RTL Group

RTL Group S.A.

RTL Group, the leading European Entertainment Network
Type	Public
Traded as	FWB: RRTL
Industry	Mass media
Founded	11 May 1920 (as Société Luxembourgeoise d'Études Radiophoniques) 30 May 1931 (as the Compagnie Luxembourgeoise de Radiodiffusion) 2000 (as RTL Group)
Headquarters	Kirchberg, Luxembourg
Key people	Thomas Rabe, Chairman Anke Schäferkordt, Co-CEO Guillaume de Posch, Co-CEO Elmar Heggen, CFO
Products	Television, radio, broadcasting, cable and content production
Revenue	€5.998 billion (2012)
Number of employees	11,931 (2012)
Parent	Bertelsmann (75.1%)
Website	www.rtlgroup.com

RTL Group is a leading European entertainment company. It has interests in 54 television and 29 radio stations in 10^[1] countries. The Luxembourg-based media group operates TV channels and radio stations in Germany, France, Belgium, the Netherlands, Luxembourg, Spain, Hungary, Croatia, and Asia as well as production companies throughout the world. It is majority-owned by German media conglomerate Bertelsmann. Its shares are quoted on the Xetra stock exchange (Germany).

It is one of the world's leading producers of television content, such as game shows and soaps (particularly through its ownership of London-based FremantleMedia), including The X Factor, Pop Idol, Good Times, Bad Times, The Price Is Right, Family Feud, and The Bill.

RTL originally stood for Radio Television Lëtzebuerg (in Luxemburgish), Radio Télévision Luxembourg (in French) or Radio Television Luxemburg (in German).

Today's RTL Group began in 1924 with a single radio station operated from a private home in Luxembourg. In 1931 CLR or Compagnie Luxembourgeoise de Radiodiffusion, which operated Radio Luxembourg, was founded. CLR was one of 23 founding broadcasting organisations of the European Broadcasting Union in 1950. RTL Group is still an EBU-member under a previous name: CLT Multi Media. In 1954 it was renamed CLT or Compagnie Luxembourgeoise de Télédiffusion and started television broadcasts. In 1997 it merged with Hamburg-based UFA Film- und Fernseh-GmbH (successor to the pre-1945 UFA), a subsidiary of global media conglomerate Bertelsmann to create CLT-UFA. In 2000 it merged with Pearson TV and became RTL Group. As of January 2014, Bertelsmann owns a 75.1% stake in the publicly listed company.

One of the major reasons for RTL's early success, apart from the merits related to the programming content itself, was that Luxembourg allowed commercial radio and TV stations long before other European countries. This flexibility enabled RTL to transmit to other countries (such as the United Kingdom, France, Germany, and the Netherlands) in their own languages. Many British radio presenters began their careers on Radio Luxembourg before moving to the BBC and to commercial broadcasters in the UK. In the 1970s, Radio Luxembourg's English-language audiences declined as a result of new music stations in the UK, and the service ceased broadcasting in the early 1990s on the Astra 1A satellite, often referred to as the Astra Satellite, as SES only operated one satellite originally. Radio Luxembourg relaunched in November 2005 and is currently available online at www.radioluxembourg.co.uk and on Digital Radio Mondiale. A sister station, Atlantic 252 was a long-wave radio station jointly run by RTL Group and Irish broadcaster RTÉ. It ceased broadcasting live on December 20, 2001.

RTL is a member of the Hybrid Broadcast Broadband TV (HbbTV) consortium of broadcasting and Internet industry companies that is promoting and establishing an open European standard (called HbbTV) for hybrid set-top boxes for the reception of broadcast TV and broadband multimedia applications with a single user interface. RTL Television (Germany) has been operating HbbTV services since 2010.^[2]

In August 2013, RTL announced a joint venture for the Asian market with CBS Corporation and the launch of two new TV channels. RTL CBS Entertainment will be the first channel, expected to launch in September. Another channel, RTL CBS Extreme is announced for early 2014. The joint venture operates under the newly founded RTL CBS Asia Entertainment Network.^[3]

In 2014, European broadcasting group RTL Group had taken control of StyleHaul, a YouTube fashion platform. RTL raised its stake in StyleHaul to 93.6 percent for $107 million.^[4]

Television stations

• Asia

RTL CBS Entertainment

RTL CBS Extreme

BIG RTL Thrill

• Belgium

RTL TVI

Club RTL

Plug RTL

• Croatia

RTL Televizija

RTL 2

RTL Kockica

RTL PLUS (until 2015.)

