Onda Cero
Onda Cero is a Spanish national radio station offering free-to-air news, talk, sports, and podcasts via FM, web, mobile apps, and Atresplayer, serving Spanish-speaking audiences across 12+ regions.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1990
- HeadquartersMadrid, Spain
- Headcount101–250
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingServices
What Onda Cero does
Onda Cero is a Spanish national general-interest radio station founded in 1990, operating a 24/7 free-to-air broadcast network complemented by live streaming, on-demand podcasts, original audio fiction, and mobile applications for iOS and Android. It is operated by Uniprex, S.A.U., a wholly owned subsidiary of the Atresmedia media group (Atresmedia Corporación de Medios de Comunicación, S.A., BME: A3SM), and shares technology, cross-promotion, and ad infrastructure with sister properties including Antena 3, La Sexta, Europa FM, Melodía FM, and the Atresplayer streaming platform. Programming centers on flagship live shows (Más de uno, Por fin, Julia en la onda, La brújula, Radioestadio, La rosa de los vientos, Gente viajera) anchored by named on-air talent such as Carlos Alsina, Julia Otero, and Rafa Latorre, alongside an original podcast catalog spanning investigative journalism and audio fiction.
The business is ad-supported, with revenue generated through on-air advertising slots, digital and programmatic advertising on ondacero.es and its mobile apps, and sponsored content and brand partnerships (including the LUZ VERDE sustainability initiative co-developed with WWF). Distribution spans FM radio, the ondacero.es website, native mobile apps, Atresplayer, and owned social channels on YouTube, TikTok, Facebook, and WhatsApp, supported by a network of regional emisoras covering 12+ Spanish autonomous communities. Audience segments include Spanish general-adult news listeners, sports fans, regional/local news consumers, lifestyle and culture audiences, and on-demand podcast and audio fiction listeners; reach is mass-market with no disclosed enterprise customer base. The company does not expose a public API, SDK, or developer platform, and no AI/ML capabilities, patents, or proprietary models are disclosed in the source material.
Onda Cero firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Onda Cero
- Legal name
- Uniprex, S.A.U.
- Website
- https://ondacero.es
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1990
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 101–250 employees
- Short description
- Onda Cero is a Spanish national radio station offering free-to-air news, talk, sports, and podcasts via FM, web, mobile apps, and Atresplayer, serving Spanish-speaking audiences across 12+ regions.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Onda Cero industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Radio Broadcasting
- NAICS
- Radio Broadcasting Stations (516110), Media Streaming Distribution Services, Social Networks, and Other Media Networks and Content Providers (51621)
- SIC
- Radio Broadcasting Stations (4832)
- akta.pro primary industry
- University/Educational Local Stations (College Radio, Campus TV) (MPABACAH)
Keywords
Where Onda Cero is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Madrid
- HQ country
- Spain
- HQ region
- Europe
Offices15 records
Markets served
Onda Cero business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure
Revenue model
- Audio advertising: On-air advertising slots sold to advertisers across Onda Cero's national and regional broadcast; Atresmedia Group discloses use of cookies and 755 partners for personalized advertising, content personalization, audience profiling, and performance measurement.
- Digital and programmatic advertising: Display, video, and native advertising on ondacero.es and across mobile apps, including personalized advertising via Atresmedia Group's data and cookie-based audience targeting (755 partners referenced).
- Sponsored content and brand partnerships: Branded initiatives such as the LUZ VERDE sustainability campaign and Premios LUZ VERDE in partnership with WWF, plus branded podcasts and entertainment content (e.g., Guía Repsol coverage).
Go-to-market motion2 records
Distribution channels6 records
Marketing channels10 records
Onda Cero product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Onda Cero is a Spanish national radio network that produces and broadcasts free-to-air live radio programming, current-affairs news, opinion content, sports commentary, and original podcasts. The station operates a network of regional local stations (emisoras) across 12+ Spanish autonomous communities and distributes its content via FM, the ondacero.es website, native iOS/Android apps, the Atresplayer platform, and social media.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Live FM radio broadcast (En Directo)
- News and talk programs (Más de uno, Por fin, Julia en la onda, La brújula, Noticias mediodía) Flagship daily news, opinion, and talk programs covering politics, current affairs, society, economy, and culture. Includes Más de uno (directed by Carlos Alsina), Por fin, Julia en la onda (hosted by Julia Otero), La brújula (featuring Rafa Latorre's daily monologue), and Noticias mediodía (with María Hernández's analysis).
