Radio boosts M6 despite decline in TV share

The integration of RTL radio helped boost French commercial broadcaster M6 Group’s top line for 2018, despite a decline in its TV channel’s viewing share.

M6 turned in revenues of €1.421 billion for the year, up 7.3%, and EBITDA of €381 million, up 2.4%.

The group said that its top line had been boosted by advertising sales growth of 12.6%, principally a result of the integration of the RTL radio stations.

M6’s channels achieved an audience share of 13.3% of all viewers and 21.4%b of its target audience of women responsi9ble for purchases of less than 50 years in age.

M6 said its flagship channel’s daytime audience had dipped but that it had maintained a strong showing in primetime.

M6 said that the TV ad market had grown modestly, with gig sporting events providing a boost for rival TF1.

The group said that its 6play digital service had progressed strongly, with 25 million registered users and 1.4 billion videos viewed, up from 1.3 billion in 2017.

TV overall contributed €214 million, up from €205 million, to M6’s record EBITA figure of €266 million.

While radio turned in revenues of €167 million and EBITA of €28 million, revenues from production and audiovisual rights dropped by 19% to €76 million for the year.

M6 recently entered into exclusive negotiations with Lagardère Group for the acquisition of the latter’s digital TV channels with the exception of classic music channel Mezzo.