Revenues at Bertelsmann’s Luxembourg-based RTL Group, a media big which owns Fremantle, dipped 5.2% to €6.2 billion ($6.7 billion) for the monetary 12 months 2023.

The corporate attributed this to decrease TV promoting income and decrease Fremantle income. The corporate’s EBITA (earnings earlier than curiosity, taxes and amortization) slid to €782 million, down from €922 million in 2022.

Fremantle, RTL’s content material arm, had a robust 12 months from an awards perspective, with its Ingredient Footage producing Golden Globe, BAFTA and Oscar winner “Poor Issues.” Nevertheless, income fell from €2.3 billion to €2.2 billion and EBITA from €162 million to €139 million. RTL is concentrating on full-year income of €3 billion for Fremantle by 2025/2026.

There was excellent news on different fronts. RTL Group’s household of TV channels in Germany elevated its lead over primary industrial competitor ProSiebenSat1 to five.8 share factors, the best lead within the final 10 years, the corporate stated. Paying subscribers for RTL Group’s streaming providers in Germany, Hungary and France have been up 30.5% to five.6 million and streaming income up 72.6% to €283 million. Distribution income was secure at €331 million (2022: €332 million).

The corporate additionally stated that following the envisaged disposal of the Dutch streaming service Videoland and the investments in M6+ in France, it has up to date the targets for its streaming providers RTL+ in Germany, M6+ in France and RTL+ in Hungary. By 2026, RTL goals to succeed in some 9 million paying subscribers and €750 million of streaming income. The group plans to extend its content material spend to €500 million and to develop into worthwhile by 2026.

Thomas Rabe, CEO of RTL Group, stated: “In 2023, we demonstrated the resilience of our companies in a very difficult atmosphere. As introduced, we invested by means of the cycle. We grew our streaming providers, prolonged our market management positions, particularly in Germany, and launched globally acclaimed content material. The second half of 2023 was one of the worthwhile half-years within the historical past of RTL Group regardless of weak promoting markets and vital investments, enabling us to pay a sexy dividend. Our shareholders will even profit in 2025 from the worth crystallised by the anticipated sale of RTL Nederland for €1.1 billion. Our strategic framework stays unchanged. It would proceed to information us in 2024: to strengthen our core companies, to develop our streaming and content material companies, and to construct alliances and partnerships.”