Traditional television in Spain: consumption, audience and hybrid future

The way we sit in front of the television in Spain has changed at breakneck speed. Traditional television remains the center of the living room and the audiovisual system, but it no longer reigns supreme nor does it accumulate the same viewing time as a decade ago.A hybrid ecosystem has developed around it, where linear channels coexist, platforms streaming, video games and all kinds of content connected to the Internet.

The latest annual and monthly reports prepared by Barlovento Comunicación, with data from Kantar and other sector sources, paint a very clear picture: Television reaches practically the entire population; coverage is historic, but the classic model of watching TV at the scheduled time has been in steady decline for years.Meanwhile, on-demand consumption and alternative uses of the appliance are gaining ground, especially among younger people.

How much traditional television is watched in Spain today

Daily consumption of traditional television reached its lowest point in 2025 since modern records beganThe average is around 161-162 minutes per person per day, that is, about two hours and forty minutes, which is about 9-10 minutes less than the previous year and a drop of 85 minutes compared to the peak in 2012, when 246 minutes per person per day were reached.

If we only consider those who actually turn on the TV every day (viewers and not the total population), Traditional television viewing time averages around 280-291 minutes per viewerapproximately four and a half hours a day. Despite being a very high figure in terms of daily dedication, it continues to decline year after year, with the sole exception of the spike due to the 2020 lockdown, when it reached 240 minutes per person per day.

In specific months like September, the reports detail that Each viewer who watches traditional television spends around 275 minutes a day watching it.However, if we broaden the scope to the entire population, the average drops to 153 minutes per person per day. This data reflects a pattern: fewer people are sitting down to watch linear television every day, but those who do are still spending a significant amount of time in front of the screen.

Very similar figures are used in December or at the end of the year: Per person consumption is usually around 160 to 170 minutes per day on traditional television, while per viewer it is close to 290 minutesThe trend is clear: linear TV is losing minutes, but it maintains a very high usage intensity among its loyal audience.

Massive coverage and the phenomenon of "phone phobes"

One of the paradoxes of the Spanish audiovisual market is that, while viewing time is decreasing, Television coverage, and traditional television as a medium, is virtually total.In 2025, around 47 million people had come into contact with the television set for at least one minute throughout the year, which represents about 99,8% of the population over four years of age, a record high for unique viewers.

If we look only at traditional television (linear plus delayed viewing), reports place the number of citizens who have tuned in to a channel at some point during the year at around 46,8 million, that is, approximately 99,5% of the population universeOn average, approximately 26,7-29,9 million people watch television every day for at least one minute, which is equivalent to slightly more than half or almost two-thirds of the population, depending on the methodological approach.

Faced with this massive presence, a curious figure is consolidating: the so-called "telephone phobes". This group consists of those who do not watch a single minute of (traditional) television all year round.In Spain, they are very few: around 209.000 people, barely 0,4% of the total. The figure is small, but it has grown compared to previous years, indicating that there is a small segment of the population that seems to have completely disconnected from conventional television viewing.

In monthly counts, the behavior is more volatile: for example, in September some 4,4 million "telephone-phobic" people were detected throughout that month, almost 9% of the population, although many of them do consume television at other times of the year. The return to routine after summer quickly reduces the number of people who go weeks without tuning in to a channel..

Other uses of television and the rise of hybrid consumption

The main driver of change in the Spanish audiovisual ecosystem is not only the decline in traditional television, but also the increase in everything else. The so-called “other uses of the television” or hybrid consumption have skyrocketed in recent years and they already represent a quarter of the total time we spend in front of the device.

This category includes activities such as watching streaming platforms streaming (Netflix, Prime Video, Disney+, etc.), streaming videos online, accessing OTT content, playing video games, or listening to the radio on the television itself. By 2025, the average time spent on these alternative uses is projected to be around 53-54 minutes per person per day, compared to 50 minutes the previous year, marking an all-time high.

If instead of looking at the entire population, we only look at the viewers who do use the television in this way, Hybrid consumption reaches approximately 185-196 minutes per viewer per dayThat is, between three and more than three hours a day for those who use the device for more than just linear television. Furthermore, 89% of that additional viewing time is spent on digital content. streaming, which reveals the strong influence of the platforms.

Another revealing fact is the exclusive audience for these other uses. Approximately 3,2-3,4 million people use television daily only for hybrid consumption and do not watch any traditional channels.These are users who turn on their screens, but remain engaged with apps, games, or online content. On peak days, such as November 9, 2025, nearly four million unique viewers have not touched linear television for even a minute.

In the overall count, adding traditional television and hybrid uses, Total television usage time ranges between 216 and 229 minutes per person per day and exceeds 330-350 minutes per viewerIn practice, television remains one of the devices to which the most hours are dedicated, second only to work and rest.

Who still watches traditional television: age, gender and territory

The factor that best explains how television is consumed in Spain is age. The profile of the traditional television viewer has been aging, reaching an average age of 58 years.This is the highest figure in the entire historical series. This average has remained constant for several years and reflects a generational shift: young people are moving to other formats, while older generations are sticking with traditional television.

