Atresmedia
Spanish media group operating free-to-air television, radio, film production, digital services, advertising, and events.
Last updated October 18, 2026
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Overview
Atresmedia is a major Spanish media group whose businesses span television broadcasting, radio, film production, digital publishing, streaming, advertising, and event management. The company is the corporate successor to Grupo Antena 3 and is built around a portfolio of widely recognized national media brands, including the Antena 3 and LaSexta television networks, the Neox, Nova, Mega, and Atreseries channels, and the Onda Cero, Europa FM, and Melodía FM radio stations. The group’s central activity is television. Through Atresmedia Televisión, it operates several national terrestrial channels serving different audience segments. Antena 3 is the flagship general-interest channel, with programming covering news, entertainment, fiction, reality formats, and major televised events. LaSexta has a stronger profile in news, current affairs, factual programming, political discussion, and comedy, while Neox, Nova, and Mega are oriented toward distinct entertainment, youth, lifestyle, fiction, and male-skewing audiences. Atreseries, launched as a national high-definition channel in 2015, concentrates on television fiction. Several earlier specialty channels, including Xplora, Nitro, and LaSexta3, ceased terrestrial broadcasting in 2014. Atresmedia also maintains a substantial audio business through Atresmedia Radio. Onda Cero is the group’s principal general-interest news and talk station, while Europa FM and Melodía FM address music and entertainment audiences. This radio portfolio gives the group reach beyond television and allows it to participate in news, sports, cultural, and music programming across multiple formats. Film and scripted content are handled through Atresmedia Cine, established in 2000. The division produces and co-produces films for Spanish and Latin American audiences and forms part of the group’s broader strategy of developing intellectual property that can circulate across cinema, television, and digital platforms. Atresmedia’s digital operations include Atresmedia Digital and the streaming and video-on-demand service Atresplayer. Atresplayer combines catch-up access to programming from the group’s free-to-air channels with premium subscriptions, original productions, additional international series and telenovelas, and content associated with the Flooxer brand. A dedicated Novelas Nova offer has also been used to package serialized international fiction for subscribers. The group has expanded beyond content creation and distribution into commercial and ancillary services. Atresmedia Publicidad produces and sells advertising solutions, while Atresmedia Eventos manages public and branded events. These activities complement the company’s media inventory and allow it to connect advertisers and audiences through television, radio, online video, social and digital properties, film, and live experiences. Atresmedia’s corporate headquarters are located in a large complex in San Sebastián de los Reyes, on the outskirts of Madrid. The company’s ownership structure includes significant stakes associated with Grupo Planeta and RTL Group, giving it links to both Spanish publishing and broader European commercial television. In March 2013, Grupo Antena 3 adopted the Atresmedia name, aligning the corporate identity with a business that had grown beyond its original television channel. The rebranding also changed the name of Antena 3 de Televisión to Atresmedia Televisión. José Creuheras has served as chairman since 2016, following the chairmanship of José Manuel Lara Bosch. Atresmedia remains an active, diversified Spanish media group operating in a highly competitive environment shaped by free-to-air television, streaming, radio, advertising, and changing audience consumption habits.
