obitel-Uruguay
456 | Obitel 2013
Table 9. Themes in the 10 most watched titles
Titles PREVAILING THEMES SOCIAL THEMES
1Insensato corazón
Siblingrivalry;loveandrevenge
Unwantedpregnancy;homo-sexuality-discrimination;corruption
2 Sos mi hombreLove,lovetriangle;familyrelationshipsandneighbor-hood;boxinganditsworld
Justiceandimpunity;homo-sexuality,fightinghomophobia;genderequalityandsports
3 Passione
Struggleforpowerinthebusinessworld;loveandrevenge;adultery;changeofidentity;bastardy
Childlabour,abandonment,adoption;teenpregnancy;abor-tion;drugaddiction;pedophilia;socialinclusionoftheblind
4 El astroIllusionism;love;crime;businessworld
Domesticviolence;delinquency;discrimination
5Escrito en las estrellas
Deathandlifeafterdeath;ambition;secretidentity;socialdifferences
Artificialinsemination;inter-generationalrelations;socialinclusion;culturaldiversity
6 Cuchicheos
Fashionworld;ambition,envyandrevenge;amne-sia;hiddenidentityanddisclosure
Homosexuality;prevention/treatmentofdiseases;culturaldiversity
7Herederos de una venganza
Secretsocieties;savioursandcursed,propheciesandpun-ishments;loveandrevenge;incest
Alcoholism;homosexuality;or-derbasedonprinciplesofjusticevs.justiceintotheirownhands;corruption,justiceandimpunity
8 Fina estampaMotherhood;familyrelation-ships;secretidentity;socialdifferencesandconfrontation
Invitrofertilization;thestruggleforpossessionofchildren;newfamilyconfigurations;domesticviolence
9 Dulce amorLove,lovetriangle;bastardy;secret;familyrelationships;socialdifferences
Obsessive/compulsivedisorders
10 MaltratadasLove;work and family rela-tions
Domestic violence; sexual ha-rassment;procuring
Source:Obitel-Uruguay
Urugay – Searching for a sustainable model | 457
Table10.Audienceprofileofthe10mostwatchedtitles: gender, age, socioeconomic status
Titles Chan-nel
Genre % Age % Socioeconomic status %
Wo-men
Men4-11
12-17
18-24
25-34
35-49
50-59
60+H+H-
A+ A A-L+L-
1
Insen-sato cora-zón
Tele-doce
63 37 5 5 5 9 22 16 38 16 20 22 17 25
2Sos mi hombre
Tele-doce
62 38 6 8 10 15 24 12 24 22 15 19 16 27
3Passio-ne
Tele-doce
70 30 4 5 6 11 19 13 42 10 20 21 20 29
4El astro
Tele-doce
72 28 6 6 7 10 20 16 35 10 18 28 18 27
5
Escrito en las estre-llas
Tele-doce
73 27 6 5 7 12 16 14 38 9 15 28 20 27
6Cuchi-cheos
Tele-doce
71 29 6 7 6 10 18 14 40 7 19 22 21 32
7
Here-deros de una ven-ganza
Tele-doce
67 33 6 8 9 14 20 13 29 15 14 17 25 29
8Fina estam-pa
Tele-doce
73 27 5 5 6 10 20 13 41 13 15 23 22 27
9Dulce amor
Mon-tecar-
lo 73 27 7 4 9 14 21 16 30 18 15 22 16 29
10Maltra-tadas
Tele-doce
61 39 3 5 8 17 27 13 27 21 15 19 16 28
Source:Obitel-UruguayonIbopedata
The audience composition shows a high percentage of fe-maleviewers;between61%and73%ofthepublicofthetenmostwatchedtitlesarewomen.Themaleaudiencedoesnotexceed39%inanycaseandtheirincreasedpresenceisrecordedintitlesbeingissuedinprimeandnighttimeslot.Theageprofileagainconfirmsthepredominanceofpopulationover60years:between38%and
458 | Obitel 2013
42%oftheaudienceforthesetitlesrespondtothatagerange.An-otheragegroupwhichrecordedhighpercentageofaudienceistheonebetween35and49years.Childrenandyoungpeoplemakeupthesmallestportionoftheaudience.However,itcanbeseenthatina rangefromaminimumof3%to7%of theaudienceare theviewerswhoarebetween4and11yearsold,andalsobetween4%and9%oftheaudiencecorrespondtotheagegroupof12-17years.Noneofthesetitlesisspecificallyaimedatthispopulation.
Intermsofsocioeconomicstatus,thegreaterportionoftheau-dienceislocatedinthethreesegmentscorrespondingtotheaverage(A)level.Thelowandverylow(L)sectorscomprisebetween25and32%oftheaudience,butinallcasesthesumofthethreeaver-agesegmentsexceedsthesepercentages.Amongtheupperclasses,the titles that concentratedgreatest attentionwereSos mi hombre andMaltratadas,with22%and21%oftheaudiencerespectively.
3. Transmedia receptionUnlike2011,whenUruguayanTVincludedadramaaimedat
teenageaudiences23thatimpliedalargedeploymentoftransmediaresources, therewere littleoffersofprogramswithextensionsonthewebin2012.Thisyearnoneofthenationalfictionsmanagedtoplaceamongthetoptenmostwatchedtitles.REC. Una serie casera waschosenforthisstudyamongthethreeUruguayanproductionsoftheyear.Itwasselectedbecauseitisanationalproductionthatforitscharacters,thethemeandtheprofileofitsfilmmakersseemedaimedatayoungeraudienceandthereforemorelikelytoencourageparticipationanduseofthewebsite.
Itwasfirstbroadcastonthepublicchannel(TNU)inOctober2012andwhileontheair(atotalofnineweeklyepisodes)hadaspacedefinedwithintheTNUwebsite.There,youcouldfindabriefdescriptionoftheplotofthefiction,thenamesofthecreatorsandmainactorsandthetimeatwhichtheserieswasissued.RECchap-
23 Dance! La fuerza del corazón,issuedbySaetaChannel10.
Urugay – Searching for a sustainable model | 459
terscouldbewatchedatwww.tnu.com.uy atthesametimethattheywereissuedbythechannel,buttheepisodeswereneitherputforlat-erobservationnorarenowwithinthefootage.Thechannel’sweb-sitedidnotofferaspecificspaceforcommentnoraplacewheretheaudiencecouldexchangeviews.However,theseriesitselffeaturedanofficialFacebookpage,24towhichatotalof1,450peoplegavea“like”.Inadditiontotheofficialwebsite,onFacebookthereisagroupcalled serie rec!25,whichisopenandinvitespeopletopartici-pateasextras,talksaboutthelocationswhereitwasfilmed,thecast-ing,andanswerstechnicalquestions.Thisgrouphas87members.
Table11.Thetransmediafiction: types of interaction and dominant practices
Fiction chosen
Televi-sion
Internet pages
Types of trans-media interac-tion
Interactivitylevels
Dominant practices of users
RECTNUChan-nel5
Televisionofficialwebsite
Viewingatthetimeoftheemis-sion
Passive None
FacebookPage
Interactive ActiveCommentCelebration
FacebookGroup
Interactiveview-ing
Active Comment
Source:Obitel-Uruguay
Asexpressed inTable11, the activity ismanifestedbothonthepageand in theFacebookgroupand thedominantpractice isthrough comments.Theofficial site only allows limited andpas-siveinteractivityintime,sothereisnopossibilitytoidentifyusers’practices.
ThesocialnetworkchosenforobservationwasFacebookanditcoveredallcommentsmadesincethepagewascreated.Withanumberof1,450fans,Facebookrecordedfivespeakers,whilethepublished postingswere 113.The number of “likes” of the post-ingsreached1,361,thecommentstothepostingswere122andthe
24http://www.facebook.com/serieREC?fref=ts.25http://www.facebook.com/#!/groups/390347437649601/?fref=ts.
460 | Obitel 2013
numberof“share”ofthepostingswas1,011.Mostofthecommentswererequestsforclarificationonwheretofindtheepisodesaired,showinginterestintheseriesandthegrowingdemandforproductavailabilityinotherformats.Inresponsetothis,theadministratorsofthepage(whichprobablyarethecreatorsorsomeseriesproduc-er)explainthatchapterscannotbeuploadedbyamusicrightsissue.Also,questionsaboutthepossibilityofrepetitionofcertainepisodesarenoticed,butonceagaintheanswerwasnegative.Thismaybedue to thepossibility that theserieswouldbebackinfull, issuedbythecablechannelTevéCiudad,butsofartherearenonewsnorstipulateddateofissuing.
The remaining comments that can be found on the page arecongratulations to the creators of the series. The comments ex-pressedwordsofencouragementandreferencesthatitispossibletomakequalityproductswithoutrepeatingformulasusedpreviouslyorrecognizedmediacharacters:
“Anexamplethatshowsitispossibletodogreatthingsinthiscountry,withoutcopyingandwithoutenteringgossipsandwithoutappearancesoftheblackRada.CheerstoREC entireteam!”(Post1-postedonAugust23rd,2012).
Other comments, such as the one illustrated by Post 2 tran-scriptedbelow,makeconnectionswithdiscussiontopicsrelatedtoyouth.So, tocelebrateanationalproductiondevelopedbyyoungpeople,thecontentsoffictionarelinkedtotheslogan“beingyoungisnotacrime”,associatedwithoppositiontothecampaignledtopromoteloweringtheageofcriminalresponsibility:
“It’slikewatchingmyteensonTV,thesekidsaremortal,longlifetolocalproductions!Orrather,peñaroles!
P.S.:Toallwhobelievethatbeingyoungisnotacrime,Iin-viteyoutositandthinkfiveminutesandseeifloweringtheageofcriminalresponsibilityisthewaytocombattheproblemsofsafety.Obviouslyitisanotherwaytocontinuetostigmatizepoliticalmi-norities,inthiscase,theyoung”(Post2-postedonNovember8th,2012).
Urugay – Searching for a sustainable model | 461
Onthewhole pagetherewereabout30posts,andtheonlyma-terialavailabletoseewerethespotsofthenextchapter.Onthepageyoucouldalso findmanyphotosof thepromotions,ofadvertise-mentsonbusstopsandothersofthebackstageoftheshooting.
4. Highlight of the yearThehighlightof2012couldbesummedupinthreeevents:the
presenceoffictiononpublictelevision;theemergenceofthefirstsitcominUruguay;thebettingtotheconvergenceofnationallitera-tureandtelevisiondramainanambitiousproduction.
PublictelevisionofferedafictiononopenTVandtwoonthecablechannel26,whichwasanoveltycomparedtopreviousyears.Afternearly twodecadeswithout thepresenceofnational televi-sionfiction,TNUissuedREC.Thisfictionpresentsitself,fromitssubtitle,asUna serie casera,orinEnglish,ahomemadeseries.Theexpressionpoints to severalmeanings: it realizes the chosennar-rativestrategy,saysthekindsofstoriesitcontains,butalsoreferstothescarcityofresourcesthatareavailable.Throughninechap-ters,onecharacter,Sebastián,recordswithahandheldcamerawhathappens inside his housewith his family, going outwith friendsand thedaily routine.Eachchapteralternatesstories thatdevelopin these twoareasof relationships: family-friends.The aestheticsof this fiction simulates a homemade video with its movementsandimperfections,aswellastheapparentirrelevanceofmostcir-cumstancesherecorded.Asoneofitsmakerspointedout,itisanaestheticchoiceandnarrativethatemergesfromeconomicreasons:“Theseriesstartswiththeideathatwewanttodosomethingandweknowwedonothaveabuck.Whatcanwedowithabuck?Ahomemadevideo”.At the same time, the influenceofTV showslikeThe Officeisacknowledged:“Fromherewemanagedtostealthesemi-documentaryformatwherethecameraparticipatesofthehistoryandthenaturalistictoneoftheproceedings,whichexploit
26 Contámela en colores andLaboratorio en casa.Seesections1and5ofthischapter.
462 | Obitel 2013
thetensiongeneratedbyuncomfortablemoments.WewanttobringeverydaylifetoTVasfaithfullyaspossible”.27
Anoteworthyaspectisthatitisaproductionbyreallyyoungfilmmakers,between25and26yearsold,andoneofthefewexam-plesoftelevisionfictionsupportedbydevelopmentfunds:theserieswasawarded in theSecondCallof theCinematographicandAu-diovisualFosteringFund2009–2010(SegundaConvocatoriadelFondodeFomentoCinematográficoyAudiovisual 2009–2010)oftheInstituteofCinemaandAudiovisual(InstitutodelCineyelAudiovisual - ICAU) in the categoryofScriptDevelopment,TVSeries.In2011,itwontheprizeintheFirstCalloftheCinemato-graphicFosteringFund2011(PrimeraConvocatoriadelFondodeFomentoCinematográfico2011)of theICAUin thecategoryTVFictionSeriesProduction, and finally in 2012 itwon the supportoftheSecondCalloftheSocioAudiovisualMVDprograminthecategoryTeleserieCompletion.28
However,themostambitiousfictionalproductionin2012wasundertakenwithSomos.29 ItconjugatedprestigiousauthorsofUru-guayan literature with a careful visual production and cinemato-graphic cut. The cycle consisted of an adaptation of a novel andthreestoriesinatotalofsixdeliveries:Cadáver se necesita,byMil-tonFornaro; El vigilante,byHenryTrujillo;Terribles ojos verdes,byMarioDelgadoAparaín;andElogio de la nieve,byHugoBurel.30
27Statementsbyoneoftheauthors,MatíasGanz,transcribedinMariángelSolomitanote,“LaTVquiereficción.Otrocuento”.ElPaís,September8th,2012.28 REC. Una serie casera.premieredonOctober13th,2012andwasissuedonSaturdaysat21:30byTNU.Itconsistedofnine25-minuteepisodesCast:CésarTroncoso,MaríaElenaPérez,AgustínPérez,SolRegules,MateoAltesandAlanOrtizstarintheseriesasparents,siblingsandfriendsofSebastián,whoisrepresentedbyLuisSanguinetti.Writ-tenanddirectedbyMatíasGanz(25yearsold)andRodrigoLappado(26yearsold).ThecreditsexplicittheadviceofCarlosTanco.Co-productionofNegroJefeandBuenCine. Fundingdevotedwasabout$120,000.29ArtDirection:InésOlmedo.Costumes:AnaDomínguez.Directorofphotography:Mil-tonDujó.Coordinatingproduction:MirthaMolina,MaríaNoelGarcía.Production:Vir-giniaAltlelri,RossanaCarrasco.Author:BeatrizCarbajales.Directionassistant:DiegoSoto.Generalproduction:AnabelaPinilla.Director:EduardoRípari.Editingandmusiccomposition:MartínEtchebehere,KaterinaGorbarán.30Althoughpresentedasaseriesofunitariesandthusclassifiedhere, itdoesnotfully
Urugay – Searching for a sustainable model | 463
SomoswasoneofthemostimportantproductionprojectsofSaetaChannel10inco-productionwithAGADU,involvingprofessionalslinked to thecinemaandactors thathavehad filmand televisionexperience.Theambienceofthespaceswheretheactiontookplace,photographyandmusiccompositionweresomeoftheaspectsthatrevealedcarefulprocessing.
Bienes ganancialesisthefirstnationalfictioninwhichrulesofsitcomgenreapply.Itwasissuedthreetimesaweekafterthemainchannelnews,raisedavarietyoftransmediainthewebandwasof-feredinthetheaterduringthewinterholidays.
ThefictiontellsthestoryofGasparandKarina,twojournalistswhoshareaTVshow.Theyhavetwodaughters,oneofthemwasborninthefirstchapterandfromthereshewillberesponsiblefortellingthestory.Parentsofthecouple,neighboursandfriends,pluscelebrityguestsinterventionscompletethespectrumofcharacters.Theproductplayswiththerelationshipbetweenrealityandfictioninsuchawaythatitisalmostonthevergeof reality:thenamesofthemaincharactersarethesameasthoseoftheactorswhoarealsoacouplemedia,theyhavemadeseveraltelevisionprogramstogetherandjusthadhadtheirseconddaughter.
Fromtheprivateopen televisionchannels,Channel10 is theonethathasmadeheavybetsonfiction.Amongtheactionstakeninthisdirection,theinvestmentinPalacioSudaméricafacilitiesasaspacefordevelopingfictionprojectsishighlighted.Thereanun-usualactivityfortheUruguayanaudiovisualcontextwasdisplayed:recordings ofBienes ganancialesweremade, courses to the pro-posedprojectSomoswereofferedandchaptersofanotherfiction,Historias de diván,wererecordedtheretoo,whichfinallycametobeissuedin2012.Thejointventuresareevidenceofdifferentstrat-egies insearchofaproductionmodelbasedonpartnershipswithforeignresources,sometimesintheformofco-production(asthe
complywithitsrules:bothinCadáver se necesitaandEl vigilante, thefictionisdevel-opedintwochapters,whereasinTerribles ojos verdesandElogio de la nievethefictionisresolvedinachaptereach,correspondingtotheunitaryformat.
464 | Obitel 2013
case ofDance in 2011), sometimes hiringArgentinewriters anddirectors,asitisthecaseofEduardoRípari31whodirectedSomos andBienes ganancialesin2012,butthatalreadyhadthisroleintheproductionsofthechannelinthepast.
5. Topic of the year: social memory and television fictionThe themeof theyear,TV fictionand socialmemory, is en-
rolled inaproblemthatencompasses it: the relationshipsbetweenfictionandreality.Thisiscompoundedbythecomplexityofthere-lationshipbetweenmemoryandhistoryandthecomplexityofbothwiththetruth.CarloGinzburgusesaveryexpressivemetaphoroftheserelationships:“Theclosenessbetweenfictionandhistorysug-gests thosepaintingsbyMagrittewhichare renderednext toeachother,alandscapeanditsreflectioninabrokenmirror.”32Itisnotpossibleheretocoverthevarioustheoreticalapproachesanddiscus-sionsthatthissubjecthashad.However,itisimportanttoconsidertheAristoteliandistinctionbetweentruthandplausibilityfromwhicharederivedthelimitsoftheroleoffictioninshapingsocialmemory.Aristotlepointedoutthat“itisnotthepoet’sfunctiontotellthingsastheyhappened,butastheyshouldorcouldhavehappened,probably,ornecessarily;forthehistorianandthepoetarenodifferentpeoplebecausetheyspeakinverseorprose(...)butthediversityconsistsintheformertellingthingsastheyhappenedandthelatterasitwasnaturalthattheyhappened.”33Fromthisperspective,thelikelihoodoffictionisrelevantanditdoesnotrefertothetruth,buttoitsap-pearance:“tellingtaleswithhintsoftruth”,inthewordsofAristotle.Theproblembecomesmorecomplexwithfictionsthatconcernthisstudybecausemanyof themworkon thehistoricalpast inwhichtheydevelopintworegisters:theprobable,butalsotherelationshipwithtruthfulness,atleastinwhatreferstotheoccurrenceofevents.