By age groups, the lead in minutes of consumption clearly falls to those over 64 years of age, who accumulate more than 300 minutes of traditional television daily (close to 321 minutes in some reports), that is, more than five hours a day. The group between 45 and 64 years old spends around 195 minutes a day, about three and a quarter hours.and acts as the system's "anchor group". All segments reduce minutes year after year, but the adjustment is most intense among those under 45 years old.

At the opposite extreme, children and adolescents show a completely different pattern. Children aged 4 to 12 already spend more time on alternative uses of television than on traditional television.They spend around 56 minutes a day watching linear channels compared to about 60 minutes watching other content (platforms, online videos, games, etc.). Among young people aged 25 to 44, hybrid consumption also leads in television use, at around 65 minutes a day, slightly more than traditional television in many cases.

Regarding gender, women continue to be the biggest consumers of traditional television in Spain. In 2025, women watched approximately 173 minutes of linear channels daily, compared to 150 minutes for men.The difference remains since the audience measurement began, although it decreases when other uses of the television are analyzed: in hybrid consumption the times are practically tied, with 55 minutes for men and 53 for women.

There are also interesting nuances when it comes to the autonomous communities. Asturias usually ranks first in television viewing time.With figures around 300 minutes per day per viewer, the region is followed by areas like Andalusia and the Canary Islands, which also significantly exceed the national average. The explanation is closely linked to demographic structure: territories with an older population tend to watch more television. At the other end of the spectrum, Navarre, Madrid, and Catalonia are among the regions with the lowest average daily consumption.

Consumption is becoming increasingly individual and less family-oriented.

Besides who watches television, how they watch it matters a lot. Data from Barlovento suggests that watching TV has become an increasingly individual activityMore than half of the time spent in front of the television is spent alone, with an average exceeding four hours and forty minutes per day when considering total television usage.

Viewing as a couple comes in second place, with just over 230 minutes per day on average in the time slots where content is still shared. This individual consumption is concentrated mainly on daytime television, between 7:00 and 21:00 hoursWhen each member of the household follows their own routines, households with retired people and adults living alone are the ones that dedicate the most time to television, according to life cycles.

This change is also related to what some studies call "subscriber fatigue" and micro-segmentation of leisure. Within the same household, it is increasingly common for each person to consume different content, on different screens and at different times.The old "family television moment" centered around the same program is shrinking, except for major sporting events, galas, or very specific occasions.

Audiences, leading networks and most viewed content

If we enter the strictly television field, the audience rankings continue to show a very clear podium. Antena 3 is the leading traditional television channel in SpainWith an average audience share of around 12,8-13% depending on the period analyzed, it has maintained its leadership for several consecutive years. In 2025, it topped the ratings for more than 280 days of the year (nearly 292 in some periods and 283 in others), a very solid dominance.

TVE's La 1 is experiencing one of its best moments in the last decadeIts average annual audience share is around 11-11,6%, its best result in the last 13 years, with a clear upward trend throughout the year. The public channel has managed to increase the average daily viewing time per viewer to around 84 minutes, 14 more than the previous year, and has gained 2,3 percentage points in share among viewers over 45.

Telecinco, on the other hand, is experiencing its worst historical performance. Its annual rate is around 9,4-9,5% and has an annual minimum.Despite maintaining its lead in certain time slots such as late night, the picture is completed by laSexta (around 6,2-6,3%), Cuatro (around 5,8%), and La 2, which hovers around 3% and has seen slight increases.

The regional channels, as a whole, achieve shares close to 8,5-8,6% and some, such as TV3 or Aragón TV, achieve very prominent leadership in their broadcast areas. The paid-TV channels, meanwhile, account for around 11,4-12,2% of the audience share, posting consecutive annual records.Among the most watched are LaLigaTV on Movistar+, DAZN LaLiga, Warner TV, Star Channel, AXN, Calle 13 or Eurosport, with a strong pull from pay football.

In terms of content, football remains the undisputed king of live television. The most-watched broadcasts of the year are, almost without exception, top-level football matchesWith Eurovision as a regular feature in the top ratings, the New Year's Eve countdown on La 1 continues to be a phenomenon: in December, it averaged nearly five million viewers and surpassed the 5,8 million mark during the peak viewing moment.

If we exclude football and news programs, a wider range of formats emerges: programs such as El hormiguerocontests such as Pass wordreality TV spaces like The island of temptations o The revolt They consistently rank among the 30 most-watched programs. On-demand viewing, Temptation Island stands out, gaining over half a million additional viewers in some episodes, and in some cases adding more than 680.000 viewers after the live broadcast.

Prime time in decline and audience fragmentation

The traditional peak audience segment, known as prime time, also reflects market changes. Between 22:15 p.m. and 22:30 p.m., traditional television gathered around 18,2 million viewers in 2013-2014In 2025, that figure has fallen to around 11,7 million, meaning that more than six million viewers have been lost in that prime time slot in just over a decade.

