
Rita Madeira, content producer at Digital Azul, tells TVBEurope how the industry thrives on connections and welcomes curiosity
By Matthew Corrigan
Published: March 28, 2025 Updated: March 31, 2025
Rita Madeira, content producer at Digital Azul, tells TVBEurope how the industry thrives on connections and welcomes curiosity
target=_blank title=Share on LinkedIn class=share-linkedin>
Talk us through an average day in your role No two days are the same in my role as a content producer at Digital Azul. Working in a team that thrives on precision and adaptability means balancing creativity with efficiency at every stage of production. Depending on the production phase, I might be in the office researching, planning shoots, coordinating contributors, or aligning with clients.
Rita Maderia, content producer at Digital Azul My work spans different types of productions-from history documentaries, like a film on the Portuguese Revolution for ARTE TV, where I interviewed key figures who lived through the events, to high-paced live sports coverage that demands agility and problem-solving under pressure.
For the past few years, I've been producing content with Digital Azul for Global Champions, the world's biggest showjumping competition. This level of production requires a team that not only operates at the highest technical standards but also understands the nuances of storytelling in a live sports environment. We follow the tour across 16 international stages, delivering a live studio with expert analysis and exclusive athlete stories.
A typical day on location starts early with a meeting I set and prepare, coordinating with presenters, the sports communication team, and various production units to finalise the editorial plan. Since we operate a remote production, our gallery team is based in Lisbon, while I manage on-site logistics-ensuring the crew and talent are in place, whether we're filming behind-the-scenes in the stables or capturing cultural moments, like young riders experiencing camel riding in the Saudi desert.
Once the footage is captured, I coordinate post-production, briefing editors and managing rapid turnarounds for next-day releases. Before going live, I distribute transmission schedules and running orders to the Lisbon remote gallery, on-site crew, and presenters. As the on-the-ground producer, I act as the connection between all teams-directing talent, arranging guests, and ensuring smooth execution.
After the final live segment wraps, I debrief with the team and adjust schedules for the next day. Even when the cameras stop rolling, the work continues-finalising edits, managing last-minute changes, and keeping everything running seamlessly in the fast-paced worlds of sports and production.
How did you get started in the media industry? I've always been fascinated by media, especially TV and films that explore real lives and stories. I began my TV career at the BBC as a runner in Factual & Entertainment and quickly moved up to researcher and then assistant producer, working on history, nature, and food programmes.
Travelling across the UK every other week, I immersed myself in British culture-filming stories of people from walks of life, from artists, biologists, to chefs. Research often felt like investigative work, especially when filming a WWII story at a stately home once occupied by American GIs before D-Day. There, I discovered a stack of letters left behind by a soldier. Determined to reunite them with his family, I traced his descendants, and the British military even organised an official ceremony to return the letters.
That first experience showed me the power of TV-not just to tell stories but to bring people together in meaningful ways.
What training did you have before entering the industry? I initially studied Business Management, but it quickly became clear that the conventional corporate world wasn't for me. Drawn to storytelling and communication, I joined a production company in Lisbon, working in the marketing department. That experience gave me valuable insight into the TV business, but I soon realised I wanted to be on the ground, involved in the stories that I was selling.
Determined to transition into TV production, I pursued a Master's in Media Production in Bristol, UK-home to the BBC's Factual & Entertainment department. My goal was to break into the BBC, but with fierce competition, I knew I had to stand out - so I got creative. A Valentine's card declaring my love for TV helped me stand out among thousands of applicants. It worked, and once I got my foot in the door, the rest was history.
Why do you enjoy working in the industry? I love the variety that comes with TV production-one day, I might be interviewing a top athlete, and the next, uncovering the story of a fascinating artist. It's a privilege to gain access to exclusive places and meet incredible people from all walks of life.
I thrive in the fast-paced environment and the constant sense of discovery this industry offers. But above all, I enjoy the teamwork-collaborating with talented professionals to bring stories to life. The industry is always evolving, and I find the challenge of adapting and staying ahead incredibly rewarding.
What piece of advice would you offer someone looking to explore a role similar to yours? If you're looking to break into content production for TV or streaming, my biggest advice is to be proactive-get yourself noticed. Talk to industry professionals, ask questions, and build your network. This industry thrives on connections, and curiosity, adaptability, and strong people skills are just as crucial as technical knowledge.
Study and learn the craft, but more importantly, learn by doing. Seek hands-on experience, ask for feedback, and don't be afraid to make mistakes-that's where real growth h
Europe Stories
04/09/2025
Monumental Sports & Entertainment (MSE), in collaboration with Dalet, has been a...
08/05/2025
As expected, continued weak demand from key sales markets and declining economic...
08/05/2025
A new three-part series is coming to BBC iPlayer and BBC One
(Image: The Christie Archive Trust)
The BBC has announced Agatha Christie's Endless Night, a...
08/05/2025
08 May 2025
VEON Shareholders Re-elect Board at 2025 AGM, Founder Augie Fabela ...
08/05/2025
Comedy and entertainment channel U&Dave bring back their #1 ranked programme of ...
08/05/2025
Expect even more chaos this July with Harriet Webb leading the returning cast, p...
08/05/2025
TenneT relies on Arvato Systems for market communication
Energy industry: Impressive market communication know-how and system integration expertise
G tersloh...
08/05/2025
When Taiki Hamamoto, 22, came across a Hanafuda deck at his local game shop, he was intrigued. He had grown up playing the traditional Japanese card game with f...
08/05/2025
The Liveline is now open , said Joe Duffy earlier today, as he previewed this af...
