Javier Ruiz will have a direct hand in shaping La Séptima’s on-screen lineup. The broadcaster temporarily halted new presenter recruitment while waiting for him to join its leadership team. Ruiz is now the broadcaster’s editorial director and will also present its flagship prime-time programme. The channel is scheduled to begin broadcasting on Spain’s digital terrestrial television (TDT) on November 5, 2026, just 24 days before the general election scheduled for November 29.
The first publicly announced lineup comprises nine basic presenters: Ruiz, Rocío Delgado, Alba Carrillo, Marta Márquez, Héctor de Miguel, known as “Quequé,” Luján Argüelles, Sarah Santaolalla, Noor Ben Yessef and Verónica Sanz. Ruiz is assigned to prime time, Sanz to mornings and Santaolalla to afternoons. Carrillo and Márquez are slated for weekend programming, while Argüelles will present a weekend morning slot. The planned roster brings the recruitment process, paused pending Ruiz’s arrival, into public view.
La Séptima’s leadership has said it wants more women than men among its presenters. Daniel Fernández, formerly director of RTVE’s Mañaneros 360, is the channel’s director of content and has previously worked with Ruiz. Chief executive José Miguel Contreras leads the project, while Ruiz will combine editorial responsibilities with an on-air role.
Presenter Selection on Hold
Earlier accounts described negotiations with as many as 14 journalists and a planned final group of eight or nine prominent faces, including experienced broadcasters and younger journalists. The public lineup now names nine presenters. Silvia Intxaurrondo and Àngels Barceló were not expected to join in the initial phase. The recruitment pause was linked to Ruiz’s move into leadership, making his appointment a basic step in finalizing the channel’s presentation team.
Live News at the Core
La Séptima is building its schedule around live current-affairs programming, analysis and debate, rather than scripted series, films or large entertainment formats. Its stated slogan is “All the news. Every day. Live.” Sports, society and culture are expected to feature when they intersect with current events. The channel’s editorial structure is designed to bring news and other content under a shared programming operation while keeping factual reporting distinct from opinion segments.
At the project’s presentation in València, Ruiz described the channel’s arrival with the line, “They’ve kicked us off six channels; now we’re going to the seventh.” Contreras said the channel’s “chair will not be empty until midnight on November 5,” referring to the start of its TDT presence. La Séptima is also preparing a special election programme for launch day, putting its first major broadcast close to the November 29 vote.
Sarah Santaolalla Among the Presenters
Santaolalla was previously reported to be under consideration for a role that could include hosting her own programme, with the exact format still under discussion. She has since been named among the nine principal presenters and assigned an afternoon slot in the announced schedule. Reports also said TVE could continue working with her on existing collaborations if scheduling allowed.
Technical Launch and Audience Goals
The channel’s launch is scheduled to coincide with TDT retuning changes and the availability of high-definition broadcasts around November 5. La Séptima plans to broadcast in HD from San Sebastián de los Reyes, from a studio measuring more than 1,000 square metres. Its initial staffing estimate put the team at around 300, including 80 journalists. The broadcaster aims for a 2% audience share at launch and more than 3% within its first year.
The Council of Ministers awarded the national TDT licence to SIETE, the company associated with the project, on May 26, 2026. The renewable concession runs for 15 years and was awarded ahead of a competing bid from Mediaset. The licence provides the regulatory basis for La Séptima’s nationwide free-to-air service as the channel prepares its signal and programming for the November launch.
