Lights and shadows for linear television in 2025: drop in daily viewers and comeback in total viewers

He Analysis of the Television Industry – Audiovisual 2025 from the consultant Windward Communication identifies an unexpected change in trend: 46.8 million people enjoyed linear television throughout the year 2025, 425,000 more than in 2024, although daily consumption fell sharply again by a significant 2.8%.

This break with the trend that accompanied more traditional television does not mean a decrease in the sum of unique viewers of the sum of linear television with hybrid television, given that during fiscal year 2025 viewers have risen to 47.0 million, 453,000 more than last year. This increase of 1.0% over the previous year covers almost the entire universe of consumption: 99,8%. By difference, the citizens who do not watch a single minute of television in the year 2025 are a total of 205.000 “telephobic"In 2024, this particular profile was estimated at 207,000 users, while, in 2023, 191,000 citizens were totally reluctant to the television medium; in 2022, the total registered 126,000 people.

In relation to the unique viewers who average daily viewing of linear television, 46.8 million viewers (425,000 more than in 2024) make up the total audience in this modality and that is maximum annual. Meanwhile, in the concept of the average daily audience, linear television is capable of bringing together each day 26.7 million viewers (761,000 less than in 2024; 2.8% loss) which means 56.7% of the total. Compared to previous years, 27.4 million viewers consumed television daily in 2024 and in 2023 the daily average reached 28.2 million.

The importance of hybrid TV for the small screen

If the concept of unique viewers takes into account traditional consumption plus the consumption of hybrid television (through Smart TV or Intelligent Televisions, which in our country already reaches a representation of 70% of the receiver fleet in homes and 75% of individuals), the total number of viewers reaches its best historical record, rising to 47.0 million and one penetration on the total potential audience of the 99,8 %, which represents an increase that is close to half a million people (more than 447,000), always over the previous year.

The daily average of traditional television plus hybrid television viewing, the total for each day tells us that 29.9 million people connect every day in the sum of these two modalities of consumption, which represents the 63.5% of the total: in rounding up, 2 out of every 3 people of the potential audience that is considered an audience tune in to “the television” every day. Although it should be noted that in this regard, viewers decreased by 447,000 and that it was 1.5% lower than the previous year.

He daily time of total television use per viewer In the sum of traditional television and hybrid television, it achieves 336 minutes (5 hours and 36 minutes), which is three minutes less than in 2024. Therefore, this slight decrease in viewers' attention maintains an exceptional connection to the universe of television consumption. A dedication of 5 hours and 36 minutes is the most time-consuming activity of all of us except for the time we dedicate to the work day and sleep. While, per person, which is the metric of the total consumption universe where the 47.1 million potential audience is registered, television viewing time weighs 215 minutes (3 hours and 35 minutes), eight minutes less than the previous year.

Regarding the traditional consumption time, the total viewing time is 283 minutes daily (4 hours and 43 minutes), which is seven minutes less than in 2023 and 2.4% less than the previous year. While, per person, the total time spent in this modality reaches 161 minutes (2 hours and 41 minutes), ten minutes less than in the previous year and which means 5.8% less and which represents its annual minimum.

In parallel, the Time-shifted consumption drops by 300,000 viewers compared to the previous year, with a total of 39.2 million viewers.

Small keys to understand television consumption in 2025

The extensive study by Barlovento Comunicación reveals other important headlines that are detailed in depth, here. Among them, stands out the decrease in advertising investment of 5%, which will mean a total record of income for the television industry of 1.75 billion euros; stability within the advertising billing of Atresmedia and Mediaset, which maintain the 80% of revenue from advertising billing, and the global advertising primacy of technology megacompanies and entertainment, despite the frequent fines that fall on them.

In the field of hearings, Antena 3 confirms its leadership for the fourth consecutive year, with its news leaders for another year (and there are eight). The 1, for its part, experiences great audience growth and manages to reach the second position in the ranking by chains, while the FORCE continues to be confirmed as hearing alternative thanks to proximity information.

The pay TV has marked a historic milestone by achieving its fifth consecutive annual record in quota and exceeding 11% for the first time. Likewise, the Internet audience continues its growth and demonstrates, in the words of Barlovento, the “imperative need” to strengthen television-audiovisual audience studies to consolidate a measurement and consumption ecosystem that covers the streaming and connected television.