Free-to-air television and its pivotal role in the economy, society and culture

During the Annual UTECA Conference, Deloitte Spain presents the report 'Open Television. Contribution to Spanish society. Role of free-to-air television in the framework of Cultural and Creative Industries'.

Deloitte Spain has presented at the Conference of UTECA the report Open television. Contribution to Spanish society. Role of free-to-air television in the framework of Cultural and Creative Industries. Concha Iglesias, socia directora de las industrias de Media & Entertainment y Tecnología de Deloitte, ha asegurado que “la televisión en abierto juega en España un papel vertebrador de la sociedad, la economía y la cultura. Durante los últimos años ha sabido mantener su posición de liderazgo en ingresos y audiencia del sector televisivo, ofreciendo a la sociedad un contenido diverso y plural”, ha explicado en la presentación la responsable de este documento”.

This document includes the economic contribution of free-to-air television: it represents the largest economic contribution to the Spanish television sector, with 63% of its volume. Furthermore, it is the medium most chosen by advertisers, with 39% of advertising investment in conventional media and the one that generates the greatest impact in terms of advertising notoriety.

Regarding social issues, DTT is the means of guaranteeing universal, accessible and free service in Spain. In fact, 99% of households with television have access to digital television. In reference to the content broadcast on free-to-air television, in Spain it accounts for 93% of the total audiences of the Spanish audiovisual system as a whole, with DTT being the vast majority technology, with almost 80% of total consumption. Furthermore, 44% of online news users prefer television as an information medium.

In terms of culture, free-to-air television represents 68% of the mandatory financing of European audiovisual works in Spain, as established by the General Law of Audiovisual Communication. Free-to-air television is, according to this report, also the engine of culture and linguistic diversity and the promoter of the Spain Brand, being the fourth country in the world in international sales of television formats.