European media conglomerate RTL posted basically stable full fiscal 2024 yearly results on Thursday, driven by more than 40% growth in streaming revenue growth and healthy advertising returns.
The powerhouse, majority-owned by German giant Bertelsmann, said 2024 group revenue amounted to €6.3 billion ($6.8 billion) – down 1.5% compared with 2023 – and that it expects to post revenue of roughly €6.45 billion euros ($7.03 billion) in 2025.
Total RTL group profit amounted to €555 million ($603 million).
RTL’s annual streaming revenue grew 42% to €403 million ($437 million) euros, driven by a 21% increase in paying subscribers in Germany, Hungary, and France and “a reduction of streaming start-up losses,” it said, leading to a “clear path to profitability” of this side of its business in 2026.
The group also saw double digit growth in advertising revenue from its RTL+ service in Germany and M6+ in France, it said.
“We reached turning points in our streaming services and content production business. As a result, we expect to significantly increase our operating profits in the coming years,” CEO Thomas Rabe said in a statement.
Regarding Fremantle, which is RTL’s global content business, revenue dipped slightly from €2,266 billion in 2023 to €2,254 ($2,449 billion) in 2024. But Rabe said that “Thanks to a significant reduction of overheads and the contribution from Asacha Media Group – acquired in 2024 – Fremantle reached a record result and significantly improved its Adjusted EBITA margin.” Rabe added that “we plan to increase Fremantle’s margin to 9 per cent by 2026.
Asacha includes Italy’s Picomedia maker of smash hit TV series “The Sea Outside” (pictured above).
In its outlook, RTL said that “Fremantle continues to target full-year revenue of €3 billion in the mid-term, including the acquisition of small and medium-sized production companies and partnerships with creative talent.” It did not specify what “mid-term” means. In other words by when Fremantle should reach that goal.
The group said it expects to obtain regulatory approvals for the sale of RTL Nederland, agreed in late 2023, and to close a previously announced €1.1 billion euro transaction in the second quarter of this year.
