SVOD Platforms Up the Ante on More Cost-effective Entertainment

After 12 seasons on linear TV, flagship Spanish talent show “Operación Triunfo,” produced by Banijay Iberia’s Gestmusic, has jumped successfully to the online environment via Prime Video. 

“Operación Triunfo’s” first gala was the most viewed premiere in the history of Prime Video in Spain. Its app for voting accumulated 53 million votes and, on social networks, generated 718.9 million views in TikTok and YouTube, according to VOD analytics Sigmados30.

Since 2021, when Netflix teamed with Grupo iZen to launch “Insiders,” the streamer’s first Spanish Original reality show, the demand of unscripted content on the online platforms has been progressively increasing. 

“Entertainment can be more cost effective for streamers than producing fiction,” argues iZen president Jose Velasco, who years ago produced the Spanish version of “Big Brother.”

“On part of the streamers this has also been an effect of shifting their focus. Now, entertainment and documentaries are new ways to attract the user’s attention on a daily basis,” he explains.

“It is also a question of effectiveness. Decision times, execution times and reaction times are shorter, so the probability of error is lower than in fiction production.”

Prime Video has already announced a new “Operación Triunfo” season on its platform.

“Entertainment content and news mark the difference for free-to-air operators’ content versus the streamers’ offer. In my opinion, they will be end up working co-operation models between both windows,” Velasco says. 

A Benchmark for Local Adaptations

A traditional buyer of international formats, Spanish broadcasters have left their benchmark on local adaptations. 

“The quality of the Spanish adaptations of international formats is a global reference,” says José Antonio Salso, head of acquisitions and sales at Atresmedia TV, the broadcaster behind Spanish versions of “The Voice,” “Masked Singer” and “Drag Race.”

But also original local formats are travelling internationally such as daily primetime show “El hormiguero,” a 7 y Acción production for Atresmedia which is going to make the leap to the U.S. “El Desafío,” another 7 y Acción format for Atresmedia, has been sold to  Albavisión channels group, reaching more than 10 countries in Central and Latin America. 

“In a similar way to what happened in fiction, the market has also opened up more to entertainment proposals,” says Marta Ezpeleta, The Mediapro Studio’s head of distribution, co-production & international offices.

“In the case of Spain, we have a very long tradition and experience in the production of entertainment, and we have even managed to make this content travel before the current moment,” she adds, mentioning “Crush,” a format that TMS created for RTVE, which has just successfully premiered in Vietnam.

Currently, the most in-demand unscripted formats are reality games, true crime and dating shows, Ezpeleta says. 

Another Atresmedia talent show, “Tu cara me suena,” fruit of a partnership with Gestmusic, has been adapted to more than 40 international territories, including the U.S. (ABC’s “Sing Your Face Off”) and the U.K. (“Your Face Sounds Familiar” on ITV). 

The show returns April 12 for its 11th season in Spain, backed up by a successful track record, which averages since its 2011 debut an over 20% audience share of Antena 3 primetime.

A leading producer in both fiction and entertainment content, The Mediapro Studio brings a long experience to entertainment production via subsidiaries companies Globomedia, 100 Balas and El Terrat. It also produces entertainment shows such as ETB and TVE’s “El conquistador,” with 20 seasons on air. 

In the docu-series territory, TMS has produced for Telefonica’s service Movistar Plus+ “Matar al presidente,” “Los 8 de Irak,” “Lola” and “Lina” and has been a pioneer in sports docu-series, with Emmy-winning “Six Dreams,” “Fernando,” “All or Nothing: Manchester City” and “MotoGP: Unlimited,” all released on Prime Video.