Forget dusty archives—Spain's media landscape is a vibrant, billion-euro battleground where a 5.2% surge in TV ad revenue, streaming services captivating a quarter of the population, and digital news sites reaching 28 million unique users monthly paint a picture of an industry in dynamic flux.
Key Takeaways
- In 2023, Spain's television advertising market revenue reached €1.82 billion, marking a 5.2% increase from 2022 driven by sports events coverage
- TV ad spend per viewer in Spain was €42.3 in 2023, highest in fiction genres
- Spain's radio advertising revenue hit €468 million in 2023, up 3.8% from prior year
- Telecinco held a 13.8% audience share in prime time during Q4 2023, averaging 1.45 million viewers per day
- Antena 3 dominated daily audience with 12.6% share in 2023, attracting over 1.2 million viewers on average
- La 1 (TVE) saw a 9.1% share in news programming in 2023, up 1.4% YoY due to election coverage
- Cadena SER led radio audiences with 24.1% share and 2.1 million daily listeners in EGM Wave 1 2024
- Los 40 reached 1.8 million daily listeners in 2023, with 18.5% share among 18-34 year-olds
- COPE network had 1.45 million daily listeners in Q1 2024, up 2.3% YoY
- El País daily circulation was 105,000 copies in 2023, down 8% YoY
- ABC newspaper sold 112,400 copies daily on average in 2023
- Spain's total newspaper circulation fell to 1.2 million daily in 2023, 65% decline since 2008
- Spain's digital news sites reached 28 million unique users monthly in 2023
- El País digital audience was 15.2 million unique monthly visitors in Dec 2023
- 20minutos.es topped digital news with 18.7 million unique users/month in 2023
Spain's media industry grew strongly in
Advertising and Market Overview
- In 2023, Spain's television advertising market revenue reached €1.82 billion, marking a 5.2% increase from 2022 driven by sports events coverage
- TV ad spend per viewer in Spain was €42.3 in 2023, highest in fiction genres
- Spain's radio advertising revenue hit €468 million in 2023, up 3.8% from prior year
- Radio ad spots broadcast totaled 15.6 million in Spain in 2023
- Spain's print ad spend dropped to €210 million in 2023, 12% YoY decline
- Digital media ad revenue in Spain surged to €1.45 billion in 2023, +22% YoY
- Total media market in Spain valued at €5.3 billion in 2023, TV 34%, digital 27%
- Ad radio revenue per listener €21 annually in 2023
- Newspaper ad pages totaled 45,000 in Spain 2023
- Programmatic ad spend digital media 68% total €1.45B Spain 2023
- Total media ad market growth 7.1% to €4.8 billion Spain 2023
- TV still 38% of total ad spend Spain 2023
- Digital 30% share of ad market overtaking TV soon, Spain 2023 forecast
- Radio ad market share 9.7% of total media ads Spain 2023
- Print ads only 4.4% total spend down from 45% in 2000 Spain
- Influencer marketing spend €85 million Spain media 2023
- Cinema ad revenue €42 million Spain 2023
- OOH outdoor ads €310 million revenue 2023 Spain
Advertising and Market Overview Interpretation
Though television still commands the ad throne with a €42.3 tribute per viewer for their drama, Spain's media kingdom is witnessing a digital coup, as print's dusty scrolls fade and programmatic algorithms quietly seize two-thirds of the digital treasury.
Digital/Online Media
- Spain's digital news sites reached 28 million unique users monthly in 2023
- El País digital audience was 15.2 million unique monthly visitors in Dec 2023
- 20minutos.es topped digital news with 18.7 million unique users/month in 2023
- AS.com sports site had 12.4 million unique visitors monthly avg 2023
- Spaniards spent avg 45 min/day on digital news in 2023
- Marca.com reached 10.8 million unique monthly in 2023
- Online video consumption in Spain averaged 92 min/day per user in 2023
- Eldiario.es grew 15% to 7.5 million unique monthly users in 2023
- Social media video views in Spain totaled 450 billion in 2023
- Spain's OTT platforms like Netflix had 12.5 million subscribers in 2023
- YouTube monthly active users in Spain: 42 million in 2023
- Podcast listeners in Spain reached 9.8 million monthly in 2023, +35% YoY
- Canalsat digital TV subs 850,000 in 2023 Spain
- TikTok users Spain 22 million monthly active 2023
- Online news trust 42% Spaniards in 2023 Reuters survey
- Spotify podcast listeners 7.2 million in Spain 2023
- Digital classifieds revenue €320 million Spain 2023
- Instagram reach for media pages avg 1.2M per post Spain 2023
- News apps downloads 4.5 million in Spain app stores 2023
- RTVE Play streaming views 1.2 billion annually 2023
- Twitch streamers Spain media-related 15,000 active monthly 2023
- Facebook news consumption down 18% to 14M users Spain 2023
- Mobile news reading 72% total digital time Spain 2023
- El País subscription digital 250,000 paid in 2023
- Video on demand market €850 million revenue Spain 2023
Digital/Online Media Interpretation
Spain's media landscape is a cacophony of digital hustle, where trust is scarce but screen time is plentiful, as the nation voraciously consumes news in minutes, sports in millions, and entertainment in billions.
