Spain’s leading commercial broadcasters have challenged Smart TV manufacturers, arguing that viewers should not have to work through menus filled with app recommendations to reach free-to-air television. The Unión de Televisiones Comerciales en Abierto (UTECA), which represents broadcasters including Atresmedia and Mediaset España, says traditional channels are increasingly difficult to find on connected-TV home screens. The dispute concerns TDT’s prominence in the interface, not whether terrestrial channels remain technically available through a television’s tuner.
The campaign, which began with two televised spots on UTECA member channels, urges viewers to demand straightforward access to digital terrestrial television (TDT). UTECA says that, although 86% of Spanish households own a Smart TV, viewers can be sent through layers of menus and promoted content before reaching broadcast channels. Its adverts compare that friction with making an everyday task, such as drinking a glass of water, needlessly complicated. The association argues that giving apps or streaming services priority on the home screen or remote control does not reflect TDT’s role as a free-to-air service available to the public.
The interface debate reaches beyond manufacturers’ home screens. Hybrid Broadcast Broadband TV (HbbTV) combines broadcast television with connected features such as interactive prompts and on-demand services. Reporting by El Comercio describes Atresmedia using an on-screen prompt to direct viewers to remote-control buttons for its on-demand programming when they tune to a channel with HbbTV enabled. Broadcasters, manufacturers and streaming platforms are so competing for visibility across the television experience, from home screens to broadcast-linked services accessed through remote-control shortcuts.
UTECA’s argument draws support from audience figures for the 2025/2026 season. Information from data attributed to Fifty5Blue, formerly Kantar, 99% of Spain’s population, or 47.1 million unique users, watched free-to-air channels at least once during the period. Traditional television accounted for 75% of time spent using the television set; app-based and streaming use, along with games, made up the remaining 25%. The 75% figure measures viewing time on the device, not the share of households with a Smart TV.
The 2025 Barometer, produced by UTECA with Dos30' and Sigma Dos, found that 94.6% of respondents regarded free television as a public good, while 79.4% said it played a basic role in social cohesion. UTECA says the secondary placement of TDT channels on many connected televisions conflicts with those findings and with the medium’s reach. Its campaign is an industry appeal for more visible access and a broader public discussion about how broadcast channels appear alongside digital services.
Spain introduced digital terrestrial television in 2005, replacing analogue broadcasting and expanding the range of channels available without a subscription. The distribution system is also nearing a separate technical transition: changes scheduled for 5 November 2026 include Ultra High Definition broadcasts, new channels and frequency adjustments. Some forthcoming services require receiver compatibility with DVB-T2 and the HEVC/H.265 codec. These reception requirements are separate from the question of where TDT appears in a Smart TV menu, but together they make hardware capability and straightforward navigation impressive to viewers.
As connected televisions combine TDT and HbbTV with app-based services, including broadcaster offerings and both free ad-supported and subscription platforms, control over the interface has become an increasingly impressive part of television distribution. UTECA’s campaign puts the visibility of free channels at the centre of that debate. Its practical demand is for viewers to be able to reach the terrestrial tuner directly and easily.