RTL Living (since 2015.)

RTL Crime (since 2015.)

RTL Passion (since 2015.)

• France

M6

M6 Boutique & Co.

Paris Première

RTL9

Série Club

Téva

TF6

6ter

W9

M6 Music Hits

M6 Music Black

M6 Music Club

• Germany

RTL Television

VOX

RTL II

Super RTL

n-tv

Passion

RTL Crime

RTL Living

RTL Nitro

GEO Television

• Hungary

RTL Klub

RTL II

Cool TV

Film+

Film+ 2

RTL +

Sorozat+

Muzsika TV

• Luxembourg

RTL Télé Lëtzebuerg

Den 2. RTL

• Netherlands (RTL Nederland, formerly known as Holland Media Groep or HMG and until 1995 RTL 4 SA)

RTL 4 (started in 1989 as RTL Veronique, renamed in 1990 as RTL 4)

RTL 5

RTL 7 (formerly known as Yorin)

RTL 8 (formerly known as Talpa, Tien)

RTL Lounge

RTL Crime

RTL Telekids

RTL 24 (TV on your mobile)

• Spain

Grupo Antena 3

Former stations

• RTL 7, a Polish-language satellite television channel was sold in December 2001 to TVN owners ITI and became TVN 7.
• Media Capital, a Portuguese media group was sold to Prisa on 6 February 2007. Subsequently, RTL's 33% share in TVI was transferred to Prisa.
• Five (now re-branded Channel 5), a UK TV channel was sold to Richard Desmond's Northern & Shell on 23 July 2010.^[5]
• Alpha TV, a Greek channel with panhellenic transmission. The 66.6% of shares was sold from Dimitris Kontominas to RTL Group. The shares was return from RTL Group to Dimitris Kontominas in 5 January 2012.

Radio stations

Station followed by RTL's present share amount percentage.

France

RTL (100%)

RTL2 (100%)

Fun Radio (100%)

Germany

104.6 RTL (100%)

RTL Radio die besten Hits aller Zeiten (100%)

The Wave (German radio) (100%)

Antenne Bayern (16%)

Radio Hamburg (29.17%)

Radio NRW (16.96%)

Radio 21 (17.3%)

Big FM (7.74%)

Radio Regenbogen (15.75%)

Radio Dresden (31.9%)

Radio Leipzig (31.9%)

Radio Chemnitz (31.9%)

Radio Lausitz (31.9%)

Radio Zwickau (31.9%)

Vogtland Radio (31.9%)

Hit radio RTL (30.5%)

Antenne Mecklenburg-Vorpommern (19.7%)

Radio Brocken (53.5%)

89.0 RTL (53.5%)

Antenne Thüringen (15%)

Radio Ton (2%)

BB Radio (unknown)

105'5 Spreeradio (33.8%)

Radio Top 40 (unknown)

Oldie 95 (4.78%)

Rock Antenne (16%)

Luxembourg

RTL Radio Letzebuerg (100%)

RTL Radio die besten Hits Aller Zeiten UKW 93,3 und 97,0 (100%)

Eldoradio (74,8%)

Netherlands

RTL Lounge Radio

Belgium

Bel RTL (44,2%) (but operational control)

Radio Contact (Belgium) (44,2%) (but operational control)

Mint (44,2%) (but operational control)

Spain

Onda Cero (18.6%)

Europa FM (18.6%)

Former stations

• Rádio Comercial, Cidade FM, Best Rock FM and Rádio Clube and other stations in Portugal, were transferred to Prisa when RTL sold its 33% share in Media Capital group in February 2007. End of 2011, Radio 538, Radio 10 Gold, Slam!FM and Juize were sold to Talpa Holding NV as part of an exchange of shares in RTL Nederland.
• Radio Luxembourg, London, United Kingdom, English services.
• Alpha 98.9, a Greek radio station. The 66.6% of shares was sold from Dimitris Kontominas to RTL Group. The shares was return from RTL Group to Dimitris Kontominas in 5 January 2012.

Production

• FremantleMedia

Technical Services

• Broadcasting Center Europe

Located in Luxembourg, Broadcasting Center Europe is a European company providing technical services in the fields of TV, Radio, Telecommunications and IT. BCE was founded in January 2000 as a result of the merger of several technical entities of the RTL Group.