Print Media
- El País daily circulation was 105,000 copies in 2023, down 8% YoY
- ABC newspaper sold 112,400 copies daily on average in 2023
- Spain's total newspaper circulation fell to 1.2 million daily in 2023, 65% decline since 2008
- La Vanguardia printed 140,000 copies per day in 2023, strong in Catalonia
- El Mundo circulation averaged 98,500 daily in 2023
- Magazine sector revenue in Spain was €285 million in 2023, down 4.2%
- 45% of Spaniards read print newspapers weekly in 2023 survey
- El Periódico de Catalunya had 85,000 daily sales in 2023
- Lecturas magazine circulation was 78,000 monthly in 2023
- Total print media employment in Spain was 12,500 in 2023, down 3%
- Hollywood Reporter España circulation 15,000 monthly 2023
- Print newsstand sales down 22% to 180,000 daily Spain 2023
- La Razón newspaper 72,000 copies daily avg 2023
- Semana magazine 55,000 circulation monthly 2023
- Print media recycling rate 82% in Spain 2023
- El Confidencial digital-print hybrid 6.2M uniques monthly 2023
- Hola magazine international sales 20% of 250,000 total 2023
- News Corp presence via Wall Street Journal Europe edition 12,000 circ Spain 2023
- OKDiario digital from print roots 5.8M uniques monthly 2023
- Lecturas celebrity mag digital extension 2.1M pageviews daily 2023
- El Economista business paper 45,000 daily 2023
- Sports print like Mundo Deportivo 110,000 daily Catalonia 2023
- Magazine ad revenue per issue avg €15,000 Spain 2023
Print Media Interpretation
Despite stubborn flickers of regional and niche strength, Spain's print media landscape is a proud but retreating glacier, with even the most venerable mastheads now measuring their relevance more in digital engagement than in tons of recycled paper.
Radio
- Cadena SER led radio audiences with 24.1% share and 2.1 million daily listeners in EGM Wave 1 2024
- Los 40 reached 1.8 million daily listeners in 2023, with 18.5% share among 18-34 year-olds
- COPE network had 1.45 million daily listeners in Q1 2024, up 2.3% YoY
- Spain's total radio listeners totaled 22.3 million daily in 2023, 75% of population over 14
- Onda Cero averaged 1.2 million listeners per day in 2023, strong in news segments
- RNE (Radio Nacional) public radio had 8.9% share with 780,000 listeners in 2023
- Kiss FM youth audience share was 12.4% among under-35s in EGM 2023
- Spain's radio digital listening via apps grew 28% to 4.1 million users in 2023
- Europa FM reached 1.1 million daily listeners in 2023, up 5.6%
- Average daily radio listening time in Spain was 150 minutes per person in 2023
- RNE Radio 1 had 620,000 listeners daily in 2023
- Radio listenership penetration 76% adults in urban Spain 2023
- Cadena 100 music station 1.05 million daily listeners 2023
- FM radio coverage 99.9% of Spain territory in 2023
- Podcast ad market €25 million in Spain 2023
- SER Cataluña regional 450,000 listeners daily 2023
- Car listening radio share 82% drivers in Spain 2023 survey
Radio Interpretation
Despite commanding the largest share of Spain's still formidable 22.3 million daily listeners, Cadena SER must keep one ear on the car—where 82% of drivers tune in—and the other on the digital wave, as apps and podcasts steadily chip away at the traditional airwaves with 28% growth and a €25 million advertising market.
Television
- Telecinco held a 13.8% audience share in prime time during Q4 2023, averaging 1.45 million viewers per day
- Antena 3 dominated daily audience with 12.6% share in 2023, attracting over 1.2 million viewers on average
- La 1 (TVE) saw a 9.1% share in news programming in 2023, up 1.4% YoY due to election coverage
- Spain's pay-TV subscribers numbered 8.7 million in 2023, with Movistar+ leading at 4.2 million
- Digital terrestrial TV (TDT) penetration reached 98.5% of households in Spain by end-2023
- La Sexta achieved 7.9% prime time share in 2023, boosted by talk shows averaging 850,000 viewers
- Cuatro channel's audience grew 4.1% YoY to 5.2% share in 2023, driven by sports
- Spain's total TV consumption hours per person daily averaged 209 minutes in 2023
- Vodafone TV subscribers stood at 1.1 million in 2023, with 15% churn rate
- 24.3% of Spaniards watched TV via streaming platforms exclusively in Q1 2024
- RTVE budget was €1.15 billion in 2023, 70% from public funding
- Atresmedia TV revenue €1.04 billion in 2023, 85% from ads
- Mediaset España EBITDA €145 million in 2023, up 12%
- Spain TV fiction production spend €450 million in 2023
- Prime time slot average audience 1.8 million viewers across channels in 2023
- Sports TV rights cost €1.2 billion annually in Spain 2023, LaLiga dominant
- Women 25-44 demo TV share 11.5% for Antena 3 in 2023
- Local TV stations numbered 900 in Spain 2023, covering 85% population
- 4K TV adoption 32% households in Spain end-2023
Television Interpretation
While Spain's pay-TV landscape shows signs of consolidation and its airwaves remain dominated by a few traditional giants like Telecinco and Antena 3, the real drama is found off-stage, as nearly a quarter of the audience now votes with their remotes for streaming exclusivity, even as the nation's love affair with linear TV—clocking in at a stubborn 209 daily minutes—funds a €1.2 billion sports rights spectacle and a €450 million fiction production boom.
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