History
Atresmedia developed from Grupo Antena 3, a Spanish media organization centered originally on the Antena 3 television operation. Over time, the group broadened its activities beyond a single television service to include additional national channels, radio, film production, advertising, digital publishing, online video, and event management. This expansion reflected the increasing importance of operating a portfolio of complementary media brands rather than relying on one linear television channel. The company’s television business became organized under Atresmedia Televisión. Antena 3 remained the principal general-interest service, while LaSexta added a distinct news, current-affairs, factual, and entertainment profile. The wider channel portfolio was designed to cover different demographic and programming niches. Neox, Nova, and Mega provided additional national terrestrial outlets, and Atreseries later added a high-definition service focused on fiction. Earlier specialty channels, including Xplora, Nitro, and LaSexta3, were removed from terrestrial broadcasting in May 2014. Radio became another important part of the group through Atresmedia Radio. Its principal stations are Onda Cero, Europa FM, and Melodía FM. Together, they give Atresmedia a presence in spoken-word programming, news, talk, music, and entertainment. The radio division also reduces the group’s dependence on television advertising and supports cross-platform promotion of programs, personalities, and events. Atresmedia Cine was created in 2000 to develop film content. The division became a significant producer and co-producer for Spanish and Latin American film markets, extending the company’s role from broadcaster to content investor and producer. Film production also supports the group’s wider content ecosystem, since successful properties and talent can be distributed through theatrical, television, and digital channels. The corporate rebrand was a major turning point. On 6 March 2013, Grupo Antena 3 changed its name to Atresmedia, and Antena 3 de Televisión was renamed Atresmedia Televisión. The new identity represented the company’s multi-platform structure and its move beyond the historical Antena 3 label. The reorganization placed television, radio, cinema, digital content, advertising, and events within a common corporate architecture. Digital distribution became increasingly important through Atresmedia Digital and Atresplayer. Atresplayer provides on-demand access to programming from the group’s linear channels and also offers subscription products. Premium users can receive exclusive and original programming, while other packages provide additional foreign serials and telenovelas. Flooxer is used for original digital-oriented content, and Novelas Nova supports a specialized subscription proposition for serialized fiction. These services allow Atresmedia to retain a relationship with viewers beyond scheduled broadcast times. Atresmedia’s current structure combines national free-to-air broadcasting with radio, cinema, digital video, advertising, and events. Its headquarters are in San Sebastián de los Reyes near Madrid. Significant shareholders include Grupo Planeta-DeAgostini and UFA Film- und Fernsehen, associated with RTL Group. The company is chaired by José Creuheras, who succeeded José Manuel Lara Bosch in 2016. Atresmedia continues to operate as one of Spain’s principal private media groups, competing for audiences and advertising in an environment increasingly divided between conventional broadcasting, connected television, streaming platforms, social video, and digital audio.
- 2016
José Creuheras becomes chairman
[1]José Creuheras succeeds José Manuel Lara Bosch as chairman.
- 2015
Atreseries launches
[1]Atresmedia Televisión begins broadcasting Atreseries, a national high-definition channel focused on television fiction.
- 2014
Several specialty channels leave terrestrial broadcasting
[1]Xplora, Nitro, and LaSexta3 cease terrestrial broadcasting on 5 May.
- 2013
Grupo Antena 3 becomes Atresmedia
[1]On 6 March, Grupo Antena 3 adopts the Atresmedia corporate name and Antena 3 de Televisión becomes Atresmedia Televisión.
- 2000
Atresmedia Cine is created
[1]The group establishes its film division to produce and co-produce cinema content, particularly for Spanish and Latin American audiences.
- 1989
Javier Godó begins chairmanship
[1]Javier Godó is listed as chairman of the organization during the 1989–1994 period.
Products and positioning
A broad-reach Spanish media group serving mass-market television and radio audiences while extending its content brands into film, streaming, digital media, advertising, and live events.
General-interest television
Antena 3
Atresmedia’s flagship general-interest television channel. Its programming spans national and international news, entertainment, reality formats, scripted series, films, and major televised events. Antena 3 is positioned as a broad-reach service for mainstream Spanish audiences and is the most prominent expression of the group’s traditional broadcast identity.
News and entertainment television
LaSexta
A national television channel with a strong identity in news, current affairs, political discussion, factual programming, comedy, and entertainment. LaSexta complements Antena 3 by targeting audiences interested in more opinion-led, analytical, and alternative programming while also carrying general entertainment content.
Entertainment television
Neox
A national terrestrial channel within Atresmedia Televisión’s multi-channel portfolio. Neox is associated with entertainment and youth-oriented programming, including series and other formats intended to reach audiences distinct from the flagship Antena 3 service.
Lifestyle and fiction television
Nova
A national channel focused on lifestyle, entertainment, fiction, and serialized programming. Nova also provides the foundation for the Novelas Nova subscription proposition, which packages additional foreign serials and telenovelas for digital viewers.
