Telecinco's Struggle: Reverting to Old Formulas Amid Reinvention Attempts
Telecinco, a prominent Spanish television channel, is currently navigating a complex landscape of fluctuating audience ratings and evolving programming strategies. After experiencing a significant dip in viewership following the conclusion of its flagship program, «Sálvame», the channel is grappling with its identity and future direction. According to Natalia Marcos (2025), writing for El País, Telecinco's journey over the past two years can be summarized by the fact that it hasn't surpassed an average monthly audience share of 11% since June 2023, the month «Sálvame» ended.
The Post-«Sálvame» Era: A Period of Transition
The departure of «Sálvame» marked the beginning of a challenging period for Telecinco. The channel attempted to pivot towards a more “family-friendly” approach, which involved significant programming changes, including the movement of Ana Rosa Quintana’s show and the reintegration of personalities previously excluded from the network. However, these changes have not yielded the desired results, and Telecinco is now facing a crisis of identity, as noted by Fernando de Córdoba, a brand, content, and narrative strategist.
The Enduring Appeal of Reality TV and Celebrity Gossip
Despite the efforts to rebrand, Telecinco is finding that its traditional strengths—reality television and celebrity-focused content—continue to be its most reliable sources of viewership. The eighth season of «La isla de las tentaciones» achieved a remarkable 16.8% average audience share, and «Supervivientes» is also contributing to positive numbers. As Marcos (2025) points out, in March, with «La isla de las tentaciones» transitioning to «Supervivientes», Telecinco achieved a 10.6% average audience share, its best since April 2024. This reliance on familiar formulas raises questions about the long-term viability of Telecinco's reinvention efforts.
Challenges in News Programming
Telecinco's attempt to bolster its news division by hiring Carlos Franganillo to anchor the nightly news has also faced challenges. Unlike Antena 3, whose news programs benefit from a strong lead-in and follow-up with popular shows like «La ruleta de la suerte», «Pasapalabra», and «El hormiguero», Telecinco's news broadcasts remain in third place. In January, the news averaged an 8.6% audience share with 933,000 viewers, while February saw a slight increase to 9.5% and 1,021,000 viewers. The lack of a strong programming ecosystem around the news is hindering its ability to attract a larger audience.
Instability and Lack of Viewer Loyalty
According to Sonia Blanco, a professor of audiovisual programming at the University of Málaga, Telecinco's biggest problem is the lack of stability in its programming schedule. «Constant changes in schedules and content, trying new bets without giving them time to settle, have generated confusion in viewers and weakened audience loyalty,» Blanco explains (as cited in Marcos, 2025). This instability makes it difficult for viewers to form habits and develop a sense of loyalty to the channel.
A Crisis of Identity
Fernando de Córdoba believes that Telecinco is undergoing a profound identity crisis. He identifies three major phases in the channel's history: the spectacle-driven television of the early years, the transgressive and innovative programming of the late 1990s, and the reality TV era that began in the mid-2000s. The pandemic exacerbated the fatigue of this model, and Telecinco is now in what De Córdoba considers its fourth phase, lacking a clear vision. He argues that the channel is struggling to balance its desire to be a “family-friendly” network with the continued success of its reality shows. De Córdoba reflects: «People who wanted to see the Telecinco of always do not find it and those who want to see other things do not pass by Telecinco» (as cited in Marcos, 2025).
Financial Performance vs. Audience Ratings
Despite the challenges in audience ratings, Mediaset, Telecinco's parent company, continues to generate significant profits. In the first nine months of 2024, Media For Europe reported consolidated net revenues of €2.004 billion, a 7.7% increase over the same period last year, with gross advertising revenues growing by 6.5%. Operating profit also increased by 28.7%. Furthermore, Telecinco was the leader in commercial target in 2024, capturing the attention of the 18-59 age group. This suggests that while the channel's overall viewership may be down, it is still attracting the audience that advertisers value most.
The Need for Patience and Consistency
Sonia Blanco suggests that Telecinco may need to be more patient with its efforts to create a different kind of television. However, she acknowledges that a commercial channel cannot always afford to wait. Blanco concludes: «Although realities seemed to decline, the latest data show that they are still the great engine of Telecinco. But that dependence is a double-edged sword: when there is no powerful reality on the air, the channel's audience falls, showing that it has not managed to consolidate other attractive content» (as cited in Marcos, 2025). Ultimately, Telecinco's challenge is to find a way to balance its traditional strengths with its desire to evolve and attract a broader audience, without losing its core identity in the process.
