week 23 / 4 June 2015
GET YOUR BUZZR READY FremantleMedia North America launches Buzzr – a new digital network and a Youtube channel
The Netherlands / North America France Germany RTL XL teams up with RTL Radio held its first UFA Serial Drama SpotXchange competition in digital produces web series journalism Why week 23 / 4 June 2015
GET YOUR BUZZR READY FremantleMedia North America launches Buzzr a new digital network and a Youtube channel
The Netherlands / North America France Germany RTL XL teams up with RTL Radio held its first UFA Serial Drama SpotXchange competition in digital Digital produces journalism web series Why
Cover Montage
Publisher RTL Group 45, Bd Pierre Frieden L-1543 Luxembourg
Editor, Design, Production RTL Group Corporate Communications & Marketing
k before y hin ou T p r in t
backstage.rtlgroup.com backstage.rtlgroup.fr backstage.rtlgroup.de QUICK VIEW
RTL XL goes programmatic first with SpotXchange SpotXchange / RTL Nederland p.9 FremantleMedia’s Buzzr takes off in the USA and online FremantleMedia North America Winners of the first p.4–8 RTL Challenge revealed RTL Radio (France) p.10
On the trail of ‘Why’ Second to none UFA Serial Drama / FremantleMedia UK RTL Interactive p.12 p.11
RTL Group to organise RTL Radio champions environMINDday 2015 employment RTL Group RTL Radio (France) p.13 p.14
SHORT Big Picture p.15 NEWS p.16–17
PEOPLE
p.18–20 FREMANTLEMEDIA’S BUZZR TAKES OFF IN THE USA AND ONLINE
North America – 4 June 2015 FremantleMedia North America
A TIME CAPSULE
Buzzr is a time capsule, an unending celebration where viewers can play along to some of FremantleMedia North America’s vast portfolio of more than 40,000 iconic game show episodes 4 On 1 June 2015, FremantleMedia North America At the announcement of the launch in January (FMNA) unlocked the vault on six decades of iconic 2015, the then FMNA CEO Thom Beers said: game shows, which will be airing on the new digital “FremantleMedia has consistently been the leader multicast network Buzzr. In March 2015, FMNA in the game-show space, with long-running and also launched Buzzr Games, a Youtube channel more-popular-than-ever titles such as Family Feud featuring re-formats of FremantleMedia’s popular and The Price is Right. There is a huge opportunity game shows. for us to not only be a producer in the space, but also a programmer. We are thrilled to have Fox, one Buzzr – A nostalgic ride of the nation’s largest owned-and-operated network broadcast groups, as our launch partner on Buzzr.”
Buzzr will pool classic game show titles from FMNA’s portfolio of more than 40,000 vintage game show episodes, and show them round the clock. Featured titles include Family Feud, where the outrageously entertaining Richard Dawson kissed every female contestant; What’s My Line, featuring timeless cultural icons such as a sharp-witted twenty-something Betty White and a young Muhammad Ali; and renowned shows To Tell the Truth, Match Game, Password, Beat the Clock, Blockbusters and Card Sharks. Next >
Buzzr is FremantleMedia’s first entry into the channel space. The network devoted to game shows has launched across Fox-owned-and-operated markets in the USA, covering 35 per cent of the States, including nine out of the top ten broadcast markets. As a leader in game shows, FMNA is planning to grow its footprint across more US markets. What’s My Line game show
BUZZR IS CURRENTLY AIRING IN THE FOLLOWING US MARKETS
DETROIT
CHICAGO NEW YORK SAN FRANCISCO OAKLAND PHILADELPHIA SAN JOSE WASHINGTON DC
FRESNO / VISALIA LOS ANGELES
CHARLOTTE DALLAS FT. WORTH ATLANTA
AUSTIN HOUSTON ORLANDO TAMPA DAYTONA BEACH ST. PETERSBURG
5 Buzzr Games – an online fun adventure
Tell The Truth game show
As a countdown to the launch of the network, Buzzr At the same time, FMNA extended its success in came alive with footage providing a sneak peek game shows online by launching Buzzr Games. This of the programming, including episodes of Super is the first Youtube channel to feature re-formats Password and Card Sharks, and many of the game of iconic game shows, and stars popular Youtube show antics that will grace the network. The footage personalities. The shows are produced by FMNA’s continued to loop throughout the day until the curtain digital content studio Tiny Riot and are re-created in officially rose at 20:00 Eastern Time on 1 June 2015 a fast and frenetic format for the Youtube generation. with the 1963 pilot episode of Let’s Make A Deal. Buzzr Games currently features versions of Beat the Clock, Family Feud, Password and Body Language, with some of the most popular Youtube stars serving as hosts and contestants.
