RTL Streaming Business Sees Surge in Subscribers, Nearing Profitability

European television giant RTL Group is making big strides towards profitability in its streaming division. Last year, the company saw a 21% increase in subscribers for its streaming services in Germany, Hungary, and France, totaling over 6.8 million viewers. Streaming revenue also saw a substantial 42% boost, reaching $440 million.

In RTL’s year-end report, released recently, the company shared that their streaming services, like RTL+ in Germany and Hungary, as well as the new M6+ platform in France, saw significant growth. The increase in revenue was attributed to price adjustments for the RTL+ service in Germany. The German market accounts for the majority of subscribers, with around 6.06 million paying customers. Additionally, start-up losses for the streaming division decreased by 22%, coming in at $149 million.

CEO Thomas Rabe expressed his excitement over these results, calling them a “turning point” for the company in the digital realm. Rabe stated that their streaming services have been growing steadily and are on track to reach profitability by 2026. RTL’s partnership with Deutsche Telekom, extending RTL+ Premium’s integration into Telekom’s MagentaTV until 2030, is expected to drive even more subscriber growth in Germany. Early results in France are also promising, indicating a bright future for the company’s streaming business.