- Sports programs (Radioestadio, Radioestadio noche) Live sports commentary, expert analysis, transfer market coverage, and tournament programming. Hosted by Edu García (Radioestadio) and featuring a dedicated Mundial 2026 hub. Targeted at sports fans following football, basketball, tennis, and motor sports in Spain.
- Original podcasts and audio fiction (Los Perseguidos, Expedientes del más allá, Invisibles, Operación Viuda Negra, Ficciones sonoras, etc.) On-demand catalog of original podcasts and audio fiction, including investigative series (Los Perseguidos, Expedientes del más allá, Invisibles, Operación Viuda Negra, Equipo de investigación), audio fiction (Ficciones sonoras by Carlos Alsina — Caifás, A sangre y fuego, Celia en la revolución), and narrative podcasts (Mi padre hablaba cada cuatro años, Prohibido morirse, El viaje del Guernica, Esto no ha pasado, Retornados). Targeted at on-demand audio listeners and podcast consumers.
- Regional local stations network (Emisoras) Network of regional/local stations covering Andalucía, Aragón, Baleares, Cantabria, Cataluña, Comunidad de Madrid, Comunitat Valenciana, Extremadura, Galicia, La Rioja, Navarra, País Vasco, and Asturias. Provides localized news, regional politics, and community events.
- Onda Cero mobile applications (iOS and Android) Native mobile applications for iOS and Android that deliver live FM radio streaming, podcast playback, on-demand news, and personalized audio content to Spanish consumers.
Quantifiable outcome
- Part of Atresmedia Group referencing 755 advertising/data partners
- +1 more outcomes
Companies that use Onda Cero
Customer profileSegments5 records
Ideal customer profiles5 records
Onda Cero technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature4 records
Onda Cero partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Twelve partnerships are on record, tiered flagship, core and minor.
- Atresmedia GroupflagshipOnda Cero is operated by Uniprex, S.A.U., which sits within the Atresmedia corporate group alongside television channels (Antena 3, La Sexta, Neox, Nova, Mega, Atreseries) and sister radio stations (Europa FM, Melodía FM). The group also operates the Atresplayer streaming platform. Shared branding, cross-promotion, and shared technology (mobile app stack) are visible at ondacero.es.
- WWF (World Wildlife Fund)coreCo-organizer of the LUZ VERDE sustainability editorial brand and the Premios LUZ VERDE awards, now in its second edition (2026). The partnership includes a dedicated sustainability section on ondacero.es, jury participation, and annual awards ceremonies (the 2025 edition held at the Real Jardín Botánico in Madrid). Six sustainability and climate change initiatives were recognized in the 2026 edition.
- Antena 3flagshipSister television channel within the Atresmedia Group, listed in Onda Cero's footer alongside La Sexta, Neox, Nova, Mega, Atreseries, Europa FM, Melodía FM and Atresplayer for cross-promotion.
- La SextaflagshipSister television channel within the Atresmedia Group, referenced in Onda Cero's footer for cross-promotion.
- Europa FMflagshipSister radio station within the Atresmedia Group; Onda Cero's homepage carries a dedicated Europa FM content block featuring music, festivals, and entertainment news.
- Melodía FMminorSister radio station within the Atresmedia Group, listed in Onda Cero's footer for cross-promotion.
- AtresplayercoreGroup streaming platform within Atresmedia referenced in Onda Cero's footer, enabling cross-distribution of Atresmedia audio and video content.
- NeoxminorSister Atresmedia television channel listed in Onda Cero's footer for cross-promotion.
- NovaminorSister Atresmedia television channel listed in Onda Cero's footer for cross-promotion.
- MegaminorSister Atresmedia television channel listed in Onda Cero's footer for cross-promotion.
- AtreseriesminorSister Atresmedia television channel listed in Onda Cero's footer for cross-promotion.
- Guía RepsolminorFeatured brand content partner; Onda Cero covers Guía Repsol's Soletes guides for bars and terraces (e.g., 2026 edition coverage with 250+ recommended venues).
