European media conglomerate RTL Group on Tuesday posted first-half figures showing strong growth in streaming, with revenue up 3.9% to €2.9 billion ($ 3.3 billion), while revenues from its linear TV side and its Fremantle content business were down.
The acquisition of pay-TV operation Sky Deutschland from Comcast in June has also increased the group’s revenue base. RTL said it now expects 2026 revenue of €7.1 to €7.2 billion, ($8.20 billion-$8.32 billion), up from its previous forecast of €6.1 billion to €6.2 billion that it issued in March.
The deal will see Sky Deutschland merge with RTL+, creating a streaming platform with 12.4 million paid subscriptions across Germany, Austria and Switzerland. The company’s streaming operations also include M6+ in France.
Adjusted EBITDA (Earnings Before Interest, Taxes, Depreciation and Amortization) was €239 million ($275 million) during the January-June period, up almost 50% from a year ago.
“Our streaming businesses deliver strong profitability,” said RTL Group CEO Clément Schwebig in a statement. “Streaming revenue and paid subscriptions continue to grow dynamically. As a result, streaming is now expected to contribute around €100 million ($115 million) to our full-year operating profit,” he added. “We are now the clear No. 3 in the German-speaking streaming market,” Schwebig went on to note, calling the Sky Deutschland deal “transformational” for RTL.
RTL’s streaming boost compensated for drops in its traditional TV business, where advertising revenue fell 4% while its production operations at Fremantle were down 7.7% year-on-year at $964 million (€835 million). But Schwebig said he expects a rise in Fremantle revenues by the year’s end with the rollout of new shows, including its “Baywatch” reboot that will debut in the U.S. on Fox in January 2027 and its thriller “Kill Jackie,” starring Catherine Zeta-Jones, which was acquired by HBO Max across key European markets ahead of its fall 2026 launch following earlier distribution deals with Prime Video and AMC+.
“Fremantle will continue to invest significantly in IP development, in acquisitions of small and medium-sized production companies with a strong IP base and in the deployment of artificial intelligence across the company’s value chain,” Schwebig noted.
