Spain’s TV Powerhouses Forge New Partnerships as Series Biz Evolves
Spain’s major TV groups are adapting their series strategies as international buyers become more selective and production costs rise. They are expanding streaming partnerships, selling existing programmes abroad and sharing the financing of new productions to reach audiences and extend the commercial life of content.
Atresmedia is deepening deals with Netflix and Disney+, including a Netflix release for Antena 3’s daily drama “Dreams of Freedom”; Netflix licensed 2,829 hours of content in Spain in 2025, up from 2,420 in 2024. RTVE uses advance financing and shared rights with international partners, while Catalonia’s 3Cat brings partners into projects early and tailors release windows, as with the series “Gènesi”.
- Spanish broadcasters are reshaping series deals as buyers grow selective.
- Netflix licensed 2,829 hours of Spanish content in 2025.
- Co-production and licensing help spread costs and extend reach.
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Spain's television companies are rethinking how they produce and distribute drama series as the international market becomes more challenging. International buyers are now more selective about what they purchase, whilst the costs of making shows have risen significantly. Spanish TV groups are responding by changing their business strategies to remain competitive and profitable.
The main players involved are Spain's largest TV broadcasters, including Atresmedia (which operates Antena 3) and RTVE, as well as Catalonia's 3Cat channel. These companies have traditionally relied on selling content domestically and to international buyers, but the landscape has shifted with the rise of global streaming services like Netflix and Disney+. These platforms now have enormous influence over what gets made and where it gets shown.
To adapt, Spanish TV groups are deepening partnerships with streaming services, sharing the costs of producing new series, and selling their existing programmes to international platforms. By bringing in multiple financial partners early in the production process and carefully timing when shows are released in different regions, they aim to extend how long their content generates revenue and reach larger audiences.
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