“I’m confident that this new chapter-one in which none of the three original founders remain—will be just as successful as the past three decades, which have seen GRUP MEDIAPRO, a company born and raised in Catalonia, become a global benchmark,” said Benet
Tatxo Benet, until now Chairman and CEO of GRUP MEDIAPRO, is stepping down from his role following an agreement with SouthWind, the group’s majority shareholder. Benet announced his departure to the company’s executive committees and all professionals across the group during a general meeting held at the Barcelona headquarters and streamed live to all other offices.
Reflecting on his departure, Benet stated: “I take with me the experience of the past 30 years, and the immense talent and humanity of the more than 55,000 professionals who have worked at the group. I’m confident that this new chapter—one in which none of the three original founders remain—will be just as successful as the past three decades, which have seen GRUP MEDIAPRO, a company born and raised in Catalonia, become a global benchmark.”
Benet began his career in journalism, contributing to media outlets such as Diario de Lérida, El País, and El Periódico de Catalunya. He was a founding member of Televisió de Catalunya (TVC), where he was appointed Head of Sports in 1987, a role he held concurrently as Sports Coordinator for FORTA. He led the television production of the Barcelona 1992 Olympic Games and served as Director of the Olympic Channel. In 1997, he was named Managing Director of Audiovisual Sport, and in 2000, he co-founded Mediapro alongside Jaume Roures and Gerard Romy.
GRUP MEDIAPRO closed 2024 with revenues of €1.068 billion and an EBITDA of €182 million. The group employs nearly 7,000 professionals across 50 offices in 28 countries. It is a leading European player in the audiovisual sector, known for its versatility and ongoing innovation. Its five business units encompass the creation, design, production, and distribution of all types of audiovisual and experiential content.
The Mediapro Studio, the group’s content creation, production, and distribution arm, develops premium global projects in collaboration with renowned national and international talent. Broadcast Media Services, the audiovisual services division, operates one of the largest fleets of OB units in the world, producing more than 25,000 live events annually across the globe. Its 16 production centers on four continents are equipped with state-of-the-art technology. Through Mediapro Xperiences, the group designs, produces, and manages experiential spaces of all formats, leveraging the most advanced immersive technologies. Its Rights Management division has established itself as a leading agency in the commercialization and management of audiovisual rights. Lastly, through its Channels & OTT unit, GRUP MEDIAPRO produces and operates up to 15 channels, including partnerships with major operators such as ESPN and Movistar.
Group to coordinate international operation from its production hub in Mexico City
GRUP MEDIAPRO will localize the NBA game feed in Latam Spanish for all Latin America on behalf of broadcaster PRIME VIDEO streaming video. The group—having recently announced its role in customizing the audiovisual feed for the world’s largest basketball league for Spain—will now also provide this service for all Spanish-speaking countries in the Americas, reaching a potential audience of over 400 million viewers.
Mediapro North America, the group’s regional subsidiary, has been selected by PRIME VIDEO to localize and customize the LATAM Spanish-language broadcast feed of NBA games to be broadcast in Spanish across Argentina, Bolivia, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Ecuador, El Salvador, the United States (for the US Hispanic audience), Guatemala, Honduras, México, Nicaragua, Panama, Paraguay, Peru, the Dominican Republic, Uruguay, and Venezuela.
GRUP MEDIAPRO has operated throughout the Americas for more than 25 years. Its experience in the region, combined with technical excellence and a strong commitment to innovation, were key factors in PRIME VIDEO entrusting the group with this major international production. In total, the group will customize more than 200 games for the Americas, and an additional 100 games for Spain.
The project, set to launch on October 21, will be managed from Mediapro North America’s production center in Mexico City, where the group has outfitted its State-of-the-art facilities" to host several programs, including pre-game and post-game coverage. The group’s expertise in HDR signal management and live virtual production will be central to the project’s execution. To complete the broadcast experience, coverage will feature top-tier commentators and courtside reporters at the season’s marquee games.
With more than 25,000 live productions annually, GRUP MEDIAPRO brings unparalleled experience to global sports broadcasting. The group operates across four continents, delivering services to the world’s leading sports federations—including FIBA, UEFA, FIFA, CAF, CONMEBOL, CONCACAF, and AFC—and has served as host broadcaster for major multi-sport events such as the Pan American and Parapan American Games (Santiago 2023, Lima 2019).
GRUP MEDIAPRO’s General Manager earns the recognition for the second year running
Laura Fernández Espeso has once again been included in Forbes Woman’s list of the 100 most influential women in Spain — an honor she also received in 2024. That same year, she was named Media Woman of the Year by Variety.
As General Manager of GRUP MEDIAPRO, Fernández Espeso leads the group’s global strategy across its five business divisions. She is a member of the Television Academy in the United States, the Spanish Film Academy, and serves as a juror for the International Emmy® Awards and the Rose d’Or. She has been instrumental in driving GRUP MEDIAPRO’s English-language productions, launched the TMS Screenwriting Master’s program, and co-founded Moonlyon with Penélope Cruz.
