TV audiences in crisis. How low viewing affects networks

TV audiences are in crisis. Viewers around the world are turning off traditional television at a record pace. With more competition from broadcasters than ever before, the proportion of people watching a program on free-to-air television each week is showing the biggest drop since records began. There is no doubt that the television audience and the way in which digital content is consumed are digital content are changing. And it is doing so in a big way.

This change in media consumption habits is largely attributed to the rise of streaming platforms and video-on-demand services. The proliferation of mobile devices and improved Internet connections have further facilitated this shift. Leading to a migration significant migration of viewers to these digital platforms.

Table of contents

1. Evolution of television audiences

2. The impact of the TV ratings crisis on the networks

3. Channel strategies to deal with the TV audience crisis

4. Some case studies of audience loss in Spanish television stations

5. Summary table

Evolution of television audiences

Today, viewers have a vast catalog of all they can consume in broadcast and online content to choose from. This has led traditional broadcasters to experience sharp drops in viewing drops in live program viewing. of live programs. But also news, or soap operas, with typically loyal TV audiences, no longer have the drawing power they once had.

Younger viewers, on the other hand, have long been turning to platforms such as Netflix, HBO or Apple as well as social networking sites such as Instagram, YouTube and TikTok .

Young people, in particular, are increasingly opting for streaming platforms instead of a television model they consider outdated. 

If there is one sector that is unrivaled in bringing the nation together in front of the television, it is on-demand sporting events. on-demand sporting events. These are seeing positive growth as services are digitized to meet the needs of TV audiences.

The impact of the TV ratings crisis on broadcasters

The loss of influence of television networks is often accompanied by a loss of economic resources, with cumulative effects. The situation is more serious than it may seem at first glance. A such a significant drop in the consumption of television content attracts more and more attracts fewer and fewer advertisers. fewer advertisers in a fragmented TV audience, and with consumers that are harder to reach.

This situation is understandable. With the digitization of television, and the use of streaming applications, TV audiences now have several advantages over traditional TV content consumption methods.

1. Flexibility when it comes to choosing content. With a large selection of on-demand content, we now have the freedom to choose what we want to watch.

2. Cross-platform access. Streaming applications are often available on multiple devices multiple devicessuch as cell phones, tablets, laptops, Smart TVs and game consoles.

3. Ad-free content. Some streaming services offer limited or no advertising options. This allows digital television audiences to view content without interruptions, or with fewer commercial interruptions compared to traditional television. traditional television.

4. Periodic content updates. The content libraries of streaming applications streaming applications are regularly updated with new titles, series seasons, documentaries and other content. This means you will always have something new to discover and watch.

However, and as we said when referring to the evolution of TV audiences, traditional television can still offer benefits. Such as live broadcasting of sporting events or through specialized channels that are not always available on digital broadcasting platforms.

Channel strategies to deal with the TV audience crisis

Not only conventional television, but radio and the press also present similar situations and observe an important phenomenon. important phenomenon. The shift of its TV audience to digital. The equation is then simple to understand.

The time has come for traditional media to reorganize and reduce programming costs. reduce programming costs, adapting to the contextThe time has come for traditional media to reorganize and reduce programming costs, adapting to the context with new formats that integrate current consumer technologies and collaborations with streaming platforms.

However, this crisis can be an opportunity to consolidate identity and reaffirm the positioning of TV audiences. Those channels with a strong brand, a solid solid positioningand the ability to combine historical and digital support can make them winners in this difficult period of crisis for the medium.

They will also have to accelerate the necessary reflections to prepare for the future. And one of the main issues will be how to articulate traditional activity with digital activity. digital activity. Without destroying value, and managing to develop monetization and a good cash flow.

Some case studies of audience loss in Spanish television stations

In recent years, all Spanish public broadcasters have lost television audience share significantly. In 2023, TVE's audience share stood at 14.4%. 14,4%while that of Antena 3 and Atresmedia was 28%. 28% and 27,3%and 27.3%, respectively.

The cancellation of emblematic programs, such as "Sálvame" (Telecinco) and "Sálvame" (Telecinco). (Telecinco)MasterChef" (La 1), "Sálvame" (Telecinco), "MasterChef (La 1) or "La Sexta Noche" (La Sexta Noche) (laSexta) The reason for this is that these programs have lost audience share, and because the networks needed to renew their programming.

Television networks are forced to constantly renew their programming in the face of competition from digital platforms.

This TV audience crisis has been reflected in the reduction of production budgets of Spanish networks in recent years. This, in turn, has led to a decline in the quality of programming. quality of programmingThe quality of programming is declining, with programs becoming cheaper and less elaborate.

The future of television needs to have more connectivityThe future of television needs to have more connectivity, more involvement and be more personalized, and if it is unable to do so, its financial status is likely to deteriorate progressively. However, traditional television is influenced by a wide range of factors, many of which are unpredictable or subject to unexpected changes.

Summary table

Section	Content
Evolution of television audiences	Analysis of how audience patterns have changed over time. Factors that have contributed to the audience crisis.
The impact of the ratings crisis on the television networks	Decrease in advertising revenues. Competition and advantages of streaming platforms over the traditional model.
Strategies of the chains to face the crisis	Innovations in television advertising. Production of new formats. Collaboration with streaming platforms.
Case studies	Examples of national television networks. Prediction of the long-term financial status of television networks.

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