31HewasdirectorofArgentineanproductionssuchasLos exitosos PellsandLos Roldán,andnationallydirectedthetwoseasonsofPorque te quiero así.32Ginzburg,Carlo.El hilo y las huellas. Lo verdadero, lo falso, lo ficticio.FondodeCulturaEconómica,Argentina,2010,p.20.33Aristotle. Poética.Chap.IV.EspasaCalpe,BuenosAires,1948,p.43.
Urugay – Searching for a sustainable model | 465
The fiction, with its requirement of plausibility, allowing aquickening of the past, gives the recipient the opportunity to beplaced in thedifferent subjectivitiesof the characters, even thoseconsideredcondemnable.Allthisispartofthesymbolicrepertoirefor shaping collective memories, interacting with other accountssuchashistoriography,thejournalism,personalmemoirs,andtesti-monies.Inthissense,fictiontelevisioncanbeconsideredpartofaprocessofconstructionofcollectivememoriesastheyarenotfixedandimmutable,butasnotedbyE.Jelin,“thecollectiveofmemoriesis the interweavingof traditionsand individualmemories, india-loguewithothers,inastateofconstantflux”.34
Amongthefictionsexhibitedin2012inUruguay,therewerefourofferedwhichraiseddifferentwaysofrelatingtothepast:Pab-
lo Escobar: el patrón del mal,Cuéntame,GraduadosandContáme-
la en colores.Of theseonlythe lastoneisadomesticproductionissuedbythepublictelevisioncablechannel.
Thefirst twostoriesunfold in thepastandcouldcorrespondtowhattheliteratureon“thememorializing”designatedastraumamemorytorefertoallthosestories,fictionalornot,linkedtotheex-perienceofextermination(withtheHolocaustasaparadigmaticref-erence),war,dictatorships,amongothers.However,eachofthempresentsadifferentworkonthepastandposesadifferentappealtomemory.
Pablo Escobar: el patrón del mal35recreatesthestoryofCo-lombiandrug lordPabloEmilioEscobarGaviria in113chapters.Inthisfiction,theappealingtomemoryisexplicitlyrepeatedatthebeginningofeachchapter:“Whodoesnotknowhistoryisdoomedtorepeatit”isthesentencetobereadonablackbackground.The
34Jelin,Elizabeth.Los trabajos de la memoria.SigloXXI,Madrid,2002,p.22.35 Pablo Escobar el patrón del mal. Production: Caracol Television.Director: CarlosMoreno.Screenwriters:JuanCamiloFerrand.Cast:AndresParra,AngieCepeda,Nicho-lasMontero,CeciliaNavia,AldemarCorrea,GermánQuintero,HelenaMallarino,Chris-tianTappan,AlejandroMartinez,ErnestoBenjumea,CarlosMariño,MarcelaGallego,JuanchoArango,DianaHoyos,VickyHernández,DianaNeira. Issued inUruguaybyMontecarlo,Channel4,betweenJuly2012andApril2013.Itreacheda7.1ratinganda12share.
466 | Obitel 2013
statementrevealskeyaspectsoftherelationshipwithpasttraumaticevents:first“panicintooblivion”experiencedfromthepresentinwhichperhapssymptomsofforgetfulnessareobservedand,ontheotherhand,concernforthefuture,somethinglikeasortof“futurecolonization”36 frommemory,which allows not to live again thetrauma.Theopeningsongdevelopsintegratedonthesameseman-ticstensionlineofpast-present-futureafore-mentioned:“Iwilltellthisstoryathousandtimes.Neveragain.Donotdeleteitfromyourmind,tohonorourdeadwhofellfoully.”37
Fictionslike Pablo Escobar: el patrón del mal or Cuéntame38,inwhichspecifichistoricalevents representacountry,butwhichareexhibitedinmanyothers,arepartofasymbolicandinterpreta-tiverepertoirewhichmakecollectivememoriesthattranscendtheboundariesoftheoriginalcountry.Fictionalimages,documentaryfragments,privateexperienceofpubliceventssuchasthedeathoftheeditorofthenewspaperEl Espectador,inthefirstone,ortheas-sassinationofCarreroBlancoorthedeathofFranco,inthesecond,circulateinfictionsacrossbordersinwhatJean-MarcFerry39definesas“thepublic spacewidened”:a space fundamentallydefinedbythemediaframeworkinwhichpublicspacesofdifferentcountriesareinterpenetrated,butalsotheirpastsandthediscussionsthattheyprovoke.Whilenewsanddocumentarygenresarethosethatmostintensely generate that expansion of public space, the fictions donotplayaminorroleinthisregard.Thus,thetelenovelasandfilmsabouttheHolocaust,WorldWarIIortheattackstotheTwinTow-ers,amongotherhistorymilestonesbecomepartofauniverseofsharedmemoryresources.Thatmovementofrepresentationsofthepastwiththeirmemoryexercises(rememberingandforgetting,se-lectionandomission)allowtheimaginaryconstructionofthe“oth-
36Guiddens,A.Modernidad e identidad del yo. Península,Barcelona,1997.37ThesongisLa última bala(Thelastbullet)byYuriBuenaventura.38 Cuéntame.SpanishTVseries.CreatedbyMiguelAngelBernardeu.Production:GangaGroup.Cast:ImanolArias,AnaDuato,MariaGaliana,JuanEchanove.IssuedbyTNU.Rating:1.9%.Share:3%.39Ferry,Jean-Marc.El nuevo espacio público.Gedisa,Barcelona,1998.
Urugay – Searching for a sustainable model | 467
ers”displayedinfiction,whilerecognizea“we”withproximitiesanddistanceswithrespecttothose.InthisdirectionFerrynotesthat“thepublicspacecanbeunderstoodasaprivilegedmeansfortheformationofacollectiveidentitythroughtheappropriationofhis-tory(...)asocietyfoundameaningfulaccesstoherselfortoothersinthe(...)memoryofthepeople.Upgradeyourpast;morethanthat,becomefamiliarwiththepastoftheothersand,therefore,learntorecognizeprima facieremoteidentitiesofyourown.Fromthis,it followsacertaindepthofsocialcommunication,depthwhichcouldhardlybeconceivablewithoutthispublicspacehistoricallyextend-edandculturallyenriched”.40
Inbothfictions,adifferentrelationshipwiththehistoricalpastisproposed.InPablo Escobar…,thefictionstartedwiththechar-acterEscobarjustbeforehisend.Therealizationofhisdeathwouldbeseenonlyinthelastchapter,butinthefirstsectionsofthefirstchapter,milestonesofMedellincartelviolenceareshowedthroughdocumentedimagesalternatedwithfictionalrecreation:acompactthatconcentratesthehistoryinorderto, then,resumethestoryinastartingpoint,1959,withachildPabloEmilio.Thecenterofthenarrative is thenhere a characterwithhistorical existence. In thecase ofCuéntame, the events of Spanish history occurred duringthelastyearsoftheFrancodictatorshipandthetransitiontodemoc-racyarepresentinthedialogues,intheimagesthatappearedontheTVseries,andindocumentaryfragments,butitistotheAlcántarafamily,theirneighbourhoodandthecharactersthattheyarelinked,whichwas thecenterof thenarrative.Theemphasiswas thenonthefictionalcharactersandwasinthepassingofeverydaylifethattherecreationofthepastwasembodied.Thereishereanappealtolinkedmemories:which refer to theSpanishnationalvicissitudesand referring to some transformations of contemporary societiesliketheadventoftelevisiontohomes,theinstallationofthefirstsu-permarketinaneighbourhood,andthechangesitproducesincon-
40Ídem,page.20.
468 | Obitel 2013
sumerpracticesandsocialrelationships.Theseevocationsthatcrossdifferentlevelsofdailylife:listeningtotheradioanditsplaceinthedomesticroutine,aswellasthesignificanceofthefoodforthosewholivedthroughthewaranditsaftermath,thesenseofauthorityofthefatherandtheplaceofwomenandchildrenfacingchangesandconflicts.Thefictionworksthenasa“revival”ofthepast:itisexperiencedbyordinarybeingsastheviewerprobablywas.Thereiswherethedifferentmemorieswereconnected,privateandpublic:for example, thememory that consists of a series of images thatevoketheannouncementofthedeathandthewakeofFranco(docu-mentary component) plus how they lived in different householdsandgenerationsthen(fictionalcomponent).
Memoryisalsothenarrativeframingoftheentireseries:thevoiceofoneof thecharacters,Carlosadult,evokesdifferentmo-mentsofhistorythroughhischildhoodandadolescence.However,this serieshas thedistinctionofbringing intoplaymemories thattranscendthelocalandconnectwithotherpeople,especiallyiftheyhavehadastrongpresenceofSpanishemigrationasinthecaseofUruguay. It is then that characters likeHerminia dialogwith thememoryofourimmigrantancestors,withtheirstoriesandcustoms.Butatthesametime,connectionswiththememoryofwhatitwastoliveunderadictatorshipinotherdictatorshipswereestablished:fears,resistancepractices,parish,andshelterspacetoorganizedif-ferentactivities.
InthecaseofGraduados41, however,thefictionaimedmoreatacollectivememoryreferred toamomentofpersonalexperiencerather than toeventsorhistorical figures: through thecoregroupofeightcharacters(graduates)theevocationofadolescenceisap-pealed,inconstantconnectionwiththepresentofthecharactersbe-causethereromanticrelationshipsweredevelopedthatconstituted
41 Graduados. Production: Underground Contenidos and Endemol. Direction:MiguelColom,PaulAmbrosini,JavierPérez.Writers:ErnestoKorovsky,SilvinaFrejdkes,Ale-jandroQuesada.Cast:NancyDupláa,DanielHendler,LucianoCáceres,JulietaOrtega,IsabelMacedo.IssuedbyMontecarlo.Rating:11.1%.Share:17%.
Urugay – Searching for a sustainable model | 469
the driving narrative fiction and the bonds of friendship and dis-agreementtakingplaceinthepresent.
Theeighties isthepastinwhichsuchevocationsarelocated,butunlike theother twofictions thatwereaddressedbefore,herethehistoricalcontextisonlyraisedwithmusicalreferencesandtheparticipation,insomechapters,ofCharlyGarcía,FabianaCantiloor Fito Páez. It is an intervention on the pastwhich is producedeliminatingreferencestopolitics.Historicaleventsoftheeightiesareomitted:thereisnoreferencetothedictatorship,toArgentina’spoliticsortothetransitionstodemocracy.Theeightiesareanex-cuse to place fiction in relation to the age of the characters (andtheactorswhoembodiedthem)intothepresent,ratherthanatimeitself relevant to thenarrative.However, there isanappeal to thememoryoftheaudienceinthesensethatitaimstherecognitionbytheviewerofsometeenagers’practices,asetofagreedtopicsandmusicalreferencesthatcanbeidentifiedaspartoftheirbiography.Thecharactersevokesharedmomentsoftheiryouth:scenesofthetriptoBariloche,choirclasses,andgraduationparty,forexample,areinsertedintotheplotthroughflashbacks.
Contámela en colores. El Bicentenario visto desde Montevideo,42 isadomesticproductionintenchaptersthatwasgeneratedfollow-ingthecommemorationofthebicentennialandaimsatfictionalrec-reationofsomemilestonesinthehistoryofemancipationbetween1806-1830.
Althoughitfallsinthecelebratorynatureand,therefore,theBicentennialeventshavehadevocativecharacter,therelationshipwiththepastisnotsomuchwithmemorybutitslinkistothehis-tory.The series spans theBritish Invasions, theMayRevolution
42Itisa10-chapterproduction,ajointinitiativeofTVCiudad,InformationandCommu-nicationDivisionoftheAdministrationwiththesupportoftheHeritageCommissionoftheMinistryofEducationandCulture,andtheBicentennialCommissionoftheMinistryofEducationandCulture.Itwasairedbythecablepublicchannelin2012.Screenplay:PabloVierci.Director:NicoSoto.Production:TVCiudad.Cast:Performanceprotago-nistofPabloTateandparticipationofRafaelSoliwoda,GracielaGelós,JuanSaraví,Cés-arTroncoso,NelsonLence,RosaSimonelli,SantiagoSanguinetti,NicolásBallestrino,IleanaLópezandDaríoCampalanz.
470 | Obitel 2013
andBoardofMontevideo, theCryofAsencio, theBattleofLasPiedras,thetwositestoMontevideo,theExodusandTheCisplatin,theLandingofthe33OrientalesandthePledgeofConstitutionof1830ascentralevents.However,itisneitherpresentedasarecre-ationofthosemomentsfromthepast,norworkswiththememoryoftheaudienceasinthecaseofPablo Escobar or Cuéntame.Inanycase,Contámela en colores causestheevocationofhistoricalnar-rative:thenarrator’svoiceineachchapter,oftenembodiedbyanyof thecharactersormore thanone,playingahistoricalnarrativetypeusually foundon a classical textbook, listing events, namesanddates.
As an example: the third chapter is fully developed withinthescenarioofapulpería(grocerystore)andthestoryrestsonthecharacterofthepreacherthat,althoughindialoguewiththepulpero (shopkeeper),playstheroleoftellingthestoryofCryofAsencioortheBattleofLasPiedrasandhedoesitsaying:“(...)IbegintotellyouthatonJanuary11th,1811FranciscoJavierdeElioarrivedatMontevideo replacingBuenosAiresas thecapitalof theVice-royaltyandsworeallegiancetoFerdinandVIIassolekingofSpain(...)”.Furtheredon thesequenceofevents,he said:“onFebruary28th starts theOrientalRevolutionwith theCryofAsencio”.Thelanguage,howtodesignatetheevents,istheconventionalintext-books,buteverynowandthensomebreakswithhumorousintentare introduced.Thenarrativevoiceschange ineveryepisode,butthe rhetoric is the same, enhanced by overprintedwith dates andnamesandillustrationsofancientappearance.
Fictionisthenarrativeframeworkforthehistoricalevent,butthisinitselfisnotrecreatedinafictionalway.Thecomponentsthatarefictionalarethecharacters43andsituationsinwhichthedialogueisdevelopedthatallowsthereferencetothehistoricalpast.Histori-calfactspassthroughtheword,withsomeoverallvisualallusion
43Almostall thecharacters (except the representationofMiguelBarreiroanda refer-encetoLordPonsonbyinthefinalchapter)areinventedtogiveplacetothenarrationofhistoricalfact.
Urugay – Searching for a sustainable model | 471
madebythecharacterizationofacharacter,thetourfortracesleftintheplaceswheretheeventstookplace,theuseoflocationsofthattime(astheMontevideoCabildo)ortherecreationofanyenviron-ment(suchasagrocerystore,orpulpería inSpanish).Uprisings,battlesandinvasionsaretold,fromcharacterstalking,ofteninen-closedspaces.Thus,thepathoftheExodusissolvedthroughdia-logueofagrandchildwhoreadstohisgrandmotherthefamily’slet-tersthatisfollowingtheArtigasandallthefictionhappensamongthewallsofgrandma’sbedroom.
Thehumorisproposedasoneofthefeaturesofthisproduc-tionandthroughitisthattheuniformityofthereferreddiscourseisbroken.Thehumorousresourcesarebasedprimarilyontheuseofanachronisms:eitherbytheuseofexpressionsoridiomsthatdonotcorrespondto1800,byreferencestothepresentputintothemouthsofcharactersofthenineteenthcenturyorbythecontrastbetweencharactersof thepast andpresentdialoguing in the scenarioof acurrentMontevideo.
Theanachronismisbothafictionalandhumorousresourceinwhichthisproductionbets.ThisfeatureisinstalledasreadingkeyfromthefirstchapterinwhichanineteenthcenturyBritishcharac-terisinthemidstofthecurrentMontevideoandisguidedbyataxidriverwhotellshimwhatwasthefateof theBritishin theRiverPlate.Forthis,theresourceusedwasaradio:theeventisnarratedasifitwereafootballgameandbreaksthesolemnityoftherhetoricofahistoricaldiscourse.Theanachronismsarepresented invari-ousforms,withvaryingdegreesofnarrativejustification:thus,ina chapter, a teacher talks to a characterwho comesout from thepaintby JuanManuelBlaneson the landingof the33OrientalesandinotherchapterscharacterscharacterizedasfromthepastuseaCeibalitatofindinformation.44
Theresourcesoffictiondonotstickhereneithertocriteriaofcredibilitynorveracity.Theemphasisismoretoproduceempathy
44XOorCeibalitaarecomputersoftheprogramUnoaUnothathasbeenimplementedinUruguaysince2007:PlanCeibal.
472 | Obitel 2013
withtheviewerdoingwinkstothepresent.Withouttheeducationoftheaudience,thehistoricaleventwouldnotbeunderstandable.
ReferencesARISTOTLE (1948), Poética, chap. IV, Espasa Calpe, Buenos Aires,
1948.
FERRY,JEAN-MARC(1998),El nuevo espacio público,Gedisa,Bar-
celona.
GINZBURG,CARLO(2010),El hilo y las huellas. Lo verdadero, lo fal-
so, lo ficticio,FondodeCulturaEconómica,Argentina.
GUIDDENS,A.(1997),Modernidad e identidad del yo,Península,Bar-
celona.
HUYSSEN,ANDREAS (2002),En busca del futuro perdido,Mexico,
FondodeCulturaEconómica.
JELIN,ELIZABETH(2002),Las políticas de la memoria,BuenosAires,
SigloXXI.
RICOEUR,PAUL(2004),La memoria, la historia y el olvido, Buenos
Aires,FondodeCulturaEconómica.
