The ProSiebenSat.1 Group increased its audience share in almost all markets compared to the same period of the previous year, according to the broadcaster’s Q3 report.
The company has launched new TV stations in the past months and thus could gain market shares in the individual regions.
In Germany, Sat.1, ProSieben, kabel eins and sixx achieved a combined market share of 29.4% in the third quarter, a gain of 0.5% compared to the previous year quarter. The four stations even broke the 30% barrier in September jointly. In the same month, the new station sixx achieved a daily market share of more than 1% for the first time.
The group’s Scandinavian stations enjoyed particularly high growth rates. In Norway, TVNorge, Fem, Max and The Voice achieved a market share of 17.0% in the third quarter, 2.2% more than in the same period of the previous year.
This growth is primarily due to the successful development of Max, which has steadily increased its ratings since its launch in November 2010 and is now the second-largest Norwegian station aimed at a male target group, with a market share of 2.9%.
In Finland, strong performance of TV5 and the second granted 24-hour broadcasting license in the second quarter led to a significant rise in market share. In the third quarter, TV5 and The Voice achieved a combined audience share of 6.2%, up 2.5% percentage points year-on-year.
The ProSiebenSat.1 Group said that in the third quarter of 2011, revenues increased by 8.9% to €594.5 million. Recurring EBITDA was up 19.5% at €163.6 million year-on-year. Including the gain on the disposal of the group’s activities (SBS Broadcasting) in the Netherlands, consolidated net profit after taxes and non-controlling interests increased by €307.8 million to €340.3 million.
In the third quarter of 2011, the ProSiebenSat.1 Group recorded revenues growth of 6.6% to €413.9 million (previous year: €388.2 million) in the German-speaking TV segment – its largest revenues segment, which covers Germany, Austria and Switzerland. The group increased its revenues from TV advertising in all three markets.
On the international front, the ‘Free TV’ segment was driven by the Scandinavian stations. At €102.3 million, segment revenues were up significantly compared to the previous year figure (+14.9% or €13.3 million), with Norway and Denmark making a particularly significant contribution through higher TV advertising revenues. Distribution revenues also increased.
However, revenues in the Eastern European TV markets were down compared to the previous year due to the recessionary economic environment. In light of this development, recurring EBITDA declined by 13.4% to €15.5 million (previous year: €17.9 million).
The further growth of the ProSiebenSat.1 Group is based on a four-pillar strategy aimed at diversifying the group’s activities even more systematically in the future and becoming less dependent on advertising financed TV business.
At the beginning of the financial year 2012, the company will gear its segment reporting more strongly to the four pillars of its growth strategy: Broadcasting German-speaking, Broadcasting International and the two pillars Digital & Adjacent and Content Production & Global Sales.
