UHD Spain will pay tribute to Ricardo Medina and José Manuel Menéndez, key figures in the audiovisual sector and UHD, at the 4K HDR Summit 2025

• Ricardo Medina, founder of Medina Media and UHD Spain, and José Manuel Menéndez, professor at the UPM and director of the RTVE-UPM Chair, will receive an emotional posthumous recognition for their legacy in the audiovisual industry.
• The eleventh edition of the 4K HDR Summit will take place from 11 to 14 November, with two in-person days (Tuesday 11 and Wednesday 12) at the Cartuja Auditorium in Seville TechPark and another two virtual days.

The eleventh edition of the 4K HDR Summit in Seville will pay tribute to two key figures in the promotion of Ultra High Definition in Spain: Ricardo Medina, founder of Medina Media in 2004 and UHD Spain in 2021, and José Manuel Menéndez, professor at the Higher Technical School of Telecommunications Engineering at the Polytechnic University of Madrid (UPM) and director of the RTVE-UPM Chair since its creation in 2015. Both key figures in the development of Ultra High Definition in Spain will be remembered during the opening day for their outstanding careers and contributions to the sector.

Seville will become the capital of Ultra High Definition for a week with the summit “where technology and content have time to talk”. It will take place from 11 to 14 November at the Cartuja Auditorium in Seville TechPark with two face-to-face days (Tuesday 11 and Wednesday 12) and another two virtual days (Thursday 13 and Friday 14), where more than 70 experts in 4K will participate in the only congress that brings together leaders in technology and audiovisual content at an international level.

The organisers of the 4K HDR Summit, an event created by Ricardo Medina, will take advantage of its eleventh edition to praise, together with UHD Spain, the figures of these two personalities who coincided in the promotion and development of Ultra High Definition. Members of UHD Spain will present commemorative plaques during the Official Ceremony on Tuesday, 11 November in recognition of the career, leadership and vision of Ricardo Medina and Professor José Manuel Menéndez, who made a decisive contribution to the expansion and consolidation of the most advanced audiovisual technologies, leaving a deep mark on the industry.

Ricardo Medina: pioneer, communicator and visionary in the audiovisual sector

Ricardo Medina has been one of the most influential figures in the Spanish audiovisual landscape. A journalist and producer, he co-founded the Telemadrid channel in 1989 and created the pioneering format Madrid Directo, which was later adapted nationally as España Directo. He also promoted the programme La Mañana de La 1 on Televisión Española, consolidating new standards in live television reporting and production.

His professional career was also forged in missions as a war correspondent for the EFE Agency, where he covered conflicts in countries such as El Salvador, Guatemala, Haiti, Rwanda, Sarajevo and during the Gulf War. That period shaped his character and his vision of journalism, defined by ethics, rigour and a global perspective that he later transferred to television.

Ricardo Medina during the tenth edition of the 4K HDR Summit in 2024.

In 2004, he founded Medina Media, from which he promoted renowned content such as the Andaluces por el Mundo format, and in 2021 he promoted the creation of UHD Spain, an association dedicated to the promotion and development of Ultra High Definition in Spain. Thanks to his initiative and leadership, both Medina Media and the Spanish audiovisual sector itself were at the forefront of 4K and UHD production, becoming a technological and creative benchmark.

Through Medina Media, he also created internationally renowned events such as the 4K HDR Summit, the 5G Forum and, more recently, New Space & Solutions. His passion for technological innovation and his ability to connect the main players in the industry made the 4K HDR Summit a world-renowned event.

As the founder of UHD Spain, he was a key figure in the creation of a collaborative platform that brought together television stations, production companies, operators and technology centres with a common goal: to place Spain at the forefront of Ultra High Definition. His energy, enthusiasm and commitment to excellence marked a turning point in the dissemination and application of new audiovisual technologies.

Ricardo Medina passed away on 18 August 2025, leaving a profound void in the industry, but also a legacy that will continue to inspire generations of audiovisual professionals. His innovative spirit and pioneering vision live on in the projects he founded and in the people who continue on his path, keeping alive the passion for storytelling with the best possible technology.

José Manuel Menéndez: academic reference and bridge between the University and the industry

José Manuel Menéndez devoted his life to teaching, research and technological innovation. A professor at the UPM, he headed the RTVE-UPM Chair since 2015, turning it into a benchmark for the development of pioneering projects in the field of 4K HDR public television, Artificial Intelligence applied to audiovisual production and Ultra High Definition.

José Manuel Menéndez during the tenth edition of the 4K HDR Summit in 2024.

Menéndez, who sadly passed away on 18 September 2025, was also instrumental in the creation of UHD Spain, being responsible for the three published editions of the White Paper and actively participating in the working groups, thus contributing to the technical advancement of the association with his scientific vision and his ability to connect academic knowledge with the real needs of the audiovisual sector. He was also the coordinator of the UHD Signal Production and Broadcasting Course in collaboration with the Polytechnic University of Madrid (UPM) and the RTVE Institute. His educational work and constant drive for technical excellence have left a deep mark on generations of engineers and communication professionals.

The 4K HDR Summit in Seville in 2025 will be a space not only for innovation and technological exchange, but also for remembering and recognising those who contributed to Spain’s prominent position today in the evolution of Ultra High Definition.

With these tributes, the 4K HDR Summit and the entire audiovisual community wish to thank Ricardo Medina and José Manuel Menéndez for their dedication and passion, whose legacy will continue to inspire the future of the sector.

The 4K HDR Summit 2025, “Where technology and content have time to talk”, is organised by Medina Media Events and supported by RTVE, Appear, Ateme, RTVA, Elecard, AJA, Axion, Aicox con Small Pixels, Google, UWA, Lawo, SES, Synamedia, Rohde & Schwarz, Eutelsat, Gsertel, CISCO, Vestel, Toshiba, JVC, Daewoo, Canon, Cellnex, Hispasat, Alfalite, Netgear, Mome, Datos Media, Sapec, AEQ and Avixa, among others.

All conferences will be available for viewing on demand through ‘The Observatory’, Medina Media Events’ digital platform, where each conference will be available 24 hours a day, 365 days a year, free of charge.