Scale indicators5 records
Recent moves5 records
Expansion highlights6 records
Onda Cero competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Cadena 100: Spanish national contemporary-music radio network owned by PRISA Radio. Competes with Onda Cero for music-led audiences and adjacent ad inventory, with similar multi-platform (FM, web, app, podcast) distribution.
- Cadena COPE: Spanish national radio network owned by the Spanish Episcopal Conference, competing with Onda Cero in news, opinion, sports (including La Liga rights) and Catholic-oriented talk. Comparable in national reach, podcast output, and ad-supported business model.
- Cadena SER: Spain's largest national radio network and Onda Cero's principal head-to-head rival, owned by PRISA. Operates a similar general-interest, news-and-talk format with flagship hosts, regional stations, podcasts, and digital streaming — the most direct apples-to-apples competitor for both audience and ad share.
- Europa FM: Sister radio station within Atresmedia, listed alongside Onda Cero in the group footer. Targets a younger, music-and-entertainment listener and shares Atresmedia's ad sales and distribution infrastructure, making it the closest intra-group comparable.
- Los 40 (PRISA): Leading Spanish music-formatted radio network under PRISA, sister to Cadena SER. Directly competes with Onda Cero for ad budgets and share-of-ear among Spanish listeners, especially younger demographics.
- Melodía FM: Another Atresmedia-owned sister station focusing on classic Spanish and Latin music. Directly comparable operating model (national FM + digital + podcasts within the same corporate group) and shares Onda Cero's cross-promotion and ad-tech infrastructure.
Regional players
- Catalunya Ràdio: Public Catalan-language radio network. Comparable as a Spanish news/talk/sports radio operator with podcast and digital distribution, but publicly funded and regionally focused rather than national and ad-supported like Onda Cero.
- RAC1: Leading Catalan-language commercial radio station, owned by Godó Group. Comparable to Onda Cero in news/talk format and digital distribution, but competes in a different (regional, Catalan-speaking) market and does not directly overlap in Madrid/Spain-wide ad inventory.
Broad incumbents
- iHeartMedia: Largest US radio broadcaster and podcast publisher, offering a useful benchmark for Onda Cero's multi-platform (FM + digital + podcast + live events) strategy and ad-tech-driven monetization. Not a direct competitor in Spain, but the reference public-market incumbent for the same business model.
Emerging players
- Podimo: Subscription podcast and audio-fiction platform active in Spain. Competes with Onda Cero's original podcast and "Ficciones sonoras" audio-fiction output for Spanish-speaking listener attention, though on a subscription rather than ad-funded model.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Onda Cero social profiles
Digital presenceOnda Cero financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Onda Cero leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles5 records
Onda Cero funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Onda Cero M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Onda Cero
What does Onda Cero do?
Onda Cero is a Spanish national radio network that produces and broadcasts free-to-air live radio programming, current-affairs news, opinion content, sports commentary, and original podcasts. The station operates a network of regional local stations (emisoras) across 12+ Spanish autonomous communities and distributes its content via FM, the ondacero.es website, native iOS/Android apps, the Atresplayer platform, and social media.
Is Onda Cero a public or private company?
Onda Cero is a private company. It is classified as corporate owned and is currently operating.
When was Onda Cero founded?
Onda Cero was founded in 1990. It employs 101 to 250 people.
Where is Onda Cero based?
Onda Cero is headquartered in Madrid, Spain, in the Europe region.
How does Onda Cero make money?
Three revenue lines are on record. Audio advertising is the primary driver. The others are digital and programmatic advertising and sponsored content and brand partnerships.
Who are Onda Cero's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Cadena 100, Cadena COPE, Cadena SER, Europa FM, Los 40 (PRISA) and Melodía FM. Regional players are Catalunya Ràdio and RAC1. iHeartMedia is listed as a broad incumbent. Podimo is listed as an emerging player.
Does Onda Cero have an API?
No public API is recorded for Onda Cero.
What industry is Onda Cero in?
Onda Cero's product category is Radio Broadcasting. Its primary akta.pro industry code is MPABACAH, University/Educational Local Stations (College Radio, Campus TV). Its NAICS code is 516110 and its SIC code is 4832.