Next >
AN EPIC EPISODE WHAT’S THE BUZZ?
Let’s Make a Deal 1963 pilot episode Let’s Make a Deal first host Monty Hall with current host For the first time since 1963, the original pilot Wayne Brady episode of Let’s Make A Deal, hosted by the legendary Monty Hall, appeared in prime-time on 1 June 2015, only on Buzzr. Serving as This epic episode was also paired with a a historic reminder of the era, contestants monumental moment in game show history, won and lost prizes for the first time on the as host Monty Hall sat down with current Let’s Make A Deal stage. Prizes included Let’s Make A Deal host Wayne Brady for an a raccoon coat, a 1963 Pontiac Tempest in-depth look back at the show. This included convertible, a toaster oven worth $29.95, and four hilarious stories about crazy contestants, live lambs. some of their all-time favourite moments, and even being punched in the eye by a monkey.
6
Watch the video here Steve Zaragoza (Sourcefed) Adam Lustick (College Humor) hosting Password hosting Family Feud
Cynthia Lu Ciette Elliott Morgan (Mashable) (All Def Digital) hosting hosting Beat the Clock Body Language
7 Timothy Matt Dormtainment TV De La Ghetto Smith
Wassabi Lucas Productions Cruikshank
8 RTL XL GOES PROGRAMMATIC FIRST WITH SPOTXCHANGE SpotXchange / RTL Nederland
RTL XL recently partnered with SpotXchange to monetise their video inventory via programmatic first methods. North America / The Netherlands – 1 June 2015
In March 2015, RTL Nederland and SpotXchange announced a joint venture for the Benelux and Nordic regions, dubbed SpotXchange Benelux. Now, the Dutch catch-up service RTL XL set up a first-look private marketplace on desktop through SpotXchange Benelux, connecting buyers via Deal ID with strict conditions agreed upon between RTL Nederland and the buyer.
RTL XL platform
All remnant inventory flows back into the SpotXchange Public Marketplace after RTL XL’s direct-sold campaigns are filled, including both desktop and mobile in-app inventory that is left unmonetised.
“With SpotXchange, we diversified our campaigns and yield higher cost-per-mille without sacrificing agency commitments. This enables us to focus on user engagement by continuously developing our products,” says Daan de Lange, Development Manager of RTL XL for RTL Nederland.
Thanks to the new partnership, direct sold cost-per-mille experienced an uplift of 25 per cent. Already 12 per cent of inventory was auctioned in the second full month after going live.
9 #RTLGivesBack WINNERS OF THE FIRST RTL CHALLENGE REVEALED RTL Radio (France)
On 27 and 28 May 2015, RTL Radio (France) organised the first #RTLChallenge in Digital Journalism, with a work-study contract in the digital content team of France’s leading radio station on offer for the winner. France – 2 June 2015
Following the Bourse Dumas, which has been awarded to radio journalism students for the last 20 years, RTL Radio has created the #RTLChallenge in Digital Journalism. Students spend a day preparing different kinds of content on a specific topic, following RTL.fr’s editorial line and publication guide.
