Tuesday, September 19, 2006

The Explosion of Television in Tenerife

If there are almost as many vehicles as inhabitants on this island, then the number of TV channels seems to be not far behind these days! :)

Yesterday, I was talking to my neighbour about the current fiestas in the El Palmar valley. It's only down the road, but not within view and, not being a native, I don't know which act is on which day. But, would you believe it, there is nothing to tell me: no news - it's too small for the press and the valley doesn't have a newsagent anyway - not even a poster up anywhere that I could find.

She asked, "Have you seen Televisión Daute? They've been transmitting it."

Well, no, I hadn't, but I found it last night. This is super LOCAL tele folks. It's quaint and it's funny, but, strangely enough I think it will definitely have its uses.

There was indeed a transmission of the procession of the fiesta and the fireworks (that I had seen live, from the window of this very room) from last Saturday and it felt strange to see the curate I know and lots of familiar faces amongst the public.

Now, I'll have to watch it next time I go to one of these events! By which I mean, I'll have to be careful, or else I will end up watching myself on the box.

Most of the adverts too are for local shops and businesses that I know and use. Some of them are, well, shall we call them low-budget? Lettering, clearly done in Microsoft Word, on still placard images, like televised business cards. :)

What entertainment spectaculars await us tonight? After the documentaries at 18:00, there's Cronicas del Norte (Chronicles of the north), which, I assume will be a local news diary (unless it's a locally shot soap opera) and another program from the fiestas in honor of Nuestra Señora de La Consolación in El Palmar. WOW!

Daute is the name of the Guanche menceyato (kingdom) that was in this area of the island before the Spanish conquest (1496): the name is also used within the Ycoden-Daute-Isora Wine Region and the station's address is in Los Silos, next door.

So, this morning, I thought I would have a look on the internet to see if Televisión Daute have a website. They don't seem to have, yet, but I did find a list of TV channels in Tenerife in which they are mentioned that, frankly, surprised me.

There are 16 separate entities listed. The public TVE accounts for two channels (kinda like BBC 1 & 2) and there is cuatro that isn't mentioned on the list, so technically, at least, there must be at least 18 channels one could view.

(Not that my bent coat hanger can get them, you understand.)

Antena 3 was the first to offer Canary Island relevant regional programming, outside of the national TV. Then came Televisión Canaria, which covers the whole of the Canary Islands and, Canal 8, which combines local programming with transmissions from the "Eighth Island" - Venezuela. Now the list also includes all these home-grown TV stations, based in La Laguna, Tacoronte, La Orotava, Puerto de la Cruz, Adeje, Güímar, Icod de los Vinos and the aforementioned Los Silos.

As they will all be advertising supported, one wonders how those with tiny catchment areas will be able to support themselves, but it's an interesting "media explosion" nevertheless. Recently also, I read that the Canary Islands had the largest number of pirate radio stations in Spain. I also read that something like 150 new broadcasting licences had been granted. It's hard to imagine there being an audience for all of them, but I think I understand the motivation behind this need for communication: psychologically, because of the geography and isolated nature of the islands.

Still, don't go expecting Secret Tenerife TV any time soon! Or perhaps ...