Pedro Erquicia López de Montenegro (24 March 1943 – 20 April 2018) was a Spanish television journalist and producer best known for creating Informe Semanal, one of Spain's longest running television news magazines. Born in San Sebastián, in the province of Gipuzkoa, he became associated for decades with the national broadcaster Televisión Española. His career spanned routine newscasting, editorial leadership and the development of documentary-style reporting for television audiences.

Early career and role at Televisión Española

Erquicia began working in television during the formative years of Spanish public broadcasting and established himself as a recognizable news presenter. He served as an anchor for TVE's main newscast, Telediario, in the early 1970s, and combined on-air duties with behind-the-scenes work producing and shaping news programming. His approach emphasized careful sourcing, clear presentation and a magazine format that could accommodate longer reports and in-depth pieces.

Informe Semanal: concept and format

In 1973 Erquicia launched Informe Semanal, conceived as a weekly news magazine that would bring investigative reports, documentary segments and topical analysis to a broad audience. The program distinguished itself by mixing shorter news summaries with longer investigative packages, often featuring field reporting, interviews and archive material. Key features included:

  • Weekly broadcast cadence that allowed time for research and editing.
  • Documentary-style segments that expanded beyond headline coverage.
  • An editorial tone oriented toward depth, context and public service.

Later career, change of employers and retirement

After a long tenure at TVE, Erquicia left the network in the late 1980s and later joined the then newly created public regional broadcaster Televisión Española counterpart or regional outlets; he also worked with TVE colleagues in emerging public networks, including a period at Telemadrid. His formal retirement was announced in April 2008 after several decades in Spanish broadcast journalism. Throughout his career he balanced editorial responsibilities with production and on-air presentation.

Legacy and significance

Pedro Erquicia is widely remembered for professionalizing the television news magazine format in Spain and for establishing editorial standards that influenced later generations of broadcast journalists. Informe Semanal continued beyond his direct involvement and remains a reference point for weekly television journalism. Erquicia's work is often cited when discussing the evolution of Spanish public television and the expansion of longer-form reporting on TV.

Death and recognition

Erquicia died on 20 April 2018 in Madrid after a long illness. He was 75 years old. Obituaries and retrospectives at the time highlighted his role in creating enduring television formats and in training and influencing many producers and reporters who followed him. His name remains associated with serious, documentary-minded television journalism in Spain.