With nearly one million listeners tuning in to hear Cadena SER's radio programme La Ventana, the show, hosted by Carles Francino, has got higher ratings than any other in its slot. Next Friday, Francino and the show's crew are packing their bags and setting sail for Formentera. From 4.00 to 8.00pm, the crew will broadcast a special episode, live, from plaça de la Constitució in Sant Francesc.
Seeing the event as an unparalleled opportunity, Formentera's tourism advisory board (el Patronat de Turisme) has decided to back the show by bankrolling its 13,000-euro production costs. Securing such promotion, says CiF tourism councillor Alejandra Ferrer, is one of the board's duties. “The Patronat's work involves collaborating with local, family-themed programmes that place importance on the things that make us unique,” she said. According to Ferrer, the fact a programme is broadcast in the off-season makes it even more liable to attract the board's attention. Such programmes are more likely to appeal to tourists coming from the Spanish mainland, which, the councillor added, “have got the most connections to Formentera and constitute the island's biggest low-season market.”
On the day of the programme an audience area will be set up on the Sant Francesc square and all of Formentera is invited to come out to see the show recorded live. Ferrer, suggesting other audiovisual collaborations might be in store, said the Council was currently in talks to programme more events like this one.