Fremantle, Streaming Lift RTL Group Results

For the first nine months of the year, revenues at RTL Group rose by 12 percent to €5 billion, driven largely by gains at Fremantle as well as a boost in streaming subs.

Fremantle revenues were up by almost 28 percent to €1.65 billion, while streaming rose by 20.4 percent to €195 million, with ad revenues slipping by 1.3 percent to €2.5 billion, with TV ad revenues down slightly to €1.97 billion while digital ad revenues rose to €259 million.

Group revenue in Q3 rose by 18.9 percent to €1.7 billion, with TV ad revenues falling to €614 million. At the end of Q3, RTL Group had 4.8 million paying subs at RTL+ in Germany and Videoland in the Netherlands, up 40.6 percent year on year.

“RTL Group had a solid first nine months of the year 2022, in the face of a challenging macroeconomic environment and its impact on advertising markets,” said CEO Thomas Rabe. “Looking at the fourth quarter, we expect the challenging advertising market environment to continue, especially in Germany. Despite this and numerous external factors, in particular the war in Ukraine, inflation, energy supply and supply chain issues, RTL Group expects to perform in line with the adjusted EBITA guidance provided in August.”

For the full year, RTL Group is projecting revenues of €7.2 billion and adjusted EBITA of between €1.05 and €1.15 billion.