Spain: Where TV speaks a different language

[Francis Hult]

Telegraph

 

Where TV speaks a different language

 

Back in Blighty we imagine Spain to be a paradise. But whatever its attractions the 

quality of its television could never be classed as one of them, says Toby Wakely.

 

"Why are you and Jack speaking in English?" a seven-year-old child asked me once. We were in the middle of an English class and my colleague had come in to talk to me for a minute. 

 

It was as if the child thought English existed only as a classroom language, outside of which everything was in Spanish. This has happened to me on several occasions - and I think Spanish television is at least partly to blame.

 

Back in Blighty we imagine Spain to be a paradise; pleasant climate, great food, dramatic scenery, colourful people and a rich and vibrant culture. But whatever its attractions the quality of its television could never be classed as one of them.

 

Look at what the English-speaking world has given Spain: BBC documentaries; CNN; series such as Friends, 24, Without a Trace and CSI; cartoons such as The Simpsons; travel programmes such as Lonely Planet. 

 

Full story:

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/global/main.jhtml?xml=/global/2008/07/03/television-in-spain.xml

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