Audiences 2021: Telecinco leadership and historic low for La 1

The consultant GECA has presented The GECA balance for the year 2021, a document in which it analyzes the television audiences of the year and in which it highlights the worst result in the history of The 1.

Telecinco (14.9%; +0.3), despite losing the throne for three months of the year, once again establishes itself as the leading channel in Spain by tenth consecutive year. Register its best annual quota since 2009 (15,1%). Antenna 3 (13.8%; +2) increases two points in 2021, with its best annual quota since 2009 (14.7%), and closes the gap with Telecinco. These data confirm the dominance of the two main channels in the country, Telecinco and Antena 3, which add up to 28.8% of the share, their highest joint figure since 2009 (29.8%). The 1 (8.8%; -0.6) fell below 9% for the first time, which is its historical annual minimum. On the other hand, The 2 (2.9%; +0.1) recorded its best share since 2010 (3.1%). laSexta (6.4%; -0.6) also lost 6 tenths, with its worst figure since 2013 (6%).

Especially interesting is the historical maximum obtained by paid themes, which have registered an average annual quota of 8.6% in 2021. In December its share rose to 9.3%, its best month in history thanks to sports competitions. The DTT channels (27.4%; -1.3) suffer a drop of more than one point in 2021, affected by the growth of traditional channels and paid themes. It is its lowest mark since 2015 (26.7%). Public regional ones (8.1%; +0.1) they grow slightly this 2021, and achieved their highest share since 2013 (8.5%).

In general terms, the average audience in 2021 is 6,546,000 viewers, the lowest figure since 2007 (6,502,000). On the other hand, television consumption falls in 2021 to 206 minutes on average per viewer, the lowest figure since 1993 (204').

All targets reduce their time in front of the television in 2021 compared to the previous year, highlighting children aged 4-12 and adults aged 45-64. GECA justifies this change both in the reopening of the country after the pandemic period, as well as in the increasing permeabilization of the platform OTT.

Sport once again leads audiences

He open sport takes the top spots in the ranking of the most watched programs in 2021 with the Euro Cup (Telecinco), the Copa of the Rey (Telecinco) and the UEFA Nations League in front.

On the other hand, entertainment is once again configured as the predominant macrogenre in the table. The ceiling on this occasion is located at the 3,212,000 spectators (18%) that average Temptation Island: Express, with 12 broadcasts on Telecinco. The data from the documentary space also stands out Rocío, tell the truth to stay alive and of Pasapalabra (2,692,000 and 23.1%), a contest that has 569,000 spectators and 4.8 points compared to the previous year and which leads its segment with an 8.8 point advantage. Once again, the representation of open fiction is residual. For the second consecutive time, the Turkish soap opera is at the top My daughter, with its last 42 deliveries on Antena 3.

Regarding the most viewed broadcasts, sport is the clear protagonist with a ceiling that shoots up to the 14,170,000 spectators on average who watch the penalties in the semi-final of the Euro Cup disputed between Italy and Spain. This bar surpasses the more than 10 million who followed H.M.'s message. The King the previous year (the most viewed broadcast of 2020) and practically triples the results of the most viewed sports broadcast then (4.9 million for the “Spain-Germany” of the UEFA Nations League).

The 75 premieres, led by Mediaset and Atresmedia

This year there have been a total of 75 premieres on national networks, of which 59 have been absolute premieres y 16 premieres on the channel, including for example The Right Price o High Voltage on Mediaset channels.

In 2021, 27 of the 75 premieres on national networks have been fictional (36%), with the Antena 3 soap opera Unfaithful on September 5 as the best debut in this genre (2,357,000 viewers and 15.6%). The contest format has had a good batch of premieres in 2021, with 5 absolute premieres and returns as The Right Price o High Voltage. The Challenge, on January 15 on Antena 3, was the one that more expectation has been generated in its debut, with 3,356,000 followers and a 22.4% share. The success of foreign soap operas on DTT channels has led Telecinco and Antena 3 to release 5 new titles during 2021. The Atresmedia channel released three (Unfaithful, Bitter Land e Innocent), while Telecinco broadcast two (Love is in the air y My home my destiny).

Cuatro, with 19 new formats on the channel, is the one that has had the most premieres in 2021. It is followed by Telecinco with 16, Antena 3 with 14, La 1 with 12, La 2 with 9 and laSexta in last place with 5 premieres. No RTVE premiere is among the most watched of the year.