Entertainment television
Mega
A national terrestrial channel offering entertainment and factual programming for a differentiated audience segment within Atresmedia’s television portfolio. It broadens the group’s reach beyond the general-interest and news profiles of Antena 3 and LaSexta.
Fiction television · 2015
Atreseries
An HD national terrestrial channel dedicated primarily to television fiction. It gives Atresmedia a dedicated home for scripted programming and supports the reuse and circulation of fiction content across broadcast and digital services.
Radio
Onda Cero
Atresmedia’s principal general-interest radio station, with programming centered on news, talk, current affairs, sports, and other spoken-word formats. Onda Cero extends the group’s national media presence into audio and provides a platform for radio journalism and discussion.
Music radio
Europa FM
A music and entertainment radio station operated through Atresmedia Radio. Its format complements Onda Cero’s spoken-word orientation and gives the group a separate channel for music-led programming, presenters, and advertiser communication.
Music radio
Melodía FM
A music-focused radio service in the Atresmedia Radio portfolio. It provides an additional audio brand with a distinct musical and entertainment proposition, helping Atresmedia address different listener preferences.
Streaming and video on demand
Atresplayer
Atresmedia’s streaming and video-on-demand platform. It offers online access to programming from the group’s free-to-air channels and subscription products with exclusive and original content. The broader service ecosystem also includes additional foreign series and telenovelas through Novelas Nova and digital originals associated with Flooxer.
Film production · 2000
Atresmedia Cine
The group’s film production and co-production division, established in 2000. It develops cinema content for Spanish and Latin American markets and supports Atresmedia’s role as a producer and rights holder as well as a broadcaster.
Controversies
2019
Spain fines Mediaset España and Atresmedia
Spain's antitrust watchdog CNMC fined Mediaset España and Atresmedia a total of 77.1 million euros for anti-competitive behavior related to marketing television advertising. The regulator said their advertising sales strategy and advertiser quotas limited other television channels' ability to capture advertising revenue, and required both broadcasters to modify their commercial strategy within three months.
Brand decisions
2015
Launch of AtreseriesProduct launchBackground
Atresmedia maintained a broad television portfolio and sought a dedicated outlet for fiction programming.
Action taken
Atresmedia Televisión launched Atreseries as a national HD terrestrial channel centered on television series.
Aftermath
The channel strengthened the group’s fiction offering and complemented the on-demand distribution of scripted content through Atresplayer.
2014
Withdrawal of specialty channels from terrestrial broadcastingStrategyBackground
Atresmedia’s television portfolio included several specialty channels in addition to its principal national services.
Action taken
Xplora, Nitro, and LaSexta3 ceased terrestrial broadcasting on 5 May 2014.
Aftermath
The change reduced the number of Atresmedia specialty channels available through the terrestrial lineup while the group continued to operate its principal services and later introduced Atreseries.
2013
Corporate rebranding from Grupo Antena 3 to AtresmediaStrategyBackground
The organization had expanded from its historical television base into radio, cinema, digital content, advertising, and events.
Action taken
On 6 March 2013, Grupo Antena 3 changed its corporate name to Atresmedia, and Antena 3 de Televisión was renamed Atresmedia Televisión.
Aftermath
The new identity presented the company as a multi-platform media group rather than a business centered solely on the Antena 3 television brand.
Recent events
- Unconfirmed
Atresmedia acquired rights to Turkish drama Legacy[3]
Atresmedia acquired Turkish drama Legacy from distributor Eccho Rights in a deal covering more than 280 episodes.
Spain fines Mediaset España and Atresmedia[2]
Reported:
Spain’s antitrust watchdog CNMC fined Mediaset España and Atresmedia a total of 77.1 million euros for anti-competitive behavior related to marketing television advertising. The regulator said their advertising sales strategy and advertiser quotas limited other television channels’ ability to capture advertising revenue, and required both broadcasters to modify their commercial strategy within three months.
Sources3 sources
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