Digital boost for TF1

French commercial broadcaster TF1 Group has continued its recovery from a difficult 2016 by posting increased revenues and a net profit for the third quarter, boosted by a strong performance in non-advertising revenues.

TF1 posted revenues of €1.467 billion for the first nine months of the year, up 2.8%, and Q3 revenues of €429.9 million, up 7.1%. A Q3 net profit of €10.1 million – up from a loss of €13.2 million for the same period in 2016 – helped boost the nine-months profit figure to €84.7 million, compared with a loss of €13.8 million for the same period last year.

Non-advertising revenues jumped by 21.4% in the quarter to €129.9 million, while advertising sales grew by 1.9% to €300 million.

TF1 said that the non-advertising segment had been boosted by a strong performance from its digital activities and its studio arm.

On-demand platform MYTF1 saw a 10% increase in the number videos viewed to over 930 million for the first nine months, boosted by the popularity of top-rated shows The Voice, Quotidien and Demain Nous Appartient. TF1 implemented a system of user authentication in April for multi-screen viewing, which the broadcaster said had resulted in 16 million registrations to date, including three million in the third quarter.

TF1’s studios and entertainment division saw its revenues grow by 5.7% or €15.2 million, thanks to the integration of Tuvalu Media Group and Blue Spirit and a strong third quarter for Newen Studios.

Improving advertising revenues are down for the most part to a strong performance by the company’s digital channels. While the main TF1 channel’s ratings continued a slow decline in its target audience range, digital channels including TMC, NT1 HD1 and LCI saw their share grow.

TF1 said the fourth quarter would see the launch of Studio 71 France, the fruit of its collaboration with ProSiebenSat.1 and Mediaset, a slight delay from the September launch of the MCN trailed in June.

Q4 will also see the launch of localised advertising for the Belgian market and a firming up of agreements around EBX, the European Broadcasting Exchange for the commercialisation of digital advertising inventory agreed with the broadcaster’s European partners earlier this year.