Madrid, Spain – Like the stirring sound of a familiar song, 59 segundos graces the airwaves again. It arrives with the weight of history but also the lightness of hope. Once more, we gather in conversation, where words are bound by time—59 seconds, no more, no less. Gemma Nierga, known for her warmth and sharp intellect, steps onto this stage, ready to revive what was left in quiet slumber for over a decade.
With the fire of truth and the rhythm of dialogue, the program, first born in 2004, resurfaces on RTVE this Thursday, September 25th, at 22:50. Now, in 2024, with Gemma Nierga at the helm, we look forward to voices that bring life to the issues that shape the very fabric of society: from housing to immigration, healthcare to unemployment. This is no ordinary return; this is a stage where words must dance quickly, thoughtfully, and with purpose.
A New Era for Political Discourse
In a time when voices often collide and shout past one another, 59 segundos brings with it an old wisdom: brevity is power. Each speaker, whether a seasoned journalist or a public figure, has only 59 seconds to make their point, to share their truth. Yet, like Maya Angelou once said, “Words mean more than what is set down on paper. It takes the human voice to infuse them with deeper meaning.” Here, the human voice is both tethered and freed.
There is beauty in this restraint. There is grace in knowing that every second matters, every pause must be calculated. Nierga, with her unmistakable empathy and strength, knows this well. She stands in the footprints left by Mamen Mendizabal, Ana Pastor, and María Casado, great women who carried the torch before her. But now, it is her time to hold it high.
As the night unfolds, the first episode will bring to the fore Óscar Puente, Spain’s Minister of Transport, along with the beloved voices of Andreu Buenafuente and Berto Romero. Together, they will wrestle with the beast that is hate on social media, a topic as relentless as the ticking clock before them.
The Audience Speaks Too
But this is no one-way conversation. This time, 59 segundos does not belong solely to those on stage. It stretches beyond the studio, into the hands of its viewers—both the 150-strong audience seated in the room and those watching from the stillness of their homes. Through the quiet pulse of a QR code, viewers will cast their opinions, vote on the matters that stir them most, and shape the course of the conversation.
As Nierga said with visible emotion, “I feel good, happy. More excited than nervous. I feel the weight of responsibility, but I am eager for tomorrow to come, to show that in one minute, everything can be said.” Her words ring true. In a world where hours can be filled with empty chatter, here, one minute becomes a vessel for meaning.
A Program Rooted in Legacy
To understand the future of 59 segundos, we must first honor its past. It was in 2004 when Mamen Mendizabal first stepped onto that stage. Eight years, 282 episodes, and many heated debates later, it found a resting place in our memories. But oh, what memories they were. Ana Pastor took the reins in 2006, followed by María Casado, each adding their own style and grace. Through their tenures, 59 segundos captured the hearts and minds of a country, reaching a staggering 30% viewership at its height.
And now, with its return, Pedro J. Ramírez, a journalist with decades of experience, shared a reflection on how time has shaped us all. He remembered a moment in the first show when he spoke about the legalization of same-sex marriage, a topic that still echoes, 20 years later. He will once again be present, invited by Nierga to revisit the issue, to see how far we’ve come—and perhaps how far we still have to go.
The Future of Debate: Plural, Yet Poised
As Maribel Sánchez Maroto, former director of RTVE in Catalonia, remarked, “We are not interested in noise or shrillness.” In a world where volume often drowns out reason, 59 segundos seeks the opposite: clarity, substance, and respect. It promises to be a place where dialogue reigns supreme, not because voices are silenced, but because they are heard in their purest, most distilled form.
With the likes of Màrius Carol, Pedro J. Ramírez, and Carlos E. Cué as regular contributors, the program will be rich in perspective. Nierga has assured viewers that while interventions will remain strict—59 seconds and not a breath more—there will be room for nuance. “If an opinion requires a bit more, we will allow it,” she has said. Because sometimes, truth needs space to stretch and grow, even within the confines of a minute.
The Heartbeat of a Nation
At its core, 59 segundos is not just a show. It is a heartbeat—a pulse that quickens with the urgency of today’s issues and slows with the reflective wisdom of tomorrow’s conversations. As RTVE and Globomedia bring this beloved format back to life, they do so with the knowledge that our time, and our words, are fleeting. But in those 59 seconds, everything—yes, everything—can be said.
