M6 sees Q2 ad sales down over 11 pct - report

PARIS, June 29 (Reuters) - M6 (MMTP.PA), France's second largest commercial TV broadcaster, expects advertising revenue at its flagship M6 channel to decline by over 11 percent in the second quarter amid tough economic conditions, Executive Chairman Nicolas de Tavernost said in a newspaper interview.

"In the second quarter the revenue decline of the (M6) channel should be steeper than the 11 percent drop recorded in the first three months of the year," Tavernost told Les Echos. "The economic climate remains bad," he added.

Programming costs at M6 were expected to decline by around 12 percent this year. Excluding the cost of broadcasting the Euro 2008, programming costs should be "flat or slightly lower" Tavernost said.

M6 is also open to developing synergies with pay-TV channel Canal Plus (VIV.PA), notably in advertising, he added.

(Reporting by Dominique Vidalon; editing by Mike Nesbit)

((dominique.vidalon.reuters.com; +33 1 49495432; Reuters Messaging:dominique.vidalon.reuters.com@reuters.net)) Keywords: M6/

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