TF1 to sell Unify arm to publishing outfit Reworld Media

French commercial broadcaster TF1 has agreed the sale of its digital arm, Unify, to Reworld Media.

The sale comes after four years of TF1 developing a digital arm built around a common technology platform and single digital advertising organisation, Unify Advertising.

The latest announcement came a few days after TF1 agreed the sale of its programmatic advertising subsidiary Gamnedi to investment outfit HLD. Focsing on its planned merger with M6, TF1 is now pulling back from earlier plans to expand  aggressively into the digital domain.

Having placed all its digital assets under the Unify unit in 2019, the group has struggled to integrate its different acquisitions and achieve its objectives.

Unify comprises brands including Marmito, aufeminin, Doctissimo and Les Numériques, which together cout around 25 million unique visitors per month, with over 200 million pages viewed per year.

The Unify division also includes a number of social media brands such as Vertical Station, Fraîches and hero, a digital studio, Garage and influencer channel grouping Studio Fy.

TF1 said it was now focusing its activities on content, streaming and production at a time when digital advertising-led activites were undergoing consolidation. It said that Reworld Media was the best partner to secure the future development of Unify.

The latter is a significant force in digital publishing in France, with brands including Maison&Travaux, Grazia, Marie-France, Auto Plus, Gourmand, Pleine Vie, Top Santé, Science & Vie, Télé Star and Télé Magazine.

“The interest of Reworld Media in the Unify Publishers arm is a testament to the attractiveness of the brands and expertise that comprise it and to their future potential for development. In this context, I would like to thank the Unifty teams for the great worl achieved and for their commitment which has enabled us to create a unique asset over the last four years. If the sale is successfully completed, Reworld Media, with its market vision and know-how will constitute the best partner to take this division and its talent, and enable them to pursue a sustainable growth,” said TF1 CEO Gilles Pélisson.