TelevisaUnivisions U.S. Ad Revenue Softens In Political Offseason
Spanish-language media giantTelevisaUnivisionreported a 2 percent U.S. revenue fall to $1.3 billion in the fourth quarter of 2025 as an 11 percent U.S. advertising revenue drop to $423.2 million came alongside a 2 percent subscription and licensing revenue fall to $341 million. Total U.S. revenue fell 7 percent to $777.2 million in the three months…
Spanish-language media giantTelevisaUnivisionreported a 2 percent U.S. revenue fall to $1.3 billion in the fourth quarter of 2025 as an 11 percent U.S. advertising revenue drop to $423.2 million came alongside a 2 percent subscription and licensing revenue fall to $341 million.
Total U.S. revenue fell 7 percent to $777.2 million in the three months to Dec. 31, 2025, or a 3 percent drop when factoring in political advertising. Mexico revenues rose 7 percent to $546 million, as advertising revenue grew 15 percent to $433 million in that market.
TelevisaUnivision narrowed its fourth-quarter net loss to $234.7 million, compared to a year-earlier net loss of $809.7 million when the media giant recorded a $900 million non-cash impairment loss due in part to a write-down of TV broadcast licenses.
The latest financial quarter saw TelevisaUnivision record a $344 million non-cash impairment loss related to the write-down of program rights. The fourth-quarter financials also underlined how ViX streaming growth continues to offset legacy TV asset declines, especially on the linear advertising front where the Spanish-language media player faces stiff competition in the U.S. market on the sports front from major events like the Super Bowl and the Winter Olympics just concluded in Italy.
“We’re cognizant that the dynamic of political advertising spending will continue to evolve in line with changing viewing habits between linear and digital,” Daniel Alegre, CEO of TelevisaUnivision told a late morning analyst call in prepared remarks as he looked ahead to political advertising revenue gains during the upcoming midterm election cycle later this year, and recalled with the 2024 U.S. presidential election that candidate spending had already begun to migrate from linear TV platforms.
Alegre reiterated that the traditional U.S. advertising market heading into the rest of 2026 “remains soft,” but that would continue to be offset by the growing ViX streaming platform, including in Mexico. “Our DTC (direct-to-consumer) business achieved full-year profitability. This is a meaningful milestone, as it demonstrates that our multi-platform model, where premium content supports broadcast and streaming, is working, and that ViX is now a scalable and economically sustainable platform,” he argued.
The company owns theUnivisionbroadcast network, while also building up its ViX streaming platform to chase younger consumers.To do so, TelevisaUnivision during the upcoming World Cup soccer championships, including in Mexico, will offer all games on ViX, and only select games on its traditional broadcast platforms.
The media player is also moving away from long form movies “that competed, honestly, directly with Netflix,” Alegre told analysts, as the company’s content focus turns to dramas, reality TV series and sports programming. Netflix earlier this month opened a new headquarters in Mexico City in a push for more Spanish-language originals for its global network after Mexico unveiled a30 percent film tax creditto encourage production on movies and TV series, including for streaming platforms.
Alegre added TelevisaUnivision is also getting deeper into microdramas, having launched 40 short vertical series in 2025 and anticipates another 100 micronovellas to be rolled out this year. “This format is incredibly cost-effective and serves as a real time testing ground for new concepts, story arcs and character development,” the TelevisaUnivision boss argued.
Alegre also told analysts his company was open to participating in the current media industry consolidation. “We’re focused on our core strategy. Obviously we’re opportunistic and we get a lot of inquiries and inbounds, but are very clear on where our opportunity lies and in growing our connections to the growing Hispanic audience,” he insisted.