THE JUDGING PANEL FOR THE #RTLCHALLENGE 2015 WAS: © Paul Guyonnet Elisabeth Martichoux Head of the Political Department
Antoine Daccord Editor-in-Chief and Director of Development for RTLnet
Océane Ciuni Digital Content Manager The two winners, surrounded here by members of the judging panel, have secured a one-year internship at RTL Radio (France) Thomas Oliveau For this first challenge, they had to cover the FIFA scandal and produce Journalist with Responsibility for an article including an interview and multimedia tools, social media Publication and Web Activity at RTL.fr input and also picking up elements of the station’s coverage on the topic. Catherine Mangin Head of News At the end of the event, Christopher Baldelli, CEO of RTL Radio (France), Jaques Esnous, Head of News at RTL Radio and Elisabeth Jean-Daniel Colom Martichoux, Head of RTL Radio’s Political Department, awarded joint Deputy Director of Digital Content first prize in the #RTLChallenge to two students:Clémence Baudouin, from IPJ, Paris and Camille Kaelblen, from Sciences Po, Paris. Both Marjorie Llug will begin their contract with the digital content team at RTL Radio in Human Resources Director September.
10 ON THE TRAIL OF ‘WHY’ UFA Serial Drama / RTL Interactive
The web series Why, produced by UFA Serial Drama, will run from 29 May till 9 July exclusively on GZSZ.de. Germany – 3 June 2015
UFA Serial Drama produced the six episodes which focus on the fictional character Chris, also known as ‘Why’, in collaboration with Eric Stehfest, who not only stars as Chris but also directed the web series. The web series Why was filmed in and around Berlin. Since 2006, UFA Serial Drama have been producing additional and exclusive online videos to accompany the daily series Gute Zeiten, schlechte GZSZ is RTL Television’s number one daily series in Germany Zeiten (GZSZ), Alles was zählt und Unter uns, in close collaboration with RTL Interactive, a Mediengruppe RTL Deutschland company. GZSZ is RTL Television’s number one daily series in Germany.
The web series Why will consist of six short clips that tell the story of how Chris, or ‘Why’, escapes from Jo Gerner (Wolfgang Bahro) and the police, and hides underground. During his time in isolation, he starts to doubt whether his long-standing crusade against ruthless lawyer Jo Gerner has actually been worthwhile. The inevitable consequence seems to be that he will have to leave Berlin. Chris becomes increasingly entangled in a net of self-doubts, rage and the question of whether it all makes sense or not. However, ultimately, he realises: if something is important to you, don’t hesitate to fight for it!
Eric Stehfest stars as Chris, also known as ‘Why’
Watch the first episode of Why here
Both the audience and Chris are on an emotional rollercoaster. The six episodes give the audience some insight into the character’s psyche and reveal even more about Chris and what motivates his alter ego, the activist ‘Why’. Two of the web series episodes relate directly to what is happening in the TV show.
11 SECOND TO NONE FremantleMedia UK
On 31 May 2015, the ninth season of the FremantleMedia UK and Syco production Britain’s Got Talent celebrated its grand finale with its biggest finale audience since 2012. United Kingdom – 2 June 2015
Britain’s Got Talent is the number one show of the year to date
The final episode of Britain’s Got Talent attracted half of the total audience (48.0 per cent) and scored an average of 11.7 million viewers, making it the UK’s number one show of the year to date (based on overnight ratings). This is up nearly 8 per cent on last year’s finale and is the biggest overnight audience since series six (2012, 11.9 million). The consolidated ratings for the audition episodes drew an average audience of 11.3 million (47.6 per cent), an increase from the 11.1 million (46.9 per cent) for the comparable episodes last series.
Twelve acts battled it out in the finale, but only one could take the
Click or scan crown and that honour went to the dog act Jules and Matisse who to watch the winning act walked away with a £250,000 prize. Magician Jamie Raven and Welsh choir Côr Glanaethwy narrowly missed out on glory coming a very respectable second and third, but the night belonged to Jules and Matisse – winners of Britain’s Got Talent 2015.
