TelevisaUnivision recently unveiled its third-quarter 2025 financial results, showing a mixed bag of profit dips amidst ongoing efforts to boost its streaming services and a high-profile spat with YouTube TV.
TL;DR
- TelevisaUnivision's Q3 2025 net income dropped significantly to $90.5 million, largely due to a one-time gain from a tower sale in the previous year.
- Linear advertising revenue fell, but the company's streaming service, ViX, continues to show strong momentum and rising profitability.
- CEO Daniel Alegre addressed the unresolved YouTube TV dispute, emphasizing the importance of access to content for Hispanic audiences.
Alright, let's break down the latest financial news from the Spanish-language media powerhouse, Televisaunivision. Their Q3 2025 Earnings report is out, and it's a bit of a mixed picture. The big headline is that net income saw a notable dip, coming in at $90.5 million. That's a significant drop compared to the $180.9 million they reported in the same quarter last year.
Now, before you panic, there's a good reason for that stark difference. Last year's numbers included a sweet one-time gain from selling off a portfolio of broadcast towers that weren't really central to their core business. So, without that extra boost, a direct year-over-year comparison on net income isn't quite apples to apples.
Overall revenue for Q3 2025 was also down slightly, clocking in at $1.27 billion, which is a 3% decrease from the just over $1.3 billion they pulled in during the year-earlier period. However, if you strip out the impact of political advertising (which can swing wildly quarter to quarter), the company says its overall revenue was actually pretty flat.
The Advertising Rollercoaster: Linear TV Declines, Streaming Picks Up Speed
One of the main stories behind these numbers is the ongoing shift in advertising. TelevisaUnivision reported that its overall advertising revenue fell by 6% to $755 million this quarter. They're pinning this on a decline in linear (traditional TV) viewership, which isn't exactly a new trend across the industry.
In the U.S., ad revenue took an 11% hit, landing at $428 million, as linear TV struggled. However, Mexico told a slightly different story, with advertising revenue actually increasing by 3% to $327 million. What's driving that growth in Mexico? You guessed it: streaming, particularly through their ViX platform and a recent tie-up with Disney in that region.
It's not all doom and gloom on the ad front, though. The company's efforts to get advertisers on board with streaming are starting to pay off, helping to offset some of those linear declines. And here's a bright spot: subscription and licensing revenue actually rose by 3% to $493 million. A big thank you here goes to consumer interest in ViX, especially in the United States, where subscription revenue jumped 11% to $388 million.
"Our third-quarter results demonstrate the results of our disciplined execution of our reimagined content strategy and the continued momentum of ViX streaming service."
— Daniel Alegre, CEO of TelevisaUnivisionViX: The Streaming Star Shining Brightly Amidst Linear TV Shifts
Speaking of ViX, it's clear this streaming service is a major focus for TelevisaUnivision and a key part of their future strategy. CEO Daniel Alegre highlighted the "continued momentum" of ViX, calling it a "key growth engine" for the company. This isn't just talk; ViX reportedly achieved its first streaming profit in Q3 2024 and is projected to be the fastest-growing subscription streaming service across the Americas in 2025, according to Ampere Analysis forecasts.
ViX is positioned as the largest Spanish-language streaming platform in the world, offering both ad-supported and premium subscription tiers. While traditional Hispanic audiences often gravitate towards global giants like YouTube, Netflix, and Disney+, ViX is working hard to carve out its own space and appeal to a concentrated, culturally relevant audience. Its growth in subscription and direct-to-consumer (DTC) profitability is certainly helping to boost adjusted operating income before depreciation and amortization (OIBDA), which increased by a healthy 9% to $467 million this quarter.
This success with ViX is especially crucial as the company continues to streamline operations under Alegre, who joined last year. He took over from Wade Davis, who orchestrated the 2020 Univision buyout and 2022 merger with Grupo Televisa. Alegre, formerly of Activision Blizzard, is focused on integrating assets across the U.S. and Mexico to be more efficient.
The YouTube TV Standoff: Why It Matters for Spanish-Language Viewers
One of the hotter topics discussed during the earnings call was the ongoing carriage dispute with YouTube TV. If you're a Spanish-language viewer, you might have noticed that Univision (and other TelevisaUnivision channels) were pulled from YouTube TV's basic package at the end of September, moving to a separate Spanish-language add-on tier. This all happened after the Q3 period, so its financial impact isn't reflected in these results, but it's a big deal for the company moving forward.
Daniel Alegre didn't mince words, rejecting YouTube TV's claim that TelevisaUnivision's content wasn't getting enough viewership to justify their desired carriage price. He stated that YouTube TV's position is "either an error in their algorithm or just factually incorrect." Alegre underscored the importance of access, especially for Hispanic communities who rely on Univision for critical information during emergencies like "fires in LA or floods in Texas or hurricanes in Florida, or what's happening right now with the government shutdown." He believes this goes beyond a simple carriage dispute, touching on essential access for content that is both entertaining and informational.
The dispute has even drawn political attention, with Alegre noting that "Senators, Congressmen, the SEC chairman (Brendan) Carr, Hispanic groups, and obviously President Trump" have voiced support for Univision. President Trump even publicly urged Google to "let Univision back," praising the network for its coverage of his campaign. Interestingly, despite the blackout on YouTube TV, Univision's ratings haven't taken a huge hit. Recent data showed Univision as the eighth most-watched network among all broadcast and cable outlets, and the top Spanish-language network, beating Telemundo by a significant margin.
Navigating Future Horizons: Strategic Moves and Political Ad Opportunities
Looking ahead, TelevisaUnivision is busy making strategic moves. They're not just dealing with current challenges but also eyeing future opportunities, particularly in the political advertising space. Alegre highlighted the "tremendous opportunity" that the 2026 mid-term elections present.
He admitted the company "missed" some opportunities in the last election cycle by relying too heavily on ad agencies. Now, they've rebuilt their ad sales team to directly engage with political campaigns. Given the significant and often "up for grabs" Hispanic vote, Alegre is confident this direct approach will create "a lot of tailwinds" in their favor for next year's election cycle.
This proactive stance, combined with the continued growth of ViX and efforts to streamline operations, shows TelevisaUnivision is adapting to a rapidly changing media landscape. While linear TV faces headwinds, the company is clearly investing in its digital future and leveraging its unique connection with Spanish-language audiences across the Americas.
Frequently Asked Questions About TelevisaUnivision's Latest Results
Sources
- Variety - "TelevisaUnivision Sees Q3 Profit Dip Due in Part to Advertising Shortfall" by Brian Steinberg (Oct 23, 2025)
- TelevisaUnivision Press Release - "TelevisaUnivision Announces Third Quarter 2025 Results" (Oct 23, 2025)
- The Hollywood Reporter - "Daniel Alegre on YouTube TV Carriage Battle: 'It’s Beyond a Carriage Dispute and Is More About Access for Hispanics'" by Georg Szalai, Etan Vlessing (Oct 23, 2025)
- The Desk - "Televisa-Univision revenue slips 3 percent during Q3" by Matthew Keys (Oct 23, 2025)
- eMarketer - "TelevisaUnivision reports rocky third quarter as advertisers turn to its streaming competitors" by Marisa Jones (Oct 23, 2025)