In the immediately preceding year, prime time still reached around 12,4 million viewers, which shows that The decline has accelerated recentlyHowever, analysts point out that these viewers haven't abandoned television as a device, but rather have migrated to hybrid consumption: platforms, online videos, and other content. In advertising terms, this maintains the medium's value, although it necessitates rethinking strategies and platforms.

In terms of schedules, the distribution of leadership is very clear: La 1 usually dominates the morning and early morning, Antena 3 prevails in the afternoon, evening and prime time, and Telecinco reserves the late nightIn the early morning hours, thematic channels like Energy also achieve significant ratings. By target audience, Antena 3 leads among women, while La 1 is dominant among men and in the so-called commercial target demographic, despite being an advertising-free channel.

Digital platforms, streaming, and subscriber fatigue

The rise of digital platforms is inseparable from the decline in airtime on traditional television. Two out of every three Spanish households already have at least one subscription to a video-on-demand platform.Netflix, Prime Video and Disney+ lead this market in terms of access and loyalty, followed by services such as Movistar+ or Disney+ and by free or semi-free platforms such as YouTube or Twitch, which are very strong among younger users.

OTT tracking data from Barlovento suggests that The average daily consumption of platforms is around 74 minutes per personWith an average viewer age of around 50, significantly lower than the typical audience for traditional television, Netflix and Prime Video are the most accessed platforms (more than 50% of the population has access to each) and also those that capture the largest share of viewership.

The presence of children and teenagers in the home is one of the factors that most increases streaming consumption. In homes with children, the time spent on paid content or platforms clearly exceeds 80 minutes per day.This is compared to approximately 65 minutes for households without children. If subscription platforms and free content like YouTube or Twitch are included, teenagers can reach around 105 minutes of daily viewing, with weekly peaks of up to 16 hours.

This boom is accompanied by a sharp rise in prices. Between 2015 and 2025, Platform fees have increased by around 81,7%, well above the 18,5% cumulative general inflation rate.This has driven strategies such as account sharing and, above all, the adoption of hybrid models: paid plans without ads for those who prioritize the experience and cheaper or even free plans with advertising for price-sensitive users.

In this context, the term "subscriber fatigue" is frequently used. Many users feel overwhelmed by the accumulation of subscriptions and begin to cancel services due to price, lack of interest in the catalog, or low usage.The main reasons for leaving the service are concentrated between 32% and 41% in cost, between 35% and 53% in dissatisfaction with the content, and around 20% in the low actual use of the service.

Information trust: television beats social media

Beyond the minutes spent watching, the perceived reliability of the media also matters. In an environment saturated with hoaxes and fake news, Traditional television remains the most reliable and transparent medium for Spanish citizensfar ahead of social media, even though the latter concentrates a huge volume of information consumption, especially among young people.

The Media Responsibility Index (IRM) of the Transparency and Responsibility Observatory of Nebrija University places television as the benchmark in terms of public trust. The main reason is the existence of audited metrics and transparent measurement systems.as well as stricter regulation than that which affects platforms like YouTube, TikTok or Instagram, where user-generated content has fewer filters and controls.

In practice, many people admit to following a mixed pattern: First, people get their information via mobile phones and social media, and then they check or expand on it through television.Although the risk of misinformation in digital environments is known, only 15% of users systematically verify the content they consume on social networks, which underlines the role that television continues to play as a reference to validate and contextualize current events.

Advertising investment and the influence of large groups

On the economic front, the television sector is also experiencing the transition to a hybrid model. Advertising investment in television is around 1.750 billion euros, with an approximate drop of 5% compared to the previous year, according to estimates based on data from InfoAdex and analyses by Barlovento.

Advertising pressure measured in GRPs drops by around 7-10% in some periods, while the number of active campaigns remains stable or grows slightly. A greater number of advertisers and brands are detected, but with less saturation per campaign and a more intense search for efficiency.In a typical month, more than 1.500 advertisers, nearly 950.000 commercials, and more than 2.300 television campaigns can be registered.

The distribution of advertising revenue remains highly concentrated. Atresmedia and Mediaset together account for nearly 80% of television advertising revenue.Despite collectively accounting for around half the audience share, the RTVE Group, without conventional advertising on La 1, also retains a significant portion of the audience, with audience shares exceeding 16% across all its channels.

In the international context, the advertising market is clearly dominated by large technology companies. Companies like Google, Meta, and Amazon account for more than half of global advertising investment.Driven by the growth of targeted digital advertising and the intensive use of artificial intelligence, their position in the media ecosystem continues to strengthen despite increasing sanctions and regulations in Europe.

This entire set of data paints a very clear picture: Traditional television in Spain is losing airtime and its audience is slowly rejuvenating, but it retains overwhelming coverage, a unique ability to attract viewers to major events, and a high level of trust in its information. Meanwhile, television is consolidating its position as the epicenter of a hybrid model in which platforms, connected uses, and digital advertising are reshaping, day by day, the way we are entertained and informed..