12 #RTLGivesBack RTL GROUP TO ORGANISE ENVIRONMINDDAY 2015 RTL Group
The international day of action will once again bring the subject of environmental protection to life for RTL Group employees – as in previous years, it will take place during the week of World Environment Day initiated by the United Nations on 5 June. Luxembourg – 29 May 2015
A key pillar in RTL Group’s environmental approach along with energy efficiency is engaging employees on environmental issues. Therefore, RTL Group has been organising an environMINDday since 2008. Participating companies across the Group undertake numerous initiatives to raise employees’ awareness on climate change, and to advise them on how to be environmentally responsible at work and in their personal lives. Carbon footprint and green food are among the topics already featured in the previous editions.
This year, the RTL Group Corporate Centre in Luxembourg will hold the event on Friday 5 June. Within the framework of the new FOURTH RTL GROUP CARBON urban development of the Kirchberg Plateau generating a commuting FOOTPRINT increase and the construction of the new RTL Group premises (RTL City project), RTL Group will devote this new edition to sustainable Since March 2015, environmental data mobility in the area. The aim is to keep employees updated on current for the year 2014 is being collected construction projects and future developments with a focus on across RTL Group for the biennial possibilities for public transport and soft mobility. Group-wide carbon footprint measurement. Based on the outcome On this occasion, RTL Group will also relaunch its free (electric) bike to be disclosed in the course of offer. As in previous years, an organic, locally sourced lunch will be Q3/2015, fields of action will be served at the company restaurant and an eco-quiz will give employees envisaged for reducing energy a chance to win special ‘mobility’ prizes. consumption, emissions and other environmental impacts. RTL Group has The environMINDday is part of RTL Group’s Corporate Responsibility been measuring and reporting about its approach and the ‘be green Days’ now organised every two years by environmental impact since 2008. The its majority shareholder Bertelsmann. data is gathered and analysed using the method set out in the GHG Protocol, A full report about the ‘environMINDday’ 2015 with examples of together with Bertelsmann and the activities at various companies will be published in due course on Institute for Energy and Environmental Backstage and on RTLGroup.com. Research (IFEU) institute in Germany.
13 #RTLGivesBack RTL RADIO CHAMPIONS EMPLOYMENT RTL Radio (France)
With five successful years of initiatives to boost employment and over 60 ‘Job Days’ enabling thousands of French job seekers to find work, the number one French radio station is teaming up with Facebook, CGPME* and Work 4** as part of the ‘Les PME recrutent!’ (SMEs are hiring!) initiative. France – 4 June 2015
Through this partnership, RTL Radio in France also aims to demonstrate the importance of skilled trades and to help promote sectors that are poorly understood by the public. As part of this, it will dedicate a section of the employment pages on the RTL.fr website to the initiative. Posts to the “Les PME recrutent!” Facebook page will also be shown on the RTL.fr website. In this same section, editorial content and expert advice will focus each month on the various jobs in a particular work sector. In this way, the partnership will draw attention to the initiative and highlight job offers from very small, small and medium-sized businesses.
François Asselin, CEO, CGPME, Christopher Baldelli, CEO of RTL Radio in France, explains: “RTL’s Christopher Baldelli, CEO, RTL Radio, ambition is to bring benefits to its audience every day, by informing Laurent Solly, CEO, Facebook France, Stéphane Le Viet, CEO, Work 4 them, giving them the key to a better understanding of the news, (from left to right) listening to, advising or relaxing them, or enabling them to discover new horizons. In our position as the number one radio station in France, we believe we have a duty to engage with the key issues facing society. We were the first media company to take action on the job front, with the creation of ‘RTL Job Days’ 5 years ago, which was a constructive and positive step to support our unemployed listeners. Today we are happy to provide a new impetus to this initiative by teaming up with ‘Les PME recrutent!’.”
