Fremantle H1 income falls when RTL Group Streaming, Eyes Sky stimulates
The turnover of Fremantle fell by 5.4% in the first half of 2025 to € 905 million ($ 1.053 billion), largely as a result of lower American sales and phasing effects, while parent RTL group accelerated and confirmed the Acquisition of Sky Deutschland. The decline was partly linked to the first half of 2024 to benefit from a spin-off from “America’s Got Talent”.
On Friday, RTL Group -Group, based in Luxembourg, reported group income of € 2,781 billion ($ 3,236 billion) for the six months ending on 30 June, a decrease of € 2.872 billion ($ 3,343 billion) a year earlier. Adapted EBITA (profit for interest, taxes and depreciation) decreased by 7% to € 160 million ($ 186 million), with lower TV advertisement income partly compensated by highly reduced start-up losses, a decrease from 59.5% to € 34 million ($ 39.6 million). Group win decreased to € 59 million ($ 68.7 million) of € 173 million ($ 201.7 million) a year earlier, mainly due to one -off effects and less positive real value adjustments.
The modified EBITDA of Fremantle (profit for interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization) increased the margin to 7.2% in H1/2025 of 6.6% a year earlier, even when sales decreased. Under his “boost plan”, the global production giant focuses on € 3 billion ($ 3,493 billion) in annual income in the medium term, supported by significant investments in IP development, acquisitions and the use of artificial intelligence in its value chain.
In March, Fremantle concluded a first-look and development agreement with the Fruitboom by Emma Stone and Dave McCary, after a three-year agreement with newly established Eureka Studios to develop new IP for global sales and production. April saw the launch of Fremantle Sports, a worldwide unit that works in entertainment, drama and film, and documentaries to create cross -beam sports formats for global distribution. That month also brought the launch of Imaginae Studios, a self-contained label devoted to utilizing AI solutions, technologies and tools for the creative community. In June Fremantle Fremantle Global Originals, a new independent creative hub, unveiled aimed at creating original non-controlled formats.
The streaming turnover of RTL rose by 27% to € 235 million ($ 273.6 million), because paying subscribers rose by 15.3% year on year to 7.23 million. RTL+ in Germany grew its subscriber base by 13.7% to 6.36 million, while viewing hours increased by 17.5% to 346 million, making it the leading German entertainment streaming service. Top titles include “Gute Zeiten, Schlechte Zeiten”, the 18th season of “Ich bin Ein Star – Holt Mich here Raus!,” Everything was Zählt “,” Are you the One? “,” “Ex on the Beach” and “Die Verräter – Vertrae Nobody!
M6+ in France reported 28 million average monthly active users in H1/2025, an increase of 35% on an annual basis, with total viewing hours increasing by 17%.
The Group Renewedwedy Partnership with Deutsche Telekom Until at Least 2030 and, Announced A Definitive Agreement To Acquire Sky Deutschland’s Operations in Germany, Austria and Switzerland – Including Customer Bases – Forthstein, Liechtstein and Sustomer Basol, Liechtstein and Liechtste ($ 174.6 Million) in Cash Plus a Variable Consideration Tied to RTL’s Share Price. The deal, depending on the approval of the regulations, would combine the premium sports rights portfolio of Sky, including Bundesliga, DFB Cup, Premier League and Formula 1, with RTL’s entertainment and news brands.
RTL Deutschland continued to strengthen its sports offer, in which the DFB Cup rights are protected, rights for men from the 2026/27 season and extensive rights to the European Basketball Championship 2025, which will contain all German national team matches, select Knock -Out competitions and the latest live TV.
Other movements include the sale of March of magazine titles “Brigitte”, “Gala” and “Eltern” for Mediërgruppe in Funkeen, and the July closing of the € 1.1 billion ($ 1,280 billion) sale of RTL Nederland to DPG Media, with an expected € 5 ($ 5.82) in the dividend of duals, dual share of dividends of dual share of dividends of dividends in the share of the share of the share of the share of the share of the share of the share of the share of the share of the share of the share of the share of the share of the share of the share of the share of the share of the share of the share of the share of the share of dividends in the share of dividends in the share of dividends in the share of dividends in 2026. Advertising sale and first-look rights for new RTL Nederland programs.
RTL Group has also advanced its technical partnerships, member of a collaboration between Bertelsmann -OpenAi in January that gives early access to AI -Tools, and seeing RTL Hungary SmartClips Smartx adserver and SSP in March. RTL Zwei and Warner Bros. Discovery Germany Regulatory Talance for a joint sales house for TV and digital advertisements, which is expected to be launched in 2026.
The net debt amounted to € 1.052 billion ($ 1.224 billion) on 30 June, excluding lease obligations, but the group received € 1.1 billion ($ 1,280 billion) of the RTL Netherlands in July.
RTL Group confirmed the prospects of 2025, with a turnover of approximately € 6.45 billion ($ 7.509 billion) and adapted EBITA of approximately € 780 million ($ 907.1 million), assuming that the sale of TV advertisements in the second half is growing by 2-3%. Streaming profit is aimed at 2026.
“Our shareholders will benefit from the sale [of RTL Nederland] Via an expected dividend of € 5 per share, to be paid in 2026, “said CEO Thomas Rabe.” We are confident to considerably increase our operational profit in the coming years, driven by improved macro -economic conditions in Germany, streaming profitability and synergies from the Sky Deutschland -Acquisition. “
