audiencia

Audiencia is a Spanish noun with several related meanings. In everyday language, it denotes the audience of a performance, broadcast, or public event—the people who listen to or watch something. In a legal or administrative context, audiencia also refers to a body that hears cases or oversees government tasks.

Historically, during the Spanish Empire, an audiencia was a high court and administrative council in the territories of the Crown. Audiencias served as appellate courts and helped govern colonial provinces, and they were presided by magistrates known as oidores.

In contemporary usage, the term remains in official titles in several countries. In Spain, the Audiencia Nacional is a central court with broad jurisdiction; many provinces have an Audiencia Provincial as an appellate court. In Latin America, similar institutions exist with various names reflecting the colonial legal heritage.

Beyond law, audiencia describes the audience of a program or event, and is used in media terminology to discuss reach and ratings. Etymology traces back to Latin audientia, from audire, to hear.