MILAN, April 19 (Reuters) - MediaForEurope (MFE) targets a profit at both the net and operating level in 2023 despite a stagnating advertising market, after net income plunged 42% last year, Italy's largest private broadcaster said on Wednesday.

MFE, which is owned by the family of former Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi, has recently been at the centre of speculation over its future due to the worsening health conditions of its founder who is currently in hospital.

MFE said advertising sales in its key domestic market in the first quarter of 2023 had been broadly in line with the same period of 2022 - the only quarter of last year which showed a growth versus 2021.

As for Spain, where the group also operates, ad sales improved in March and April after a tough start to the year. (Reporting by Valentina Za, editing Federico Maccioni)