Pressemeldungen

Bauer Media Group performs extremely well

The Bauer Media Group, one of Europe‘s leading media companies, performed extremely well in fiscal year 2009. In the wake of the global economic and financial crisis, advertising business and sales revenues are only cautiously returning to normal in the media industry, while substantial market concentration and increased competition are burdening circulation and sales.

The Bauer Media Group, one of Europe‘s leading media companies, performed extremely well in fiscal year 2009. In the wake of the global economic and financial crisis, advertising business and sales revenues are only cautiously returning to normal in the media industry, while substantial market concentration and increased competition are burdening circulation and sales.

Through foreign acquisitions, the Bauer Media Group considerably strengthened its market position and sources of income over the past two years so that it is now consolidating them.

In the 2009 reporting year for the first time in the company‘s history, the Bauer Media Group’s consolidated sales passed the two-billion-euro mark with an increase of 17.7 per cent or EUR 316.8 million for a total of EUR 2.107 billion.

Despite a slight decline, consolidated sales continue to be over EUR 2 billion (projected EUR 2.029 billion) in the 2010 fiscal year. The domestic sales revenues, which have declined versus the previous year, are attributed to declines in the sales division and changes to the list of consolidated companies.

The growth generated in 2009 contrary to the industry trend is primarily attributed to the acquisition in the UK, which received a full report for the first time. Sales in the United Kingdom consequently climbed by EUR 431.9 million to EUR 565.2 million.

Accounting for a substantial share of 57.6 per cent, foreign sales of the Bauer Media Group now exceed sales in Germany for the first time and the trend continues.

With EUR 893.7 million, Germany still continues to be the most important market, far ahead of the UK (EUR 565.2 million), Poland (EUR 241.0 million) and the US (EUR 217.3 million).

The Group’s sales revenues increased by 11.6 per cent to EUR 1.357 billion versus 2008. At 64.4 per cent, they comprise the largest portion of consolidated sales.

Advertisement revenues grew by 13.3 million to EUR 378.1 million in 2009. Increases in foreign sales compensated for the decline in the domestic advertisement business brought about by the crisis.

Sales from radio have more than tripled in 2009 in comparison to the previous year reaching a total of EUR 166.5 million. This is mainly due to the acquisition in the UK.

Sales in the area of digital media are currently of rather marginal, yet rapidly increasing significance. In 2009, they amounted to EUR 41 million, which is approximately 40 per cent more than the previous year.

The average annual number of employees of the Bauer Media Group also increased in 2009 by 1,528 employees for a total of 8,493 employees (2010 projection: 8,000 employees). The first-time inclusion of the magazine and radio business divisions in the UK with 2,000 employees was in contrast to a workforce reduction of 519 jobs within Germany due to changes to the group of consolidated companies.

PRINT
The Bauer Media Group publishes 323 magazines in 15 countries. In Germany, the media company succeeded in expanding its market position in the young people’s magazine segment and maintaining its market leadership in programme guides and women’s entertainment magazines.

In terms of foreign markets, the UK is the most important market for the Bauer Media Group. A total of 79 magazines are published there. With its extensive portfolio ranging from TV guides to special interest titles, the Bauer Media Group is the largest magazine publishing house in the UK.

Bauer Media Group titles also did well on other magazine markets. In some Eastern European countries, the media company was not only able to maintain its market shares, but to increase them. Magazines that combine entertaining and advisory elements are particularly marketable.

With a total of 84 publications in Poland, the Bauer Media Group is the market leader in multiple segments including TV guides and women’s and youth magazines. Its market share among programme guides even exceeds 90 per cent.

RADIO AND TV
In addition to the print business, the Bauer Media Group is also active in other areas of business. In Poland the Group owns the country’s largest radio company: Grupa RMF comprises three stations. With 11.1 million listeners daily, Grupa RMF has a 36.8 per cent share of the Polish radio market.

The Bauer Media Group operates the second-largest commercial radio group in the UK, with a share of 25.8 per cent. A total of 42 programmes are broadcast on the Bauer Radio Network in England, Scotland and Northern Ireland. In 21 of 25 regional markets, the respective stations rank number one or two. With over 13 million listeners in the second quarter of 2010, the radio stations of the Bauer Media Group reported record coverage.

The two equity interests of the Bauer Media Group in Germany, 25 per cent of RADIO HAMBURG and 31.2 per cent of the TV channel RTL II, have shown themselves to be profitable.

DIGITAL MEDIA
The relentless growth of digital media in Germany continues. The combination of innovative strength and strong media brands creates considerable marketing potential. In Germany, this is evident in the increasing reach of Bauer products during the reporting year and in the first half of 2010. The annual average of all online websites of the Bauer Media Group registered an increase of 24 per cent at mid-year versus the previous year with 13.1 million visits and 71 per cent more page impressions at 165.5 million.

Incoming orders in the scope of the advertising volume for the online products of BRAVO, TV Movie, WUNDERWEIB – the master brand for 30 Bauer women’s magazines – the food portal LECKER.de and AUTO ZEITUNG were up 70 per cent versus the corresponding period last year.

In Poland the Bauer Media Group expanded its existing participating interest in the third-largest general internet portal INTERIA.PL in 2009 to 100 per cent. The reach of INTERIA.PL grew between June 2009 and June 2010 from 10.2 million monthly visits by real users to 10.9 million, generating 1.33 billion page impressions

With 69 websites, nearly every print magazine, radio station and TV channel of the Bauer Media Group in the UK has an internet presence. The Bauer Media Group is currently expanding its existing portals and making them increasingly available on mobile devices.

Worldwide the Bauer Media Group offers 109 online products.

FLEXIBLE LOGISTICS
In 2009 the logistics division was positioned under the new family brand Bauer Postal Network (BPN). Within a year, the alternative postal service provider had established itself as a strong logistics brand. Over 140 million deliveries were transported, primarily for large customers from the areas of mail-order business, marketing, services and publishing houses. As a result, the Bauer Media Group is the only media company capable of delivering post across Germany with coverage of 84 per cent of all households.

Joachim A. Klähn
Communication and Press Relations