RTL Group is successfully executing its digital transformation strategy, reporting a massive surge in both streaming and digital advertising revenues for the first nine months of 2025. As the European media giant navigates a challenging linear market, its aggressive investment in new media is delivering double-digit growth, positioning the company for a profitable streaming future by 2026.
The group’s financial results reveal a pivotal shift in its revenue mix. Digital advertising revenue jumped 31.7% to €345 million between January and September, accelerating even further in the third quarter with a remarkable 40.2% increase.
This dynamic growth is proving vital to the group’s resilience. According to the quarterly statement, this digital surge has effectively ‘compensated the decrease of TV advertising revenue by 70 per cent’, validating CEO Thomas Rabe‘s strategy of expanding the group’s digital footprint while linear markets face headwinds.
RTL Group’s streaming services—led by RTL+ in Germany and M6+ in France—are growing faster than ever. The number of paying subscribers climbed 17.4% year-on-year to 7.6 million by the end of September. Consequently, streaming revenue rose 26.6% to €351 million, driven by subscriber gains, price increases, and rapidly growing advertising inventory on the platforms.
CEO Thomas Rabe expressed strong confidence in the division’s trajectory: ‘All streaming performance indicators – revenue, paying subscribers and viewing time – continue to point in the right direction. We are confident to pass the 8 million mark by the end of this year’.
Crucially, the ‘start-up’ phase is nearing its end. The group confirmed it will reduce streaming losses by more than 50% to around €50 million this year, keeping it firmly on track to operate a profitable streaming business in 2026.
Beyond organic growth, RTL Group is fortifying its market position through high-profile alliances. The company highlighted new partnerships with Amazon and Warner Bros. Discovery spanning streaming, advertising sales, and technology, which are expected to further drive monetization.
Looking ahead, the group confirmed its medium-term Adjusted EBITA target of €1 billion. This optimistic outlook is underpinned by the expectation of streaming profitability from 2026 onwards, significant cost reductions, AI efficiency gains, and the anticipated synergies from the acquisition of Sky Deutschland.
‘We are well positioned when the markets regain momentum’, Rabe concluded, signaling that the company’s structural transformation is building a robust foundation for future growth.