RILLA,JOSÉ(2008),Historias en segundo grado. Pierre Nora y los lu-
gares de la memoria,In:http://www.trilce.com.uy/pierre-nora-en-les-lieux-de-
-memoire.html.
12venezuelA: From susPense FIcTIon To
nATIonAlIzed FIcTIon
Authors:MorellaAlvarado,LuisaTorrealba
Team:MabelCalderín,CarlosArcila1
IntroductionFictionpremieres inVenezuelahad twocrucialelements:on
onehand,thehighestaudienceratesremainedinthepublicchannel,which presented contents inwhich suspense andmystery are themainstylisticcomponents.Alongwiththisoverview,thebroadcast-ingofthefirstserialproductthatrespondstotherequirementsofa“socialisttelenovela”,suggestedbyPresidentHugoRafaelChávezFrías (HRCF) in2010,canbehighlighted.Thisallowsus to talkaboutastate-centeredfiction.Ontheotherhand,theendof2012wasmarkedby thepoliticaluncertainty resulting from thePresident’sdisease.OnDecember8th,hislastnationwidebroadcastwasaired.Itwasbarely35minutesand54secondslong,andinitheexplaineditwasnecessaryforhimtoundergosurgery.InthisbroadcasthegavethepeopleofVenezuelainstructionstochooseVicePresidentNico-lásMaduroaspresidentifhewerepoliticallydisabled.Somepeoplereferredtothateventas“thesuccession”.HRCFwontheelectoralbattleofOctober7th inacampaignmarkedbyabuse,unfairplay,
1Specialthankstothestudentsofthesubject“CultureandMassMedia”deliveredintheSchoolofArts, forstudentsoftheDegreeinCinematographyduringthefirstsemesterof2012,fortheinformationtheygathered.Likewise,tothecompanyAGBNielsenMediaResearch, for their selfless collaboration, especiallyMissAlejandraCuttone.The fol-lowingpeopleparticipatedinthisresearchasassistants:NazarethSoto(UCV),AndreaAbreu(UCAB),andPedrodeMendonca(UCV).SpecialthankstoMabelCalderínandCarlosArcila,whocarriedouttheanalysisofCharts1to4andthetransmediareception.
474 | Obitel 2013
andinequality,mainlyexpressedinthedisproportionateuseofpub-licfundsinhisfavor.Attheendoftheyear,thenewsrelatedwiththepresident’shealthwereinexactandcontradictory.Thisplungedthecountryintoalongperiodofnewsopacity.Theamountofau-diovisualcontentthatwascreatedtohighlightepisodesofthelifeand achievementsof theBolivarianRevolution’sCommandant isnoteworthy.2Thesecontentsarerelatedwithacommunicationstrat-egywhich,ononehand,soughttokeeptheaudience’semotionalconnectionwiththefigureof“TheLeader”and,ontheother,aimedtostrengthenhisfollower’spoliticalcommitment.TheBolivarianSystemofPublicMedia(Sistema Bolivariano de Medios Públicos)wasthemachineryusedtocarryoutthatstrategy.
1. Audiovisual context in the country
Chart 1. Nationwide open television stations in Venezuela
PRIVATE STATIONS (8) PUBLIC STATIONS (5)
CanalIFundaciónTelevisoradelaAsambleaNacionaldeVenezuelaANTV
Globovisión FundaciónTelevisoraVenezolanaSocial–TVESLaTele LaNuevaTelevisióndelSurC.A–TeleSur
MeridianoTelevisiónCompañíaAnónimaVenezolanadeTelevisión–VTV
Televen COVETELS.A.–ViveTVTVFamiliaValeTVVenevisión
TOTAL STATIONS = 13
Source:DatafromtheObitelResearchTeamVenezuela-2013
2InDecember2012,ViveTVlaunchedthedocumentaryseriestheyproduced:Coman-dante Chávez.ItwasbroadcastsimultaneouslybyVenezolanadeTelevisión.Initsfirstseason,threeepisodeswereaired:El arañero de Sabaneta,La forja del soldadoandLa toma del cielo por asalto.TheseriescoversseveralaspectsofPresidentHugoRafaelChávezFría’slife(1955-2013).
Venezuela – From suspense fiction to nationalized fiction | 475
TheincorporationofHighDefinition(HD)infictionproduc-tioninVenezuelawasasignificantindicatorofprogress.Thus,Te-levenproducedthetelenovelaNacer Contigo,writtenanddirectedby José Simón Escalona. Thiswas the first drama production inVenezuelainwhichthattechnologywasused.Meanwhile,Venev-isiónannounced theproductionof the telenovela Los Secretos de
Lucia inHD,togetherwithBE-TVandUnivisión,and,stemmingfrompublic funds, the first episodes ofLa Precursorawere pro-duced.AnothernoteworthyfactisthatGermánPérezNahimjoinedtheTVstationLa Tele’s staff.Thankstothis,theprogramgridwasrefreshed,whensomeBrazilianandColumbiantelenovelas werein-cluded.El color del pecado(2004,Brazil),Chocolate con pimienta (2003,Brazil)andVecinos (2008,Colombia)managedtoincreasethisTVstation’saudience.TothislistwemustaddSouthKoreanproductionspresentedaspremieresMi adorable Sam Soom (2005)andUn deseo en las estrellas (2007)andthererunsofOtoño en mi
corazón(2000),Sonata de invierno(2003),Todo sobre Eva(2000),andUna joya en el palacio(2003).
Chart 2. TV audience per channel3
Stations %
Venevisión 39.0
Televen 27.0
VTV 8.0
Meridiano 6.0
Globovisión 6.0
TVES 3.0
Others 11.0
3Thisdatareferstothe“turningon”forthemonthofNovember2012.Source:AGB,quotedbyMercadeoInteractivo,availablein:http://www.slideshare.net/ImanComunica-ciones/audiencias-noviembre.
8.0%
11.0%
27.0%
39.0%
Venevisión
Televen
VTV
Meridiano
Globovisión
TVES
Others
6.0%
6.0%3.0%
476 | Obitel 2013
Chart 3. Market share per channel4
Stations %
Venevisión 43.48
Televen 31.64
Meridiano 4.62
Globovisión 8.06
TVES 2.67
VTV 9.54
Chart 4. Genre offer in TV programming
Aired Genres Broad-casts %
News 2,176 14.0
Fictionseries 4,076 27.0
Entertainment 2,252 15.0Religious 509 3.0Sports 506 3.0Culturalandeducational
1,984 13.0
Miscellaneous 487 3.0Film 1,222 8.0Animation 1,427 9.0Documentary 689 5.0Total 15,489 100
The estimates in the last chartweremadebased on the pro-grammingofthefourchannelsthatbroadcastfictionseries.Ariseintheamountoffictionprogramsbroadcastwasobserved,butnotin their rating.This could be directly relatedwith the audience’spreferencesfor theprogramsofferedonpay television.Theaver-age rating in the fictionprogramswhichwere in the top tendur-ing2011was5.9%,butduring2012thisindicatorwasjust4.4%,whereasthebroadcastofnewsprogramsincreased,mainlyduetothetwoelectionprocessesthattookplacein2012.Bothprocesses,aswellastheclimateofuncertaintyinVenezuelaatthetimedueto
4TheinformationquotedhereincorrespondstothemeasuringfromMondaytoFridayinNovember2012.Source:AGB,quotedbyMercadeoInteractivo,availablein:http://www.slideshare.net/ImanComunicaciones/audiencias-noviembre.
9.54%
43.48%
Venevisión
Televen
Meridiano
Globovisión
TVES
VTV
4.62%
8.06%
2.67%
31.64%
9,0%
14,0%
News
Fictionseries
Entertainment
Religious
Sports
Culturalandeduca-
tional
Miscellaneous
Film
Animation
Documentary
13,0%
5,0%8,0%
15,0%
27,0%
3,0%
3,0%3,0%
Venezuela – From suspense fiction to nationalized fiction | 477
thepresident’shealthcondition,aroseagreatdealofnationalandinternationalinterest.
Trends of the audience in 2012Compared to previous years, the audience ratings present a
similartrend.Womencontinuetobetheprevailinggender,theagerangeisabove35,andsocioeconomiclevelsareDandE.Itiscon-firmedthatthetelenovela hasanimportantplaceamongconsump-tionhabitsofwomen.Nevertheless,itcannotbestatedthatitisagenresolelyforwomen.Thisisconfirmedwhencheckinginterac-tivesitesavailableintheweb,inwhichmanyofthecommentsaremadebymenandalsothroughdirectobservationoftheviewinginpublicspacessuchas:cafés,bars,recreationcentersorotherslikesecuritybooths.¡VálgameDios!has thehighestviewingpercent-agespergenre,althoughitdidnotoccupythefirstplaceinrating. Alikelyexplanationmightbethepresenceofcertainamountofhumorintheplot.Outoffourchannelsthatairedfictionseriesduring2012,Venevisión continuestobeinthefirstplacebycaptivating80%oftheaudience,eventhoughnationalproductionsonlyreached1st,3rd and6thplaceinthetopten. 40%oftheaudiencepreferstelenovelas inthenightscheduleandpreciselyinthatschedule(primetime)iswhenthehighestviewingratingsareregistered.Thiscorrespondstothehighestshare (40.3%)registeredinthattimeslot.
Public investments throughout the year: In TV and in fiction
Public investments in TV during the Top Ten in 2012
Num-ber Category
Amount of an-
nouncers
Total amount in Bs Amount in US$
1 Foodandfoodservices 69 1,787,007,924.00 415,583,238.142 Costumeandshoes 82 1,477,552,406.00 343,616,838.60
3Beautyproductsandcosmetics
23 1,135,942,008.00 264,172,560.00
4Medicationandhealthservices
49 891,744,181.00 207,382,367.67
478 | Obitel 2013
5Bolivariangovernmentandrelatedactivities
20 610,006,592.00 141,861,998.14
6Electricalappliancesandhousehold
44 584,736,797.00 135,985,301.63
7 Insurance 10 473,236,435.00 110,054,984.888 Toystores 6 463,840,048.00 107,869,778.60
9Media,cellulartelephony,communicationandInternet
28 432,825,619.00 100,657,120.70
10 Others 41 331,073,463.00 76,993,828.6011 Financialservices 11 286,860,969.00 66,711,853.2612 Commercialchains 8 248,279,566.00 57,739,433.9513 Drinks 5 243,310,388.00 56,583,811.1614 Cleaningsupplies 7 218,752,752.00 50,872,733.0215 Politicalparties 10 198,349,094.00 46,127,696.2816 Individuals 17 126,175,449.00 29,343,127.6717 Localgovernments 18 109,194,918.00 25,394,166.9818 Liveshows 24 101,897,285.00 23,697,043.0219 Electoralpower 1 95,032,045.00 22,100,475.58
20Vehiclesandmeansoftransportation
11 94,940,957.00 22,079,292.33
21 Gambling 2 77,072,358.00 17,923,804.1922 NGOs 13 46,552,823.00 10,826,237.9123 Religion 2 5,480,262.00 1,274,479.53
24Filmindustryandrelatedactivities
4 4,194,826.00 975,540.93
TOTAL 505 10,044,059,165.00 2,335,827,712.79
Source:DatafromtheObitelResearchTeamVenezuela-2013
Ashasbeennotedpreviously,advertisingbroadcastonprivate
TVstations(eight)runsaccordingtothesamepattern:theadvertis-ingofproducts and services aimedat covering threeof themainbasic needs,which are food, clothing and health.Officialmeansofcommunicationstilldonotairpaidadvertisementsand,instead,issuefreepropagandisticcontents,promotionof theirownstationprograms, aswell as some spotswith cultural, educational, newsandpreventionmessages,underthefigureofpublicservice.Beautyand body care, through cosmetics, occupy the third category. InVenezuela,thepromotionofbeautyarticlesandtreatments,aswellasaestheticcenterswhereplasticsurgeriesarecarriedout,isrecur-rent.Therearenotrigorouscontrolstoguaranteethenecessarysani-
Venezuela – From suspense fiction to nationalized fiction | 479
taryconditionsforthetypeofservicetheyoffer.Malpracticeshaveledtobodilyinjuriesandevendeath.5Atthebeginningoftheyear,ahottopicwasthecaseofmorethan60thousandwomenaffectedbytheuseofdefectivebreastimplantsofFrenchandChineseorigin.Asignificanteventthatmustbehighlightedalongwiththepreviousone is the advertising investment that theBolivarian governmenthasmadeforitsself-promotion.Comparatively,thesumassignedfor institutional propaganda is equivalent to 35.1%of the budgetspentbytheMinistryoftheCulture(MinisteriodelPoderPopularparalaCultura)throughout2012.Ontheotherhand,theprolifera-tionofservicessuchassecurityandinsuranceinadvertisingreflectstheimpactofthehighcrimeandviolenceratestowhichthecountryiscurrentlysubject.Violentdeathsareamatterofpublichealthnoteffectivelytakencareof.
Merchandising and Social MerchandisingItshouldbepointedoutthataccordingtoArt.6oftheLawon
SocialResponsibilityofRadio,TVandElectronicMedia(Ley de
Responsabilidad Social en Radio, Televisión y Medios Electrónicos,
LRSRTVME, 2010), the insertionof advertising is limited to “theliveanddirectbroadcastofrecreationalprogramsonsportseventsorshows,aslongasitdoesnotinterrupttheviewingoftheseanddoesnottakeupmorethanonesixthpartofthescreen.”6Thisiswhywefindnomerchandisingorproductplacementinnationalproductionfictionseries.Weseethat,insportsshows,themainannouncersarecompaniesrelatedwithdrinks,financialandtelecommunicationser-vices.Socialmerchandisingiscarriedoutthroughtwomeans.Oneissocialresponsibilitycampaigns,whichfavorsnationwidemanda-torybroadcasts,andtheotheristheinsertionofcontentinplots.Re-
5Anemblematiccaseoccurredin2012whenaMagistrateoftheCourtofCassationoftheSupremeCourt,NinoskaQueipo,diedduetoacomplicationthatresultedfromacosmeticsurgery.Itwasnecessarytohappenacaselikethisforthelegalnormforbiddingtheuseandapplicationoffillersubstancesintreatmentswithaestheticpurposestobeenacted.(GacetaOficialNumber40,065ofDecember5th,2012).6AccordingtoGacetaOficialNumber39,610ofFebrurary7th,2011.
480 | Obitel 2013
gardingsocialresponsibilitycampaigns,onlyTeleven,VenevisiónandTVFamiliacarrythemoutexplicitly.Lo bueno se pega, ponte
a valer is thenameofTeleven’svaluescampaign. InMay2011,Venevisionstarteditssocialresponsibilitycampaign,calledSomos
lo que queremos.Conceivedindiverseformats,themostnotoriousaremicro-journalisticreports,dramatizationofeverydaysituationsand video clips. In the case ofTVFamilia, the campaign is car-riedoutthroughshortaudiovisualprogramscalledTú decides (shortprograms thatdramatize situations related to alcohol and tobaccoconsumption),Cápsulas de saludandGreen News (thetwolatterareshortprogramsfocusedonnews).ValeTVassumesthatallofitsprogrammingcanbeconsideredsocialresponsibilitymaterialandtheotherstationsoffernoexplanationsonthetopic.
Communication PoliciesThroughouttheyear,nospecificlawswerepassedrelatedwith
the television sector.The regulations that continue to be in forceforthesectorarethosecontainedintheLawonSocialResponsibil-ity of Radio, TV and ElectronicMedia (Ley deResponsabilidadSocialenRadio,TelevisiónyMediosElectrónicos,LRSRTVME,2010),whichcontains legalprovisions thatcouldbe thecauseofpriorcensorship,andintheTelecommunicationsOrganicLaw(LeyOrgánicadeTelecomunicaciones,2000).TheMinistryof InteriorRelationsandJustice (MinisteriodelPoderPopularparaRelacio-nesInterioresyJusticia)createdtheso-called“MisiónSeguridad”,aiming to issue the topic of high crime andviolence rateswhichaffectVenezuela. In its thirdvortex, itproposes the regulationofcontentsissuedbyTVstations.ThisisduetotheassumptionthatmeansofsocialcommunicationareresponsiblefortheviolencethatoccursinVenezuela.Thisrenderedconcernamongjournalists,aca-demics,andhumanrightssupporters,forconsideringthatitleads,onceagain,tocensorshipandcontrolofinformation.Althoughnospecificregulationwasdefinedthatwouldcensormeansofcommu-nication,therewerelegalandadministrativeactionsthatcensored
Venezuela – From suspense fiction to nationalized fiction | 481
contentsonthecoverageofviolenteventsorotherpublicinteresttopicswhichrevealedinefficiencyinstateactionsandharmtotheintegrityandhealthofthecitizens.7
Likewise, Globovisión, the TV channel devoted to 24-hour-broadcastnews,wasforcedtopayafineofovertwomilliondol-larsduetothecoverageitmadeofaviolentconfrontationthattookplace inJuly2011 inElRodeoprison, located in theoutskirtsofCaracas.8Thisactionconstitutedaneconomicinjurytothestation.Anotherrelevantcensorshipmeasuretookplaceduringtheelectoralcampaign.TheNationalElectoralCouncil (ConsejoNacionalElec-toral),highestelectoralbodyinthecountry,censoredthebroadcastofapropagandaofanoppositionpoliticalparty,calledLaseguridadeselcamino,thatreferredtothetopicofinsecurityinthecountry.9 TheserestrictionswerefollowedbyaspeechinwhichTVprogramcontentsthatreflectedviolenteventswerecriticized.
Public TVRegarding fiction aired by open signal in publicTV, the in-
terest to include contents of fiction series that stem fromdiversecontextsisnotorious.Thus,throughTelevisoraVenezolanaSocial(TVES), the following premiereswere aired:Mysterious Dissap-
pearance(1994,Japan)andAutumn in my heart(2000,SouthKo-rea);andthereruns:Naturally, Sadie(2005,USA,Canada);Coffee
Prince (2006,SouthKorea);Summer Scent (2006;SouthKorea);Winter Sonata(2003,SouthKorea);Spring Waltz (2006,SouthKo-
7Forexample,onMarch22nd2012,the25thCourtofControloftheMetropolitanAreaofCaracasforbidmeansofcommunicationtoissueinformationrelatedwiththepollutionofsourcesofdrinkingwater,unlesstheywerebackedbyatechnicalreport.TheGeneralProsecutoroftheRepublicwarnedthatthemeansthatdidnotcomplywiththisprohibi-tioncouldbesanctionedandsheremindedthemthattheCriminalCodeestablishespe-nalizationsof2to5yearsofprisonforthebroadcastoffalseinformation.Thismeasurearoseafterthemainnationalmeansofcommunicationreportedanoilspillthathadoc-curredintheGuarapicheRiver(westernVenezuela),thatsupplieswatertonearbytowns,andaftercivilianorganizationsofthestateofCarabobo(centerofthecountry)reportedthepollutionoftheriversthatprovidewatertothecitiesinthatregion.8InstitutoPrensaySociedaddeVenezuela,2012b,nonumber.9InstitutoPrensaySociedaddeVenezuela,2012c,nonumber.
