Spanish 'Pasapalabra' ends 'El Rosco' segment after court ruling

The popular Spanish television program "Pasapalabra" has bid farewell to its signature "El Rosco" segment, marking the end of an era for the show. The final "El Rosco," a challenging alphabetical quiz with a significant cash prize, aired last Thursday. The host announced that a new final round would be introduced starting Friday, though details remain scarce.

The dramatic shift stems from a Spanish court's ruling that "Pasapalabra" and "El Rosco" are distinct formats belonging to different owners. This legal conflict, involving millions of dollars, means the historic final test will now operate independently, potentially competing with "Pasapalabra" itself. For viewers in Argentina, however, the show will continue as usual on Telefe, featuring both segments within a single program, according to La Nacion.

The "Pasapalabra" program originally debuted in Spain nearly 26 years ago, on July 24, 2000. The Supreme Court's decision, issued on May 21, compelled Antena 3 to cease broadcasting "El Rosco." The court found that the segment is protected intellectual property owned by MC&F. Mediaset España, which holds the rights to the segment, is reportedly developing a new program centered around "El Rosco."

MC&F sought compensation for years of unpaid use of "El Rosco." However, the Supreme Court limited liability to the period after Atresmedia was officially notified of the infringement. The core "Pasapalabra" format originates from the British company ITV, known as "The Alphabet Game" since 1996, which did not include "El Rosco." The "El Rosco" segment itself was created in Italy by Pianta and Loeb for the program "Passaparola," premiering in 1998. Initially called "Ruota delle Lettere," its original format used the 21-letter Italian alphabet and required answers within 100 seconds.