Mediaset is back in profit after last year’s ill-fated deal with Canal+ put the Italian broadcaster in the red.
Net revenues totalled €3,631.0 million, compared with €3,667.0 million in 2016.
The company says it has transformed its pay-TV offer, making it less dependent on football and more on content distribution, having opened up the terrestrial platform to third parties, including Sky.
Mediaset has also acquired frequencies from LCN and the rights to the Focus TV brand with the aim of strengthening the offer of Mediaset’s free thematic channels. Canale 20 was launched in 2018 and the new Focus channel will launch in mid-May.
Football is not completely off the agenda as Mediaset has the exclusive rights to the World Cup in Russia. For the first time the Mediaset Group will broadcast all the matches for free in both Italy and Spain.