Driven by the “historic” audiences of the Rugby World Cup, TF1 saw its profit jump last quarter

The broadcast of the Rugby World Cup brings in big profits for TF1 in the third quarter. The competition boosted the group's audiences and advertising revenues, particularly digital ones, partially offsetting a drop in its audiovisual production, according to a press release published Friday.

The group's net profit stood at 37.7 million euros, an increase of 57%, despite the increase in program costs linked in particular to competition. Thanks to the “historic” audiences of the World Cup, whose opening match brought together more than 15.6 million viewers, the group's advertising turnover increased by 7%, to 350.8 million euros. , and that of its myTF1 platform increased by 25%, to 22.1 million euros, over the period.

But overall, TF1's total turnover decreased by 8%, to 509.4 million euros, due to the sharp drop in revenues from the production subsidiary Newen Studios (-54.1%). This is explained, according to the group, by an unfavorable comparison effect over one year, and by the cessation of the sale of “Plus Belle La Vie” to France Télévision. The famous soap opera must, however, be reborn in 2024 on the channels of the TF1 group.

For the end of the year, TF1 still intends to benefit from the audiences for the final stages of the World Cup, despite the end of the Blues' run in the quarter-finals, and the return of the “Star Academy”. The group also maintained its annual outlook for a current operating margin rate “close to 2022”.