482 | Obitel 2013
rea);Bitter Tropics (2007,France); andThe Last Emperor (1987,China,France,ItalyandUK).Thelatterisalongfilm,fractionedforTV.Tothesewemustaddtheairingoftheonlytelenovela pro-ducedwithpublicfinancinginthelastthreeyears.Throughapri-vatecompany,AlterProducciones10,Teresa in three seasons(2012)wasproduced.Thisallowsustomentioninthisreportthatthereisastatizationoffiction,althoughitisalowpercentage.Ontheotherhand,publicmediainVenezuelahasnotvariedinitsroleasgovern-mentmedia, since theyareusedasopenpropagandamechanism.Although,fromaquantitativepointofview,privatemediaoutnum-berpublicones,itisobviousthataccordingtotheterritorialscope,thisrelationchanges.TothepreviousinformationwemustaddthebroadnessandvarietyofcommunityTVstations(43intotal),whicharepartoftheVenezuelanaudiovisualuniverse,althoughtheyarebeyondthescopeofthisresearch.Despitethefactthatsomehaveexisted formore than twodecades,manyhavebeenconsolidatedin the last fewyears, as of the enactmentof theOrganicLawofTelecommunications(LeyOrgánicadeTelecomunicaciones,2000) andtheRegulationofCommunityPublicServiceSoundandOpenTelevisionBroadcasting (Reglamento deRadiodifusión Sonora yTelevisiónAbiertaComunitariasdeServicioPúblico,sinfinesdelucro,2002).Due to thecharacteristicsof thecommunityandal-ternativemediamovementinVenezuela,therearefewreferentsintheLatinAmericancontext.Itssociopoliticalandculturalimpactisundeniable,mainlyforthreereasons:(1)thepreparationofpopularcommunicators;(2)medialiteracyandempowermentofindividualsandgroups;and (3) infrastructureandequipment theyhandle;allthis,besidesreportsfromdiversespacesregardingtheirexplicitad-hesiontothepoliticalprojectofHRCFanditsuseaspropagandisticwindow.CommunityTVsnowadaysofferanorganizational,edu-cationalandcreativebalancethatmustbestudiedandunderstood.
10ThiscompanyproducedCaramelo e´ chocolate (2008)forTVES.
Venezuela – From suspense fiction to nationalized fiction | 483
Pay TVComparedtosubscriptionTV,payTVreachedduring2012a
marketpenetrationof47.1%,equivalentto7.209.370households.This service, rendered by a total of 181 companies (CONATEL,2013c),impliedagrowthof7.6%inthesector,inrelationwiththeyear2011(39.5%).ThissectorhasconsolidatedinthecountryintheabsenceofapluralofferinopenTV,whichcanguaranteevariedcontents, particularly those relatedwith fiction series. InOctober2012,theboardoftheNationalAssemblyPermanentCommissionofCommunicationMedia(ComisiónPermanentedelPoderPopularydeMediosdeComunicacióndelaAsambleaNacional)(Legisla-tivePower)announceditsintentiontoregulatecontents,operationandcostsoftheservice(fees).Likewise,theimportanceofnationalprogramsandparticularlyNationalIndependentProductions(Pro-duccionesNacionalesIndependientes,PNI),throughtheDraftLawfortheProvisionofSubscriptionTVService(ProyectodeLeyparalaPrestacióndeServiciodeTelevisiónporSuscripción),was in-cludedinitsagenda.Afewdayslater,theverysameparliamentar-iansdeniedthedraftingofthelawandexplainedthatthetopicofsubscriptionTVwasaresponsibilityof theNationalCommissionofTelecommunications (ComisiónNacionaldeTelecomunicacio-nes,CONATEL),administrativelyattachedtotheExecutiveVice-PresidencyoftheRepublic.
During thatperiod, thenationalgovernmentcontinuedoffer-ingtheserviceofpayTVthroughtheCANTV(CompañíaAnón-imaNacionaldeTeléfonosdeVenezuela).CANTV’sSatelliteTVserviceisofferedatalowercostthanthistypeofserviceinothercompaniesinthesector.However,thenumberofchannelsitoffersissmalleranddoesnot include,forexample,Globovisión,whoseeditoriallineiscriticalagainstthegovernment’sactions.Opensig-nalchannelsarealsoincludedintheofferofsubscriptionTV.Thus,thecontentsofpremierenationalfictionarebroadcastthroughthere.WecanstatethatthewindowoffictionseriesproducedinVenezu-
484 | Obitel 2013
ela,whosescopeisinternational,isinthehandsofVenevisiónPlus,thatduring2012broadcastCiudad Bendita (2006).
Trends of the ICTsInternetpenetrationby theendof2012 reached42.1%11, ac-
cordingtopreliminarydatafromtheCONATEL.This impliesanincreaseof1.7%comparedtothepreviousyearwhentherewasamarketpenetrationof40.4%.Growthinthatperiodwassmallerthanbetween2010and2011,whichwas2.8%12.ThepresidentofthestatecompanyCANTV,ManuelFernández,admittedinMay2012thatthestandardInternetspeedinthecountryis0.71megabytes(MB).13 Internetpenetrationreachedaround12,555,010users(CONATEL,2013a)anddidnotreachhalfoftheVenezuelanpopulationwhich,accordingtotheNationalInstituteofStatistics(InstitutoNacionaldeEstadística),for2012wasaround29,718,357(INE,2013).How-ever,therewasanincreaseinthenumberofcompaniesthatofferInternetservice,whichreached43(CONATEL,2013a).OutofthetotalamountofsubscriberstoInternetservice,54.9%(2,020,623)wereresidential;6.5%(239,499)werenon-residential;and38.5%(1,419,754)connectedviamobile(CONATEL,2013b).Thelargestnumberofuserswasresidential,followedbythosewhoconnectedusingmobile Internet connection,which has gradually increased.ThistrendisharnessedbyVenezuelanTVstationsthatincorporateintheirwebsitescontentslinkedtonationalproductionfictionse-ries.Thus,forexample,thetelenovelaMi ex me tiene ganasinitswebportal14hadaspacecalledExclusivoweb,inwhichtheaudi-
11Thisinformationcomesfrompreliminaryfiguresfortheendof2012fromtheNationalCommission of Telecommunications (Comisión Nacional de Telecomunicaciones),whichisbasedontheQuarterlyAddedSurveyoftheMainIndicatorsintheSector(En-cuestaTrimestralAgregadadelosPrincipalesIndicadoresdelSector).12Thisdecelerationingrowthmayberelatedwithfailuresintheprovisionof theser-viceinthecountry,linkedtobandwidth.AccordingtoNextIndex(http://netindex.com/download/allcountries/) regardingslownessofconnection,Venezuela is located in thethirdfromtheendposition,belowHaitiandjustaboveSuriname,NicaraguaandBolivia.13Fernández, 2012, s/n.14 http://www.venevision.net/programa/mi-ex-me-tiene-ganas/exclusivo-web
Venezuela – From suspense fiction to nationalized fiction | 485
encecouldaccesstobothliveanddelayedTwittcamtogetherwiththemaincharacters.Likewisetheyofferedthepressa“behindthescenes”ofthepremiere,aspecialprogramtransmittedexclusivelybeforethefirstchapterofthetelenovela:exclusiveinterviewswiththeactors,behindthecamsduringtherecordingsandaspacecalledPonte al día, inwhich therewere summaries of the last chaptersaired.Theyalsoincorporatedthreealternativeendingsthathadbeendevelopedfor this telenovela inorder tocreatemore intrigueandattractionfortheoutcomeandthatalsoconstitutedastrategywhichallowedthetelenovelatobemarketedindifferentcountries,offer-ingtheaddedvaluethatineachonetheycouldchoosetheidentityoftheserialkillerwhowasinthemainthreadoftheplot,accordingtohowwell thecharactershadbeenacceptedand the local audi-ence’spreference.
Asfortheperformanceofmobilephone,for2012,itreflectedapenetrationof106%.Thisindicatesthat,inVenezuela,thenum-berofmobilelines(31,732,781,intotal)ishigherthanthenumberofpeople.ForNovember2012,a32%penetrationofsmartphones(more than sixmillion devices)15 was registered, fact that placesVenezuelainthefirstpositioninLatinAmerica.
2. Yearly analysis: premiere of national and Ibero-American fiction
Chart 1. Fiction shown in 2012
PREMIERES: 48 RERUNS: 38VENEVISIÓN: 4 national titles VENEVISIÓN: 2 national titles
1 El árbol de Gabriel(Telenovela) 1 Corazones extremos(Series)2 Mi Ex me tiene ganas(Telenovela) 2 Mujeres con historia(Unitaryseries)3 Natalia del mar(Telenovela)4 ¡VálgameDios!(Telenovela) VENEVISIÓN: 7 imported titles
3A corazón abierto(Telenovela)Colombia
VENEVISIÓN: 13 imported titles 4A mano limpia (Telenovela)Colom-bia
15Herrera,quotedbyLozano,2012,s/n.
486 | Obitel 2013
5Abismo de pasión (Telenovela)Mexico
5El Chapulín Colorado(Series)Mexico
6 Amor bravío (Telenovela)Mexico 6 El Chavo(Series)Mexico
7Amores verdaderos(Telenovela)Mexico
7La Rosa de Guadalupe(Unitaryseries)Mexico
8Carita de ángel (Telenovela)Mexico
8 Mujeres al límite(Unitaryseries)Colombia
9¿DóndediablosestáUmaña?(Mini-series)Colombia
9 Pequeños gigantes(Sketches)Mexico
10 El laberinto(Series)Colombia11 El secretario(Telenovela)Colombia TVES: 5 national titles12 Emperatriz(Telenovela)Mexico 10 Aprendiendo con la música(Series)
13La teacher de inglés(Series)Co-lombia
11 Caramelo e´chocolate(Telenovela)
14La traicionera(Telenovela)Co-lombia
12Crónicas extraordinarias(Unitaryseries)
15La que no podía amar(Telenovela)Mexico
13 Historias del más acá(Unitaryseries)
16Los exitosos Pérez (Miniseries)Mexico
14 La única opción(Miniseries)
17Retrato de una mujer (Telenovela)Colombia
TVES: 1 imported titlesTVES: 3 national titles 15 La oveja negra(Series)Uruguay
18 Hotel de locura(Miniseries)19 Nos vemos en el espejo (Series) TELEVEN: 3 national titles
20Teresa en tres estaciones(Tele-novela)
16 Mi gorda bella(Telenovela)
17 Rosas y espinas(Telenovela)TVES: 1 imported title 18 Toda una dama (Telenovela)
21India, una historia de amor(Teleno-vela)Brazil
TELEVEN: 9 imported titles
TELEVEN: 1 national titles 19A cada quien su santo(Unitaryseries)Mexico
22 Nacer contigo(Telenovela) 20 Agua en laboca (Telenovela)Brazil21 Alguien te mira (Telenovela)USA
TELEVEN: 12 imported titles 22 Amar de nuevo (Telenovela)Mexico
23 Corazón Valiente (Telenovela)USA 23Amor, mentiras y videos (Series)Colombia
24Deseos de mujer(Telenovela)Colombia
24 Cielo rojo(Telenovela)Mexico
25 Dos hogares(Telenovela)Mexico 25Lo que callamos las mujeres (Unitaryseries)Mexico
26 El encantador (Telenovela)Mexico 26 Padres e hijos (Series)Colombia
27La casa de al lado(Telenovela)USA
27Tu voz estéreo (Unitaryseries)Colombia
Venezuela – From suspense fiction to nationalized fiction | 487
28 Los canarios(Series)Colombia
29 Luna roja(Telenovela)Portugal LA TELE: 4 national titles
30Mi corazón insiste en Lola Volcán (Telenovela)USA
28 Emperatriz(Telenovela)
31Porella…soyEva(Telenovela)Mexico
29 La llaman Mariamor(Telenovela)
32Relaciones peligrosas (Telenovela)USA
30 La traidora(Telenovela
33Tres milagros(Telenovela)Colom-bia
31 Sirena (Telenovela)
34Un sueño llamado salsa(Series)Colombia
LA TELE: 2 imported titlesLA TELE: 5 imported titles 32 Frecuencia 04(Series)Argentina
35Chocolate con pimienta(Telenove-la)Brazil
33 Lalola (Telenovela)Peru
36El color del pecado(Telenovela)Brazil
34 Los Roldán(Telenovela)Argentina
37Historias de hombres sólo para mujeres(Series)Colombia
38 Las profesionales(Series)Colombia CO-PRODUCTIONS – Reruns39 Vecinos(Series)Mexico VENEVISIÓN: 1 title
35Mentes en shock(Series)USA-Colombia
CO-PRODUCTIONS – PremieresVENEVISIÓN: 9 titles TELEVEN: 3 titles
40Corazón apasionado(Telenovela)Venezuela-USA
36Decisiones(UnitarySeries)USA-Colombia
41El talismán(Telenovela)Venezuela-USA
-Mexico-PuertoRico
42Los años dorados(Series)Venezu-ela-USA
37ISA TK+(TeenageSeries)Venezue-la-USA-Colombia
43Los caballeros las prefieren brutas (Telenovela)USA-Colombia
38 Los Barriga(Series)Ecuador-Peru
44Si me miran tus ojos (Telenovela)Venezuela-USA
TELEVEN: 4 titles TOTAL NUMBER OF TITLES
45Amor sin barreras (Telenovela)USA-Mexico
AIRED: 86
46Dulce amargo así es el amor(Tele-novela)Venezuela-USA-Mexico
47Flor salvaje(Telenovela)USA-Colombia
48Rosa Diamante(Telenovela)USA--Mexico
Source:DatafromtheObitelResearchTeamVenezuela-2013
488 | Obitel 2013
BroadcastoffictionTVinVenezueladuringtheyear2012wasatotalofonly86titles.Thisrepresents16titleslessthantheprevi-ousyear(102titles).Outofthe86titlesshowninthecountry,38(41.1%)werererunsand48(55.8)werepremieres.Only22titles,that is 25.5% of the total fiction shown, were produced in Ven-ezuela.Outof this figure,barelyeight titleswerepremieres.Theinformation inChart 1 reflects aprogressivedecrease innationalinvestmentsaimedattheproductionoffiction.VenevisiónandTe-leven,with32titleseach,standoutasthemainexhibitorsoffictionseries.InthecaseofVenevisión,onlyfourtitles(12.5%ofthetotalairedinthechannel)arepremierenationalfiction,whereasTelev-enonly aired1 (3.1%). InTelevisoraVenezolanaSocial (TVES)only4outofthe10fictiontitlesitairedwerepremieres.AndinLaTele,althoughitaired12titles,nonewasapremiere.Theamountofimportedproductswasnotsignificanteither,althoughitexceedsnationalfictionproduction.Thus,31premieretitleswereimported(36.0%)and20 reruns (23.0%).On theotherhand,onlyTelevenand Venevisión showed co-productions, out of which nine werepremieres and four reruns. In the caseofTVES, apublic servicechannelwhoseprogrammingiscomposedin48%byNationalInde-pendentProducers(PNI,inSpanish),itairedfivefictiontitlesintheObitelscope.Outofthese,fourarepremieres(oneimported)andoneisanimportedrerun.ThenumberofhoursofairingofnationalseriesfictioninTVESwas17hoursand30minutes,whichrepre-sents2.1%ofthetotalhoursofnationalproduction(783hours).
Venezuela – From suspense fiction to nationalized fiction | 489
Chart2.Premierefictionin2012:Countriesoforigin
Country Titles % Chapters/Episodes % Hours %
NATIONAL (total) 13 22.4 1,081 16.5 783:00 21.5
IBERO-AMERICAN (total) 45 77.5 3,862 83.5 2874:10 78.5
Argentina 0 0 0 0 0 0
Brazil 3 5.2 260 5.9 145:00 3.9
Chile 0 0 0 0 0 0
Colombia 15 26.3 1,349 30.8 1,039:00 28.4
Ecuador 0 0 0 0 0 0
Spain 0 0 0 0 0 0
USA (Hispanic production) 13 22.8 1,162 24.2 821:10 22.4
Mexico 13 21.0 1,069 21.8 855:00 23.3
Peru 0 0 0 0 0 0
Portugal 1 1.7 22 0.5 18:00 0.3
Uruguay 0 0 0 0 0 0
VENEZUELA 13 22.8 1,081 16.5 783:00 21.4
Latin American (Obitel) 58 100 4,943 100.0 4,572:00 100
Latin American (not Obitel) 0 0 0 0 0 0
Others (productions and co-produc.fromotherLatinAm./Ibero-Am. countries)
0 0 0 0 0 0
TOTAL 58 100 4,943 100 3,657:00 100
Source:DatafromtheObitelResearchTeamVenezuela-2013
FictionshowninVenezuelafollowsthesamepatternofprevi-
ousyearsinwhatreferstocountriesoforigin.AswemaynoticeinChart2,thereisaclearpreferenceforLatinAmericanproduction,since58ofthetitles(100%)comefromthepartoftheregioncir-cumscribedtotheObitelscope.Regardingcountriesoforiginoffic-tionairedinVenezuela,inthefirstplaceisColombia–theneighborcountry–,whichproducedfifteenofthetitles,followedbyMexico,USA(Hispanicproduction)andVenezuelawiththirteentitleseach.Then,therearethreeBrazilianproductionsandonefromPortugal.Thenumberofco-productionsin2012wasthirteen,thesameasin
490 | Obitel 2013
2011.Outofthese,nineproductionswerepremieres.Venezuelatookpartinfivepremiereco-productions,fourwithUSAandonewithUSA-Mexico. Other premiere co-productions aired in VenezuelacomefromUSA-Colombia(twopremieresandonererun)andfromEcuador-Peru(onererun).Hereitbecomesevidentthattheflowofmarket transnationalization is stillheadedby theNorthAmericanandColombianindustries.CountriesfromtheObitelscope,suchasArgentina,Chile,Ecuador,andSpain,didnotmanagetointroducetheirproductionsintheVenezuelanmarketin2012.Inthepreviousreport,somereasonthatcouldjustifythepreferenceforColombianproductionswereexposed.Twoothertitlesco-producedbyColom-bia-USAraisethefigureofColombian-originproductionsairedinVenezuelato17.
