Rapid TV News

Diversification and digital drive TF1, M6 2011 results

Pascale Paoli-Lebailly ©RapidTVNews | 22-02-2012

Digital channels and diversification activities have helped French groups TF1 and M6 ride out 2011’s economic turmoil. 

TF1 diversification activities drove the group’s 2011 results up 3.9 % year-on-year to €1.115 billion.  Digital activities were boosted by the new online brands MyTF1 and MyTF1VoD, along with DTT channels TMC and NT1. Music, game, merchandising and teleshopping affiliates helped TF1 global consolidated revenue to hold steady at €2.62 billion. This included €1.5 billion from TF1 channel advertising revenue which was though down 2.9 % compared with 2010.

In the digital world, TF1 has become the first media group in France for online video audience reporting 13.3 million hours passed on the Internet platform group with over 70 million videos requested by the end of November 2011.

Net profit attributable to the Group for the year ended December 31, 2011 was €182.7 million. With the economic climate remaining unstable in 2012, TF1 expects its consolidated revenue to remain flat in 2012 and the group also maintains its objective for control over TF1 channel programming costs, which is expected to average €930 million for 2012 and 2013, compared with €905.5 million for 2010.

Though posting a net profit down 4.7 % in 2011 to €149 million, France’s second private broadcaster M6 has improved its EBITA by 1.2 % to €245 million, thanks to digital channels Teva, Paris Première and DTT W9. Their contribution to this result reached 17.8 % and generated €34.3 million revenues in 2011. M6 group consolidated revenue fell down 2.8 % to €1.42 billion last year. Advertising revenues were up 2.7 % to €837.1 million, with a notable 11% rise for digital channels and internet ad rev.

Diversification and AR revenues were not so good for M6 than to TF1, falling globally by 7.3% last year but the distance selling activity, M6 Web and Interactions division posted an increase of their operating income.