Linear television consumption falls in 2022 to 1992 levels

The study “Analysis of the Television-Audiovisual industry 2022” by Windward Communication summarizes the main trends for television in the past year, among which the decline in the linear audience stands out in favor of new platforms and distribution channels.

Among the main findings of the article, Barlovento highlights that in 2022 linear television consumption has weighted an average of 190 minutes per person per day, three hours and ten minutes as time spent on the television, which represents a 11.0% decrease compared to those recorded in 2021, in which 214 minutes per person per day were achieved. And in the headline, the year of lowest historical consumption since 1992, exercise from which official measures of the behavior of television viewers in Spain are available.

People consume less linear television, but more complementary content through their televisions: the hybrid consumption, those who benefit from the content that can be viewed through the Internet, playback devices or other means of consumption (video games or DTT radio), has grown by 16.7% compared to the previous year, moving to 35 minutes per person.

In parallel, Barlovento highlights the concept “hybrid viewing", the one that can be seen on television and that allows you to see the offline and online offer in its entirety through an internet connection. "The unique viewers" who tune in every day to the "hybrid" offer, in any of its possibilities, add up 10.4 million viewers, who dedicate a total of 155 minutes on average; that is, two hours and thirty-five minutes of said viewing. If the analysis is extended to the whole year, the total number of “hybrid television” consumption extends until reaching the same levels in 2022. 43.2 million “unique viewers”.

Thus, the sum of traditional television consumption plus hybrid consumption achieves a total of 226 minutes per person per day (three hours and forty-six minutes) always on the 45,745,000 people aged 4 or over, which is the universe of consumption: the maximum potential audience to measure television viewing in Spain.

Decrease in advertising investment

The projection of advertising billing for the investment of the advertisers for 2022 stands at +/- 1,700 million euros, with a drop of +/- 80 million of euros compared to 2021 when a total of 1,780 million euros was recorded. This investment projection, based on the information available with the evolution of the first ten months of the year 2022, the 1,700 million euros, would be close to that in 2020, the second year of Covid or slightly less than that of 2013, the worst year of the financial crisis (2008-2013), and similar to that recorded between 1997/1998.

The study justifies this decrease in emergence of other forms of television-audiovisual consumption from the Internet such as the plethora of OTTs, with YouTube, Facebook, Netflix or TikTok as a paradigm of the radical change in consumption, social networks and new devices with technology. And the fact is that, today, the “digital” is consolidated as the first section of the advertising billing ranking in the categories in which advertising investment is classified by adding 2,482 million euros in 2021. In some way, Barlovento points out, "it could be summarized that the decrease in advertising investment in traditional television has moved to digital media, such as search engines, social networks and websites." The billing figure projection in this section will exceed the 2.6 billion euros by 2022, which, in this case yes, increases its investment by 6.0% annually compared to the previous year, just the opposite that occurs in television advertising investment.

Other keys to 'Analysis of the Television-Audiovisual industry 2022'

Beyond these considerations about audience and investment, the report identifies other keys to help understand what 2022 has been like for television in Spain.

Barlovento Comunicación highlights that Mediaset and Atresmedia, despite the lower investment, “they retain their strength and percentage in the distribution of advertising revenues”; the reorganization of the management leadership in Atresmedia, RTVE y Mediaset; the uncertainty on TVE and the new model of regional television based on its “informational strength”; he record consumption (10%) of traditional pay television in Spain, and new platform business models video on demand.