A coup by Mediaset for its new news programs that will be released in January. Journalist Carlos Franganillo will join the prime time edition of Telecinco news as a replacement for veteran Pedro Piqueras, who will retire at the end of December after more than 17 years as head of the evening news. This is one of the most surprising signings of recent times in the Spanish cathodic scene, since the Asturian communicator was until now one of the main most valued faces within the Spanish Television news services, as presenter of the second edition of the ‘ Newscast’ and other special events. The last one was, precisely, last week with the investiture session of the President of the Government, Pedro Sánchez.
The signing of Franganillo is not coincidental. The new stage of the channel, led by CEO Alessandro Salem, seeks to boost its news after decades in which Mediaset prioritized entertainment over current affairs. The group recently announced journalist Francisco Moreno, from the regional television of the Canary Islands, as director of News, with the aim of promoting a revolution and internal restructuring that would include new faces and sets in Telecinco news so that it becomes a reference for information, the great pending issue. ‘Noticias Cuatro’ will also return in January.
According to Mediaset in a statement, Franganillo is “one of the most outstanding communicators of television information in our country due to his balanced combination of closeness and rigor, his professional versatility and his unique and didactic style for narrating current events.” The popular journalist’s incorporation into the group was closed after the conversations he had with Francisco Moreno and with the direct collaboration of Pedro Piqueras himself, whom he will take over from January.
Graduated in Audiovisual Communication from the Nebrija University and in Journalism from the CEU San Pablo University, Franganillo developed his entire professional career at RTVE, when he joined in 2008 by competitive examination. Shortly thereafter he joined the international news section of public television, where he has done practically everything. In 2011 he jumped to the Moscow correspondent where he covered, among other news, the fall of Viktor Yanukovych’s government, the occupation and annexation of Crimea and the armed uprisings in Donetsk and Lugansk. In July 2014 he went to Washington, replacing Lorenzo Milá and four years later he returned to Spain to present the second edition of ‘Telediario’, with a marked author’s accent, becoming one of the faces most praised by the public and the criticism.
The man from Oviedo not only relied on new narratives, but sometimes he had no qualms about stopping the uneasy pace of current affairs and dedicating ten or fifteen minute monographs to topics such as weapons or motherhood. He often, in addition, showed off the reporting to which he has dedicated himself for a good part of his professional life in the public corporation, going to the scene of the news when necessary. Thus, he began the last school year at an institute, went to kyiv for the war in Ukraine or traveled to Vitoria for the anniversary of the end of ETA. Among other awards, he has been honored with an Ondas Award, an Iris Award from the TV Academy and the International Press Club Award for best correspondent.
The withdrawal of Piqueras
The new presenter of the nightly edition of ‘Informativos Telecinco’ and the revolution in the network’s news will imply, however, the departure of Pedro Piqueras by his own decision at the end of the year. From Mediaset they remember that the journalist from Albacete agreed with the company to retire after more than 17 years at the helm as presenter and news director, where he managed to achieve Telecinco’s audience leadership ahead of its competitors, although in recent months it fell to third position behind Vicente Vallés on Antena 3 and Franganillo himself on TVE. “He leaves a successful career at the forefront of his news, an unforgettable memory and an indelible mark,” the communication group emphasizes.
Piqueras leaves behind more than four decades dedicated to communication and journalism. He began his extensive professional career in 1977 as an editor and presenter on RNE news. His great popularity came with television, when his inimitable way of presenting made him take charge of several editions of the ‘Telediarios’ on TVE and, later, of the news on Antena 3. After spending a brief period of his life as a director on RNE returned to the small screen in 2006 as the right professional to run Telecinco’s news programs.
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