TF1 is France’s leading commercial channel, and is widely watched by Belgium’s French-speaking region with a 15.5 per cent market share. However, to date, TF1 gains very little – if any – advertising support from Belgium businesses.  That is about to change, says Belgian daily Le Soir.

The newspaper is reporting that TF1 is looking at the Belgium TV ad market in a will to launch its own Belgium advertising sales house, to monetise its audience there. The article reports TF1 has contacted several ad sales houses in Belgium including RTBF and IP (RTL) but also Flemish (non-French speaking) ad sales house: SBS.

RTL generates around 3.5 per cent of its revenues from Belgium where it has a 25 per cent market share in French-speaking Belgium.

Equity analysts at Exane-BNP/Paribas, in a note to clients on November 28th, say: “It would make sense for TF1 to monetise its 15.5 per cent  audience share in French-speaking Belgium. TF1 already tried to create its Belgium ad sales house in 1989 but it was stopped by local broadcasters, which will try to prevent it again.  Article reports TF1 also contacted a Flemish sales house in order to get around the opposition of French-Speaking ad sales houses.”

Categories: Advertising, Articles, Broadcast