Hernán García of TelevisaUnivision: “Podcasting Has Exploded In Both Visibility And Participation”

Earlier this month, TelevisaUnivision launched the Spanish-language weekly comedy podcast Qué Tranza, hosted by Raúl Molinar (El Pelón), Paola Sasso (La Mala), and Andrés Maldonado (El Feo). It is available in audio format on Uforia and all major audio platforms, and in video format exclusively on ViX.

“TelevisaUnivision is absolutely committed to being where our audience is. For podcasts, whether in Latin America, Mexico, or Hispanic U.S., we’re in a very exciting moment where we can offer audiences the content they enjoy in the formats they prefer, across different touchpoints,” said Hernán García, Director of Podcast Development at TelevisaUnivision, in an interview with PRODU.

When asked why they chose a comedy podcast—generally considered a difficult genre to make travel across multiple markets—he explained: “Comedy is 100% a complicated format, especially because to make something funny across Latin America and the U.S., you need to consider different cultural contexts and backgrounds. What’s hilarious in Mexico might not work in Colombia, Venezuela, or Argentina. We’ve seen many Disney comedy series do great in Argentina but not as well in Mexico. With this show, and especially Qué Tranza with El Bueno, La Mala y El Feo, we were very careful to make the humor widely relatable. We’re not relying on wordplay because we know words can mean different things in different places. We’re going for situational comedy, where we laugh at their reactions and interactions with situations rather than relying on specific words or well-established cultural archetypes.”

THE STRENGTHS OF PODCASTING

According to García, podcasting has been “exploding” since the pandemic—in terms of visibility, engagement, and production—“definitely thanks to the very committed response from our audience.”

He highlighted the advantage of having podcasts, now also available exclusively on ViX: “Imagine waking up, putting on the podcast on ViX while you shower and have breakfast, and watching a bit. Then on the subway or bus, you continue on your phone, on Spotify or ViX, just listening. Or on the Uforia app in the U.S. Later, maybe during a break at work, you play it on YouTube or ViX in the background.”

He mentioned he listens to between five and eight podcasts a day: “I always have something going in my headphones while doing other things. Podcasting is one of the few formats that lets us stay with the audience whether they’re commuting, at the office, or at school. And now, with ViX, also in their homes, on their TVs or tablets.”

For García, podcasts create a different relationship with the audience. One key recommendation he gives to talent and podcast creators is not to speak to a nameless audience of hundreds but to a single person: “Instead of saying ‘we want to thank all of you for being here,’ say ‘I want to thank you for being here with me, for listening, for following, for liking.’ That kind of messaging helps build stronger bonds and relationships with the audience.”

He added that podcasts allow for greater audience interaction from the production side—something you can’t always get from a series or a documentary. “If I tell you this is a podcast, you almost assume it’s just me with headphones and a mic, maybe not the best lighting, but the conversation and connection are what drive the format.”

They also try to avoid distracting background music: “We want the conversation to feel one-on-one, like you’re sitting in the room with us or I’m speaking directly to you, rather than to a broad audience.”

Another major benefit of podcasting, according to García, is its flexibility—giving audiences the freedom to choose where to consume their content: “Whether it’s Spotify, Apple Podcasts, YouTube, the Uforia app, our website, or ViX, the content is available wherever the audience looks for it. That’s unfortunately not always the case with other formats.”

THREE DISTINCT PERSONALITIES

As part of the El Bueno, La Mala y El Feo (BMF) podcast universe, Qué Tranza initially launched on the original BMF podcast channel, with plans to launch a dedicated channel.

Raúl Molinar (El Pelón), Paola Sasso (La Mala), and Andrés Maldonado (El Feo), hosts of Qué Tranza

The first season includes 48 episodes, each running about 35 to 45 minutes. The show is delivered in a mix of Spanish and Spanglish, capturing the energy and authenticity of its multicultural audience.

For Paola Sasso (La Mala), one of the hosts of Qué Tranza, the podcast format allows for uncensored comedy and making people laugh.

Originally from Mexico, Sasso said she feels “amazing in the U.S.” and added that the show “is impressive. I have fun every day and feel a big sense of responsibility. I just joined, but my colleagues already know the ropes inside and out. What’s really cool is that we’re three completely different personalities with totally different comedy styles—if one of us doesn’t make you laugh, the other will. We’re always preparing to stay current.”