Venezuela – From suspense fiction to nationalized fiction | 491
Chart3.C
hapters/episodesandhoursbroadcastedbytimeslots
T
ime
slot
sN
atio
nal
Iber
o-A
mer
ican
T
otal
C/E
%H
%C/E
%H
%C/E
%H
%
Mor
ning
(06:
00 –
12:
00)
00
00
20.05
77:00
2.8
20.04
77:00
2.1
Aft
erno
on (1
2:00
– 1
9:00
)
319.5
29.6
295:00
37.7
1,854
48.0
1,136:00
40.9
2,173.5
43.9
1,431:00
40.1
Prim
e tim
e (1
9:00
– 2
2:00
) 435.1
40.3
216:00
27.6
1,078
28.0
876:00
31.4
1,513.1
30.7
1,092:00
30.7
Nig
ht (2
2:00
– 0
6:00
)
32
630.1
272:00
34.7
928
24.0
694:00
24.9
1,254
25.4
966
27.1
TO
TA
L1,081
100
783:00
100
3,862
100
2,783:00
100
4,943
100
3,566:00
100
Sour
ce:D
atafrom
theObitelR
esearchTeamVenezuela-2013
Chart4.N
ationalandIbero-Americanfictionform
ats
For
mat
sN
atio
nal
Iber
o-A
mer
ican
Tit
les
%Chap/
Ep
%H
ours
%T
itle
s%
Chap/
Ep
%H
ours
%
Tel
enov
ela
969.4
1,045
96.8
641
97.1
3680.1
3,268
84.8
2,438:10
85.0
Seri
es2
15.3
90.8
4.1
0.6
511.1
263:20
6.8
205:00
7.1
Min
iser
ies
215.3
272.4
272.3
24.5
270.6
19:00
0.6
Telefilm
00
00
00
00
00
00
Uni
tary
00
00
00
12.2
195
5.0
125:00
4.3
Doc
udra
ma
00
00
00
00
00
00
Oth
ers
(soa
p op
era,
etc
.)0
00
00
01
2.2
109
2.8
88:00
3.0
TO
TA
L13
100
1,081
100
664.6
100
4510
03,862:20
100
2,874:10
100
Sour
ce:D
atafrom
theObitelR
esearchTeamVenezuela-2013
492 | Obitel 2013
Traditionally in Venezuela, national premiere fiction coversprimetimeandnighttimeslots.However,aswecanseeinChart3,during2012therewasahighpercentageintheseslots,buttheywereexceededbytheafternoonschedulein3%ofthenumberofhoursoverthenightslotand10%overprimetime.ThesamethinghappenedwithIbero-Americanoriginfictions,althoughthegapin-creasedin19%thenumberofhoursoverthenightslotand9%inrelationtoprimetime.Ifweturntheanalysistowardsthenumberofchapters/episodes,thetrendisverysimilar.Noticethatonlyinthecaseofnationalproductionstheprimetimeslotexceedsin11%thenumberofchaptersairedintheafternoontimeslot,butintotalthehighestpercentageisaccumulatedintheafternoontimeslot,with44%,asopposedto56%ofthechapters/episodesairedintheothertwoschedules.
InVenezuela,thetelenovelacontinuestobethemostdesiredfictionformat,beitnationalorIbero-Americanproduction.Thefactisthat,aswecanseeinChart4,thistypeofprogrammingisinfirstplaceregardingtimeslotsinwhichtheyareaired(97.1%devotedtonationalprogrammingand84.8%Ibero-American),inthenumberof titles (69.2% are national and 81.8% are Ibero-American) andalsowithrespecttonumberofchapters/episodesaired(96.7%na-tionaland84%Ibero-American).Seriesistheformatthatremainsinsecondplaceinthecountry,butitsairingisnotrelevantcomparedtothetelenovela’s.
Chart5.Nationalfictionformatsintimeslots
Formats Mor- ning % After-
noon % Prime time % Night % To-
tal %
Telenovela 0 0 3 23 4 30.8 2 15.4 9 69.2Series 0 0 0 0 2 15.4 0 0 2 15.4Miniseries 0 0 0 0 0 0 2 15.4 2 15.4Telefilm 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0Unitary 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0Docudrama 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0Others (soap opera, etc.) 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
TOTAL 0 0 3 100 6 46.2 4 30.8 13 100
Source:DatafromtheObitelResearchTeamVenezuela-2013.
Venezuela – From suspense fiction to nationalized fiction | 493
As in the previous year inVenezuela, fiction productions intelenovelaformatprevailed.Long-rangestories,thenarrativecon-structionofplots,evolutionofthecharactersandthesearchforanoutcomearenotonlyinterestingfortheTVstations,thatcanguar-anteeformonthsthecompanyofacaptiveaudience,butalsofortheaudiencethatexpectstheevolutionofthestorydayafterdayandthepossibilitytobuildtheirownalternativehypothesisorsolutionstothecharactersdrama.
Chart6.Periodofthefiction
Time period Titles %
Present 47 97.9
Epochal 1 2.1
Historical 0 0
Other 0 0
TOTAL 48 100
Source:DatafromtheObitelResearchTeamVenezuela-2013.
Again,theperiodinwhichfictionprogramsissetisthepresent,andinaverylowpercentageitissetinothertimeperiods.Histori-calfictionstilldoesnotshowupinVenezuelanscreens,although,amongnationalproduction,thereareseveralprojectsmadewithanimportanteconomicinvestmentandthatwillbeairedduring2013.
Chart 7. The ten most watched titles: origin, rating, share
Title
Country of origin of the original idea or script
Produc-tion house
Chan-nel
Name of the writer or author of the original idea
Ra- ting%
Sha- re%
1Mi ex me tiene ganas
VenezuelaVene- visión
Vene- visión
MartínHahn 5.38 40.17
2 Flor salvaje USA
RadioTele-visiónIntera-mericana
TelevenLauraRe-strepo
5.12 38.16
3¡VálgameDios!
VenezuelaVene- visión
Vene- visión
MónicaMon-tañéz
4.67 32.38
494 | Obitel 2013
4La casa de al lado
ChileTel-emundo
TelevenJoséIgnacioValenzuelaGuiraldes
4.64 39.34
5La traicio-nera
ArgentinaFOXTeleco-lombia
Vene- visión
AdriánSuar,FaberSoto,AuraNiñoandRodrigoHolguín
4.57 40.32
6Natalia del Mar
VenezuelaVene- visión
Vene- visión
AlbertoGómez
4.44 30.71
7Abismo de pasión
Mexico TelevisaVene- visión
CaridadBravoAdams
4.06 32.49
8La que no podía amar
USA TelevisaVene- visión
DeliaFiallo 3.99 29.54
9 Emperatriz VenezuelaTVAzteca
Vene- visión
JoséIgnacioCabrujas
3.81 34.52
10Retrato de una mujer
ColombiaFOXTeleco-lombia
Vene- visión
MónicaAgudelo
3.74 32.94
Total of productions: 10 Foreign scripts: 6
100% 60%
Source:DatafromtheObitelResearchTeamVenezuela-2013
Writers’appealtotheaudienceswasparticularlyimportantthis
yearwhentheyofferedinnovativestoriesthatbrokewiththetradi-tionalpatternofasweet,chasteandstylizedmaincharacter.Thus,Mi ex me tiene ganasstarredayoungactresswhosephysiqueisdif-ferentfromtheconventionalslimmodels’orparticipantsinbeautypageants.Theactress’scurvedphenotype,morelikeanyordinaryLatinwoman’s,andherexcellentactingtalentallowedaconnectionwiththeaudience.Ontheotherhand,thestorypresentedinvitedtheTVspectatortolinkcluesandevidencetotrytoguesstheidentityoftheserialkiller.Also,thetelenovelathatwasinsecondplaceinthetopten,Flor Salvaje, showedastarthatevolvedandwentfromasweet,chaste,model-lookingyounggirltoawomanwhoenteredtheworldofprostitutioninordertoearnalivingandcareforhersisters,whomshewasresponsiblefor.
Venezuela – From suspense fiction to nationalized fiction | 495
Chart 8. The ten most watched titles: format, length, time slot
Title Format Genre
Number of chapters/episodes (in 2012)
Dates of the firstandlast
broadcast(in 2012)
Time slot
1Mi ex me tiene ganas
TelenovelaDrama/mystery
17016/05/201205/12/2012
21:00-22:00
2 Flor salvaje TelenovelaDrama/romance
10119/10/201116/04/2012
21:00-22:00
3 ¡VálgameDios! TelenovelaRomanticComedy
17913/03/201203/10/2012
14:00-15:00
4La casa de al lado
TelenovelaDrama/romance
11326/10/201114/05/2012
22:00-23:00
5 La traicionera TelenovelaDrama/romance
19027/02/201221/12/2012
21:00-22:00
6 Natalia del Mar TelenovelaComedy/Drama/romance
6128/06/201112/03/2012
14:00-15:00
7Abismo de pasión
TelenovelaDrama/romance
15715/05/201219/11/2012
13:00-14:00
8La que no podía amar
TelenovelaDrama/romance
11525/10/201114/05/2012
13:00-14:00
9 Emperatriz Telenovela Drama 12107/08/2012(cont.)
15:00-16:00
10Retrato de una mujer
TelenovelaDrama/romance
6701/10/2012 (cont.)
13:00-14:00
Source:DatafromtheObitelResearchTeamVenezuela-2013
ThetasteforhumorisafeaturethatdefinesthetypicalVenezu-
elan.Therefore,theknownalburaswellaseventsofthenationalpubliclife–suchasamistakeintheuseofthelanguagemadebyapublicfunctionary–giveorigintojokesthatarespreadviaInter-net,cellphonesandfrompersontoperson.Thetelenovela¡VálgameDios! usesaneverydayphrasetoexpresssurpriseorresignationandpresents a fresh and fun story.Themostpopular characterswereGamboa and Marbelis. The first one was gallant, attractive androguish, capable of having three simultaneous relationships.AndMarbelis(knownasSantaMarbelis),whoappearsasaloving,dedi-catedandvery religiouswoman,wasactuallyavengeful,wickedwoman,capableofmurderingherenemies.Likewise,thetelenovelathatcameinfourth,La Casa de al lado, gatheredsuspenseanddeathelementsthatdrewtheaudience’sattention.
496 | Obitel 2013
Chart 9. Topics in the 10 most watched titles
TitlesPREVAILING TOPICS
(UP TO 5 MOST IMPOR-TANT TOPICS)
SOCIAL TOPICS(UP TO 5 MOST IMPORTANT
TOPICS)
1Mi ex me
tiene ganas
Crimesolving;developmentofprofessionallegalpractice;identityrevelation;revenge.
Oldage;unwantedpregnancy;mentalillness;addictions;citizen
insecurity.
2Flor sal-
vajeLove;discord;familyrelation-shipsinconflict;bastardy.
Prostitution;addictions;unwantedpregnancy.
3¡Válgame
Dios!
Bastardy;familyrelationshipsinconflict;love,comedy;
revenge.Unwantedpregnancy;diseases.
4La casa de
al lado
Crimesolving;professionalle-galpractice;identityrevelation;familyrelationshipsinconflict.
Citizeninsecurity;diseases;ad-dictions;devaluationoffamily
relationships.
5La traicio-
neraCrimesolving;professionalle-galpractice;revenge;bastardy.
Mentalillness;lossofmoralvalues;destructionoffamily
relationships.
6Natalia del
Mar
Thwartedlove;infidelity;revenge;identityrevelation;
bastardy.
Addictions;unwantedpreg-nancy;differencesbetweensocialclasses;personalgrowth;natural
scenarios.
7Abismo de
pasión
Revenge;murders;professionallegalpractice;familyrelation-
ships.
Lossofmoralvalues;unwantedpregnancies;addictions;immigra-
tion;diseases.
8La que no
podía amar
Revenge;thwartedlove;devel-opmentofprofessionallegal
practice.Bigamy;addictions;immigration.
9 EmperatrizBastardy;revenge;love;crimesolving;professionallegalprac-
tice;identityrevelation.
Addictions;mentalillnesses;unwantedpregnancies;family
relationshipsinconflict.
10Retrato de una mujer
Love;familyrelationships.Familyrelationshipsinconflict;
lossofpersonalidentity.
Source:DatafromtheObitelResearchTeamVenezuela-2013
Regarding insertionofcontent in theplots, thefollowingareconstantly present in the threenational premiere productions thatreachedthetopten:unwantedpregnancies,addictions,andmentalillnesses.In2012,Venezuelarankedfirstplaceinunplannedpreg-nanciesinSouthAmerica16andestimatedahighrateofearlypreg-
16Thedemographicdataandvitalstatisticsofthe2011censusindicatethatoutof615,132livebirths,23%correspondtomotherswhoarenotyet19yearsold.
Venezuela – From suspense fiction to nationalized fiction | 497
nancies,atopicthatisindirectlycoveredinNataliadelMar,¡Vál-game dios! and Mi ex me tiene ganas. Ontheotherhand,thereisabudding interest inshowing thecountry’snatural landscapesand,thisway,indirectlyencouragingtourism.Playa Esperanza and Mar
Encantado aretwofictitioustownsthathavenodirectreferencesinthe national geography, therefore the promotional possibility andstrategyareweakened.
498 | Obitel 2013
Chart10.Audienceprofileofthe10mostw
atchedtitles:genre,age,socioeconom
iclevel
Tit
les
Cha
nnel
Gen
re %
Age
gro
up %
Soci
oeco
nom
ic le
vel %
Men
Wom
en4-7
8-11
12-17
18-24
25-34
35-44
45-54
55+
AB
CD
E
Mi e
x m
e ti
ene
gana
s Venevisión
6.41
4.33
3.08
3.61
4.80
4.99
4.11
5.90
6.92
7.63
1.47
2.96
4.46
8.19
Flo
r sa
lvaj
e Televen
6.80
3.94
2.33
3.83
3.36
4.49
3.61
6.88
8.08
8.00
4.06
3.55
5.15
6.70
¡VálgameDios!
Venevisión
7.36
4.26
4.03
3.63
4.73
5.58
4.16
6.09
8.35
8.29
2.89
3.69
5.13
8.10
La
casa
de
al la
do
Televen
6.05
3.39
1.94
2.93
3.11
4.16
3.47
6.49
7.19
6.26
3.19
3.59
4.28
6.10
La
trai
cion
era
Venevisión
5.44
3.72
2.73
2.60
3.93
4.49
3.67
4.70
5.75
6.88
1.79
2.37
3.92
6.82
Nat
alia
del
Mar
Venevisión
6.94
4.67
4.68
3.54
4.10
5.51
4.20
6.09
7.63
9.07
3.04
3.66
5.49
7.50
Abi
smo
de p
asió
n Venevisión
6.34
3.70
2.93
2.88
3.72
4.56
3.27
5.48
7.54
7.86
1.58
3.34
4.18
7.37
La
que
no p
odía
am
ar
Venevisión
6.68
4.21
3.82
2.86
3.72
5.22
3.72
5.81
7.66
8.76
3.01
3.55
4.91
7.37
Em
pera
triz
Venevisión
5.61
3.25
2.80
2.85
3.80
4.31
2.98
4.45
7.00
6.10
1.00
2.49
3.41
7.23
Ret
rato
de
una
muj
er
Venevisión
5.81
3.30
2.71
3.07
3.46
4.24
2.79
4.88
7.15
6.80
1.10
3.34
3.49
7.10
Sour
ce:D
atafrom
theObitelR
esearchTeamVenezuela-2013
Venezuela – From suspense fiction to nationalized fiction | 499
3. Transmedia receptionFictionprogramsthatareamongthetoptenmostwatchedtitles
inVenezuela in2012areconcentrated in twoprivateTVstations(Venevisión,witheight,andTeleven,withjusttwo)andbothhaveincorporated some spreading initiatives supported on social net-worksasa strategy tobetter reach theaudience.Below is anex-ampleofhowitworks,usingthefictionprogramFlor Salvaje.
Chart11.Transmediaticfiction: types of interaction and prevailing practices
TitleTV sta-tion
Transmediation proposal
Type of transmedi-atic interac-tion
Levels of in-terac-tivity
Types of prevailing practices
Flor Salvaje
Te-leven
Officialsitehttp://msnlatino.telemundo.com/novelas/Flor_Salvaje/
Transmedi-aticviewing
Active
CommentsNews
Specialan-nouncementsaboutthetelenovelaSurveys
Facebook https://www.facebook.com/FlorSalvajeTV?ref=ts &fref=ts
Interactiveviewing
Active
CommentsReviewsSurveys
Recommen-dations
Twitterhttps://twitter.com/FlorSal-vajeTV
Interactiveviewing
ActiveCommentsReviewsSurveys
YouTubehttp://www.youtube.com/user/TVTelemundo
Interactiveviewing
Active Comments
Facebookhttps://www.facebook.com/FlorSalvajeTelemundo
Interactiveviewing
ActiveCommentsReviews
Source:DatafromtheObitelResearchTeamVenezuela-2013
WhencheckingthetransmediaticproposalfromtheinitiativesofthementionedTVstations,itseemsthatskepticismandindeci-sivenessofthementionedstationsexpressedinpreviousyearsabouttheacknowledgementofInternet’spotentialityhaschanged.Eachtitlehasitsofficialsite,aswellasinteractionspacesinthesocialnet
500 | Obitel 2013
Facebook.Insomecases,theyhaveincorporatedothertools,suchasTwitter, InstagramandYoutube, that,due tospace limitations,havenotbeenincludedinthisreport.Eachofthe10titlesincludedinthetoptenhasanofficialsiteandaFacebookfanpage.Thelevelofinteractivitythatprevailsisactive.Usersareinterestedinmakingcommentsandreviewsandtheyarereceptivetothestimulusofan-sweringsurveys,givingtheiropinionandevenproposingtheirver-sionofthestory.However,itisnecessarytopointoutthatthelevelof creative interactivity is still insufficient to consider this groupofpeopleasprosumers.ItislikelythatcommunicationcompanieswatchmorecarefullytheacceleratedgrowthofthenumberofInter-netusersinthecountryandtheadvantagesthatdigitalmediareport.Forexample,regardingcommunicationsadjustedtotheaudience’smode,totheexpansionofthebrandanditsproducts,gatheringin-formationtogettobetterknowtheaudience-goneprosumer-andsegmentingthehandinginofvalueaccordingtotheneedsofspe-cificgroups(Jiménez,2011).
