BTN News: The use of television in Spain has evolved significantly, reflecting broader changes in how people consume media in the 2023-2024 season. No longer confined to traditional viewing habits, the television set has become a versatile device for a wide range of activities beyond just watching scheduled broadcasts. Two comprehensive reports from Barlovento Comunicación and Geca, based on data from Kantar Media, provide a detailed overview of how television viewing has changed during this season and offer insights into the trends that are shaping the future of TV consumption in Spain. These reports reveal a notable shift in how Spaniards interact with their televisions, balancing between traditional TV watching and other uses such as streaming, gaming, and internet browsing.
During the 2023-2024 season, the average Spaniard spent 228 minutes per day in front of their television. This figure is almost identical to the previous season’s average of 229 minutes, indicating a consistent engagement with the TV set. However, within this total, a significant trend emerges: the time dedicated to traditional television viewing has dropped to a historic low. This season, the average time spent watching traditional TV was 179 minutes per day, down from 189 minutes the previous year. This decline underscores a broader trend where traditional TV is losing ground to other forms of content consumption.
As traditional TV viewing declines, there has been a corresponding increase in “Other TV consumption,” a category that includes the use of streaming platforms, video games, radio, and internet services on the television. This season, the daily average time spent on these activities rose to 49 minutes, up from 40 minutes the previous season. Notably, the proportion of total TV time devoted to these other activities also increased, from 17% last season to 21.6% this year. This shift highlights a growing trend: more and more people are using their televisions for activities that go beyond simply tuning into scheduled broadcasts.
In terms of network performance, Antena 3 maintained its position as the most-watched channel, although its share dropped by 0.9 points compared to the previous season. Atresmedia, Antena 3’s parent company, also led the market as the top group. Meanwhile, Telecinco and La 1 tied for second place with a 10.1% share each, with La 1 benefiting from the boost provided by broadcasting the UEFA Euro 2024. For Telecinco, this season marked a historic low, with its share dropping by 1.2 points. Among the smaller digital terrestrial television (DTT) channels, several reached record audience shares, including Atreseries (2%), Bemadtv (1.7%), DKiss (1.3%), Ten (1.2%), and Real Madrid HD (0.6%).
The thematic channels also had a strong season. The open thematic channels reached their highest collective audience share ever, driven by small gains across many networks. Similarly, the pay thematic channels achieved a season-high of 10.7%, with sports channels LaLiga TV by M+ (0.4%) and DAZN LaLiga (0.3%) leading the pack.
Antena 3’s dominance in the ratings is partly explained by its lineup of popular daily programs. The network boasts eight of the 25 most-watched shows of the season, including hits like El Hormiguero, Pasapalabra, and La Ruleta de la Suerte, all of which are aired daily. When it comes to new programming, Telecinco and Antena 3 were neck and neck, each launching 14 new shows. Telecinco focused more on entertainment, debuting 12 new shows in this genre, while Antena 3 leaned more towards fiction with 10 new series. La 1, on the other hand, premiered 12 new programs, most of which were entertainment-focused, with only three new fiction titles.
The performance of regional channels was another highlight of the season. Aragón TV emerged as the fastest-growing regional broadcaster, achieving an 11.7% share—a record high for the channel in a regular season. This makes Aragón TV the second most-watched regional channel in Spain, only trailing behind TV3. The channel’s news programming was particularly successful, with an average share of 22.2% this season, the highest in Aragón. In June, Aragón Noticias 1 achieved a 34.1% share, the highest for any news program in Spain. The talent show Jotalent, mucho más que jota, also performed exceptionally well, leading Sunday night ratings with an average 20.2% share.
In conclusion, the 2023-2024 television season in Spain reflects a media landscape in transition. While traditional television viewing continues to decline, the overall time spent in front of the TV remains stable as viewers increasingly turn to their sets for a variety of activities beyond just watching scheduled broadcasts. As networks adapt to these changing habits, the competitive dynamics of the market are also evolving, with shifts in audience preferences shaping the future of television in Spain.
