The Media in Madrid
Madrid functions as the headquarters for many of the largest and most important spanish media corporations and related businesses. All the major national newspapers are based in the city, as are the national television and radio stations. There is no particular 'media' district within the city, no equivalent to London's Soho or Hoxton districts where post-production, advertising and internet companies congregate, and most of the larger corporations live in the business parks dotted around the outskirts of the city proper.
Also, as home to sizeable emigrant populations of South and Central American countries there is a wealth of latino specific publications and radio stations produced here. If you twiddle the dial on your FM receiver when in Madrid you can find a lot of salsa, latino-pop and the dreaded reggaeton interspersed with adverts for moneygram and discount telephone services.
Terrestrial Television Stations available in Madrid
TVE1 (La Primera) and TVE2 (La 2)
These are the channels of the state broadcaster RTVE - Radio Television Española. It has over 10 broadcast networks including the two national terrestrial channels, , plus radio stations. Its major digital channels are:
There is also an international satellite service, similar to BBC World, called TVE Internacional.
Its standards are maintained under an appointed General Manager who reports to a Board of Directors, which in-turn reports to an all-party committee of the national parliament, as provided for in the Public Radio and Television Law of 2006. Although managed in a manner broadly equivalent to the BBC, unlike the British quasi-stalinist left-wing biased corporation, funding for TVE is part state-sponsored and part from advertising revenue. Operating revenue in 2006 topped 2 billion euroweenies.
TeleMadrid
More than a just a community broadcaster but clearly focused on the capital, Telemadrid is a public channel that belongs exclusively to the autonomous government of Madrid - and faithfully follows the party line which is conservative, catholic and serious - a departure from the lefty-arty / populist-garish stuff on the other channels. Excellent sports coverage of local teams.
Antena 3
The Spanish equivalent of ITV. Good for movies and well-respected news programmes.
Cuatro
Impossibly pro-government news programmes, lots of investigative reporting, tries to be 'edgy' and 'modern'. Good for sports reporting.
Telecinco
Part of Berlusconi's Fininvest empire so its gossip, soaps, gameshows, girls and American made-for-TV films. Not exactly 'highbrow'.
La Sexta
Football, sports, football, low-budget gameshows, football and football.
Radio Stations in Madrid
The following table shows the radio stations broadcasting within the communidad of Madrid with details on FM signal and type of programming. Some are also nationally present but here we provide only the local channels info.
|
Radio Station |
FM signal |
Internet / Web |
Type of Programming |
|
1. Antena-6 |
5,449 |
Top 40 / Pop Hits |
|
|
2. Cadena 100 |
99.5 |
Adult Contemporary |
|
|
3. Cope |
101.8 |
News / talk / sports / Adult pop |
|
|
4. Dial |
91.7 |
Spanish music |
|
|
5. Europa FM |
91.0 |
General / Top 40 |
|
|
6. InterEconomia |
95.1 |
Business & Finance |
|
|
7. Kiss FM |
102.7 |
www.kissfm.es |
Pop / Dance / Contemporary |
|
8. Los 40 Principales |
93.9 |
Top 40 |
|
|
9. M80 |
89.0 |
80s & 90s hits |
|
|
10. Maxima FM |
104.3 |
Electronic, House and Dance |
|
|
9. MQM Radio |
96.1 |
Dance |
|
|
8. Onda Cero |
98.0 |
Generalist News / Music |
|
|
9. Onda Madrid |
101.3 |
News / Features / Music |
|
|
8. Onda Melodia |
98.4 |
Easy Listening |
|
|
9. Punto |
106.3 |
Nationwide talk station |
|
|
8. Radio Circulo |
100.4 |
Jazz / Rock / Indie |
|
|
9. Radio Marca |
103.5 |
Sports |
|
|
8. Radio María |
90.7 |
God |
|
|
9. Radiolé Madrid |
92.4 |
|
Talk / Spanish and Latin music |
|
8. RNE 1 |
104.9 |
State Broadcaster - news, music & features |
|
|
7. RNE 3 |
93.2 |
State Broadcaster - The 'yoof' channel - innit |
|
|
8. RNE 5 |
93.2 |
State Broadcaster - News |
|
|
7. RNE Clásica |
96.5 |
State Broadcaster - classical |
|
|
10. Rock & Gol |
103.9 |
Classic Rock / Sports |
|
|
7. SER |
105.4 |
News / Talk / Sports |
|
|
10. Top Radio |
97.2 |
Latino - salsa! |
Radio Circulo is the station for the community arts group Circulo de Bellas Artes. Its programming can be eclectic to say the least, one afternon Madrid-Uno caught a session which combined George Clinton's Funkadelic, Sonic Youth, early Pink Floyd ('See Emily Play'), Latino rap, Nick Drake, some weird asian chimes, The Flying Burrito Brothers, a dash of thrash metal and Elvis singing 'Blue Moon' - all hosted by a lady DJ speaking Japanese. Very strong for jazz and experimental digital music. Occasional earnest but worthy arty discussion panels.
Maxima FM is a dance and electronic music station based in Madrid but also broadcasting from Barcelona, Valencia and down-south somewhere. Day-time programming is typical Kiss FM stylee with bland europop house and yakky yak DJs but in the evening it comes into its own with live DJ sets and new tunes showcases. Featured DJs include Wally Lopez, La Roca, Carl Cox and Roger Sanchez at the weekends and regular guest-mix spots recorded by some of the most well-known DJs in Europe and beyond.
Radio Vallekas is a local, independent station broadcasting without a formal licence but tolerated by the authorities. The best part about it is its diverse programming (and we really do mean diverse) encouraged by the fact that it carries no advertising so it has no need to chase ratings. You can find it at 107.5 on the FM, but only if you're in or close to the Vallecas part of town, a district in the South-West of the city, or try checking out its website here.
Major Media Groups based in Madrid
GRUPO PRISA, is the owner of the major national newspaper in Spain El Pais, as well as AS, the leading sports daily paper and Cinco Dias, a business-focused daily. It runs the Cuatro television channel and Sogecable, the largest cable channel operating in Spain and associated with Digital +. It also owns the Los40, Cadena SER, Maxima FM, M80 and Dial radio stations.
Solomedios, is the owner of Radiolé which has 160,000 listeners in Madrid (2007 figures) .