Belen Molleda |
Madrid (EFE).- The business of the two main private audiovisual groups in Spain, Mediaset and Atresmedia, fell in 2022 and stood below pre-pandemic levels, still billing 8.54% less than in 2019 , in a year marked by the war in Ukraine, inflation and the rise in interest rates.
The owners of Telecinco and Antena 3 lost 169.6 million euros in 2022, if the figures are compared with those of 2019, when the effects of covid-19 were not appreciated in their accounts, according to the results they have presented in the National Stock Market Commission (CNMV).
All this in a context in which the group that owns Antena 3 has managed to surpass Mediaset in audience rating, with 27.20% compared to 26.20% for its main competitor, which, for its part, is pending an absorption process with MFE (Media For Europe), a company controlled by the Berlusconi family, which must be approved by its shareholders at a meeting this week.
In 2022 these two companies lost 1.27% of revenue compared to 2021, a year in which advertising had begun to show signs of improvement, despite competition from payment channels.
Prices at levels of 30 years ago
The effects of the war in Ukraine, with the rise in interest rates and prices to levels “not seen for 30 years”, according to Atresmedia, have caused a reduction in business in the company -also in Mediaset- and of the benefits.
Thus, Atresmedia billed 950.80 million euros last year compared to 963.25 million in 2021, while Mediaset registered 865.3 million compared to 876.3 in the previous year.
If compared to 2019, the fall in 2022 was even greater, since Atresmedia that year entered 1,039 million euros, while Mediaset obtained 946.2 million.
Mediaset less income but more benefits than Atremedia
In terms of profits, these were also reduced in both companies: Mediaset, although it entered less, obtained more net profits than Atresmedia and went from 211.7 million euros in 2019 to 178.3 million in 2022.
Meanwhile, its main competitor, Atresmedia, went from registering net profits of 118.02 million in 2019 to 112.91 last year.
2020 was a year of pandemic and confinement in which free-to-air television was reinforced and television consumption per person per day was 4 hours, 18 minutes more than in the previous period. Even so, the drop in activity in the country caused advertising revenue to decline in both.
In April, when the confinement in Spain was almost general, the month with the highest television consumption was recorded (5 hours and 3 minutes on average daily), a period in which more than 33 million Spaniards contacted television daily, according to Atresmedia.
Change of trend
Before the pandemic, Mediaset, owner of Telecinco, Cuatro, Divinity, FDF, among others, exceeded its main competitor (Atresmedia) in audience rating by more than two points with 28.4%, compared to 26.20%. of this last group, owner of Antena 3, La Sexta, Nova and Neox, among others.
Mediaset remained the leader until this year. In 2020 it maintained the rate of 2019, which dropped two tenths in 2021, to 28.20%, while in 2022 it remained at 26.2%.
On the contrary, Atresmedia started with a 26.20% audience rate in 2019; 26.30% in 2020; 27.30% in 2021 and 27.20% in 2020.
Drop in advertising in telecoms, automotive and beverages
According to Atresmedia, in the television advertising market, the fall in the telecommunications, food, distribution, automotive and beverage sectors stands out, which was partially offset by the rise in beauty, finance, health and others.
The two groups closed 2022 with a similar debt, 25.6 million euros Mediaset and 23.73 million euros Atresmedia.
As for Mediaset, it faces a year of changes with the merger with MFE, which is underway, and after Paolo Vasile left the position of CEO after almost a quarter of a century in it.
Last year was also marked in Mediaset by the takeover bid launched by MFE, controlled by the Berlusconi family, which went on to take over 82.92% of the shares, compared to the 55.69% it previously had.