Spanish Sales Insights: Atresmedia’s head of acquisitions & sales, Jose Antonio Salso Baratas

Zorras (aka Tramps)

TBI has partnered with Audiovisual From Spain to get the low-down from some of the biggest names in Spanish distribution on the latest sales trends and areas of growing interest in the country.

In this latest instalment, Atresmedia’s head of acquisitions & sales, Jose Antonio Salso Baratas, tells us about windowing, diverse content trends and the potential of the US market.

What has been the stand-out trend around scripted series so far this year?

Some of the stand-out trends have been the increasing emphasis on diverse and inclusive storytelling.

Jose Antonio Salso Baratas

Many audiences are seeking content that reflects a broader range of experiences and perspectives, as seen in some of our new titles: Zorras (aka Tramps), a series about free women and self-love; Las Noches De Tefía (aka Nights In Tefía), which sheds light on the events in a concentration camp where LGBTQIA+ individuals were imprisoned due to their sexual orientation or Déjate Ver (Show Yourself), the series tackles issues such as personal fulfilment, the world of art or loneliness offering a fresh, and witty point of view.

Which types of buyers are you seeing most demand from?

The audiovisual industry has changed a lot over the years. We are now at a key moment in which the variety of windows, titles and models in the market means that there are great new opportunities available to us.

In this sense, year after year we continue to reach different types of agreements with all kinds of buyers, mostly platforms, pay-TV channels and free-to-air broadcasters. Our goal is always to adapt to their needs and complete their programming with titles with the quality seal of Series Atresmedia.

Are there particular regions that are buying more Spanish fiction than before?

We are living a very positive moment in which the increase of the presence of Spanish fiction on platforms as well as on international pay and free-to-air channels stands out.

At Atresmedia TV we create universal stories, which allow our titles to travel around the world. Our catalogue has a great diversity of genres. This means that we are always able to adapt to the needs of each of our clients, regardless of the territory in which they operate.

However, it is true that both Europe and Latin America, together with the United States, could be our most strategic markets.

Las Noches De Tefía (aka Nights In Tefia)

Spanish fiction is hugely diverse, but which genres are proving most popular?

Spanish fiction offers a wide range of genres for a very diverse audience, and among the most popular genres are our dramas, with titles such as Heridas (the Spanish adaptation of Mother) or Veneno – both shows have achieved great international success; thrillers like Honor (the Spanish adaptation of Your Honor), as well as comedies and dramedies such as Déjate Ver (aka Show Yourself), created by the Emmy nominee Álvaro Carmona.

Also, our soap operas continue to captivate both the Spanish and international audience. Among them, El Secreto De Puente Viejo (aka The Secret Of Old Bridge) stand out.

How do you expect the market to change next year?

The audiovisual market is an industry that is experiencing big changes year after year. I am sure that over the coming months it will continue to evolve rapidly, driven by new technologies and changing consumer habits. The merger of traditional television and streaming will create hybrid models, while globalisation and personalised recommendations will continue to influence content creation and distribution. Adapting to this constantly evolving environment remains our main challenge.

What are your key three shows at the moment?

Zorras is an eight-episode, 30-minute dramedy about free women; Déjate Ver offers an eight-episode, 30-minute dramedy that cleverly explores identity and personal fulfilment offering a fresh, new and witty point of view; and Las Noches De Tefía consists of six 65-minute episodes, blending drama and spectacle while delving into historical memory with captivating visual effects.