The new programs of Toni Clapés, Albert Pla and Judit Martín mark the second year of La 2Cat

BarcelonaWith the uncertainty of what will happen to La 2Cat if the PP and Vox form a government after the elections, the young Catalan-language channel has presented a slightly expansive schedule, which incorporates new voices and adds a few more hours of live broadcasting, up to eight daily. This was explained this Thursday by the channel's heads, in a presentation event that served to unveil the schedule for the coming months. Among the novelties, the programs Cervells mínims, by Toni Clapés, Catalunya fantàstica, by Albert Pla, Tot això eren camps, by Judit Martín, and Nous guerrers, by Erik Harley.

“La 2Cat was missing what we could call the voice of the street, the minimal brains in this case, the first opinion that comes to mind,” explained Toni Clapés, to begin giving the keys to his new television venture. And he warned that the program will be “an ode to ‘cunyadisme’ (brother-in-lawism) and quick commentary.” Albert Pla, for his part, will narrate mysteries and legends linked to Catalonia with his particular style. Judit Martín will transmute into her character Meritxell Bufarull to establish herself as a peculiar tour guide of the outskirts of Barcelona, with a mix of humor and critical spirit. And Erik Harley will seek to explain architecture to the Catalans, with an innovative format in which twenty celebrities become guides for a day.

The new features are added to a roster in which some of the names that have most marked this first season repeat. Jordi Basté returns with Pla seqüència, the interview program recorded in a single take, without cuts, to get to know a celebrity and try to create an atmosphere of intimacy over the course of an hour. Also from the ranks of RAC1, Xavier Bundó will premiere new episodes of L'any que vas néixer, a format that brings together two figures around the images of the No-Do and TVE of the year in question.

The morning lineup continues to feature Gemma Nierga as its cornerstone, with her now-veteran Cafè d'idees. "Seven years, seven seasons and we continue with the same desire to connect with people,” the journalist related. “I think it is the firm conviction we have that we must explain current events, that we must make this dark reality that accompanies us attractive, which sometimes we don't like, but which we must explain to listeners, to viewers. And this renews us." This space is preceded by the program Bon dia i bona sort, by Vador Lladó, and when it wraps up it hands the baton to L'altaveu al pati, which incorporates journalist Pablo Tallón this year. Still within the news offer, Debbie Padilla signs on as presenter of the midday edition of L'informatiu.

In the afternoons, the indefatigable Jordi Hurtado has explained that he is preparing for the 30th anniversary of the famous quiz show Saber y ganar and has wished for the same continuity for the channel that mixes its own content with others, in Spanish, which can be seen throughout the State through La2. The program L'altaveu, by Danae Boronat, adds the figure of Marc Redondo. And the offer is completed with the program Cuina brutal, by Chef Bosquet.

Other programs that have been presented during the event are the second season of the program that dives into the RTVE archive Temps enrere, the eighth season of Punts de vista, with Tània Sarrias, or Noms propis, the space for intimate interviews by Sara Rancaño. Sport is another of the pillars of La 2Cat, and the costly sports rights purchased by the parent company will be taken advantage of, which allow it to broadcast competitions such as the women's soccer world cup, led by Lluís Carreras and Olga García.

Rising audiences

The public channel usually moves between 2.5% and 3%, which means it has improved by a few tenths of a percent the results that La 2 used to obtain in Catalonia. The 3% obtained this September, for example, means that up to 3.27 million viewers have connected for at least one minute with the channel throughout the month. This represents 41.6% of the population. "One year later, we can say emphatically that this project was very necessary, that it has had a very good reception, and that it has left us with a first season with very good data," declared Oriol Nolis, director of La 2Cat.

To celebrate this anniversary, La 2Cat will offer the Oques Grasses concert live on October 10th. Television cunning, however, has somewhat soured this icing on the cake: TV3 announced, shortly after, that they would also broadcast the farewell performance of the group from Osona.