Mediafin strengthens its position with a multimedia strategy and younger audience
The latest figures from the CIM Press Study once again confirm the strong position of the business newspapers L’Echo and De Tijd. On an average day, the two titles together reach 517,200 readers, an increase of 89% over the past ten years.
Mediafin’s monthly reach is also growing significantly: with its four brands — L’Echo, De Tijd, Sabato, Mon Argent | Mijn geld — the media company now reaches 2,353,100 Belgians aged 16 and over, a +24% increase compared to the previous measurement period.
Growth Driven by Strong Newspaper Figures and Digital Acceleration
The increase in reach is mainly supported by the strong performance of the newspapers themselves, with a combined growth of +8.7% compared to the previous period. L’Echo and De Tijd also continue to expand their digital audiences: the average online daily reach (web + app) rose by +40%.
Ongoing investments in digital platforms — particularly in podcasts — have also led to a younger readership, with 28% now under 35 years old.
“We are particularly proud of the growth our newspaper titles are showing,” says Hans De Rore, Chief Commercial Officer at Mediafin. “L’Echo and De Tijd remain leading quality brands that continue to expand their readership, both in print and digital. The slight stagnation in total brand reach is mainly due to the revised CIM methodology and the discontinuation of podcast reach measurement.”
CIM Methodology Revised: Podcast Reach No Longer Included
The CIM Press Study underwent significant methodological changes this year, making comparisons with previous editions not entirely representative.
One of the major adjustments is that podcast reach is no longer measured. For L’Echo and De Tijd , this results in an underestimation of their total reach, as their daily podcasts Le Brief and De 7 together account for 1 million downloads per month.
Strong Performance Across the Entire Mediafin Portfolio
The positive trend extends beyond the business newspapers.
- Sabato (total brand) remains stable and even shows slight growth in a challenging magazine market.
- Mijn Geld | Mon Argent stands out with an impressive +46.5% increase, including +51.8% when the website is included.
Furthermore, the CIM study results are fully aligned with sales figures:
In 2024, De Tijd grew by +8.4% in paid circulation (print + digital) compared to 2023, while L’Echo recorded a +4.0% increase.
Multimedia Strategy Paying Off
The figures clearly demonstrate that Mediafin’s multimedia approach is working. Readers are finding their way to L’Echo and De Tijd content through various channels — from quick updates via podcasts, videos, and apps, to in-depth analyses in the newspaper or on the websites.
Today, these news brands are available anytime, anywhere, through whichever channel the reader prefers.
More information: Bart Gunst, Head of Marketing, BI & Advertising Operations via bart.gunst@trustmedia.be
Sources: CIM Belgian Publishing Survey 2025 – CIM Press Publication Authentified: January–December 2024 – CIM Gemius, avg. daily reach reference period Feb–May 2024–2025.