The audiovisual sector is immersed in a time of profound changes and transformations that are affecting technology, regulation, content and consumption. Within this process, television is undoubtedly the medium that is being most altered, to the point that at this point there are reasonable doubts as to whether it will be able to maintain its traditional position of privilege. This does not mean that the main players in the television system are resigned to the new situation. On the contrary, they are reacting and trying to adapt to a new situation in which economic and social conditions will never be the same as before.

Fundamentally, these changes are causing an exponential growth in the television offer. If we take the Spanish State as a reference, these changes have become more evident since the definitive implementation of Digital Terrestrial Television (DTT) in 2010. At that date, the offer went from an offer centred on 7 or 8 free-to-air channels (depending on the territory) to being able to choose from almost 60, once all the channels had been activated. To the resulting figure, however, we must add the existing cable, satellite, ADSL, as well as the so-called "new screens", in reference to television via mobile phones or the network itself via IP. In short, an enormously competitive panorama, with multiple supports, which is changing audiovisual consumption. In this sense, the fragmentation of audiences is an obvious fact. Measured figures since 2008 have shown the progressive loss of audience share of the generalist channels, which are now struggling to achieve a 15% audience share, while years ago they were far exceeding these results. A trend that seems to have no brake if we pay attention to the constant migration of the younger population towards alternative screens (Internet, videogames, mobiles).

Despite the palpable increase in the offer, which is much more specialised and diversified, general national channels and regional and local television still account for the majority of television consumption. These data may be an indicator of how society perceives change and how these changes are slower than some would like. It is difficult to believe, therefore, that people will abandon the television set as the main distributor of audiovisual information and entertainment content in the medium or short term. What is more, since 2007, which was the record year for television consumption in Spain, with an average of 223 minutes per person, or, in other words, each person spending 3.7 hours a day in front of the television, television consumption, although on a downward trend, has stabilised. This data suggests that an increase in supply does not necessarily mean a decrease in television consumption, but rather that this circumstance is having the opposite effect.

This raises many questions about the future role of television, especially if it is considered a public service like any other. This would mean maintaining audiovisual content that is free and accessible to all, of proven quality, financially transparent and ideologically pluralistic, with particular attention to the cultural and linguistic diversity of the inhabitants living in its area of coverage. These areas of interest are the focus of the reflections of the CONTD (Contenidos para la Televisión Digital) Research Group at the Universitat de València, of which we form part, and which form the central part of the CONTD Conferences (www.uv.es/contd) that have been held here for the last VI editions. The aim of these meetings is, together with other researchers and professionals, to debate the future of the audiovisual sector and to share these concerns with the university community and society as a whole.

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