In the following interview with ttvnews, Erick Pulido Rabay, Head of Content and Programming at Imagen Televisión, shares what content they plan to add to their international catalog.

In an industry as dynamic as the entertainment industry, it is essential to stay one step ahead of the latest trends and understand what the international market demands in terms of content.

To this end, ttvnews presents the Buyers: What are buyers looking for? Initiative to learn first-hand about the programming needs of buyers around the world.

This time, we spoke to Erick Pulido Rabay, Head of Content and Programming at Imagen Televisión:

What kind of content stood out the most for your company in 2024?

Whenever I talk about Imagen TV, it’s very difficult not to mention Turkish telenovelas.

Over the past eight years, we have established ourselves as the premier destination for Turkish dramas.

We have acquired and programmed nearly 40 telenovelas, which are and continue to be the product that works best for us, not only in terms of ratings, but also as a very profitable product.

What kind of content is your audience currently demanding the most?

What works for us is classic melodrama, and it shows no signs of slowing down on our screen.

What types of genres or formats do you look for in international markets?

I usually look for dramas. They don’t necessarily have to be Turkish dramas. We’ve also experienced a very high level of acceptance for Brazilian dramas, particularly those based on biblical stories.

Additionally, since the last Content market, I’ve acquired Korean dramas, also known as K-dramas.

I’m always looking for melodramatic content, but I don’t necessarily insist that it has to be Turkish, even though that’s our trademark.

However, currently, our programming schedule features Korean, Brazilian, and Turkish dramas.

What kinds of formats are you most interested in?

In terms of formats, we are always looking for formats that are obviously low-cost.

We are not a television station the size of Televisa and Azteca, so we cannot afford to make such large expenditures on formats. However, we look for formats that meet these criteria: they must connect with people, be easy to market, and be fun and easy to replicate.

We have had success stories, such as Divina Comida, a co-production with Warner Bros. Discovery, which was available on three platforms simultaneously: pay TV, broadcast TV, and online.

Are there any trends in the market you’re following closely right now?

We need to understand what made broadcast television strong in terms of fiction and replicate its success, because that’s what other parts of the world are doing.

I see this very clearly with daily telenovelas, which are experiencing a strong resurgence in Spain, even outperforming prime-time shows in Turkey at times, because they cater to a specific audience that watches broadcast television.

And, on the other hand, it’s not just fiction, but entertainment and news, because that’s what makes you different from digital offerings, as it gives you credibility. So, that credibility is what can keep the platform afloat even in a sea of competition.