Producers speak out against broadcasters' “vertical control”
The relationship between independent producers and television companies and internationalisation will be the major challenges for Spanish production in 2011, according to speakers at the 2nd Annual Producers’ Meeting organised by the sector’s main association, FAPAE, on December 16 in Madrid. Over 200 professionals attended the event, including Ángeles González Sinde (Culture Minister), Carlos Cuadros (ICAA director general), Pedro Pérez (president of FAPAE), Fernando Salazar (executive vice-president of ICEX), Santiago González (head of TVE) and Mikel Lejarza (president of Antena 3 Films).
FAPAE president Pérez expressed his concern about the relationship between television companies and independent producers (“the great debate of the forthcoming months”, in his opinion) because of the “vertical control” exerted by the former, who assign the bulk of their contracts to their own production companies or ones with close links to them. He added: “Not only do we need strong television companies, but also competent producers, so the value chain can work".
On this subject, Culture Minister González Sinde emphasised that “the government should support the work of independent producers”. She defended their role in the sector, for we need to maintain “the independence of creators so that this culture and country can move forward; there must be diversity at all levels, with room for all so we can create a complete market”.
For his part, Salazar, of the Institute for Foreign Trade, pointed out that “we need to approach content with a global vision”. “Not only do we need to think inwards, but outwards too", he reiterated, before insisting on the importance of promotion on the foreign market. Two important elements are “growth in order to be able to compete on equal terms” and “presenting a stronger catalogue by uniting companies in partnerships”.
The meeting’s speeches were short and direct – there were 28 speakers in only four and a half hours. The event brought together not only representatives from the production sector, but also from institutions, television companies, advertising agencies, distributors and exhibitors.
(Translated from Spanish)
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