View source for LaSexta

{{Short description|Spanish television channel}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=June 2014}} 
{{Infobox television channel
| name              = La Sexta
| logo              = LaSexta 2024 Logo.svg
| logo_size         = 120px
| launch_date       = {{Start date and years ago|2001|4|1|df=y}} (as Beca TV)<br/> {{Start date and years ago|2005|11|25|df=y}} (as LaSexta) <small>(test broadcast)</small><br/> {{Start date and years ago|2006|3|27|df=y}} <small>(official broadcast)</small>
| closed_date       = {{End date|2003|7|21|df=y}} (as Beca TV)
| picture_format    = [[1080i]] [[HDTV]]
| owner             = [[Atresmedia]]
| country           = Spain
| language          = Spanish
| area              = Spain<br/>[[Andorra]]<br/>International
| former_names      = 
| replaced          = Beca TV
| sister_channels   = [[Antena 3 (Spanish TV channel)|Antena 3]] <br> [[Neox (TV channel)|Neox]] <br> [[Nova (Spanish TV channel)|Nova]] <br> [[Mega (Spanish TV channel)|Mega]] <br> [[Atreseries]]
| headquarters      = [[San Sebastián de los Reyes]], [[Community of Madrid]]
| timeshift_service = 
| website           = [https://www.lasexta.com www.lasexta.com]
| terr_serv_1       = [[Digital terrestrial television]]
| terr_chan_1       = Mux 34 (Madrid)<br>Mux 27 (Barcelona)<br>Mux 36 (Andorra)
| online_serv_1     = Atresplayer
| online_chan_1     = [https://www.atresplayer.com/directos/lasexta/ Watch live]
}}

'''La Sexta''' ({{IPA|es|la ˈseɣsta|lang}}; {{literally|The Sixth}}; stylised as '''laSexta''') is a privately owned Spanish [[free-to-air]] television channel that was founded on 18 March 2001 as Beca TV and began broadcasting on 1 April 2001. By 21 July 2003, the channel ran into debt and was shut down, but two years later in 2005, it was replaced by a new channel called La Sexta that began test transmissions on 25 November 2005, and a year later, it started broadcasting officially on 27 March 2006. The channel's programming is [[generalist channel|generalist]], however, there is an emphasis on humour and entertainment. The channel broadcasts a large amount of American and sports programming, and in recent years it has covered political events such as elections, including extensive debate through three key programmes: ''Al rojo vivo'' (<small>''Red-hot''</small>), ''El objetivo'' (<small>''The Lens''</small>) and ''[[Salvados]]'' (<small>''Saved''</small>). The political alignment of its news and debate programmes is left-leaning.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.elplural.com/2012/08/28/el-pp-asume-que-la-sexta-seguira-siendo-una-television-de-izquierdas/ |title=El PP asume que la Sexta seguirá siendo una televisión de izquierdas |trans-title=PP assumes LaSexta will remain being a left-wing television station|newspaper=[[El Plural]] |first=Marcos |last=Paradinas |date=28 August 2012 |access-date=5 September 2019 |language=es}}</ref>

In 2012 the channel was acquired by Grupo Antena 3, later named [[Atresmedia]].<ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.20minutos.es/noticia/1611152/0/fusion-antena3/la-sexta-linea-editorial/informativos-separados/ |title=Fusión entre Antena 3 y La Sexta: línea editorial e informativos independientes |trans-title=Fusion between Antena 3 and La Sexta |newspaper=[[20 Minutos]] |date=8 October 2012 |access-date=5 September 2019 |language=es}}</ref>

==Programming==
{{main|La Sexta programming}}
LaSexta's programming from Monday to Friday is mainly based on information and debate spaces, although more general programming such as films, reality shows or reporting programmes are broadcast at night. During the weekend, the channel reduces its news and debate programmes to broadcast reruns of previous programmes or films.<ref>{{cite web |title=Programación LaSexta |url=https://www.lasexta.com/programacion/ |access-date=20 March 2023 |language=es}}</ref>

Some original programming of LaSexta includes: ''[[BuenAgente]]'', ''[[El Intermedio]]'', ''[[El jefe infiltrado]]'', ''[[Pesadilla en la cocina]]'', ''[[Qué vida más triste]]'', ''[[The Refugees (TV series)|The Refugees]]'', ''[[Salvados]]'', ''[[Sé lo que hicisteis...]]'', ''[[SMS (Sin Miedo a Soñar)]]'' and ''[[Zapeando]]''.