Others

• European News Exchange

Located in Luxembourg, ENEX (or European News Exchange) is an association of leading commercial TV broadcasters around the world which share their news content and production resources.

References

1. ↑ Rtlgroup :: About Us :: At A Glance
2. ↑ Robert Briel. German RTL to support HbbTV. Broadband TV News August 27, 2009. Retrieved August 30, 2009
3. ↑ Roxborough, Scott (13 August 2013). "CBS, Europe's RTL Group Partner on Asian TV Channels". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved 13 August 2013. 
4. ↑ "RTL takes control of YouTube fashion platform". Investing.com. 4 November 2014. Retrieved 4 November 2014. 
5. ↑ "RTL Group sells UK broadcaster Five" (Press release). RTL Group. 23 July 2010. Retrieved 24 July 2010. 

External links

• RTL Group
• Official history
• Bertelsmann site
• Careers RTL

SDAX companies of Germany Air Berlin Alstria Office REIT Amadeus Fire Balda Bauer Bertrandt Biotest C.A.T. Oil Centrotec Sustainable CeWe Color comdirect bank CTS Eventim Delticom Deutz AG Deutsche Beteiligungs DIC Asset Gesco GfK Grammer Grenkeleasing H&R WASAG Hamborner HHLA Hawesko Holding Heidelberger Druckmaschinen Highlight Communications Hornbach Holding Indus Holding Jungheinrich Koenig & Bauer KWS Saat MLP AG MVV Energie Patrizia Immobilien Praktiker Prime Office RTL Group SAF-Holland Schaltbau SKW Stahl-Metallurgie Holding Sixt SMT Scharf Ströer Out-of-Home Media TAKKT Tipp24 Tom Tailor Vossloh VTG Wacker Neuson Zooplus

RTL Group Mediengruppe RTL Deutschland Germany, Austria and Switzerland TV: RTL Television VOX RTL II[gl 1] Super RTL[gl 2] n-tv RTL Crime RTL Living Passion RTL Nitro GEO Television Radio: RTL Radio 104.6 RTL, Antenne Bayern[gl 3] Radio Hamburg[gl 4] Radio NRW[gl 5] 105'5 Spreeradio Radio 21 (Germany)[gl 6] Radio Regenbogen[gl 7] Big FM[gl 8] Hitradio RTL Sachsen[gl 8] Hit-Radio Antenne[gl 9] Radio Brocken (50%) 89.0 RTL Antenne Thüringen (15%) Radio Ton (2%) Rock Antenne[gl 3] Sachsen Funkpaket (31/9%) Radio Dresden Radio Leipzig Radio Chemnitz Radio Lausitz Radio Zwickau Radio Erzgebirge Vogtland Radio Oldie 95 (4.78%) Radio Top 40 (15%) RTL Nederland Netherlands TV: RTL 4 RTL 5 RTL 7 RTL 8 RTL Lounge RTL Crime RTL Telekids RTL 24 RTL Z Radio: RTL Lounge Radio M6 Group (48.6%) France M6 W9 6ter Paris Première Téva Série Club[gl 10] TF6[gl 10] M6 Boutique & Co M6 Music M6 Music Black M6 Music Club Best of Shopping Girondins TV France TV: RTL9[gl 11] Radio: RTL RTL 2 Fun Radio RTL L'Equipe[gl 12] RTL Belgium TV: RTL-TVI [gl 13] Club RTL [gl 13] Plug RTL [gl 13] Radio: Bel RTL (44.2%) [gl 13] Radio Contact (44.2%) [gl 13] Mint (44,2%)[gl 13] RTL Luxembourg TV: RTL Télé Lëtzebuerg Den 2. RTL Radio: RTL Radio Lëtzebuerg RTL Radio RTL Hrvatska Croatia RTL Televizija RTL 2 Magyar RTL Televízió Hungary RTL Klub RTL II Prizma TV Cool Film+ Film+2 Sorozat+ Atresmedia Televisión Spain TV: Antena 3 LaSexta Neox Nova Radio: Onda Cero Europa FM Melodia FM RTL CBS Asia Entertainment Network Asia RTL CBS Entertainment[gl 14] RTL CBS Extreme[gl 14] India Big RTL Thrill[gl 15] Production FremantleMedia FremantleMedia Australia Blue Circle (Television production) Blu Productions Talkback (production company) Thames (production company) Retort (production company) Boundless (production company) UFA Grundy UFA Teamworx Phoenix Film ↑ joint venture with Tele München Fernseh, Heinrich Bauer Verlag and Burda. ↑ joint venture with The Walt Disney Company. ↑ 3.0 3.1 joint venture with Amperwelle Studio München Programmanbietergesellschaft, Axel Springer AG, Burda, Studio Gong, m.b.t. Mediengesellschaft der bayerischen Tageszeitungen für Kabelkommunikation, Medienpool and Radio Bavaria Rundfunkprogrammgesellschaft. ↑ joint venture with Axel Springer, Heinrich Bauer Verlag, Lühmanndruck Harburger Zeitungsgesellschaft and Morgenpost Verlag. ↑ joint venture with Pressefunk Nordrhein-Westfalen and Westdeutscher Rundfunk. ↑ joint venture with Funk & Fernsehen Nordwestdeutschland, Antenne Niedersachen and Niedersachsen Radio. ↑ joint venture with Mediengruppe Dr. Haas. ↑ 8.0 8.1 joint venture with Rheinland-Pfälzische Rundfunk. ↑ joint venture with Verlagsgesellschaft Madsack, Studio Gong Niedersachsen and Brune-Rieck-Beteiligungs. ↑ 10.0 10.1 joint venture with TF1 Group. ↑ joint venture with AB Groupe. ↑ joint venture with L'Équipe. ↑ 13.0 13.1 13.2 13.3 13.4 13.5 joint venture with TVI, LEMAIRE ELECTRONICS and Rossel. ↑ 14.0 14.1 joint venture with CBS Studios International. ↑ joint venture with Reliance Broadcast Network.

