I doubt my posting will bring much discussion and that's fine. My only intention is to share with interested parties my newfound, newly acquired access to TVEi/Televisión Española Internacional , the "International" version of Spain's locally shown (in Spain - broadcast from Madrid) TV network.

I JUST LOVE IT! It's my "default" TV station. I have it on almost exclusively just to have that wonderful castellano in my ear. They do have world news and also documentaries about other parts of the world but mainly they spotlight different regions of Spain, talk shows, game shows, local news (lots about Madrid - that's where I saw the news/video about the recent BIG fire near the Museo del Prado), sports, concerts, movies, and some music videos too. They also have quite a bit of "star coverage" - you know, what the stars are doing now, video of stars/models on XYZ beach in Spain, stars leaving their homes and getting in their cars and other boring stuff like this. For example, the program I have on now is called gente which is all about the stars, the "in-people", and of course the Royal Family. There's also Corazón Corazón which is a similar program. And one of the best things - ALMOST NO COMMERCIALS!! Actually, I kind of like the commercials in Spain because I like to see what products are being sold, what's popular, etcetera.

It's offered here in Columbus, Ohio USA through Insight Communications, my cable company. I'd been asking for Spanish-language programming from my cable company for YEARS and finally in Juen it arrived. I think I was one of the first to sign up. With the package I get 24 channels of Spanish language programming including Telemundo, 1 station from Chile, 1 from Argentina, and ESPNespañol, CNNespañol, and a whole bunch of Spanish music video stations to name only a few.

On TVEi yesterday I was watching an interview with Alejandro Sanz and watched some concerts in Galicia, part of the Xacobeo festival there. Seems that because of the festival they've been covering Galicia VERY well and this has made me very very happy. Mmmmm.. Galicia. I just love it. I think I love almost everything about it so watching ALL these programs about the different regions of Galicia in stunning videography has been SUCH a pleasure.

SO MANY YEARS I've been trying to get whatever I can see through the few television stations broadcast via internet (like those HERE ) with grainy, often-buffering video in a small window. Now I have it FULL SCREEN on my TV in digital audio. Mmmmm.. I'm always in heaven when I'm watching some program about the regions of Spain and listening to castellano whenever I like.

Thanks for listening! They're NOW showing he prince and princess meeting Mexico's President Vicente Fox while they were visiting Mexico.

I'd be happier in Spain, MadridMan
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Here are is the programming lineup for this week:

LO MÁS DESTACADO... del 19 al 25 de JULIO de 2004

AMERICA

“A GALICIA VENTE YA”, GALA XACOBEO 2004, DESDE LA PLAZA DEL OBRADOIRO

“MENOS ES MAS,( EL DESDEN CON EL DESDEN)” UN AMOR ADOLESCENTE EN LA “CITA CON EL CINE ESPAÑOL”

“CUENTAME COMO PASO”, SE DESPIDE POR ESTA TEMPORADA CON “TORMENTA DE VERANO

“DIEZ EN IBIZA” Y LA VISITA DE LOS AMIGOS EN “TODOS AL DIVAN”

“PERIODISMO DE INVESTIGACIÓN”, UNA ETNIA EN “SOY GITANA”

“PARAISOS CERCANOS “, CON LA DAMA “ARUBA, LA POLINESIA FRANCESA”

ESPACIOS NATURALES, Y “LA SIERRA DE CAZORLA, SEGURA Y LAS VILLAS 2”

TRANSMISION ESPECIAL

DOMINGO DÍA 25

A las 00.30 horas GMT LA GALA ”A GALICIA VENTE YA”, grabada por Televisión Española con motivo del Xacobeo 2004. Con La Plaza del Obradoiro convertida en un enorme plató de televisión. Con la actuación de Janet Jackson, Paulina Rubio, Zucchero, Ketama, Víctor Manuel, Ana Belén, Rosario, Blue, Mariza, Diego Cigala y Bebo Valdés, Nek, Susana Seivane, Avalón, Luar na Lubre, Los Limones y Mark Knopfler

CINE

VIERNES DÍA 23

A las 00.30 horas GMT, en “LA CITA CON EL CINE ESPAÑOL”, la película “MENOS ES MAS (EL DESDEN CON EL DESDEN), dirigida por Pascal Jongen, con Ana Gracia, Luis Fernando Alvés, Miguel Sitjar, Elsa Pataky y Sergio Peris-Mencheta. Durante el verano sevillano, varios jóvenes estudiantes acuden en busca de trabajo a Isla Mágica. Entre ellos, Carlos, Diana y Polilla. Carlos está locamente enamorado de Diana que le ignora; Polilla está, en secreto, enamorada de Carlos, que la considera su mejor amiga y, por amistad, hará que Diana termine enamorándose de Carlos.

