Mediaset, Atresmedia see poor start to 2018
Details
Juan Fernandez Gonzalez
| 20 April 2018

TV advertising incomes have decreased during Q1 2018 for Spain’s two main media groups, Atresmedia and Mediaset.

In line with the free-to-air (FTA) advertising market, Mediaset invoiced 229.6 million during the first quarter of the year, 4.49% less than in the same period of 2017, while Atresmedia invoiced €252.2 (-2.7%).

Regarding their core media business, television, both companies bore the costs of an unstable advertising market. Atresmedia earned €204 million through ads (-5%), while Mediaset invoiced €215.1 million (-4.8%).

As the companies mainly focused on the free-to-air (FTA) business, both are highly dependent on the advertising market. In fact, according to their own internal estimations, Mediaset controls a 43.5% of Spain’s FTA advertising market and Atresmedia has a 42.9% share.

Regarding audience share, both companies continue fighting for the top position, with Atresmedia averaging a 26.8% share (29.9% during prime time) and Mediaset reaching a 27.9% share (28.4% during prime time) in the first three months of the year.

In their presentations of their Q1 2018 results, Mediaset and Atresmedia both explained their setbacks as a consequence of Easter holidays, when the TV consumption goes down, as in 2017 the vacation period fell in the second quarter.

Despite the negative start, both companies are confident about 2018 in line with other reports indicating a good yearindicating a good year for FTA and pay-TV advertising in the country.