Mediaset continues pay-TV growth

Mediaset’s pay-TV revenue increased 39% to €560.6m in 2009, with the number of active Mediaset Premium cards reaching 3.7 million at the end of the year, up by 800,000 on the previous year.

The Italian broadcaster posted consolidated net revenues in 2009 of €3.2bn for its Italian business, an increase of 0.3% on the previous year. Mediaset said the growth was down to the “excellent” performance of Mediaset Premium and a combination of other non-television activities.

Gross ad sales reached €2.6bn in 2009, down 8.6%. Overall full-year profit was down 41% to €272.4m.