SERIES/ FICCIÓN

LUNES DÍA 19

A las 00.30 horas GMT, “DIEZ EN IBIZA”, Protagonizada por Ángel de Andrés López, Emma Ozores, Ramón Langa y Cristina Higueras. Hoy El capítulo “TODOS AL DIVAN”, en el que una pareja de médicos, amigos de Ramón Y Carmen llegan a Ibiza para visitarles y pasar unos días. La visita crea tensiones que Ángel y Bego tratan de atenuar.

JUEVES DÍA 22

A las 00.30 horas GMT, CUENTAME COMO PASO”, se despide por esta temporada con. “TORMENTA DE VERANO”.Después de encontrarse a su familia sumida en el caos, Herminia intenta poner algo de orden. Sin embargo, todavía no ha podido hablar con Antonio, que no para por casa. Y es que Alcántara ya sólo piensa en Elisa y parece estar dispuesto a todo... Mientras, Mercedes sigue en Sagrillas, sin saber nada de lo que está pasando en su casa, ya que Herminia prefiere ocultárselo para no preocuparla. Pero su tranquilidad se ve alterada cuando recibe una visita inesperada. Los tres matones de la constructora siguen acosando a Tony, el cual, a pesar de todo, está dispuesto a declarar ante el juez. Eugenio, y sus amigos Álvaro y Mario, intentan protegerle. Con Imanol Arias, Ana Duato, José Sancho

SÁBADO DÍA 24

A las 01.30 horas GMT “¿SE PUEDE?”, la nueva apuesta de TVE por el humor de LINA MORGAN, con guiones de Jaime de Armiñán, José Luis Coll, Mariano Ozores y Antonio Mingote. Hasta cincuenta y dos distintos personajes en cuatro historias distintas por entrega, sin renunciar al sello personal que hace peculiar a la actriz de La Latina. Lina estará arropada por un amplio abanico de secundarios de lujo, desde Sancho Gracia, Manolo Zarzo, Paula Sebastián, Paco Carabias, Agustín González y José Luis López Vázquez.

PROGRAMAS

MARTES DÍA 20

A las 00.30 horas GMT, “EUROJUNIOR”, GALA presentada por Carlos Lozano y dirigida por Ainhoa Casado y Noemí Galera, en las que se seleccionarán los niños finalistas que competirán para representar a España en el 2º Festival de Eurovisión Junior que se celebrará el 20 de Noviembre en Noruega.

MIÉRCOLES DÍA 21

A las 00.30 horas GMT, “CARTA DE AJUSTE” Dirección, José María Iñigo, realización, Rafael Galán, producción, José Ongay, presentación, José María Iñigo, Llum Barrera y Minerva Piquero. Programa de actuaciones musicales y entrevistas salpicado con secciones de programas de archivo de TVE.

A las 03.00 horas GMT, TENDIDO CERO, el veterano espacio taurino en una nueva temporada, que supone la decimoctava de su permanencia en antena. Dirigido y presentado por Fernando Fernández Román.

SERIES DOCUMENTALES

LUNES DÍA 19

A las 01.30 horas GMT “PERIODISMO DE INVESTIGACIÓN” Hoy, el capitulo “SOY GITANA”. En este reportaje se reflejará la situación de una mujer de esta etnia, en la que las tradiciones continúan marcando la vida del grupo.

A las 03.30 horas GMT, “ESPACIOS NATURALES”, viaja hoy hasta “LA SIERRA DE CAZORLA, SEGURA Y LAS VILLAS”. El Parque Natural constituye el espacio protegido más extenso de nuestro país y atesora una enorme cantidad de valores: paisajísticos, geológicos, botánicos, zoológicos, antropológicos...En este primer programa de los dos que se dedicarán al apretado y abrupto conjunto de sierras que constituyen Cazorla, Segura y Las Villas, se hará un breve repaso a las ancestrales relaciones del hombre con estas tierras, veremos cómo se vivía del monte y sus productos, sin olvidar hablar del incomparable escenario que está presente en todo momento a nuestro alrededor y que es el hábitat de infinidad de especies animales y de una comunidad botánica absolutamente excepcional.

JUEVES DÍA 22

A las 01.30 horas GMT “PARAISOS CERCANOS “con “ARUBA, LA POLINESIA FRANCESA”. Aruba, la dama de las antillas. Cielos de azul eterno, aguas de cristal y turquesa, kilómetros y kilómetros de playas blancas como el algodón; lujo para los más exigentes, deportes acuáticos para los más inquietos, noches llenas de vida. La pequeña antilla holandesa nos invita a probar un paraíso con el sabor del Caribe.

DOMINGO DÍA 25

A las 22.30 horas GMT“INGENIO NATURAL” con el capítulo “CABOS, CUERDAS, NUDOS Y REDES,”. El programa plantea una analogía entre las conquistas evolutivas de algunas especies y los inventos humanos. Así podemos apreciar la similitud entre las colas prensiles de los monos y los arneses de los montañeros. También las larvas de mariposas y arañas, responsables de la fabricación de fibras, han inspirado a los humanos las redes, nudos y fibras sintéticas.

