Disney+ has signed a strategic content agreement with RTVE that will see a selection of the broadcaster’s flagship programmes made available on the platform immediately after their linear debut.
The deal, which launches on 31 March, will bring both entertainment and scripted titles from RTVE to Disney+, marking a shift towards near-simultaneous distribution between free-to-air and streaming in the Spanish market.
The agreement opens with MasterChef, one of RTVE’s most recognisable formats, with Disney+ set to carry the 13 episodes of season 14 and the 12 episodes of MasterChef Celebrity season 11 following their broadcast on La 1. Scripted content is also included, beginning with Rojo Sobre Blanco, produced by Good Mood (Mediawan), with further titles to be confirmed.
The partnership gives RTVE an additional distribution window aimed at expanding reach among younger audiences, while strengthening Disney+’s local content offer with current, high-profile Spanish programming.
Karl Holmes, General Manager of Disney+ EMEA, said the deal would bring some of RTVE’s “most iconic new shows” to the platform, while reinforcing its strategy of working with leading European free-to-air broadcasters.
RTVE becomes the latest partner in Disney+’s growing European content network, which includes agreements with Atresmedia in Spain, ITV in the UK, ARD and ZDF in Germany, and SIC in Portugal.
The arrangement is notable as one of the first in Europe to focus on next-day availability of current public broadcaster programming, rather than catalogue content, highlighting a shift towards closer collaboration between broadcasters and streaming platforms.
The deal also underlines Disney+’s continued investment in local production and compliance with European content requirements, as it looks to grow its subscriber base in competitive regional markets.
