Spain's Telecinco loses top audience spot

MADRID, SPAIN: Spanish broadcaster Telecinco lost the top spot in audience share in 2009 after five years leading its rivals, industry data showed on Wednesday.

Telecinco, controlled by Italy's Mediaset, had a 15.1 percent market share in 2009, behind state broadcaster La1 on 16.4 and ahead of listed rival Antena 3 with 14.7.

However both La1 and Telecinco were at record lows in 2009 due to the rapid growth of digital broadcasting and the fragmentation of audiences in Spain, according to figures from the Barlovento consultancy.

Free-to-air channel La Sexta bucked the broader trend with a record high market share of 6.8 percent in 2009.

Earlier this month, Antena 3 and La Sexta said they are in talks to merge their interests but keep their channels separate.

Telecinco announced Dec. 18 that it will pay 1 billion euros for Spanish media group Prisa's  free-to-air channel Cuatro plus a stake in its Digital Plus pay-tv platform. The Spanish government gave media companies the go-ahead earlier this year to team up under certain circumstances, as advertising revenues, their main source of income, dropped.

The partnerships are seen providing the muscle needed to face a tougher competitive and advertising oulook.