First-Half Profit Up at RTL Group

LUXEMBOURG, August 26:
With revenues stable at 2.9 billion euros at the RTL Group, the European
broadcasting giant delivered a 9.2-percent increase in profit to 391 million euros.

“The results for the first
half of 2008 show how reliable RTL Group’s business model is,” said Gerhard Zeiler, the CEO of RTL Group. “Our operating profit again exceeded 500
million euros, despite a slowdown in several advertising markets, adverse
currency effects and the special program investment by M6 Group for the
European football championship. Our half-year net result even reached a new
record high.”

Zeiler continued: “RTL
Group continues to evolve its strategy. We’re stepping up our presence on all
digital platforms to move with our audience. Our catch-up TV services in
Germany, France, the U.K. and the Netherlands already register rapid viewer
uptake. In Germany and France, we strengthened our Internet portfolio with
acquisitions. RTL Group will continue to invest in the fast-growing content and
online advertising sectors, which complement our core business. We expect that
the advertising market conditions will continue to be mixed across Europe,
combined with low visibility. However, given the strength of our business, we
remain confident for the outcome of the full year.”

Television revenues at the
company were flat at 2.2 billion euros, while content revenues fell 6 percent
to 585 million euros.

By profit center, German
TV and radio operations were up 4.1 percent to 1 billion euros, accounting for
35.6 percent of all revenues. M6 in France contributed 24.8 percent of the
business with 709 million euros, showing no change from the year-ago period.
FremantleMedia’s revenues, accounting for 19.8 percent, fell 6 percent to 567
million euros, mainly as a result of adverse currency effects. Five’s revenues
in the U.K. fell 12.4 percent to 212 million euros.

—By Mansha Daswani