Groupe M6 opens Bedrock capital to RTL Group to promote new streaming technologies

With the aim of continuing its development and pooling investments on a European scale, Groupe M6 has opened the capital of Bedrock, allowing the RTL Group to acquire a 50% stake.

The growth of video consumption on all screens and on demand (AVOD and SVOD) represents a real opportunity to reinforce the power of television networks and brands. These new usage guidelines are based on cutting-edge technologies that require considerable investment, but which become strategic assets for the companies that control them.

Since 2008, the M6 Group has anticipated the need and importance of these technologies for its business and has developed internal expertise around its M6 Replay television platform, and as of 2013, around its 6play streaming service.

This technology unit, now called Bedrock and directed by Jonas Engwall, has more than 200 employees and has developed a technological platform that is currently used by 6Play, RTL Belgium, RTL Hungary and RTL Croatia.

Starting in June 2020, this platform will also be used by Salto's SVOD service which is being launched by the groups TF1, France Télévisions and M6. RTL Nederland will also use this technology for the next version of its catch-up and SVOD services, RTL XL and Videoland. Bedrock intends to license its technological platform to other European broadcasters, also outside the RTL group.

With the aim of continuing its development and pooling investments on a European scale, Groupe M6 has opened the capital of Bedrock, allowing the RTL Group acquire a 50% stake.

With this transaction, M6 and RTL aim to create a leading European developer in terms of streaming technologies. Furthermore, they do not rule out the entry of other shareholders.

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