José Miguel Contreras: The Head (Political Commissioner) of La Séptima.

José Miguel Contreras, the mastermind behind La Séptima, has forged his media and political influence through his family circle and key friendships, defining his career with personal tragedies and a firm social commitment.

José Miguel Contreras Tejera, a name that resonates strongly within the Spanish media and political landscape, is the architect of La Séptima, a new television channel promising to stir up the information scene. Born in Madrid in 1958, this entrepreneur, described as a kind man with pogre ideas, has cultivated silent but deep influence for decades, establishing a television school and setting political and social trends. At 68 years old, far from retiring, Contreras plunges back into the television arena, demonstrating an energy and vision few expect from someone of his background.

Contreras is not a man prone to public exposure. He prefers the intimacy of his home to receive his closest circle—a heterogeneous group that includes both admired and controversial figures, mirroring his pronounced ideology. He himself does not hide his position toward the left, an inclination he insists defines his work without succumbing to radicalism. The question arises: who is the man making such trascendental decisions, capable of shaping currents of thought? Those who know him describe him as a charismatic leader in private dealings, but relentless in his role as head of the operation. His professional and personal life often intertwine, creating a crucible where friendships and enmities coexist.

## A Humble Origin and Family Tragedy

The story of José Miguel Contreras begins in a modest Renfe colony in the Estrecho neighborhood of Madrid. Son of a railway worker, his childhood was marked by the need to study on scholarships to help at home. He was the middle of three siblings. His journalistic vocation solidified at Complutense University, where he studied Journalism. However, life held an early and devastating test for him. His younger brother, who shared his passion for journalism, died during adolescence from a heart condition. This irreparable loss left an indelible mark on the family—a pain that persists.

In 1975, upon entering university, Contreras discovered his passion for politics. Initially, he dreamed of being a radio announcer, but his professors encouraged him to pursue academia, suggesting he pursue a doctorate. It was in the university setting that he met **Piedad Sancristóval**, who would become his vvife. She was a student at the faculty where he served as a professor for 23 years. Their reunion, years later, in the terraces of Castellana, sealed their union, formalized in 1990. Piedad’s family, with deep conservative roots and a father from the paratrooper brigade, welcomed José Miguel with affection, maintaining mutual respect while avoiding controversial political topics.

## The Birth of a Social Commitment

The life of the Contreras Sancristóval marriage took a radical turn in 1994 with the birth of their first son, **Antonio**, known as **Toñete**. Medical negligence during childbirth left the young boy with a hearing disability. This circumstance became the personal cause and driving force for José Miguel and Piedad. From that moment on, they dedicated their efforts to supporting people with hearing disabilities and their families.
Piedad, who was then a screenwriter for successful series like "Médico de Familia" and "Siete Vidas," set aside her career to focus on caring for Toñete.

At that time, Contreras had already achieved positions of prominence at Canal+ and Telemadrid and was one of the founders of **Globomedia**, alongside **Daniel Écija**, **Emilio Aragón**, and **Andrés Varela** (the latter his main partner in La Séptima). This group of professionals became his trusted circle, a loyal team that accompanied him in his subsequent projects. The situation regarding their son Toñete prompted the Contreras to create and finance the integration school for deaf children, **Tres Olivos**. Today, Toñete, after studying Audiovisual Communication, develops his career as a journalist at Infolibre, a portal of which his father is the majority shareholder. Contreras demonstrated his generosity by donating his inheritance in life to his children, buying them properties in the same building where he and his vvife reside.

## A Family and Professional Legacy

José Miguel and Piedad have another daughter, **Blanca**, aged 30, who has given them two granddaughters: **Vera** and another on the way. Blanca has become her father's right-hand woman at La Séptima, leading the Newsmedia department, social media, and other strategic content areas of the channel, after achieving success on her own in marketing.
This strong family structure, marked by overcoming adversity, is the true pillar supporting the producer's work.

For years, Contreras balanced his executive responsibilities in major groups like Prisa and Atresmedia, where he was key in founding La Sens, with his work for the NGO **Save The Children**. His connection to his mother, who enjoys excellent health at 97 years old, and his brother, residing in the United States, is deep. Contreras, a regular visitor to Denia where he has spent his summers for three decades, also owns a house in Washington. It was in the United States that he absorbed television production techniques which he later introduced to Spain; formats like "El club de la comedia" and "Al rojo vivo" are examples of his vision.

## Influential Friendships and Political Tensions

The friendships of José Miguel Contreras, often described as "dangerous," have been a decisive factor in his trajectory and the image he projects. Although he has never belonged to the PSOE party, his closeness to it has been constant. His relationship with Spanish politics solidified during the years he managed institutional relations for Atresmedia. He met **Felipe González** through **Miguel Barroso**, an influential PSOE advisor, who recommended him to help with the televised debate against **Aznar**. Since then, family and political ties have intertwined.

Through Barroso, he also came into contact with **José Luis Rodríguez Zapatero**, a relationship that strengthened after the latter left his presidency of the Government. Contreras maintains deep trust in Zapatero's innocence, considering him a victim of the "witch hunt" against the current president, **Pedro Sánchez**. Although his relationship with Sánchez is not as close, it is understood that La Séptima will support the current government during election campaigns—a shift from the editorial line of La Sens, where his former friend **Antonio Ferreras** directs "Al rojo vivo." The rupture of this friendship causes him deep sadness, according to close sources. Contreras aspires to create a leftist television that is acceptable to all audiences, even his mother-in-law, rejecting the dogmatism of politics.

## An Innovator in Communication

José Miguel Contreras is widely recognized and praised by many of his colleagues, especially those with similar ideological affinities. However, as is natural in the media sphere, he also has detractors, particularly in conservative media outlets. **Jesús Maraña**, director of Infolibre, the newspaper in which Contreras is majority shareholder, praises his respect for the editorial line despite occasional differences of opinion. Maraña admires his decision to embark on a new television project at this stage of his career, rather than retiring.

For his part, **Luis Arroyo**, a political scientist close to the PSOE, describes Contreras as a "great innovator" in both political communication and strategic consulting and entertainment. Arroyo emphasizes his role in introducing modernity into Spain through various television formats, calling him one of the most creative people he knows.