LuxX Index companies of Luxembourg Aperam ArcelorMittal Brederode Luxempart Reinet Investments RTL Group SES Socfinaf Socfinasia

Bertelsmann RTL Group (75.1%) Mediagroup RTL Germany (+Austria & Switzerland) TV RTL VOX RTL II[gl 1] Super RTL[gl 2] n-tv RTL Crime RTL Living RTL Nitro Radio RTL Radio 104.6 RTL, Radio Hamburg[gl 3] Big FM[gl 4] 89.0 RTL TRL NL TV RTL 4 RTL 5 RTL 7 RTL 8 RTL Lounge RTL Crime RTL Telekids M6 Group (48.6%) (France) TV M6 W9 6ter Paris Première TF6[gl 5] M6 Boutique & Co M6 Music M6 Music Black RTL9[gl 6] Radio RTL Fun Radio RTL Belgium TV RTL-TVI Club RTL Plug RTL[gl 7] Radio Radio Contact[gl 7] Bel RTL[gl 7] RTL Luxembourg TV RTL Télé Lëtzebuerg RTL Radio RTL Croatia TV RTL Televizija RTL 2 Hungary RTL TV TV RTL Klub RTL II Cool Atresmedia (Spain) TV Antena 3 Neox Nova Nitro LaSexta Xplora LaSexta3 Radio Onda Cero Europa FM FremantleMedia FremantleMedia Australia Talkback Thames UFA Grundy UFA Buzzr TV Gruner + Jahr Brigitte Capital GEO Stern Sächsische Zeitung (60%) Der Spiegel (25%) Prisma Press Femme Actuelle Prima Voici VSD Motor Press Stuttgart sport auto Aerokurier Auto, Motor und Sport News (56%) NEWS Profil arvato arvato Digital Services arvato services Other assets BMG Rights Management Direct Group Penguin Random House Verlagsgruppe Random House (Goldmann) ↑ joint venture with Tele München Fernseh, Heinrich Bauer Verlag and Burda. ↑ joint venture with The Walt Disney Company. ↑ joint venture with Axel Springer, Heinrich Bauer Verlag, Lühmanndruck Harburger Zeitungsgesellschaft and Morgenpost Verlag. ↑ joint venture with Rheinland-Pfälzische Rundfunk. ↑ joint venture with TF1 Group. ↑ joint venture with AB Groupe. ↑ 7.0 7.1 7.2 joint venture with TVI, LEMAIRE ELECTRONICS and Rossel. Category Commons