RTL Releases First-Half Results

LUXEMBOURG,
August 28: The RTL Group’s revenues for the first half of this year rose 1.3
percent to 2.9 billion euros, with profit up just 0.8 percent to 358 million
euros and a half-year EBITA of 515 million euros, a 7.7-percent increase on the
year-ago period.

Announcing the results, Gerhard Zeiler, the CEO of
the RTL Group, noted: “I am delighted that we managed to top the strong
first-half performance seen in 2006. The operating result for the first six
months exceeded 500 million euros for the first time, largely fueled by our
three major profit centers—the family of channels in Germany, the M6
Group in France and FremantleMedia.”

Zeiler continued: “Despite the sale of TPS,
revenues reached the record level achieved in the first half of 2006, which was
also boosted by high advertising revenue in the lead-up to the Football World
Cup. At the same time, the results highlight how important our strategic
concept of strong families of channels is. The RTL family grew its audience
market shares considerably in the very competitive German market. In France, M6
Group’s digital channels showed very dynamic growth, led by W9. And the deal
with John de Mol will help us to further enhance the position of RTL’s Dutch
family of channels.”

At FremantleMedia, revenues grew 7.9 percent to 603
million euros, while EBITA improved by 8.3 percent to 91 million euros. Key
drivers for the company included the Idols and Got Talent
formats and daily soaps and novelas. Much of FremantleMedia’s strong
performance comes from the U.S., U.K. and Germany and from its distribution and
licensing division.