Starting tomorrow, Joaquín Prat will present the newspaper Vamos a ver (10:30 a.m.-3 p.m., Telecinco), an entertainment and current affairs magazine that replaces, along with Ana Terradillos’ The Critical Look (9 a.m.-10:30 a.m.), Ana Rosa’s Program . Ana Rosa Quintana’s departure to the network’s afternoons with TardeAR (which begins on September 18) has provided a great challenge to this 48-year-old journalist and presenter. “We want the viewer to be the protagonist, we want to entertain them and also serve as a speaker for those who the administration or society turns their back on,” he says about the objectives of his new space on the network.
Do you see Vamos a ver as something new or rather a continuation?
From the point of view of the program itself, for me it is a continuity but also a turning point in a morning in which politics is separated from everything else, although everything else will not be outside the political news either. The critical view will talk about politics and then we come with a four and a half hour show that in terms of content obviously has many similarities with what Ana Rosa’s program was. From a personal point of view, of course it is a new stage in which the weight of responsibility is already affecting me before I even begin.
What would you like to inherit from Ana Rosa Quintana’s way of working?
Simplicity, honesty and transparency when communicating with the viewer. His generosity with his teammates and respect for the work of the entire team, but above all, not losing sight of the viewer. And understanding that if the partner you have next to you shines, some shine can be reflected in you. Obviously I am not objective because I have worked with her for 14 years. And I have to say that in all that time I have never felt that she was the boss.
And something not to continue from Quintana?
Something about Ana Rosa that I am not going to continue is her early mornings because we start an hour and a half later (laughs).
Is it difficult to find a balance when reporting on issues of great social importance, such as the cases of Daniel Sancho and Luis Rubiales this summer? Aren’t excessive and unnecessary details given?
We try, although we do not always succeed, to avoid falling into gratuitous morbidity. This is where self-censorship and the journalist’s professionalism come in. There have always been things that I have found unnecessary to tell because they are understood. Sometimes the mistake is made of believing that the viewer will not understand and that many details must be given. It is not necessary to feed the morbidity with lurid details that contribute nothing. Regarding the hours that have been dedicated to the Sancho and Rubiales cases, it has to do with the time of year. There have been two opportunities that cannot be missed in August because it is a month in which the flow of information drops a lot.
Big Brother Vip returns next Thursday. Will we continue with the chain’s feedback in Let’s see?
Yes, we will talk about GH VIP and that is why I am looking forward to it being a success with the audience. The network’s feedback has to do with the audience of these reality shows and whether our viewer is interested or not. It’s very simple, I’m not inventing anything. Does the review of yesterday’s GH Vip gala work for our audience? Yes or no?. If it doesn’t work the first day, you give it another chance and if it is not a format that connects with our audience and talking about any other lighter content it does work for us, then we will bet on that. Thats the reality.
Is feedback on Telecinco something that depends on those responsible for the programs or is it a request from the network?
It is a question of solidarity with the chain. I think Mediaset works very well with feedback. Obviously the chain asks us to make an effort to give space to other content on the chain in solidarity with the grill itself and we are happy to do so. We have done it for many years and we will continue doing it now more than ever. The season looks exciting.
Let’s see, it comes at a time when Telecinco has lost leadership in audience.
Yes. They are cycles. For us it is a cure of humility and so we know how those at Atresmedia felt the last 14 years. What we have to do is work to reverse that trend. It is true that everything is working for Atresmedia right now and we have more difficulties. We have to work in the medium and long term to change this trend, but it is normal. And it is what makes you try to give the best of yourself.
Does that loss of leadership give you more pressure now that you are leading Let’s See?
Yes. I feel the weight of responsibility. It seems that Monday the 11th, when we start, never arrives. It is very easy to headline ‘Telecinco’s mornings fail’ or ‘Joaquín does not live up to expectations’. They are very juicy headlines and we hope that is not the case. In any case, not everything will depend on the audience on the first day. Our program is daily and long-term and there is no need to worry about the short term.
His father Joaquín Prat is a television legend in Spain. Did you decide to dedicate yourself to this profession for him? What is his legacy?
Well, look, the definitive push to dedicate myself to this profession did not come to me until after his death. I remember a lot of how my father interacted with potential viewers of him outside of his professional sphere. Reverential respect and understanding that not everyone was going to like it but that everyone deserves respect. Effort, work, sacrifice, perseverance… Every day, never let your guard down. And always avoid having the character eat the person, which I have seen many times since.
