On New Year’s Eve 2026, Spanish television once again became a battleground for viewers’ attention. While some channels celebrated record ratings, others faced complete indifference from the public. This time, three TV channels failed to attract even a single viewer—their audience share was exactly 0%. This wasn’t just a statistical blip, but a true anti-record that raises serious questions about the future of regional broadcasting.
The main showdown unfolded between the national giants. On La1, the holiday broadcast featuring the Muñoz brothers from Estopa and Chenoa became a real hit. Nearly five million people chose this channel to say goodbye to the old year and welcome the new one. La1 claimed an impressive 34% audience share. Even Antena 3, despite fierce competition, held its ground thanks to the charisma of Cristina Pedroche and Alberto Chicote, drawing more than three million viewers and a 22.8% share.
Winners and outsiders
If you combine all RTVE channels, their total audience surpassed 5.9 million viewers, accounting for 40.6% of the entire TV audience at that moment. Atresmedia also posted strong figures with 4.1 million viewers, representing 28.7% of the total. But outside these two media groups, the situation looked much less optimistic.
Despite efforts to surprise viewers with the duo of Xuso Jones and Sandra Barneda, Telecinco managed to attract only 481,000 viewers, earning a 3% share. Even La2 and laSexta outperformed the channel. The real shock came from TPA8, laOtra, and betevé—these three networks didn’t register a single viewer at the stroke of midnight. Zero. Complete silence on the screens and in the ratings.
Regional success stories
However, not all regional channels lost out. In some autonomous communities, local broadcasters achieved record ratings. In Catalonia, the broadcast with Laura Escanes and Miki Núñez became a true event: a 40.5% share and over a million viewers—almost four times Telecinco’s audience. In Andalusia, Canal Sur with Toñi Moreno live from Sierra Nevada drew 403,000 viewers and a 12.4% share—an impressive result for a regional channel.
These results show that local content is still in demand when it is produced with care and tailored to local interests. But for other regional channels, New Year’s Eve turned into a complete failure. The reasons vary: lack of familiar hosts, weak promotion, or simply a poor choice of format.
Viewer preferences
On New Year’s Eve, Spaniards traditionally opt for trusted formats and beloved hosts. The sense of presence, festive atmosphere, and feeling of togetherness are what draw millions to their screens. When it’s a choice between charismatic performers and grand shows on one hand, and bland programming on the other, the answer is clear. This year, viewers went for emotion and familiar faces.
Three channels that lost their viewers have become a clear example of how quickly you can lose touch with your audience. In an era of ever-intensifying competition for attention, even a single mistake can be costly. Spanish television has once again shown: there is no room for indifference or mediocrity here.
