Advanced Television

Spain: Internet TV take-up accelerates

November 20, 2013

From David Del Valle in Madrid

Internet TV is growing fast in Spain with a rise of 34 per cent over the last year. The latest report from UTECA, the private TV broadcasters’ association, reveals that Spaniards are increasingly watching online TV with a penetration rate of 11.1 per cent in 2012 against 8.3 per cent the previous year.

Despite that important growth of Internet TV, traditional linear TV leads the TV consumption with a share of 89 per cent and Spaniards watching TV an average of 246 minutes per day, 7 minutes more than the previous year. In 2013, TV consumption broke a record in February with an average of 277 minutes a day in front of the TV. Thematic TV channels have also increased their audience and now represent one third of the total audience share of the two largest TV groups in Spain, Atresmedia and Mediaset.

In its annual meeting, UTECA asked the government to impose limits on Regional public TV broadcasters in terms of state subsidies and clarify the model of public TV stations following the closure of Regional pubcaster RTVV. UTECA also urged the Administration to publicly announce the definitive DTT frequencies, refusing the elimination of nine DTT licences following the Supreme Court’s decision and also asking for more stability in the TV market.

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