Atresmedia and ITV Consider Legal Action Against Mediaset Over Pasapalabra Similarities
Atresmedia and the television production company ITV are evaluating legal action against Mediaset following the premiere of the new Telecinco game show Rueda la letra, pointing to striking structural and mechanical similarities with the hit format Pasapalabra, according to reports by Cadena SER and La Vanguardia.
The Legal Battle Lines Over Television Formats
The latest clash in the long-running Spanish television rights dispute centers on Telecinco’s new afternoon offering. Hosted by Carlos Sobera, Rueda la letra debuted on Monday with a share of television audience and average viewers, according to data cited by La Vanguardia. Almost immediately, viewers, television critics, and network executives noted the program’s strong resemblance to Pasapalabra, which currently airs on Antena 3 under the umbrella of Atresmedia.
Cadena SER reported that Atresmedia and ITV are actively weighing whether to file a lawsuit jointly or separately. The potential legal challenge builds upon a complex history of intellectual property battles in Spanish courts. Previously, a ruling by the Supreme Court determined that Antena 3 could no longer air the iconic El Rosco segment under the Pasapalabra name due to copyright infringements involving Dutch firm MC&F.
Following that judicial decision, Mediaset announced it had acquired the rights to the definitions game from MC&F a year prior. This acquisition paved the way for the creation of Rueda la letra, positioning a final round named La Rueda in a time slot directly competing with Antena 3’s afternoon lineup.
Scope of Alleged Similarities Beyond the Final Round
While public attention initially focused on the final wheel game, Atresmedia maintains that the copyright concerns extend to the entire architecture of the broadcast. According to La Vanguardia, the network’s legal analysis targets the preliminary phases designed to help contestants accumulate time.
Both programs feature two primary contestants paired with celebrity guests who assist them through a sequence of introductory games. In Rueda la letra, Telecinco introduced preliminary segments titled ¡He dicho!, Cantando espero, Con dos palabras, and Palabras ocultas. Although these specific minigames do not mirror Pasapalabra verbatim, legal analysts point to shared broadcast elements.
Furthermore, the inclusion of prominent former Pasapalabra champions Fran González and Lilit Manukyan as regular contestants has further cemented the visual and historical bridge between the two competing formats.
As media companies grapple with high-stakes intellectual property compliance and format licensing, protecting proprietary broadcast assets requires robust oversight.
Future Outlook for Afternoon Programming Rivalries
The unfolding situation underscores the precarious nature of daily television scheduling and format adaptation in Spain. With historical precedents established by previous rulings on intellectual property and proprietary game show mechanics, the decision by Atresmedia and ITV will likely set a fresh benchmark for how networks protect television intellectual property.
As the legal teams at Atresmedia and ITV finalize their review of the broadcasted episodes, the television sector watches closely to see if the courtroom will once again dictate the programming choices of Spain’s major networks.