WORLD PRESS TRENDS - World Association of Newspapers

SPAIN
Main economic indicators 1995-2001
1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001
1 US$= 0.93 Euro at 2001 rate
Gross Domestic Product (Euro billion)
at current prices 419 443 468 497 563 609 650
% change 7.7 5.7 5.6 6.1 13.3 8.2 6.7
at 2001 prices 494 504 523 545 603 631 650
% change 6.5 2.0 3.6 4.2 10.8 4.6 3.0
Gross Domestic Product per capita (Euro 000)
at current prices 10.7 11.3 11.9 12.6 14.3 15.4 16.1
at 2001 prices 12.6 12.8 13.3 13.8 15.3 16.0 16.1
Population
Millions 39.2 39.3 39.3 39.4 39.4 39.5 40.3
Consumer Price Index
2001=100 84.8 87.9 89.6 91.2 93.3 96.5 100.0
% change 4.7 3.6 1.9 1.8 2.3 3.4 3.2
Ad.spend as a % of GDP
0.84 0.83 0.83 0.87 0.91 0.93 0.82
Advertising Expenditure Growth (%)
at current prices 3.6 3.3 6.3 11.7 17.7 10.7 -5.7
at 2001 prices -1.1 -0.3 4.3 9.6 15.1 7.0 -9.0
Source: IFS, ZenithOptimedia
Research
Circulation is audited by: Oficina de Justificación de la Difusión
(OJD)
Readership is measured by: The Audience Media Research
Association – Spain (AIMC), which conducts the General Media
Study (EGM).
Methodology: Each year 43,000 individuals aged over 14, selected
from 7,288 sampling points, are interviewed at home, face-toface.
Taxes
VAT on: sales 4% advertising 16%
newsprint 16% plant 16%
composition 16% (standard VAT rate 16%)
All private companies pay 35% tax on profits.
Subsidies
Are there subsidies for the purchase of newsprint No
Are loans granted at low interest rates for re-equipping or improving
existing equipment No
Discounts
on: post 25%-50% rail 0 telephone 0 telegraph 0 telex 0
In 2002 the National Post more than doubled its prices for press
distribution.
Ownership
Does any law exist governing publishing-house ownership, or the
registration of shares in newspaper-publishing companies No
Is there any law prohibiting or restricting foreign companies or
individuals from owning shares, and in particular, the majority of
shares, of domestic daily newspapers The press is subject to no
specific regulation, but follows the general legislation for foreign
capital investment. If foreign investment does not exceed 50%
of total capital investment then such investment is not subject
to administrative scrutiny. Participation over 50% is allowed
but subject to investigation.
Is there any law prohibiting daily newspaper or periodical publishers
from operating radio or television stations in the same locality No,
but no person, private or governmental, Spanish or foreign, may
own more than 49% of a television company.
So as to guarantee disclosure and transparency in the capital structure
and to avert silent partnerships, is there a law or rule making it possible
to determine who actually owns a publishing company No
Is there an antitrust law limiting concentration in the daily press
No
Is further regulation of media concentration expected No
WORLD ASSOCIATION OF NEWSPAPERS - WORLD PRESS TRENDS 2003 255