What's going on in Spain? - Transcript from our conversation with Javier Celaya

Genuina Media:
Hi Javier, it’s great to have you on The Global Podscape. Thank you so much for your time. How are you?

Javier Celaya:
It’s a pleasure to be here with you, thank you very much for the invitation.

Genuina Media:
To start, I’d love if you could tell us a bit about yourself. What’s your background and how did you get into the world of audio and podcasts?

Javier Celaya:
Like many things in life, I wasn’t supposed to end up here. I studied economics and finance, lived many years in the United States, went to high school there, then studied at Boston College and Columbia University, focusing on economics and international relations.

But life takes unexpected turns, and I ended up in the tech world almost 30 years ago. I started working with companies in San Francisco, mostly B2C and B2B platforms. Over the last 25 years, I’ve focused more on technology and content, working with publishers, production companies, and cultural institutions to help them understand the digital world.

In the last 10 years, I’ve been very focused on audio. I helped launch platforms like Storytel in Spain, and later in Mexico and Colombia. I also worked with Podimo, launching it in Spain and then Latin America. I’ve also collaborated with Bookwire and more recently with Esquilo, a Brazilian platform expanding into Mexico, Colombia, and soon Europe. So audio has really become part of my DNA.

Genuina Media:
That’s incredible. Given your experience across regions, what would you say is the main difference between entering Spain versus entering Latin America?

Javier Celaya:
We’re lucky to share the same language, but there are really three main entry points into the Spanish-speaking world: Spain, Mexico, and the U.S. Hispanic market.

Spain has under 50 million people, while Mexico is the main gateway to Latin America due to its size and influence. The U.S. Hispanic market is also growing rapidly in audio consumption.

Content travels across these markets, but each has its own characteristics. So the first question any company should ask is: what is your main target market? Because each one requires a different strategy.

Genuina Media:
From our perspective in Mexico, one thing we’ve seen is that paid audio models can be harder to adopt. Did you experience that with platforms like Podimo?

Javier Celaya:
There’s a misconception that Latin American audiences don’t want to pay. That’s not true. Spotify has publicly stated that around 25% of its paying users globally are from Latin America.

What matters is pricing and content. In Nordic countries, subscriptions can be close to $20 per month, while in Latin America they need to be closer to $4–$6. But the willingness to pay exists, especially for exclusive and high-quality content.

Typically, around 20% of the audience is willing to pay. And in a market like Mexico, that’s a very large number of people.

Genuina Media:
How would you describe the podcast industry in Spain today compared to the U.S. or Latin America?

Javier Celaya:
Spain has a very rich and diverse content ecosystem, although we’ve lost some diversity in recent years. There was a big boom between 2017 and 2022, with many new voices, especially women.

Recently, we’ve seen more concentration around conversational formats, often led by male voices. At the same time, Latin America has seen stronger growth in fiction and narrative audio, which is still underdeveloped in Spain.

So today, Spain is very strong in conversational content, but weaker in fiction and narrative formats compared to Latin America.

Genuina Media:
Do you think video has played a role in that shift?

Javier Celaya:
Video is often misunderstood. It plays an important role in discovery, especially for younger, more visual audiences. Platforms like YouTube help bring new users into podcasts.

But audio remains essential. You can’t watch video while driving or exercising, but you can listen. Video should be seen as a complementary tool, especially for marketing.

For example, creators can use short video clips as trailers to attract audiences, and then drive them to the full audio experience.

Genuina Media:
Are you optimistic about where the Spanish podcast industry is heading?

Javier Celaya:
Yes, but the main challenge is monetization. In the U.S., you have one language and one market, which allows advertisers to scale easily.

In Spain and Latin America, markets are fragmented, with different currencies and distribution challenges. That makes monetization harder.

Creators need to think in terms of multiple revenue streams: advertising, branded content, and subscriptions. Each can represent roughly a third of total revenue.

Genuina Media:
What role is Spotify playing in this evolution?

Javier Celaya:
Platforms like Spotify are starting to offer more tools for creators, allowing them to decide what content is free, what is premium, and how to monetize.

The key advantage of podcasts is attention. Users choose what to listen to, which creates a highly engaged audience. That’s extremely valuable for advertisers.

Genuina Media:
What about language and regional differences within Spain?

Javier Celaya:
Spain has multiple official languages like Catalan, Basque, and Galician. These audiences are smaller but highly engaged.

Also, more than 70% of content consumption is local. People prefer content in their own accent and cultural context. AI will make localization easier, allowing content to adapt to different accents and regions.

Genuina Media:
If a brand wants to enter Spain, what should they know?

Javier Celaya:
First, adapt to the local accent. There’s still a cultural preference for Castilian Spanish.

Second, focus on the right categories. Conversational formats dominate, followed by personal development and true crime.

Third, think long-term. Don’t expect immediate results. Invest in quality content and build a strong position over time.

Genuina Media:
How do you see the future of the industry, especially looking toward 2026?

Javier Celaya:
AI will play a major role across the entire process: research, production, and post-production. It will also enable content localization at scale.

We’ll also see more AI-generated content. By the end of the decade, up to 80% of audio content could be AI-generated.

That will make human-created content more valuable. People will be willing to pay for authentic, human experiences.

Genuina Media:
Javier, thank you so much. This has been incredibly insightful.

Javier Celaya:
Thank you, it’s been a pleasure.

‍