MadridMan, you are so lucky! !!!!!!!!!!!!

I am dying to get TVEi and have tirelessly fought with my cable provider to consider offering it. They only offer Univision, which is great for coverage of South and Central American television, but not for Spanish television.

Right now I have a write-in campaign going, hoping to impress Times Warner Cable to consider adding this fine channel. I have even sought the aid of the local soccer associations, since TVEi shows European soccer. Beckham, be still my heart!

Of all places in the U.S., the First Coast, i.e. St. Augustine, Florida, founded by Ponce de Leon, should have access to TVEi! We have a renaissance Castillo here, for goodness sakes!
Ave Maria!

Saludos,
Carmen

Booklady, mine was only offered as a package of 24 channels called "Insight Para Ti" - which added $9 to my bill. It is hard to believe it's not offered more widely in the USA but maybe this is just the first wave. Hope it reaches you soon. I just love it. It makes me feel MUCH closer to Spain knowing that people IN Spain are watching the exact same programs I'm watching here in Columbus, Ohio, USA! But you know, I haven't seen a SINGLE Spanish soccer game (or of any other nationality, I don't think) shown which leads me to believe they aren't offered on TVEi, maybe something to do with television rights.

Right now there's some soap opera called El Secreto. One of the "running stories" in the series is about one of the teenagers going to MICHIGAN, USA as an exchange student. WHY Michigan?? (sorry, gazpacho ) Update: Now showing is the game show SABER Y GANAR, a Jeopardy-like question/answer competition for cash.

Saludos, MadridMan

Just make sure you don't watch more than one episode of the sitcom '"Ana y los Siete"'! I'd suspect it might cause severe damage to some people's brains!

Madridman, that's great. We just got a spanish tier on digital cable with Antena 3 (international, I guess) and TVE international. There is also a channel from TVE that shows documentaries and a few others that look to be from TVE or Spain. One has a half hour news program around the clock from TVE. All for $5 extra per month. It's great to love Spain rather than France or Italy because they charge $10 just for one Italian or French channel.

Keep the previews of upcoming shows coming!! We will try to tape a few of those you mention below.

And it is nice to talk to you all again!!

I live in Cincinnati Ohio and I have Time/Warner Digital Cable. The best package I have been able to find is their so-called "international tier" which is far from "international" if you ask me. You get 5 or 6 channels in Spanish for 3 dollars a month. Does anyone know of a better spanish package availible through time/warner or is switching to sattilite my only option?

...also, for all of you Simpsons fans, "TeleTrece" a local station in Chile is free to watch on the internet. A hour of Simpsons overdubbed in spanish comes on at 7PM M-F.

http://zates2.canal13.cl/indextoc.html

I have Time Warner and the only "international" channel they offer is Univision. Univision is great if you keep track of the happennings in South and Central America, but not with Spain. In my service area they stubbornly refuse to consider adding more international channels. Even though the newspapers are filled with articles about the increase in Spanish speakers in our service counties!!!

It is very frustrating.

It is interesting to note the different channels and packages that time/warner offers, depending on your location.

Univision doesn't come with the international package here. Would be nice to, since Copa America has been on. The spanish channels we get here are:
Sopresa
Cine Latino
Puma TV
Canal Sur
Discovery Español
CNN En Español

Pretty lame, eh? ...Although listening to CNN EN Español almost every morning before spanish class has been helpful to get into that frame of thinking.

MadridMan has links to quite a few televison stations being broadcast from Spain. But they are nothing compared to the channels he wrote about above. The free online channels for the most part are kind of boring...but free.

Hi everyone!

We have been fortunate to Directv Para Todos, which as about 26 Spanish language channels from all over the world, including TVEi/Televisión Española Internacional. I have been watching TVEi quite often, since we will be taking our first trip to Spain this September.

I watch it to get somewhat of a feeling of whats going on in Spain, as well as hear the Spanish Castellaño. Being Mexican-American, I am not familiar with the Spanish Castellaño accent. It's been a real treat! The news is real insightful, giving a Spanish perspective on world events, many of which aren't covered in the US news.

The documentaries are great! They give a lot more insight to areas, than the typical tourist info. Everytime I watch it, it fills me up with excitement on our trip. Can't wait!

By the way, when El Principe got married, we were watching it live! It was so funny being glued to the TV from 1 a.m. to 5 a.m. I need to get a life! lol

Ciao!

Louie

We got DirecTV Para Todos specifically to get TVE and it's been great. My husband watches the "morning" news at night. It was especially important March 11, with continuous coverage. We also like its perspective on the news, since the US media is so narrow. We also like watching reruns of "Cuentame", a great show.