SPAIN / RTVE ends 2015 in the red

In 2015 the Spanish public broadcaster RTVE made an operating loss of €37.8 million.

A statement issued after a Board of Directors’ meeting claimed the deficit was caused by “insufficient income” and should be indemnified by the state, as provided by the law regulating RTVE’s finance.

The group’s channels also had poor audience ratings in 2015.

La 1, the group’s principal channel, achieved its lowest audience level ever with an average share of 9.8%, a drop of 2% compared to 2014 and down 33% from 2011. It now ranks third, trailing Telecinco (the Mediaset channel) and Antena 3 (the Atresmedia group’s channel), even though it recorded the year’s five best audience figures, thanks to Champions League football matches.

In total, RTVE’s five free channels account for 16.7% of the market, far below Mediaset’s 31%  and Atresmedia’s 26.8%.

Sources: Publico, Vertele