Page 7 - MEDIASET ESPAÑA / 2012. Corporate Responsibility Report

7
PaoloVasile
Chief Executive Officer
LETTER FROMTHE
CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER
Having to start this letter by saying that the year just ended was
generally speaking a difficult year is turning into an unpleasant habit,
and sadly happens to be true. I trust that things will change soon.
Nonetheless, I am also used to stressing the good work performed
and I have to do it this year too.
Once again this year Mediaset Spain was the absolute leader of
the Spanish audio-visual sector within a context where, despite the
traditional dark omens, television continues to grow its position in
all age groups compared with other alternative means of commu-
nication (average television consumption has grown by 36 minutes
per day in the last 12 years).
The channel catalogue that we have started up (Telecinco, Cuatro,
FDF, La Siete, Boing), following the addition in 2012 of Divinity,
Energy and, in early 2013, La Nueve, make up an ideally positioned
television offering, enabling us to reach out to varied audiences,
with complementary and highly segmented profiles.
This television offering was the leader in 2012, with a combined
audience share of 28.1% taken as a whole, with a clear advantage
over its main commercial television competitor.
By channel, both Telecinco and Cuatro, won their specific compe-
titions, comfortably beating Antena 3 and La Sexta, respectively, in
terms of both audience numbers and commercial target. On an
individual level and with respect to our most emblematic channel,
Telecinco was the prime time leader in both audience numbers
(14.4%) and the commercial target (14.1%).
We are again the clear benchmark in news programmes and
Telecinco’s news programmes were the most watched on
commercial television. Specifically, the night edition ended 2012 as
the most -watched television news programme.
Once again, audience results did not entail an increase in schedu-
ling costs.Our rigorous cost control policy effectively enabled us to
end 2012 with costs almost at the same level as in 2011 (+0.7%).
This was despite the scheduling of major events such as the UEFA
European Championship 2012 and theWorld MOTOGP and the
launch of Energy channel.
Also noteworthy was the remarkable performance of our Internet
portal, MITELE, which since its launch in December 2011, has
been growing consistently in terms of user numbers and video
consumption.This platform, which enables our television channels
to be followed live, and episodes of series broadcast to be reco-
vered, also enables viewers to inter-act with content. In 2012, for
example, our Internet platform generated profits.
Our contribution to Spanish cinema production is also worth
mentioning. Both “TADEO JONES” and “THE IMPOSSIBLE”
exceeded our most optimistic forecasts.TADEO JONES became
the Spanish animation film most watched in Spain. THE IMPOS-
SIBLE is, in absolute terms, the most watched Spanish film of all
times (more than 6 million cinema goers), generating box office
revenues of more than €42 million and winning several interna-
tional awards and recognition. For its part, “TADEO JONES” was
watched by more than 5 million worldwide and is one of the
most watched films in Latin America. In Spain box office receipts
exceeded €18 million.
Finally, I would like to stress the important work we have done
in the past two years since the addition of CUATRO. We have
grown our audience share by at least 3 points. Although it is true
that we have also increased the number of channels, it is no less
true that this entails the risk of eating away at your audience, a
risk which we have avoided. I reiterate, we have achieved all this
without increasing costs.
Effectively, as I have already said, we have made a major effort to
reduce the group’s costs in general. If we look at 2010, which is a
good year of reference because of the presence of a sports event
similar to that in 2012, we have saved almost €140 million and
improved our financial position by €100 million.
It is not easy to grow our offering qualitatively and quantitatively
and at the same time cut costs. But we have managed it, which
once again bears out the strength of our business model and the
management skills of our team.
CORPORATE RESPONSIBILITY REPORT 2012