Fortheparticularanalysisofafictionpiece,Flor Salvajewaschosen.Itisthesecondmostwatchedtelenovela ofthetopten,witharatingof5.1%andashareof38.1%.Thischoicerespondstothemostrepresentative transmediaticoffer.TheproductionwasairedfromOctober9th2011toApril16th2012,intheschedulecomprisedbetween21:00to22:00,onTeleven.IthasanofficialsitecreatedbythecompanyTelemundotointeractwithitsaudience.Thesiteofferspictures,videos,stories,charactersandFacebookandTwitterpro-files.Intheofficialsitethereisaselectionofexclusivepicturesandvideosclassifiedaccordingto:episodes,thebest,behindthecams,andothers.Also,aselectionofthemostwatchedvideosispresent-ed,includingagamethataimstomeasurehowmuchtheaudienceknowsabouttelenovela,aswellassectionsofthemostshared,themostcommented,widgetwiththelistoftwits,constantlyupdating,summaryof chapters, amongotheroptionsm, such as like, share,sendtoFacebook,toTwitterorthroughemail.TheFacebookpro-file,linkedtotheofficialpage,wascreatedonMay17th2011inthe
Venezuela – From suspense fiction to nationalized fiction | 501
following link: https://www.facebook.com/FlorSalvajeTelemundo.There,45,548 peoplehavepointedoutthattheylikethesiteand81othersaretalkingaboutthesite.DuringthemonthofApril2012,periodwhentheendofthetelenovelawasaired,theFacebooksitereportedthat2,935peoplelikeditand3,123weretalkingaboutit.
Forthepurposeoftheanalysisofthefictionpiece,thesecondprofilecreatedonJuly25th2011bytheVenezuelanchannelTelevenwaschosen.Thelinkisthefollowing:https://www.facebook.com/FlorSalvajeTV.Inthiscase,32,307peoplehavesaidtheylikethesiteand97are talkingabout it.The intervalchosenwasbetweenApril12thandApril17th,periodwhentherewasmoreinteractivityandmentions to the last fourchaptersof the telenovela. Thepro-filedoesnotindicatethenumberofvisitors/usersperday,buttheglobalupdatednumber.Thus,thenumbercalculatedwastheresultofaddingtwotypesoffeedback(“Like”and“Comments”).Thereisanotoriousincreaseintheinteractivityoftheuser’scomments,that tookplaceonApril 16th (2,018visits),when the last chapterwasaired.Itispossibletoinferthatthatmoment,thefinaloutcomeoftheplot,intensifiestheaudience’sparticipationandtheneedtoexpressemotions,feelings,praise,criticismandcommentsonthestorythatisending.
As for the typesofcommentsposted, it ispossible tonoticethat the ones that prevail are about the description of characters,commentsonthem,predictionsaboutthesubjectmatterorthede-velopmentofthestory.Wecanfindcriticismthatrevealsiftheus-ersareinfavorornotwiththeendofthestoryandproposalsonthedesiredend,forexample,“Nothingcompares!!WiththissuccessofTeleven!”postedonApril13thbyLizcaryChirinos(2012).Someusersinteractamongthemselveswhentheyargueonother’scom-ments,answerquestionsorsimplyexpresstheemotionalimpactaspecificsituationintheplothadonthem.
Thepredominantfunctionsonthepostedcommentsareemo-tional,referential,connective,andrelatedtofacts.Itisimportanttopointoutthatthechannelalsopostedcommentsrelatedtofacts,for
502 | Obitel 2013
example,onApril13thitpublished“Chooseyourending”,aques-tionwith fiveansweroptions: a)WouldyoubringPabloback tolifeforhimtomarryAmanda?;b)AmandaandRafaellivehappilyeverafter; c)AbeldefeatsRafaeland takesAmanda;d)Amandaremainsalone;e)AmandareturnstoSacramento.Itispossibletoin-ferthatinthiscasetheintentionistogeneratedebateandstimulatethe audience’s interactivity. 372 comments and 244 “likes”wereachieved, however, onlyoneuser shared it. In the same line, thechanneladdedtwosurveysonthe16th,probablywiththeintentionof raisingexpectationsandstimulatinguser’s interactivity for theairingofthefinalchapter.Thefirstsurveyquestioned:“ReadytowatchtheGrandEndofFlorSalvaje?”Thepositiveanswerwasthemostvotedby97people.Thesecondsurveyasked:“WhotriedtostoptheweddingbetweenFlorandRafael?”Inthiscase,theinter-estisaimedatidentifyingtheaudience’sknowledgeoftheplot.Themostvotedoptionwaschosenby319people.Finally,therewasonecommentwithaconativefunction.Inthiscase,thechannelpostedthe following invitation: “Click on like if you arewatchingFlor
SalvajeonTeleven.”Itispresumedthatheretheintentioncouldberelatedwiththeratingmeasurement.
4. Highlights of the yearRegardingfiction,theaspectsthatstandoutfortheyear2012
havebeengroupedinfourcategories:(1)Statizationoffiction;(2)Production of fiction from community spaces; (3) Fiction serieslinked tomythicalandreligiousaspects;and(4)Public financingfor theaudiovisualproductionof fiction.Since theyear2010 theproduction of national fiction series has decreased considerably.Togetherwith this, in2010,PresidentHugoRafaelChávezFríasproposedtheneedtocreatethe“socialisttelenovela”.Asananswer,in2012,Teresa en tres estacionesisaired.Itwasproducedwithfi-nancingfromtheFondodeResponsabilidadSocialforanamountof17,000,000.00Bs.,equivalentto3,953,488.37dollars,attheofficialexchangerateof4.30Bs.perdollar.With4024-minutechapters,it
Venezuela – From suspense fiction to nationalized fiction | 503
triestovindicatetheroleoftheVenezuelanwomanfromdifferentstereotypesthantheonesthatareproposedbythetraditionalpinktelenovela. InTeresa en tres estaciones,thelivesofthesewomenareshown:asinglemother;anartstudent;andthedriverofatrainthatcoverstherouteCaracas-VallesdelTuy.Thisproductionwastrans-mittedbyTVES,which,bytheway,istheonlynationalscopeopensignal channel that transmits films fromVenezuela, LatinAmer-ica, and fromother contexts,with the determinationof includingproductionsmadewithhighlyaesthetic considerations.With this,theyseektooffer theaudienceoptionsdifferentfromotherchan-nels.However,lowaudienceratesthatyearafteryearhavebecomeevidentrevealthat,beyondcontents,itisnecessarytoaimtowardspolicies that can impactTV spectators.An element that explainsthisrealityisthefactthatinitialTVESbroadcastsweremarkedbythenon-renewaloftheRCTV’sbroadcastinglicenseanditsconse-quentpolitical,economicandaudienceloyaltyimplications.FromthecommunityspacecalledParque Cultural Tiuna El Fuerte17,spe-cificallyfromtheLaboratoryofUrbanArts(LaboratoriodeArtesUrbanas,LAU),sponsoredbytheFondodeResponsabilidadSo-cialdelaComisiónNacionaldeTelecomunicaciones(CONATEL) andthefigureofNationalIndependentProduction,theseriesBarrio
Surwasproduced.Withanextensionofthirteenchapters,thefirsttitledEl desafío wasshowntotheaudienceonSeptember25thintheTeatroPrincipalofCaracas,althoughitwasnotbroadcastthroughopensignal.TheplotrevolvesaroundagroupofyounginhabitantsofapopularsluminthecityofCaracas.ManyofthecharactersareplayedbyyoungstersfromthegroupTiunaElFuerte,whodonothaveactingexperienceandwhomainlyliveinElValleandCoche.
17Thisnamewasusedduetothefactthatitislocatedacrossfromthemilitarypremises(FuerteTiuna)andwheretheMinistryofPopularPowerforDefenseislocated,intheparishofElValle, inCaracas.Theydescribethemselvesas“apolitical-culturalgroupofyoungactivistsofpublicart.Wewerebornin2005,takingurbanartsasourfightingweaponsforaradicaltransformationofthesocietywelivein.Weareartisticsensitivity,whichdaytodaybuildsapublicalternativespaceforthemeeting,expression,education,recreationandinclusionofyouthfrompopularclasses”.Tiuna El Fuerte.Inhttp://labora-toriodeartesurbanas.blogspot.com/(RetrievedonApril13th,2013).
504 | Obitel 2013
DirectedbyMichaelLabarca, it alsocountedwith the supportofthe Fundación Infocentro through the PlanNacional deBrigadasComunicacionales(NationalPlanofCommunicationalBrigades).18 The third element is linked to fiction series relatedwith religion.Traición y Perdón (2012)isthethirdofTVminiseriesproducedinthecountry,withVenezuelantalent,althoughitwasn’ttransmittedinVenezuela.EnlaceTVisaChristianinternationalstationofsatel-litecommunication,inSpanish,whichproducedtheseries.Thecon-tentsofEnlaceTVaregeneratedinseveralcountriesofAmerica,EuropeandAsiaandbroadcast in theUSA,ArgentinaColombia,Chile,Spain,MexicoandVenezuela.InpreviousyearsPecado de
Soberbia (2011) andRedención de amor (2010) were produced.AllhavebeenwrittenbyCarlosRoaVianaanddirectedbyHenryCasares. This reveals two things: (1) audience segmentation dueto faith;and (2) transnational flowsof this typeof fictionpieces,whichopensanewnicheinaudienceresearch.Thefourthelementisrelatedwithfinancingactionsforaudiovisualproduction,whichisgeneratedfromtheState.TheFondodeResponsabilidadSocialenRadioyTV(FRS)providesresourcestoencouragetheso-calledNationalIndependentProduction(PNI,inSpanish),aswellasotherproductionsthatarenotnecessarilyinthiscategory.TheFRSfeedsoff4%ofthenetannualincomegeneratedbyoperatorsofthetele-communicationssector,aswellasfines.19During2012,thefollow-
18“Thebrigadesareconformedbysocialorganizations,membersoforganizedcommuni-tiesandInfocenterfacilitators,whopromotethecollectivecreationofrevolutionarymes-sagesoperatingfromtheterritoryoftheircommunity.Thebrigadiersturntheirpracticeintoanendogenousprocessofemancipatingeducation.Activeactioninthemediaandcommunicationaldomainsarepromoted,whereeach individualororganization that isincorporatedtotheproposaladdsfromhisownreferenceandabilitiestotheprocessofproductionanddistributionofcontents”.¿Quésonlasbrigadascomunicacionales?In:http://www.infocentro.gob.ve/sitios_index.php(RetrievedonApril13th,2013).19AccordingtostatementsofJorgeRopero,“inthelast2years,theFondo de Respon-sabilidad Socialhasfinanced98productionsforTV,forasumof173millionbolívares;22radioproductionsthatreceived10million700thousandbolívares;threeinfrastructureprojects,whichreceived7million600thousandbolívares;twocommunicationsresearchprojectsthatweregranted674thousandbolívares;acriticalperceptionprojectfor262thousandbolívaresandatrainingproject,whichreceivedamillion92thousandbolíva-res.”All this investmentaddsup toa totalof186,735,600.00bolívares, equivalent to
Venezuela – From suspense fiction to nationalized fiction | 505
ingfictionserieswereproducedaccordingtohismodality:Barrio
Sur(ParqueCulturalTiunaElFuerte);Hotel de Locura(QuimeraVisión);Teresa en tres estaciones (AlterProductions,VilladelCineandTVES);Nos vemos en el Espejo (PNI);La residencia(LinternaRoja films);El Diario de Bucaramanga.El Retrato de un héroe (SPMProduccionesandMontesacroFilms);Guerreras y Centau-
ros(TVES-LaVilladelCine);andLa Precursoraarestillbeingproduced.20
5. Topic of the year: social memory and television fictionThe treatment of social memory or narration of the past in
VenezuelanTVfictionispresentedintwodirections.Ononehand,recentmemorylinkedtothesociopoliticalenvironmentofthecoun-try,ontheother,thehistoricalmemoryinwhichcertaineventsareexalted;waysoflookingatcertaincharactersand/orreferentsthatallowustounderstandsomephenomenathatoccurnowadays.Re-garding recentmemory, it ispossible toascertain thatBarrio sur
andTeresa en tres estaciones integrateelements that rescuesomedefining aspects of the identities of current Venezuelans: youngpeople who live in depressed urban communities and that fightfor their dreams and ideals or the new roles that theVenezuelanwomancarriesout–asatraindriver,asinglemotherwhoworksasahairdresserandsinger,andanartstudent,whoselivesaretrans-formedwhentherailwaysystemisinaugurated–.ThebackgroundforthistypeofcontentsarefoundinwhatwascalledinVenezuelacultural telenovela, and that later extended toothers, suchasPor
estas calles (1992),Amores de fin de siglo (2004)andAmores de
barrio adentro (2004). Othertypesofcontentsassociatedwiththesocialmemoryaretheonesthatstemfrompoliticaleventsand/orthat reflecthistoricalperiods thatwerekey for thecountry.Este-
fanía (1979) that reflected the period ofMarcosPérez Jiménez’s
43,426,883.70dollars,usingtheofficialexchangerateof4.30bolívaresperdollar.20TothesewemustaddanArgentinean-VenezuelanprojectidentifiedasUnitarios de Televisión Digital Abierta,afictionseriesconsistingofseven50-minutechapters.
506 | Obitel 2013
dictatorship(1953-1958);Gómez I(1980),Gómez II (1981)andLa
Dueña(1984),whichweresetinJuanVicenteGómez’sdictatorship(1908-1935), nicknamedElBagre, are examples of this. Inwhatcouldbeconsideredculturalmemory,itispossibletofindcontentsthataresetinkeymomentsinVenezuela’shistory,topicslikeeth-nicity,heroismorpro-independence.Inthiscontext,wecanincludePobre Negro (1976), Sangre azul (1979) and Guerreras y centauros
(2012-2013). Inthefirstone, theyhistoricizethe“popularcollec-tivememory,formulatingthe‘identitary’fableof‘mestizaje’withthepopulistemphasisthatimpliedtheconstructionofhybrid‘whit-ened’individualsandtheimaginarydomesticationoftherunawayslave(cimarrón)”.21Inthesecondone,Sangre azul, episodesoftheFederalWarthatoccurredinthemid-19thcenturyarereminisced.Guerreras y centauroscoversthespanbetween1821untilthebe-ginningofthe20thcenturyframedinJuanVicenteGómez’sdicta-torship.Thetopicsrevolvearoundlatifundiumandexploitationofheronfeathers.Inthisgrouptwoofthetitlesproducedinthecountryin2012are inscribed,whichhavenotbeenairedyet inopensig-nal.El diario de Bucaramanga. El retrato de un héroe (2012-2013)andLa precursora (2012-2013)areexamplesofthis.El diario de
Bucaramanga. El retrato de un héroecentersonthelifeofSimónBolívarandtheevents linkedto theGranColombia(1828)whileLa Precursora, set between1799 and1811, reflects the indepen-denceperiod.In2012,thememorythatisencouragedfromfictionserieshastodowiththeromanticgazeuponthepastseekingalostheroismthatisinstalledinnewheroes:womenwithvirtuesthataretraditionallyattributedtohegemonicmasculinity(strength,bravery,courage)inthewarsandintheactionsprecedingtheindependence.Thesearenarrationsinwhichgrandiloquenceaswellasbattlesandpower struggles areusedas a formula. It seems that for the timebeing inourcontext, it isnotpossible togenerateanyother typeofhistoricmemory.Amemoryinwhichstoriesareasimportantas
21 RaquelRivasRojas. Cimarronaje, exclusion, mestizaje y blanqueamiento en Pobre Negro de Rómulo Gallegos (Estudios,USB:2002)105.
Venezuela – From suspense fiction to nationalized fiction | 507
History,theonewrittenfromtheofficialpointofviewandthatendsupbeing“officializing”.Memory inwhichstories fromeverydaylifearestrongenoughtobetakenintoaccount.Memoryinwhichaspectssuchastheeconomicandculturalimpulse,technologicalorscientificinnovationsorthecreationofinstitutions–tonamejustafew–arecovered.Theexplanationsareclear:ononehand,themili-taristicgraspthatgaveshapetoournationsisstillaconditionerforourwaystoexpresstheworld,and,ontheother,theneedtokeepacharacteralive–SimónBolívar,whowillalwaysofferrevenuestothosewhowishtoemulatehim–.
ReferencesCONATEL(2013a).Servicio de Internet. Indicadores. Años 1998-2012.
Retrievedon:March25th, 2013 in:http://www.conatel.gob.ve/files/Indicado-
res/indicadores_2012_anual/internet_13.pdf.
CONATEL(2013b).Servicio de internet. Suscriptores residenciales y no
residenciales.Años2001–12.Retrievedon:March25th,2013in:http://www.
conatel.gob.ve/files/Indicadores/indicadores_2011_anual/internet_residencial_
no_residencial13.pdf.
CONATEL (2013c).Difusión por suscripción. Indicadores. Años 2000
–2011.Retrievedon:March25th,2013in:http://www.conatel.gob.ve/files/In-
dicadores/indicadores_2012_anual/difusion13.pdf
CONATEL (2013d).Telefoníamóvil. Indicadores.Años1997–2012.
Retrievedon:March25th, 2013 in:http://www.conatel.gob.ve/files/Indicado-
res/indicadores_2012_anual/telefonia_movil13.pdf
FERNÁNDEZ,M.(2012)en:Cantv aumentará velocidad de conexión a
Internet en próximos 6 meses.Retrievedon:March25th,2013in:http://www.
correodelorinoco.gob.ve/nacionales/cantv-aumentara-velocidad-conexion-a-
-internet-proximos-6-meses/
INE(2013).SDD Cuadro de Estadística de Proyecciones de Población.