Series produced by 100 Balas (THE MEDIAPRO STUDIO) and Sayaka Producciones
Prime Video has officially renewed its hit original series ‘Su Majestad’ for a second season. Created by Borja Cobeaga and Diego San José, this sharp political comedy is produced by 100 Balas (THE MEDIAPRO STUDIO) and Sayaka Producciones. Cobeaga will once again direct the new season, with executive producers Laura Fernández Espeso, Alejandro Flórez, Javier Méndez, and Diego San José for THE MEDIAPRO STUDIO, alongside Nahikari Ipiña and Borja Cobeaga for Sayaka Producciones with Season Two set to launch exclusively on Prime Video in over 240 countries and territories.
Joining Cobeaga on the writing team is returning writer José Antonio Pérez Ledo, along with new additions Víctor García León, Borja Glez. Santaolalla, and Diana Rojo. The first season bowed on Prime Video worldwide on February 27 garnering glowing reviews both at home and internationally.
Anna Castillo (‘Escape’, ‘Wild Flowers’) and Ernesto Alterio (‘A Mad Funeral’, ‘Everyone Lies’) will reprise their leading roles as Queen Pilar and Guillermo, head of the Royal Household. The new season will also introduce a slate of fresh characters, bringing new energy and unexpected tensions to the narrative.
Following her coronation, Queen Pilar has inherited not only the crown, but also the deep unpopularity of her predecessor. Determined to reform the monarchy’s image, she sets out to modernize the institution with a more open, down-to-earth approach. But this new direction soon puts her at odds with Guillermo, her closest ally and the newly appointed head of the Royal Household. Pilar finds unexpected support in Amanda, a new confidante who was once her father’s long-time lover. As Pilar attempts to reshape the monarchy, she begins to realize that change is far more difficult than she imagined — and that she may not be so different from the Royal she’s striving so hard to leave behind.
A new digital content hub in collaboration with El Terrat (THE MEDIAPRO STUDIO)
RTVE Play has unveiled Open Play, a bold new addition to its digital slate — a disruptive, innovative content format created and produced in collaboration with El Terrat (THE MEDIAPRO STUDIO). This fresh venture aims to redefine the streaming landscape in Spain and carve out new spaces for audiovisual entertainment.
Hosted by Ángela Fernández and Lara Palma, with regular appearances by Taka Gómez and Inés Hernand, Open Play blends the best of television, podcasting, and streaming into a hybrid format that aspires to be a game-changer for digital entertainment in Spain. The project also features contributions from Miguel Maldonado, Ignatius Farray, Quequé, Laura del Val, Clara Ingold, and familiar faces such as Nuria Marín, Marta Riesco, Patricia Espejo, Paula Púa, Luis Fabra, Raquel Hervás, and Marina Lobo.
Open Play airs live Monday through Thursday from 6:30 PM (CET) on RTVE Play and its YouTube channel, offering over four hours of content each evening that runs through to midnight — with a short break for the live broadcast of ‘La Revuelta’. One of the format’s standout features is its multi-platform adaptability: content can be enjoyed live, on-demand as a video podcast, or through snackable clips across social media — putting the audience in control of how and when they watch.
Natalia Verbeke, Julián López, Ángela Cervantes, and Vebjørn Enger lead the cast
THE MEDIAPRO STUDIO has unveiled the teaser poster for ‘Welcome to Lapland’, a film produced by Laura Fernández Espeso and Javier Méndez and directed by David Serrano, which is set to premiere in Spanish cinemas in 2026.
Adapted from the hit stage play of the same name — a critical and commercial success in Spain and abroad, with productions in the United States, Croatia, Argentina, Uruguay, Cuba, Venezuela, and the Czech Republic — ‘Welcome to Lapland’ subverts the conventions of the classic family comedy.
Directed by David Serrano (‘I'm Going to Have a Good Time’, ‘Football Days’, whose work earned a Goya nomination for Best New Director and who co-wrote the award-winning ‘The Other Side of the Bed’, which won the 2002 Málaga Film Festival’s Golden Biznaga for Best Feature Film) – ‘Welcome to Lapland’ is penned by Cristina Clemente and Marc Angelet, based on an original concept developed with Jordi Casanovas.
Natalia Verbeke (‘The Other Side of The Bed’, ‘The Method’), Julián López (‘Los destellos’, ‘Pain and Glory’), Ángela Cervantes (‘La furia’, ‘El mal invisible’) and Vebjørn Enger (‘The Ash Lad: In Search of the Golden Castle’) lead the cast in this story set on Christmas Eve in the Finnish city of Rovaniemi, the capital of Lapland and the reputed hometown and residence of Santa Claus.
With sparkling dialogue and a keen eye on themes like family, white lies, tradition, and social expectations, ‘Welcome to Lapland’ uses humor as a springboard for reflection. This is a family film — just not one for the whole family. One you might not want to watch with your youngest children.