08/05/2025
RT , in association with the BBC, Screen Ireland and Cineflix Rights has reveale...
07/05/2025
Discovering music should feel effortless and fun. That's why Spotify continu...
07/05/2025
FOX Doubles Down on the Laughs Renewing Comedies Animal Control, Starring Joel M...
07/05/2025
07 May 2025
VEON's QazCode Signs MoU with Seekr to Develop AI-Powered Solut...
07/05/2025
UKTV has ordered a feature length documentary celebrating the life of Britain...
07/05/2025
Wednesday 7 May 2025
Shaun the Sheep fans are in for a baaaarilliant treat in 2...
07/05/2025
Rohde & Schwarz to highlight innovative broadcast technologies at CABSAT 2025 Rohde & Schwarz will showcase its latest energy-efficient transmitters and 5G Br...
07/05/2025
The Importance of Workflow Efficiencies in Post-Production Wednesday, 14 May
14:40
FilmLight sits down with Sam Lempp, head of business development for Nara, ...
07/05/2025
RT News is pleased to announce the appointment of RT journalist, Fergal O'Brien, as its new Business Correspondent.
In his new role, Fergal will be repor...
06/05/2025
In Colombia, music isn't just background noise-it's center stage. It'...
06/05/2025
En Colombia, la m sica no suena de fondo: es el centro del escenario. Es el cora...
06/05/2025
At Spotify, we always seek ways to connect users with their next favorite podcas...
06/05/2025
Since Spotify's 2019 launch in India, the growth of the country's local ...
06/05/2025
eds3_5_jq(document).ready(function($) { $(#eds_sliderM519).chameleonSlider_2_1({...
06/05/2025
Comscore Reports First Quarter 2025 ResultsRESTON, Va., May 6, 2025 Comscore, Inc. (Nasdaq: SCOR), a trusted partner for planning, transacting and evaluating ...
06/05/2025
Live from Studio 1 at 7pm, Tuesday May 6
Iconic trad-fusion group K LA will be ...
06/05/2025
Rohde & Schwarz hosts RF Testing Innovations Forum 2025, helping design engineer...
06/05/2025
LONDON, UK, May 6, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Today at the company s annual THINK event, IBM (NYSE: IBM) is unveiling new hybrid technologies that break down the long...
06/05/2025
Apple today introduced Tap to Pay on iPhone in Bulgaria, Finland, Hungary, Liechtenstein, Poland, Portugal, Slovakia, Slovenia, and Switzerland, enabling millio...
06/05/2025
Ahead of Pride Month, Apple is introducing a new Apple Watch Pride Edition Sport Band, watch face, and iPhone and iPad wallpaper to celebrate the strength and b...
06/05/2025
First episode airs this Friday at 8pm on RT One and RT Player with Doireann N Ghlac in presenting
Guests include Barry Murphy, Brooke Scullion, Bryan Dobso...
05/05/2025
As Europe gears up for the Eurovision Song Contest 2025, Spotify is celebrating the spirit of unity and musical legacy with a new series of Spotify Singles. Fiv...
05/05/2025
As part of the restructuring of its loss-making Carbon Fibers business unit, SGL Carbon has decided to close its production site in Lavradio (Portugal). Lavradi...
05/05/2025
Comscore Launches Certified Deal IDs in Magnite's SSP, Bringing Trusted Cont...
02/05/2025
Updated May 2: In a victory for consumers, artists, creators, and authors, Apple...
02/05/2025
Since 2022, Spotify and FC Barcelona have brought the worlds of music and footba...
02/05/2025
With more than 678 million users worldwide tuned in to Spotify, we're at the heart of music and culture. Our unrivaled global community of artists, songwrit...
02/05/2025
Data Communications Company has announced its partnership with IBM to modernise ...
02/05/2025
Comscore at the 20th Annual Needham Technology, Media, & Consumer Conference RESTON, Va., May 2 2025: Comscore (Nasdaq: SCOR), a trusted partner for planning, t...
02/05/2025
02 May 2025
VEON to release 1Q25 trading update on May 15, 2025 Dubai, May 2, 2025 - VEON Ltd. (NASDAQ: VEON), a global digital operator, today confirms that t...
02/05/2025
CUPERTINO, CALIFORNIA Apple today announced financial results for its fiscal 2025 second quarter ended March 29, 2025. The Company posted quarterly revenue of $...
02/05/2025
Well-known faces pushed to their limits in Uncharted with Ray Goggins...
01/05/2025
As Tanzania approaches a pivotal election year marked by both promise and concern over the impact of artificial intelligence (AI) on media, more than 300 journa...
01/05/2025
After four years of lectures, study sessions, exams, and parties, college senior...
01/05/2025
Prochazka knows the power of relationships, so it has always been important to him that ATEC Pro be renowned for more than just supplying great equipment. Becom...
01/05/2025
Munster and Connacht Football Finals onThe Sunday Game Live
Final two days of t...
01/05/2025
Voice actor and producer Mark Yoshimoto Nemcoff shares his first impressions of the DPA 2017 Shotgun Microphone, from real-world auditions to side-by-side compa...
01/05/2025
With my previous console, Freeman recalls, I always had to run a Waves server for EQ and compression, but when I switched to DiGiCo, I found it was such an op...
01/05/2025
Stream all episodes ofLook Who's Hangry from April 29
An RT Player Original in partnership with Heinz...
01/05/2025
Here is your host, Patrick Kielty!
T naiste, Minister for Foreign Affairs and T...