Spain: We’re going to make a Latin American Song Contest!

On 13 June an interview with the president of RTVE, José Manuel Pérez Tornero, was published in the newspaper “Faro De Vigo”.

Among other statements (being glad about Spain’s result in Turin, Spain’s withdrawal from the bid to host the contest in 2023), President Pérez Tornero referred to the broadcaster’s plans to create a Eurovision-based contest aimed at Latin American countries.

José Manuel highlighted that this year’s Benidorm Fest achieved its goal of connecting public television with young audiences and new artists, something the station will try to maintain in the future.

“We are already trying to start a similar festival in Latin America and at the same time do our best for Spain in the next Eurovision”

“What we have in mind is a Latin American Eurovision, but in a different format. It could perhaps be described as a revival of the OTI festival, but with a different concept. We are thinking of a completely new model that will involve social networks, popular music and that will enhance the visibility of Latin music in the world”

In previous statements, the president of RTVE has indicated that Hispavision is already underway and is expected to be launched in 2023. The first host country will be Colombia with Cartagena as the host city.

💥 RTVE impulsa HISPAVISIÓN, un festival de música en el que podrán participar todos los países unidos por el idioma español:

🔹 Ya está formado un grupo de trabajo.
🔹 Comenzará en 2023 en Cartagena de Indias. pic.twitter.com/LPRgo1YJlu

— RTVE Comunicación y Participación (@RTVE_Com) February 16, 2022

As for the OTI festival, it was an annual song contest, held from 1972 to 2000 among the active member countries of the Organización de Televisión Iberoamericana OTI (Ibero-American Television Organization).

In 2000 the festival was cancelled due to the questioning over the voting system of recent years, the lack of sponsors, the low quality of the entries and the withdrawal of some of the most emblematic countries, such as Brazil, Colombia and Spain.

OTI is to date the longest running and most successful spin-off of the Eurovision Song Contest with 28 editions in total.

Will Hispavision be able to overcome this? Will this project of the Spanish television be something you would watch?

Source: RTVE, Faro de Vigo

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