Retrievedon:March25th,2013in:http://www.ine.gob.ve/documentos/Demo-
grafia/SituacionDinamica/Proyecciones/html/PoblacionSexo.html.
JIMÉNEZ,C.et al(2011)Internet y los negocios: manual para aprove-
char las ventajas de internet en su empresa.Caracas:EdicionesIESA
LOZANO,D.(2012),April1,2012in:http://www.elmundo.com.ve/no-
ticias/tecnologia/internet/se-sacude-el-mercado-de-telefonos-inteligentes-por.
aspx
508 | Obitel 2013
NETINDEX(2013).All countries.Retrievedon:April5,2013in:http://
netindex.com/download/allcountries/
RIVASR.,R.(2002)Cimarronaje, exclusión, mestizaje y blanqueamien-
to en Pobre Negro de Rómulo Gallegos. Caracas: Estudios,USB.
ARGENTINA1. Graduados Production:UndergoundConteni-dos,EndemolArgentinaeTeleféContenidosDirection: SebastiánOrtegaScreenwriters: ErnestoKoro-vosky,SilvinaFredjkeseAlejandroQuesadaCast: NancyDupláa,DanielHendler,LucianoCáceres,JulietaOrtegaeIsabelMaceo
2. Dulce amor Production: LCProduccioneseTeleféContenidosDirection: HugoAlejandroMosereMauroScandolariScreenwriters: EnriqueEstevanez,MarceloNaccieLauraBarneixCast: SebastiánEstevanez,JuanDarthés,CarinaAmpini,LauraNovoaePedroCernnadas
3. Herederos de una venganzaProduction: Pol-kaDirection: JorgeMonteroeJorgeBecharaScreenwriters: LeandroCalderoneCast: LucianoCastro,RominaGaetani,MarcelaKloosterboer,Fed-ricoAmadoreLeonorBenedetto
ToP Ten Tv FIcTIon In obITel counTrIes
4. El hombre de tu vidaProduction: 100bareseTeleféContenidosDirection: JuanJoséCampanellaScreenwriters: CeciliaMontieJuanJoséCampanellaCast: GuillermoFrancella,Mer-cedesMorán,LuisBrandonieTupacLarriera
5. La dueñaProduction: TeleféContenidosDirection: MartínKwellerScreenwriters: MarceloCaamañoCast: MirthaLegrand,FlorenciaBertotti,BenjamínVicuña,FabianVenaeRaúlTaibo
6. Mi problema con las mujeresProduction: 13MaresProduccioneseVincentEntertainmentDirection: DanielDefelippoScreenwriters: SebastiánRoststeineAlbertoRojasApel(adaptadores)Cast: MarianoMartínez,AnaMaríaOrozco,MónicaGonzagaeYayoGuridi
7. Sos mi hombreProduction: Pol-kaDirection: SebastiánPivottoeMartínSabanScreenwriters: LeandroCalderoneCast: LucianoCastro,CelesteCid,
510 | Obitel 2013
GabrielGoity,GonzaloValenzuelaeFedericoDiSanto
8. Mi amor, mi amor Production: Elárbol,EndemolArgentinaeTeleféContenidosDirection: MarianoArdanzeJuanPabloLaplaceScreenwriters: GustavoBelattieLeonelD´AgostinoCast: JuanGilNavarro,JazmínStu-art,BrendaGandini,MartínSeefeldeFedericoD´Elía
9. Los únicos Production: Pol-kaDirection: SebastiánPivotto,LucasGil,RodolfoAntunezeVíctoStellaScreenwriters: LeandroCalderoneeMarianoVeraCast: NicolásCabré,NicolasVázquez,EmiliaAttías,MarcoAntonioCaponieMaríaEugeniaSuárez
10. Lobo Production: Pol-kaDirection: LucasRuizBarreaeAlejandroIbáñezScreenwriters: LilyAnnMartin,CeciliaGuertyePabloJunovichCast: GonzaloHeredia,VanesaGonzález,OsvaldoLaport,VivianaSacconeeLuisanaLopilato
BRAZIL1. Fina EstampaProduction: Globo/92Direction: WolfMayaScreenplay: AguinaldoSilvaCasting: LiliaCabral,Christiane
Torloni,DaltonVigh,MarceloSer-rado,PauloRocha
2. Avenida BrasilProduction: GloboDirection: RicardoWaddington,AmoraMautner,JoséLuizVilla-marimScreenplay: JoãoEmanuelCarneiroCasting: DéboraFalabella,AdrianaEsteves,MuriloBenício,CauãRey-mond,MarcelloNovaes
3. Cheias de CharmeProduction: GloboDirection: CarlosAraujo,DeniseSaraceniScreenplay: FilipeMiguez,IzabeldeOliveiraCasting: TaísAraújo,LeandraLeal,IsabelleDrummond,CláudiaAbreu,RicardoTozzi
4. Salve JorgeProduction: GloboDirection: MarcosSchechtman,FredMayrinkScreenplay: GlóriaPerezCasting: NandaCosta,RodrigoLombardi,GiovannaAntonelli,ClaudiaRaia,TotiaMeirelles
5. Tapas & Beijos (2nd season)Production: GloboDirection: MaurícioFarias,DanielaBraga,ClaraKutnerScreenplay: ClaudioPaiva,PériclesBarros,ClaudioLisboa,NiltonBraga,ReginaValladaresCasting: FernandaTorres,AndreaBeltrão,FábioAssunção,VladimirBrichta,OtavioMuller
Top ten tv fiction in Obitel countries | 511
6. Aquele BeijoProduction: GloboDirection: CininhadePaula,Ro-bertoTalmaScreenplay: MiguelFalabellaCasting: GiovannaAntonelli,MaríliaPêra,HersonCapri,GraziMassafera,RicardoPereira 7. A Grande Família (12th season)Production: GloboDirection: LuisFelipeSá,GuelArraesScreenplay: BernardoGuilherme,MarceloGonçalves,OlíviaGui-marãesCasting: MarcoNanini,Mar-ietaSevero,PedroCardoso,LúcioMauroFilho,GutaStresser
8. Amor Eterno AmorProduction: GloboDirection: PedroVasconcelos,RogérioGomesScreenplay: ElizabethJinCasting: GabrielBragaNunes,Letí-ciaPersiles,CarlosDallaVecchia,AndréiaHorta,GiuliaGam
9. Doce de MãeProduction: GloboDirection: AnaLuizaAzevedo,JorgeFurtado,GuelArraesScreenplay: AnaLuizaAzevedo,JorgeFurtado,MigueldaCostaFrancoCasting: FernandaMontenegro,MarcoRicca,LouiseCardoso,MirnaSpritzer,ElisaVolpato
10. Guerra dos SexosProduction: GloboDirection: JorgeFernandoScreenplay: SilviodeAbreuCasting: TonyRamos,IreneRav-ache,GlóriaPires,EdsonCelulari,MarianaXimenes
CHILE1. Soltera otra vezDirector: HervalAbreuScriptwriter: MarceloCastañonCast: PazBascuñán,CristiánAr-riagada,JosefinaMontané,PabloMacaya
2. Los 80 más que una modaDirector: BorisQuerciaScriptwriter: RodrigoCuevasCast: TámaraAcosta,DanielMu- ñoz,LucasEscobar,LoretoArav-ena,TomásVerdejo
3. Pobre ricoDirector: RodrigoVelásquez,NicolásAlemparte,MaríaEugeniaRenconretScriptwriter: AlejandroCabreraCast:SimónPesutic,AlonsoQuintero,CarolinaArregui,FrancisoReyes
4. SeparadosDirector: MaríaEugeniaRencoret,ItaloGalleaniScriptwriter: DanielaCastagnoCast: JorgeZabaleta,ÁlvaroRudol-phy,SigridAlegría,LuzValdivieso
512 | Obitel 2013
5. PelelesDirector: RobertoRebolledoScriptwriter: RodrigoCuevasCast: CristiánCampos,ClaudioArredondo,MarioHorton,DanielAlcaíno,NestorCantillana
6. Reserva de familiaDirector: MaríaEugeniaRencoretScriptwriter: PabloIllanes,LarissaContrerasCast: NelsonVillagra,GloriaMünchmeyer,FranciscoMelo,PaolaVolpato,MarceloAlonso
7. Aquí mando yoDirector: MaríaEugeniaRencoret,ItaloGalleaniScriptwriter: DanielaCastagnoCast: JorgeZabelata,MaríaEugeniaSwett,CristianRiquelme,CarolinaVarleta,CocaGuazzini
8. Dama y obreroDirector: MaríaEugeniaRencoret,ClaudioLópezdeLéridaScriptwriter: JoséIgnacioValen-zuelaCast: MaríaGraciaOmegna,Fran-ciscoPérezBannen,CésarSepúlve-da,ElisaZulueta
9. El reemplazanteDirector: NicolásAcuña,CristiánJiménezScriptwriter: HernánRodríguezCast: IvánAlvárez,BlancaLewin,IgnacioAllamand,RobertoFarías,KarlaMelo
10. Violeta se fue a los cielosDirector: AndrésWoodScriptwriter: AndrésWood,EliseoAltunaga,GuillermoCalderón,RodrigoBazaesCast: FranciscaGavilán,ThomasDurand,PatricioOssa,JorgeLópez,StephaniaBarbageleta
COLOMBIA1. Escobar el patrón del malProduction: CaracolTelevisiónDirector: CarlosMorenoScript: JuanCamiloFerrandCast: AndresParra,AngieCepeda,NicolasMontero,CeciliaNavia,AldemarCorrea
2. La mariposaProduction: RCNandFoxTeleco-lombiaDirector: RicardoGabrielli,LiloVilaplanaScript: GerardoReyesCast: MariaAdelaidaPuerta,Mi-chelleBrown,LincolnPalomeque,AnaWills,CesarMora
3. El capo IIProduction: RCNandFoxTeleco-lombiaDirector: LiloVilaplana,RiccardoGabrielli,KlychLopezScript: GustavoBolivarCast: MarlonMoreno,CristinaUmana,CarolinaRamirez,OscarBorda
4. Casa de reinasProduction: RCNTelevisiónDirector: MarioRibero
Top ten tv fiction in Obitel countries | 513
Script: MiguelAngelBaquero,EloisaInfanteCast: RodrigoCandamil,CatalinaLondoño,LornaCepeda,MauricioMejia,OmerisArrieta
5. Corazones blindadosProduction: TelesetandRCNDirector: IsraelSanchez,JuanFelipeCanoScript: RafaelNoguera,AnaMariaLondoñoandJuanAndresRendonCast: AndrewSandoval,MajidaIssa,OscarBorda,JulianRoman
6. Rafael Orozco, el ídoloProduction: CaracolTelevisiónDirector: AndrésMarroquínScript: ArlethCastilloCast: AlejandroPalacio,TalianaVargas,MaritzaRodriguez,MarioEspitia,RafaelSantos
7. ¿Dónde carajos está Umaña?Production: CaracolTVDirector: Anselmo“Chemo”Calvo,LuisOrjuelaScript: JohnnyOrtizCast: DiegoTrujillo,CarlosMuñoz,MarcelaCarvajal,CarolinaLopez,AnaMariaKamper
8. ¿Dónde está Elisa?Production: RCNTelevisiónDirector: RodrigoTriana,DanielMoureScript: PabloIllanesCast: CristinaUmana,JuanPabloGamboa,JorgeEnriqueAbello,AnabellRivero
9. A mano limpia IIProduction: RCNTelevisiónDirector: RocioCruz,MónicaCifuentesScript: DiegoVivanco,AndrewGuevara,JulioContrerasCast: MarioDuarte,ValentinaAcosta,VarielSanchez,MonicaChavez,ManuelSarmiento
10. El laberintoProduction: CaracolTVandSonyPicturesTelevisionDirector: JaimeOsorio,JuanCarlosBeltranScript: MauricioMirandaCast: RobinsonDiaz,SandraReyes,JorgeCao,ClaudiaMoreno,Ad-elaidaLópez
ECUADOR1. El Capo 2Director: LiloVilaplana,RicardoGabrielliScreenwriters: AndreaBasabe,MarisolGalindoCast: MarlonMoreno,CristinaUmaña,CarolinaRamírez,OscarBorda,AlexBetancourt
2. El combo amarilloDirector: CristianCortez,MiguelCaleroScreenwriters: MiguelCalero,CecilEstacioCast: JoséNorthia,MaríaMercedesPacheco,MaríaFernandaRíos,JonathanEstrada,RicardoGonzález
514 | Obitel 2013
3. El combo amarillo 3DDirector: CristianCortez,MiguelCaleroScreenwriters: MiguelCalero,CecilEstacioCast: MercedesPayne,MaríaFer-nandaRíos,JonathanEstrada,JoséNorthia,MaríaMercedesPacheco
4. El Joe, la leyendaDirector: HerneyLunaScreenwriters: AndrésSalgado,NataliaOspinaCast: JairRomero,EstefaníaBorge,AndrésSuárez,DiegoVásquez,IsabelCristinaEstrada
5. Corazón apasionadoDirector: CarlosPérezSantosScreenwriter: AlbertoGómezCast: MarleneFavela,GuyEcker,SusanaDosamantes,LorenaMerit-ano,LuisJoséSantander
6. Tres milagrosDirector: RodrigoLalinde,IsraelSánchezScreenwriters: CarlosDuplat,LuzMarielaSantofimioCast: JohannaBahamón,AngélicaBlandón,FarinaFranco,AndrésSandoval,JuanDiegoSánchez
7. Fina EstampaDirector: WolfMayaScreenwriter: AguinaldoSilvaCast: LiliaCabral,ChristianeTorloni,DaltonVigh,CarolinaDieckmann,JoséMeyer
8. La MariposaDirector: LiloVilaplanaScreenwriter: DiegoMejíaMontes(co-director)Cast: MaríaAdelaidaPuerta,MichelBrown,LincolnPalomeque,AnaWills,RafaelLahera
9. El man es Germán (2nd season)Director: ConsueloGonzálezCuel-larScreenwriter: JuanManuelCáceresCast: MarcelaGallego,SantiagoAlarcón,HeidyBermúdez,SantiagoReyes,JesúsDavidForero
10. Mi recintoDirector: FernandoVillarruelScreenwriter: FernandoVillarruelCast: FernandoVillarruel,TatianaMacías,PaolaOlaya,AlexPlúas,MiguelSantana
ESPANHA1. Águila rojaProduction: GlobomediaDirection: JoséRamónAyerra,ArantxaÉcija,MarcoA.Castillo,MarcVigil,MiguelAlcantudScreenplay:PilarNadalCasting: DavidJaner,JavierGu-tiérrez,FrancisLorenzo,MiryamGallego,InmaCuesta
2. Cuéntame cómo pasóProduction: GrupoGangaProduc-cionesDirection: AgustínCrespi,AntonioCano,AzucenaRodríguez,MoisésRamos,ManuelPalaciosScreenplay: M.Á.Bernardeau,Edu-
Top ten tv fiction in Obitel countries | 515
ardoLadróndeGuevara,AlbertoMacías,JacoboDelgadoCasting: ImanolArias,AnaDuato,RicardoGómez,MaríaGaliana,PabloRivero
3. La que se avecinaProduction: AlbaAdriáticaDirection: LauraCaballeroScreenplay: AlbertoCaballero,LauraCaballero,DanielDeorador,SergioMitjansCasting: JoséLuisGil,JordiSánchez,EduardoGarcía,PabloChiapella,NathalieSeseña
4. IsabelProduction: DiagonalTVDirection: JordiFradesScreenplay: JavierOlivares,JoanBarbero,JordiCalafi,PabloOliva-res,SalvadorPerpiñá,AnaïsSchaaffCasting: MichelleJenner,Rodol-foSancho,PabloDerqui,BárbaraLennie,PedroCasablanc
5. Mi gitanaProduction: ProduccionesManda-rinaDirection: AlejandroBazzanoScreenplay: AntonioHernándezCenteno,CarmenPomberoCasting: BlancaApilánez.AníbalSoto,EvaMarciel,CarmenGutiér-rez,LulúPalomares
6. AídaProduction: GlobomediaDirection: MarOlid,JesúsRodrigo,RaúlDíaz,MarioMontero,AntonioSánchez
Screenplay: FernandoAbad,Rodri-goMartín,TatianaChisleanschiCasting: PacoLeón,MirenIbargu-ren,MarianoPeña,PepeViyuela,MelanieOlivares
7. Con el culo al aireProduction: NotroTVDirection: DavidFernández,DavidAbajoScreenplay: DavidFernández,DavidAbajoCasting: PacoTous,MaríaLeón,ToniAcosta,IñakiMiramón,RaúlFernández
8. FenómenosProduction: AparteProduccionesDirection: NachoGarcíaVelillaScreenplay: OriolCapel,DavidS.Olivas,AntonioSánchez,NachoG.VelillaCasting: AlejoSauras,KiraMiró,JuliánLópez,MiguelRellán,JavierMora
9. Gran hotelProduction: BambúProduccionesDirection: CarlosSedes,SilviaQuer,JorgeSánchez-CabezudoScreenplay: RamónCampos,Gema.R.NeiraCasting: AdrianaOzores,AmaiaSalamanca,YonGonzález,ConchaVelasco,EloyAzorín
10. Luna, el misterio de CalendaProduction: GlobomediaDirection: LauraBelloso,DavidBermejo,JesúsRodrigoScreenplay: LauraBelloso,David
516 | Obitel 2013
BermejoCasting: BelénRueda,DanielGrao,FranPerea,LucíaGuerrero,ÁlvaroCervantes
ESTADOS UNIDOS1. La que no podía amar Producer: JoséAlbertoCastroDirector: SalvadorGarcini,Alejan-droGamboaScreenplay: GuionXimenaSuarez,DeliaFialloCast: AnaBrendaContreras,JorgeSalinas,JoséRon,SusanaGonzález,JuliánGil
