'X Factor' Producer, German TV Boost RTL Group Third-Quarter Financials

11:59 PM PST 11/12/2012 by Scott Roxborough

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Growth in Germany offsets weaker trends elsewhere in Europe as the TV giant's revenue climbs to $1.64 billion.

  COLOGNE, Germany - Continued growth in the still-robust German free TV market and the continued global success of production arm FremantleMedia's Got Talent and X Factor TV formats helped parent company RTL Group to improved third-quarter financials.

RTL Group Revenue Rises, Earnings Drop in First Half

Martha Stewart Living, FremantleMedia Partner on Lifestyle Projects for TV, Digital

 Revenue for the quarter was up 5.5 percent to $1.64 billion (€1.296 billion), with operating profits (EBITDA) up 5.8 percent tot $209 million (€165 million).

Fremantle and RTL's German operations accounted for the bulk of that growth, with advertising markets in the rest of Europe posting lower revenue for the third quarter.

 For the year to date, operating profit is down 9.8 percent to $851 million (€671 million) even as revenue for the first nine months of 2012 increased 4 percent to $5.2 billion (€4.11 billion).