Pay TV in Spain shows robust performance, despite streamer expansion

Newly published data from Spanish regulator the CNMC shows that PayTV in Spain has continued to grow over the last year. Figures show a 7.7% increase in PayTV subscribers to 9.1 million, accompanied by a 2.5% growth in revenues. “Television with IP technology (through fiber and xDSL networks) continued to be the majority option, with more than 5 million subscribers,” commented the body.

Free-to-air TV revenues dropped by 7.1% year on year, with Mediaset and Atresmedia, controlling 82.5% of total television advertising revenue (around €340m).

The most watched channels were Antena 3, Telecinco and La 1, with an audience of 13.6%, 12.8% and 8.7%, respectively. By groups, Atresmedia and Mediaset were the leaders, with 27.4 and 26.4 audience share points in the quarter, respectively.

By platform, television consumption was divided into 74.5% for DTT, 24.6% for cable TV and IP TV platforms and 0.9% for satellite television.

The figures do not cover streaming platforms like Netflix, Disney+ and Amazon Prime. Netflix is reckoned to have between 6-7m subs in Spain. The streamer regards Spanish-speaking content as a major priority and this week opened a new studio complex near Madrid which doubles its production capacity in the country.