2. Abismo de pasiónProducer: AngeliNesmaMedina,IgnacioAlcoronDirector: SergioCataño,ClaudioReyesRubioScreenplay: JuanCarlosAcaláCast: AngeliqueBoyer,DavidZepeda,BlancaGuerra,AlejandroCamacho,MarkTacher,SabineMoussier,LiviaBrito,SalvadorZerboni
3. Amores verdaderosProducer: NicandroDíazGonzález,AntonioArvizuDirector: SalvadorGarcini,RicardoParraScreenplay: EnriqueEstébanez,MarcelaCitterio,KaryFajerCast: ErikaBuenfil,EduardoYáñez,EizaGonzalez,SebastianRulli
4. Por ella soy EvaProducer: RosyCampoDirector: BenjaminCannScreenplay: PedroRodríguez,Ale-jandraRomero,HumbertoRoblesCast: JaimeCamil,Lucero,MarianaSeoane,ManuelOjeda,PatriciaNavidad,MeticiaPerdigón,MarceloCórdoba,JesúsOchoa,ManuelaImaz,TiareScanda,HelenaRojo,CarlosBracho
5. Amor bravíoProducer: CarlosMorenoLaguilloDirector: LilyGarza,FernandoNesme,JesúsNájeraSaro,JorgeRoblesScreenplay:MaríaZarattini, MarthaCarrillo,CristinaGarcíaCast: SilviaNavarro,CristiándelaFuente,LeticiaCalderón,CesarÉvora,FlavioMedina,ReneStrickler
6. Una familia con suerteProducer: JuanOsorio,RoyNelsonRojasVargasDirector: SalvadorSánchez,Aure-lioÁvilaScreenplay: MarioSchajris,AdrianaLorenzón,MarciadelRío,AlejandroPohlenz,MaríaAntonietaCast: LuzElenaGonzález,ArathdelaTorre,MayrínVillanueva,DanielaCastro 7. Un refugio para el amorProducer: IgnacioSadaMaderoDirector: EduardoSaid,AnaLo-renaPérez
Top ten tv fiction in Obitel countries | 517
Screenplay: DeliaFialo,NoraAlemán,GeorginaTinocoCast: ZuriaVega,GabrielSoto,Jes-sicaCoch,LauraFlores
8. Corona de lágrimasProducer: JoséAlbertoCastroDirector: PedroTorres,BernardoNájera,NarcisoColungaScreenplay: IgnacioSadaMaderoCast: VictoriaRuffo,MaribelGuardia,ErnestoLaguardia,ÁfricaZavala,JosemaríaTorreHütt,ManédelaParra
9. El Talismán Producer: PeterTinoco,CarlosSotomayorDirector: ArquímedesRivero,DulceTranScreenplay: VerónicaSuárezCast: BlancaSoto,RafaelNovoa,AarónDíaz,LolaPonce
10. Pablo Escobar: El Patrón Del MalProducer: JuanUribe,CamiloCanoDirector: CarlosMoreno,LauraMoraScreenplay: JuanCamiloFerrandCast: AndrésParra,AngieCepeda,VickyHernández,CeciliaNavia,NicolásMontero,ErnestoBen-jumea,GermánQuintero
MÉXICO1. Abismo de pasiónDirection: AngeliNesmaScreenwriter: CaridadBravoCast: AngeliqueBoyer,DavidZepeda,MarkTacher,AlexisAyala,
AlejandroCamacho,LudwikaPal-eta,SabineMoissier,BlancaGuerra,AlejandroGattorno,CésarÉvora
2. Amores verdaderos Direction: NicandroDíazScreenwriter: MarcelaCitterioCast: ErikaBuenfil,EduardoYa-ñez,EizaGonzález,SebastiánRulli,GuillermoCapetillo,LiliaAragón,Sherlyn,AnaMartín,EnriqueRo-cha,NataliaEsperón
3. Porque el amor mandaDirection: JuanOsorioScreenwriter: JorgHillerCast: FernandoColunga,BlancaSoto,ErickElías,MariaElisaCamargo,ClaudiaÁlvarez,JorgeAravena
4. Por ella soy EvaDirection: RosyOcampoScreenwriter: ElkimOspinaCast: Lucero,JaimeCamil,MarianaSeoane,MarceloCórdoba,JesúsOchoa,LeticiaPerdigón
5. Qué bonito amor Direction: SalvadorMejíaScreenwriter: MónicaAgudeloCast: JorgeSalinas,DannaGarcía,PabloMontero,MalillanyMarín,KarlaÁlvarez,ArturoPeniche,AngélicaMaría
6. Amor bravío Direction: CarlosMorenoScreenwriter: MaríaZarattiniCast: SilviaNavarro,ChristiandelaFuente,Lisset,FernandoZarrillo,
518 | Obitel 2013
LeticiaCalderón,YolandaVentura,JoséElíasMoreno
7. Un refugio para el amor Direction: NachoZadaScreenwriter: DeliaFialloCast: ZuriaVega,GabrielSoto,AleidaNuñez,RobertoBlandón,LauraFlores
8. La familia Peluche Direction: EugenioDerbezScreenwriter: EugenioDerbezCast: EugenioDerbez,ConsueloDuval,ReginaBlandón,MiguelPérez,LuisManuelÁvila,BárbaraTorres,BrayanGibranMateo,PierreAngelo
9. La mujer del vendavalDirection: MapatL.deZatarainScreenwriter: ÁngeldelCerroCast: AriadneDíaz,JoséRon,ChantalAndere,AlfredoAdame,MaríaMarcela,Manuel“Flaco”IbáñezyAgustínArana 10. Cachito de cielo Direction: RobertoGómezFernán-dezScreenwriter: MarioSchajrisCast: MaitePerroni,PedroFernán-dez,JorgePoza,RafaelInclán,AzelaRobinson
PERU1. Al fondo hay sitio (4th season)Production: AméricaTelevisión-EfraínAguilarDirection: JorgeTapia,ToñoVegaScreenplay: GigioAranda
Cast: IrmaMaury,YvonneFrays-sinet,SergioGalliani,MónicaSánchez,AdolfoChuiman
2. Mi amor el wachimánProduction: DelBarrioProduccio-nes-MichelleAlexanderDirection: FranciscoÁlvarezScreenplay: VíctorFalcónCast: ChristianDomínguez,MariaGraziaGamarra,NikkoPonce,AndréSilva,KarlaMedina
3. La reina de las carretillasProduction: DelBarrioProduccio-nes-MichelleAlexanderDirection: FranciscoÁlvarezScreenplay: VíctorFalcónCast: PierinaCarcelén,FiorellaDíaz,DiegoLombardi,óscarLópezArias,TeddyGuzmán
4. La faraonaProduction: AméricaTelevisión--EfraínAguilarDirection: JoséMercadoScreenplay: RosaGutiérrez,óscarAybarCast: AlejandraPascucci,GerardoZamora,NataliaSalas,SandroMon-zante,MayraGoñi
5. La que no podía amarProduction: Televisa-JoséAlbertoCastroDirection: SalvadorGarcini,Ale-jandroGamboaScreenplay: XimenaSuárezCast: AnaBrendaContreras,JorgeSalinas,JoséRon,JuliánGil,SusanaGonzález
Top ten tv fiction in Obitel countries | 519
6. Solamente milagros (2nd season)Production: AméricaTelevisión--CésarAranaDíazDirection: JorgeTapia,SantiagoVitteriScreenplay: RosaGutiérrezCast: JesúsAranda,MaricarmenPinedo,JuliaRuiz,LilianaAlegría,SandroCalderón(independentchaptersseries;thecastchangeseachchapter)
7. GamarraProduction: DelBarrioProduccio-nes-MichelleAlexanderDirection: FranciscoÁlvarezScreenplay: VíctorFalcón,EduardoAdrianzénCast: MarioBallón,LeslieGuillén,NikkoPonce,FiorellaDíaz,LuchoCáceres
8. La reina del surProduction: Telemundo/RTI-Patri-cio WillsDirection: WalterDoehnerScreenplay: JuanMarcosBlanco,ValentinaPárraga,RobertoStopelloCast: KatedelCastillo,HumbertoZurita,RafaelAmaya,IvánSánchez,CristinaUrgel
9. Yo no me llamo Natacha (2nd season)Production: DelBarrioProduccio-nes-MichelleAlexanderDirection: FranciscoÁlvarezScreenplay: VíctorFalcónCast: MaricarmenMarín,PierinaCarcelén,OscarLópez-Arias,Chris-tianDomínguez,PoldGastelo
10. Corazón de fuegoProduction: GrupoATV-RodolfoHoppeDirection: AldoSalviniScreenplay: KathyCárdenas,Mari-anaSilva,BrunoAscenzo,NataliaParodiCast: NatashaKlauss,TiberioCruz,SoniaOquendo,AlessandraDene-gri,JoaquíndeOrbegoso
PORTUGAL1. Dancin’ DaysDirector: ManuelAmarodaCostaScreenwriter: PedroLopes(adap-tedfromGilbertoBraga)Cast: JoanaSantos,SoraiaChaves,JoanaRibeiro,AlexandreSousa,Jú-lioCésar,CristinaHomemdeMelo,AlbanoJerónimo,SisleyDias
2. Louco Amor Director: AntónioCorreiaScreenwriter: TozéMartinhoCast: FernandaSerrano,NicolauBreyner,LuísEsparteiro,MafaldaLuísdeCastro,JoséCarlosPereira
3. Doce TentaçãoDirector: AntónioBorgesCorreiaScreenwriter: SandraSantosCast: DiogoAmaral,MarianaMonteiro,PedroLima,CristovãoCampos,JessicaAthayde
4. Rosa FogoDirector: HugoXavierScreenwriter: PatríciaMüllerCast: CláudiaVieira,RogérioSamora,JoséFidalgo,ÂngeloRo-drigues,IreneCruz
520 | Obitel 2013
5. Remédio Santo Director: HugodeSousaScreenwriter: AntonioBarreiraCast: MargaridaMarinho,AdrianoLuz,RitaPereira,AlmenoGonçal-ves,SílviaRizzo
6. Doida por tiDirector: HugodeSousaScreenwriter: MariaJoãoMiraCast: SaraMatos,AfonsoPimentel,VeraKolodzig,JoãoCatarré
7. Morangos com açúcar IX: segue o teu sonho Director: HugodeSousaScreenwriter: CasadaCriação-CláudiaSampaio,IrinaGomes,MafaldaFerreira,MarinaRibeiro,PedroCavaleiroCast: LuísGarcia,FilipaAreosa,TiagoCosta,AnaBustorff,JoãoCabral
8. Anjo MeuDirector: ArturRibeiroScreenwriter: MariaJoãoMiraCast: AlexandraLencastre,JoãoReis,PauloPires,ManuelaCouto,JoseWallenstein
9. Os compadresDirector: AnaCostaScreenwriter: NicolauBreynerCast: NicolauBreyner,AnaZanatti,FernandoMendes,RosadoCanto
10. A família MataDirector: JorgeDuarteMarecosScreenwriter: SPTelevisão–AnaLúciaCarvalho,AnaMorgado,João
Pupo,JoséPintoCameiro(adaptedfromDavidBermejo)Cast: AndréNunes,MayaBooth,JoséPedroGomes,RitaBlanco,MarcoHorácio
URUGUAY1. Insensato corazónProduction: RedeGloboDirection: DennisCarvalho,Viní-ciusCoimbraScreenwriters: GilbertoBraga,RicardoLinharesCast: GlóriaPires,GabrielBragaNunes,PaolaOliveira,EribertoLeao,DeborahSecco,CamilaPitangaYear of production: 2010
2. Sos mi hombreProduction: Pol-kaDirection: MartínSaban,SebastiánPivottoScreenwriter: LeandroCalderoneCast: LucianoCastro,CelesteCid,GabrielGoity,GonzaloValenzuela,LudovicoDiSanto,EugeniaTobal,JimenaBarón,GimenaAccardi,LitoCruzYear of production: 2011/2012
3. PassioneProduction: RedeGloboDirection: DeniseSaraceniScreenwriter: SílviodeAbreuCast: FernandaMontenegro,TonyRamos,MarianaXimenes,ReynaldoGianecchiniYear of production: 2010
Top ten tv fiction in Obitel countries | 521
4. El astroProduction: RedeGloboDirection: MauroMendonçaFilhoScreenwriters: AlcidesNogueira,GeraldoCarneiroCast: RodrigoLombardi,CarolinaFerraz,AlinneMoraes,ThiagoFragoso,ReginaDuarte,DanielFilho,HumbertoMartins,JulianaPaes,FernandaRodrigues,MarcoRicca,HenriCastelli,TatoGabusMendes,CarolinaKasting,Guilher-minaGuinle,VeraZimmermannYear of production: 2010
5. Escrito en las estrellasProduction: RedeGloboDirection: RicardoWaddington,AmoraMautnerScreenwriter: ElizabethJhinCast: NathaliaDill,JaymeMata-razzo,HumbertoMartins,DéboraFalabella,ZezéPolessa,CássiaKis,CarlosVereza,AndréGonçalves,GiseleFróes,AntonioCalloni,CarolCastro,CarolinaKasting,GiovannaEwbank,ManueladoMonte,JandiraMartiniYear of production: 2009/2010
6. Fina EstampaProduction: RedeGloboDirection: WolfMayaScreenwriter: AguinaldoSilvaCast: LiliaCabral,ChristianeTorloni,DaltonVigh,CarolinaDieckmann,PauloRocha,MalvinoSalvador,JúliaLemmertz,DanStul-bach,MarceloSerrado,JoséMayer,CaioCastro,AdrianaBirolli,Sophie
Charlotte,EvaWilma,MoniqueAlfradiqueYear of production: 2011
7. CuchicheosOriginal title: Ti-Ti-TiProduction: RedeGloboDirection: JorgeFernandoScreenwriter: MariaAdelaideAmaralCast: MuriloBenício,AlexandreBorges,CláudiaRaia,ChristianeTorloni,ÍsisValverde,GiuliaGamYear of production: 2010
8. Herederos de una venganzaProduction: Pol-kaDirection: JorgeMontero,JorgeBecharaScreenwriter: LeandroCalderoneCast: LucianoCastro,RominaGaetani,MarcelaKloosterboer,Fe- dericoAmador,BenjamínVicuñaYear of production: 2011/2012
9. Dulce amorProduction: L.CAcciónProduc-cionesDirection: MauroScandolari,HugoAlejandroMoserScreenwriters: QuiqueEstevanez,MarceloNacci,LauraBarneixCast: SebastiánEstevanez,JuanDarthés,CarinaZampini,SegundoCernadas,LauraNovoa,GeorginaBarbarossa,ArturoBonín,MaríaValenzuela,CaluRivero,MercedesOviedoYear of production: 2011/2012
522 | Obitel 2013
10. MaltratadasProduction: TorneosyCompe-tencias,INCAA’sfunds.“Ficciónparatodos”.FirstchapterfilmedinUruguay,coproducedbyFlorLatinaandTeledoceDirection: AlbertoLechiScreenwriters: EstherFeldman,AlejandroMaciCast: ValentinaBassi,SoledadFandiño,GonzaloValenzuela,Fac-undoEspinosa,CarlosSantamaría,MaríaIbarreta,MirellaPascual,Au-gustoMazzarelli,DiegoDelgrossiYear of production: 2010/2011
VENEZUELA1. Mi ex me tiene ganas Direction: YuriDelgadoScreenplay: MartinHahnCast: DanielaAlvarado,LucianoD’Alessandro,NorkysBatista,Guill-ermoGarcía,WinstonVallenilla,LilibethMorillo,JonathanMontene-gro,EileenAbad
2. Flor salvajeDirection: AgustínRestrepo,MarioMitrottiScreenplay: LauraRestrepo,adaptedfromPerlaFaríasCast: MónicaSpear,TonyDalton,JoséLuisResendez,RobertoMan-rique,NorkysBatista,PedroPalacio,CarolinaGaitán,MariaElisaCa-margo,GregorioPernia,JuanPabloRaba,GeraldineZivic
3. Válgame diosDirection: JoséAlcaldeScreenplay: MónicaMontañez
Cast: SabrinaSeara,EduardoOro-zco,RicardoÁlamo,CarlotaSosa,FlaviaGleske,RaquelYánez
4. La casa de al ladoDirection: LuisManzo,RamiroSchwarzScreenplay: JoséIgnacioValenzu-elaGuiraldesCast: MaritzaRodríguez,GabrielPorras,CatherineSiachoque,MiguelVaroni,JorgeLuisPila,KarlaMon-roig,DavidChocarro
5. La traicioneraDirection: LiloVilaplana,CeciliaVásquezScreenplay: AdriánSuar,FaberSoto,AuraNiño,RodrigoHolguínCast:MarianelaGonzález,JuanManuelMendoza,VíctorMallarino,AnaLucíaDominguez,JorgeCárde-nas,JoséNarváez,VickyHernán-dez,KristinaLilley,SilviadeDios
6. Natalia del marDirection: CarlosIzquierdoScreenplay: AlbertoGómezCast: SabrinaSalvador,ManuelSosa,AdriánDelgado,JulietLima,FedraLópez,VíctorCámara,EduardoSerrano,DoraMazzone,RosalindaSerfaty
7. Abismo de pasiónDirection: ArmandoZafra,ManuelBarajasScreenplay: CaridadBravoAdams,adaptedfromJuanCarlosAlcaláCast: AngeliqueBoyer,DavidZepeda,MarkTacher,Blanca
Top ten tv fiction in Obitel countries | 523
9. EmperatrizDirection: JavierPatrónFox,CarlosÁngelGuerraScreenplay: JoséIgnacioCabrujasCast: GabrielaSpanic,BerniePaz,AdrianaLouvier,MarimarVega,OmarFierro,MartínGarza
10. Retrato de una mujerDirection: PepeSánchez,JulioCésarRomeroScreenplay: MónicaAgudeloCast: KatherineVélez,PatrickDel-mas,VickyHernández,JuanPabloFranco,AlejandroLópez,SebastiánCaicedo
Guerra,SabineMoussier,AltairJarabo,AlejandroCamacho
8. La que no podía amar Direction: SalvadorGarcini,Ale-jandroGamboaScreenplay: DeliaFiallo,adaptedfromXimenaSuárezCast: AnaBrendaContreras,JorgeSalinas,JoséRon,JuliánGil,Su-sanaGonzález,AnaBerthaEspín,AnaMartín,MarContreras,JorgeAravena