Other programming also includes: ''Emma's Theatre'', ''[[My Name Is Earl]]'', ''[[The Office (American TV series)|The Office]]'', ''[[Law & Order]]'', ''World of Polli'', ''[[The Sopranos]]'', ''[[NCIS (TV series)|NCIS]]'', ''[[The King of Queens]]'', ''[[Monsuno]]'', ''[[Entourage (American TV series)|Entourage]]'', ''Pierre the Painter'', ''[[How I Met Your Mother]]'', ''[[Family Guy]]'', ''[[Futurama]]'', ''[[Bones (TV series)|Bones]]'', ''[[30 Rock]]'', ''[[Arthur (TV series)|Arthur]]'', ''[[The Mentalist]]'', ''[[Eleventh Hour (American TV series)|Eleventh Hour]]'', ''[[The Red Green Show]]'', ''[[Prison Break]]'' and ''[[The Walking Dead (TV series)|The Walking Dead]]''.

==Production==
La Sexta currently broadcasts in 16:9 for most programming although they still use 4:3 for a minority of programming including films and older TV series.

==Logos==
{| class="wikitable" style="border:1px solid #aaa"    
|- align=center
|height="150px" bgcolor="#F9F9F9" | [[File:La Sexta.jpg|100px|Used from 2005 to 2008]]  
|height="150px" bgcolor="#F9F9F9" | [[File:La_Sexta.svg|129x129px|Used from 2008 to 2016]]     
|height="150px" bgcolor="#F9F9F9" | [[File:La Sexta (A3M).svg|120px|Used from 2016 to 2024]]    
|height="150px" bgcolor="#F9F9F9" | [[File:LaSexta 2024 Logo.svg|120px|Used from 2024]]  
|-
!width="150px" colspan="1" bgcolor="#CCCCCC" | 2005–2008
!width="150px" colspan="1" bgcolor="#CCCCCC" | 2008–2016 
!width="150px" colspan="1" bgcolor="#CCCCCC" | 2016–2024 
!width="150px" colspan="1" bgcolor="#CCCCCC" | Since 2024 
|}

==History==
La Sexta was first founded as a TV production company on 25 November 2005 when it got its broadcast licence. It began testing the broadcast on 12 December, shortly before knowing the analogue frequencies assigned to [[Madrid]] and [[Barcelona]].

On 23 December, broadcasts started in Madrid and Barcelona, expanding later to all of Spain.

Starting on 23 January 2006, they began broadcasting a promotional video. 20 February marked the start of content emissions testing. Actual broadcasts started with documentaries (Champions, Natura) and programmes dedicated to tuning, like "Tuning Mania". From 22 February, La Sexta began broadcasting twelve hours of programming every day.

On 2 March, a football match between [[Croatia]] and [[Argentina]] was the occasion of the first live broadcast. Five days before the actual date, José Miguel Contreras announced the official starting date, 27 March, on the [[Círculo de Bellas Artes]].

On February 14, 2024, Atresmedia switched to HD-only broadcasting, ending the coexistence of standard definition (SD) and high definition (HD) versions.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Televisión digital - Todos los canales de TDT emitirán únicamente en HD a partir de este miércoles: requisitos y cómo sintonizar |url=https://television.digital.gob.es/ayuda-ciudadano/sala-prensa/Paginas/tdt-emitira-solo-hd-desde-miercoles-claves-requisitos.aspx |access-date=2025-05-09 |website=television.digital.gob.es}}</ref>

==References==
{{reflist}}

==External links==
*[http://www.lasexta.es/ Official site] {{in lang|es}}
*{{usurped|1=[https://web.archive.org/web/20090129111436/http://www.lyngsat-address.com/ln/La-Sexta.html La Sexta at LyngSat Address]}}

{{Atresmedia}}
{{RTL Group}}
{{Bertelsmann}}
{{Spanish television stations}}
{{Channels on Movistar+}}
{{Portal bar|Spain|Television|Economics|Journalism|Politics}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Sexta}}
[[Category:LaSexta| ]]
[[Category:Television stations in Spain]]
[[Category:Television channels and stations established in 2001]]
[[Category:Television channels and stations disestablished in 2003]]
[[Category:Television channels and stations established in 2005]]
[[Category:Television channels and stations established in 2006]]
[[Category:Spanish companies established in 2005]]
[[Category:Spanish companies established in 2006]]
[[Category:Spanish-language television stations]]
[[Category:Atresmedia channels]]