Advanced Television

Spain: Mediaset/Mediapro ad deal under attack

October 9, 2017

From David Del Valle in Madrid

Spanish regulatory body Comisión Nacional de los Mercados y la Competencia (CNMC) is looking into the TV advertising agreement between Mediaset, owner of Tele 5 and Cuatro, among other channels, and Mediapro, owner of the football TV channel Gol TV, over a possible breach of free competition in the market.

Both companies signed an agreement in September 2017 whereby Mediaset would manage the advertising for Gol TV, a deal fiercely criticised by smaller TV operators on the grounds that it signalled more control of the ad TV market and the duopoly of Mediaset and Atresmedia. These companies now control 86 per cent of the TV ad market in Spain, 95 per cent of the FTA TV and 58 per cent of the audience ratings.

Combined, Mediaset and Atresmedia took €954 million out of the total of the €1.115 billion ad revenues in the first half of the year, according to Infoadex. Dkiss, Dmax, Real Madrid TV, Ten, Paramount, Disney, 13TV and Gol made €57.8 million in that period and pay-TV channels reached €47.9 million and regional TV channels, €55.2 million.

Regional TV Association FORTA (Federación de Organismos o Entidades de Radio y Televisión Autonómicos) is accusing Mediaset and Atresmedia of abuse of dominant positions with the duopoly which is destroying the regional TV channels’ ad revenues.

Categories: Advertising, Articles, Broadcast, Policy, Regulation