News | RTL Group | Luxembourg/Cologne, 08/08/2025

Half-Year Figures: Acceleration of RTL Group’s transformation

The number of paying streaming subscribers went up 15.3 per cent year on year to 7.2 million.

RTL Group today presented its financials for the first half of 2025. These are the highlights:

  • Streaming growth: paying subscribers up 15.3 per cent year on year to 7.2 million; streaming revenue up 27.0 per cent; start-up losses reduced by over 50 per cent in H1/2025 to €34 million
  • Renewal of distribution partnership with Deutsche Telekom until at least 2030
  • Announced acquisition of Sky Deutschland (DACH) to boost RTL Group’s streaming business and further diversify revenue streams
  • Significant value creation: sale of RTL Nederland to DPG Media for €1.1 billion completed; expected dividend from the transaction of €5 per share
  • H1/2025: Group revenue1 of €2.8 billion (H1/2024: €2.9 billion); Adjusted EBITA at €160 million (H1/2024: €172 million), broadly in line with expectations, due to cost containment
  • TV advertising revenue down 6.9 per cent, digital advertising revenue up 27.1 per cent in H1/2025
  • Outlook for 2025 confirmed: full-year Adjusted EBITA to increase to around €780 million, provided – as currently expected – RTL Group’s TV advertising revenue grows by 2 to 3 per cent in H2/2025

RTL Group’s revenue was down 3.2 per cent to €2,781 million (H1/2024: €2,872 million), mainly due to lower TV advertising and content revenue, partly offset by higher streaming revenue. RTL Group’s total advertising revenue was €1,405 million (H1/2024: €1,443 million), of which €1,018 million TV advertising revenue (H1/2024: €1,093 million), €230 million digital advertising revenue (H1/2024: €181 million) and €157 million radio, print and other advertising revenue (H1/2024: €169 million). RTL Group’s global content business Fremantle generated revenue of €905 million in the first half of 2025 (H1/2024: €957 million), down 5.4 per cent year on year. This was mainly due to lower revenue from the US and phasing effects, partly offset by the acquisition of Asacha Media Group in March 2024. The revenue decrease in the US was largely expected as the first half of 2024 benefited from a spin-off of America’s Got Talent.

Continued dynamic streaming growth

RTL Group‘s streaming revenue was up 27.0 per cent to €235 million (H1/2024: €185 million), driven by a higher number of paying subscribers, increased subscription prices in Germany and rapidly growing advertising revenue on RTL+ in Germany and M6+ in France. Distribution revenue was stable at €177 million (H1/2024: €177 million).

RTL Group‘s adjusted EBITA decreased 7.0 per cent to €160 million (H1/2024: €172 million), mainly due to the decrease in TV advertising revenue. This was partly offset by lower streaming start-up losses, reduced by 59.5 per cent to €34 million (H1/2024: €84 million). Adjusted EBITA margin was 5.8 per cent (H1/2024: 6.0 per cent).

The total Group profit decreased to €59 million (H1/2024: €173 million), mainly due to one-time effects, including higher special items and positive fair value measurement effects in the first half of 2024. Group profit from continuing operations was down to €6 million (H1/2024: €110 million). Group profit from discontinued operations was €53 million (H1/2024: €63 million).

“We are accelerating the transformation of RTL Group.”

Thomas Rabe, Chief Executive Officer of RTL Group: “In the first half of 2025, we made key steps to accelerate the transformation of RTL Group. We grew our streaming revenue by almost 30 per cent, renewed our successful distribution partnership with Deutsche Telekom until 2030 and announced the acquisition of Sky Deutschland. Following a long regulatory review, we closed the sale of RTL Nederland to DPG Media. Our shareholders will benefit from the sale via an expected dividend of €5 per share, payable in 2026. Over the past five years, we have focused RTL Group’s portfolio on our biggest business units. We have generated proceeds from disposals of more than €2.7 billion with high cash returns to our shareholders. We are confident to significantly increase our operating profits in the coming years, driven by improved macroeconomic conditions in Germany, streaming profitability and synergies from the Sky Deutschland acquisition, when approved by the regulators.”