Mediaset removes its channels from Telefónica's streaming platform


Details

Juan Fernandez Gonzalez

| 04 February 2016




Spain's Mediaset has removed Telecinco and Cuatro signals from Yomvi, Telefónica's online streaming and video-on-demand (VOD) platform.



The media group has decided to maintain both networks on the linear, pay-TV platform, Movistar+, while removing them from Yomvi in order to gain content exclusivity for its own online platform, Mitele.

“It's a management decision which aims to gather all our contents around Mitele, our own online audiovisual content platform,” sources from the media group, who have refused to make further statements, told El Economista.

However, underlying the decision may be Mediaset's disapproval of Telefónica's latest business decision. Since 1 February, Movistar+ has started airing #0, its own general linear channel which is set to replace Canal+. Mediaset's Publiespaña had traditionally managed Canal+’s advertising, but #0's ads will now be managed through Telefónica's own publicity division.

However, both platforms seem to be targeting different audiences within the VOD and streaming sectors. Yomvi's pay-service has over one million users consuming on-demand series and linear TV. Although Mediaset hasn’t revealed specific figures for Mitele, the group's websites have nearly 20 million monthly users and serve 95 million free-to-air videos per month.