French broadcaster M6 ad revenue rises in Q2

France's second-largest broadcast group M6 posted higher first-half revenue and profit on Tuesday, helped by a recent pickup in advertising on its key TV channel and an uptick in its digital business. The recovery in advertising that started in the first quarter was confirmed in the second quarter as revenue at M6's main channel climbed 12.3 per cent to €190.9m ($246m). M6, which competes with France's biggest broadcaster TF1 and state-backed France Televisions, made €742.1m in revenue and 132.5m in earnings before interest, tax and amortisation (EBITA) in the first half.

Chief Executive Nicolas de Tavernost told Reuters in an interview he was optimistic about advertising prospects in the third quarter, though he cautioned that the industry had to get used to having less visibility than before the economic crisis. "The trend for the third quarter is positive," he said. "We are not worried about next quarter although we must remain careful and will not give guidance." Asked whether the ad trends in the third quarter would improve as much as they did in the second, he said such an increase would "perhaps be a bit too much" to expect as of now. M6, which has about 10 per cent audience share, suffered a bit in the second quarter from the fact that its larger rival TF1 broadcast most games of the World Cup soccer competition this summer. M6 said first-half net profit was up 5.5 per cent to €84.4m.