Paraphrasing a well known tune, television again surveys the highs and lows as 2023 nears its end. In a year when linear TV consumption slipped back toward patterns not seen since 2018, viewers spent about 181 minutes per day with a screen, a 4.7% drop from 2022.
In hindsight, some moments will define the year for audiences. The triumphant return of Grand Prix on TVE, Spain’s national broadcaster, the national team’s win in the Women’s World Cup, and the endings of Sálvame and Cuéntame among others—all become part of the year’s memory. On this final day, YOTELE looks back at the public channels’ wins and misses in 2023.
TVE’s La 1 stood out as the year’s fastest growing channel, capturing a 9.7% share, up six tenths from 2022. The rise came from a sharp bump in daytime programming: 1 o’clock averaged 10.1% as it became a morning information touchstone, while Promise reached 11.3% and strengthened the afternoon slate with competitive heat in The Hunter at 10.3% and That’s the World at 10.5%.
In prime time, La 1 nailed a strong year with the return of Grand Prix delivering 19.1% and its premiere achieving the year’s best share at 26.1%. Benidorm Festival 2023 averaged 11.37% with a 14.7% mark in the grand final, while Masterchef Celebrities posted 15.9% and the final season of Tell Me How tallied an average of 12.97% (peaking at 19.5% in the last episode). These hits, among others, boosted the broadcaster’s performance in 2023.
Adds to the public chain’s achievements: Eurovision 2023 reached 39.7%, the Women’s World Cup matches drew the final’s share of 65.7% (26.7%), the Latin Grammy gala in Seville reached 21.5%, and political debates around three general elections drew 34.6% while election night coverage hovered at 15.4%.
La 1’s fiction lineup also performed well with hits like All Against One at 6.5%, Let’s Get Along at 4.8%/7.1%, and La Plaza at 6.6%. Yet there were disappointments such as Afternoon Plan at 6.8%, Cover Night at 6.9%, Nothing Out of This World at 5.7%, and the latest Masterchef Junior edition at 8% among others, with anticipation for new episodes ahead.
Antena 3 kept a steady lead in 2023 despite a slight year-long dip of six tenths. The Atresmedia group continued to win daytime with Carlos Arguiñano’s Open Kitchen at 17.4%, The Roulette of Luck at 20.7%, And Now Sonsoles at 12.4%, and Pasapalabra at 21.2%. The Shine of El Hormiguero at 16.4%, alongside editions of Antena 3 Noticias at 21.1% in the noon slot and 19% at night, plus Tierra Bitter at 14.6%, Original Sin at 12.6%, and dramas like Love is Forever at 11.1% shaped the year’s mix.
Prime time on Antena 3 also remained robust with Your Face Looks Familiar at 19.1%, The Mask Singer at 17.1%, The Voice at 16.9%, The Challenge at 16.5%, Catch a Million at 15.5%, La Voz Kids at 13.2%, The Floor at 12.5% and Hablando en Plata specials at 13.8%. Their programming often addressed real life issues of daily living and aging, even as corporate and fiction blocks grew in parallel. Siblings added to the fiction footprint with a 13.7% share.
Meanwhile, the Atresmedia family faced some shifts in audience dynamics. The second season of Joaquín, the Rookie fell to 9.2% and Password stayed modest at 6.7% despite a 12.7% premiere, among other fluctuations.
Telecinco wrapped a year of notable change with its lowest annual figure since 1990, ending with a 10.4 point gain after a 1.9 share point drop from 2022. The network highlighted Survivors at 17.4%, Fridays at 13.7%, GH VIP at 12.8% and There’s Got Talent at 12.4 as standout programs.
In daytime, the network often led the morning slot with Let’s See at 14.7% while Mozos de Arousa shone in Chain Reaction and earned strong loyalty. Ion Aramendi hosted a show that hovered around 9.1% in the afternoons, typically between 10 and 11% as the audience followed the contestants through the day.
Yet Telecinco faced notable disappointments too—Me Resbala at 7.9%, Ana at 9.1%, Desnudos por la Screw at 8.7%, The Musical of His Life at 8.5%, Julio Iglesias: Life Remains the Same at 8.9%, and The Sorcerer’s Hunt at 8.2% were among the weaker entries. The Nightmare in Paradise was less successful in its second edition at 9.7%, and Jorge Javier’s attempt to compete with El Hormiguero faltered after only ten installments, reaching 5.8% share.
La Sexta’s late year remained vibrant as well. The channel kept a strong pace with Aruser@s at 17.8% and Al Rojo Vivo at 10.9% in morning slots, with notable gains from El Intermedio after 17 years at 7.3% and Jugones at 7.1%, adding up to a strong daily rhythm. Its editions of La Sexta Noticias averaged 7.8%.
Lo de Évole’s fourth season reached 8.5%, Pesadilla en la Cocina returned at 7%, and a profile piece on Maria Jiménez drew 6.8%. The premiere of Cara a Heads and the fourth season’s coverage on election night featuring Feijóo and Sánchez at 21.4% and Ferreras at 13.4% marked pivotal moments for the channel.
On the other hand, La Sexta missed the mark with Screen Addicts at 3.3%, You Are Here at 4.5%, Debts at 3.7%, Disintegration at 4.7%, Crisis Cabinet at 4.2% and Road Home at 4.6% in various blocks.
Cuatro closed 2023 with a share of 5.2%, a touch higher than 2022. The network did not find strong traction with The Two of Us at 3.95% or Following Nirvana at 3.8%, though Focus reached 4.2% and other daytime programs held steady. In the morning, Cuatro benefited from En boca de Todos at 3.5% in 2023, with range around 4% to 6%. Songs Everything is a Lie at 5.4% and First Dates at 7.7% also stood out during the day. In prime time, Cuatro did well with Código 10 at 5.6%, and Viajando con Chester occasionally peaked at 8.9% in some episodes. Other notable moments included Out of Scope at 6.6%, Paz Padilla and Ana Ferrer alongside You’re Missing a Trip at 6.4% and new runs of Volando Voy at 6.4%, plus The War of Tomorrow with Planeta Calleja at 8.8% and some theatrical releases reaching 12.3%.