The Spanish Bishops' Conference (CEE) has created ABSIDE MEDIA, the Church's new communication platformwith the incorporation of COPE and TRECE. With this decision, the Bishops' Conference is seeking to to better meet the challenges that it poses to the social and evangelizing work of the Church. in a context such as the current one, characterized by the formation of multimedia groups and integrated management models.
The incorporation of ABSIDE MEDIA S.L. was agreed upon during the Plenary Assembly of the CEE held last March. At that time, the bishops gathered at their biannual meeting approved the creation of this company as an entity that would bring together the different media of the Church in Spain. Its foundation and formal registration took place during the summer, with the contribution of the shares of COPE and TRECE owned by the Episcopal Conference, which will soon be joined by those of most of the dioceses and Church organizations. In this way, ABSIDE MEDIA will be the owner of COPE's 75% and TRECE's 99%..
Despite the constitution of this entity, both Radio Popular S.A. and Trece Televisión S.L. continue to exist independently. and maintain their respective governing and administrative bodies. ABSIDE MEDIA aims to continue advancing in the process of operational integration of both companies, which began more than two years ago and has already resulted in significant synergies between the two companies.
In addition, the new platform is born with the vocation of integrating various Church projects in the field of communicationThe digitalization process and changes in the habits of communication and social interaction make it advisable to evolve towards an integrated and coordinated management model. The digitalization process and the changes in the habits of communication and social interaction make it advisable to evolve towards an integrated and coordinated management model.
New organizational structure
At the same time that ABSIDE MEDIA is presented to the market, a remodeling of the structure of COPE and TRECE has been agreed. Ignacio Armenteros Menéndez, until now General Manager and with a long professional career in the COPE group, will be appointed CEO of both companies, as of the beginning of next year. He replaces Julián Velasco Mielgo, who has requested his voluntary resignation for personal reasons, effective at the end of 2020. Fernando Giménez Barriocanal continues as executive chairman and takes on the challenge of leading, with his management team, the new project with which the Church brings together its media.
After more than twenty-five years at COPE and more recently also at the head of TRECE, Julián Velasco leaves the Group after placing it at its best levels of audience and profitability.. At the next Plenary Assembly of the bishops, as on previous occasions, Julian Velasco will give an account of the group's progress over the past six months. The CEE thanked Julián Velasco for the generous work done by at the service of COPE and TRECE, in coherence with the values that inspire these media and always in the search for legitimate growth and evolution, with independence, truth and responsibility.
According to the latest EGM, published in April, COPE is the general radio station with the best audience growth.Also THIRTEEN now in its tenth year as a consolidated a service and reference television for family audiences who sits in front of the screen to be informed, to be entertained with values and to live their faith and social commitment. The capacity restrictions in churches due to the pandemic have multiplied the audience of the Holy Mass. Digital content will be another characteristic feature of the new group.The results achieved and the public's response to the project show that the COPE group's products have been successful in this field. The results achieved and the public's response to the project show that the opportunity and the need for an audiovisual model such as the one proposed by ABSIDE MEDIA.
Source: Spanish Episcopal Conference