The initiative has achieved some very positive results in its second year of existence. The ‘Les PME recrutent!’ Facebook page was launched in January 2014 by Facebook, CGPME and the start-up Work 4. Today the page has over 110,000 likes and therefore potential candidates. Over 340,000 job vacancies, apprenticeships and internships have been published since it was launched. 50,000 vacancies are currently active.
When this partnership was announced, RTL Radio and other bodies Click or scan to visit the Facebook page conducted a survey to find out how the French use websites and ‘Les PME recrutent!’ social networks when looking for jobs. To see the results of this survey, conducted by Odoxa, click here.
*Confédération Générale des Petites et Moyennes Entreprises (General Employers’ Confederation for Small and Medium-Sized Enterprises) **French start-up and world leader in recruitment on Facebook
14 Want to guess? On 5 June 2015 at 20:15, RTL Television will broadcast the finale of Let’s Dance. In addition to actress and presenter Minh-Khai Phan-Thi and ex-footballer Hans Sarpei, Olympic champion, author and motivation coach Matthias Steiner will dance to win the title Dancing Star 2015.
Ex-footballer Hans Sarpei
Actress and presenter Minh-Khai Phan-Thi
Olympic champion, author and motivation coach Matthias Steiner
Curious? Click or scan to watch the trailer and guess who will win. Photos: © RTL / Stefan Gregorowius Photos: © RTL SHORT NEWS 1/2
Hungary: amendment to the Advertising Tax Act RTL Hungary
On 27 May 2015, the Hungarian Parliament passed an amendment to the contested Advertising Tax Act which will significantly lower the tax rate on advertising revenue, from up to 50 per cent to 5.3 per cent. RTL Group welcomes the amendment. Hungary – 29 May 2015
One night, two winners UFA Fiction / RTL Television
Philipp Kadelbach was honoured with the Bayerischen Fernsehpreis for Best Director for the UFA Fiction Production Nackt unter Wölfen. Mario Barth also received the award for Best Moderation and Entertainment for the RTL Television show Mario Barth deckt auf. Germany – 29 May 2015
More listeners listen hits RTL Radio Deutschland
104.6 RTL expands its coverage in Berlin-Brandenburg. As of now 104.6 RTL is available at the VHF 96.9 and increases its reach further. The new area includes more than 26.000 inhabitants. Germany – 1 June 2015
Experience 360° M6 Unlimited
Created by M6 Unlimited in collaboration with Kia, sponsor of the Bordeaux team, the video allows the viewers accompanied by the players to discover the secrets of the new stadium of the Groupe M6’s football team FC Girondins via the ‘Kia Experience 360’ application or on the Kia space on Turbo.fr. France – 1 June 2015
16 SHORT NEWS 2/2
Welcoming a new member Atresmedia
On 1 July 2015, the Spanish media group Atresmedia will launch Mega, a new free TV channel. The channel will mainly target a male audience over the age of 25 and offer blockbusters, series, sports and documentaries. Spain – 2 June 2015
The Island again for a turn M6
M6 broadcast on 2 June 2015 the last episode of The Island which attracted an audience share of 20.7 per cent among housewives under 50. Following the success of the show, the channel already signed up for a second season. France – 3 June 2015
Comedy gold FremantleMedia UK
BBC One has announced the commission of a third season of comedy show Count Arthur Strong. The Bafta nominated series is produced by FremantleMedia UK label Retort and sees Arthur pursues his dreams of stardom, regardless the chaos he causes along the way. United Kingdom – 4 June 2015
Toggolino Club goes mobile Super RTL
Super RTL has reacted to the changed mobile usage habits of kids and developed in cooperation with Neofonie a new responsive design for the online learning and gaming apps of Toggolino Club and its website toggolino.de. Germany – 4 June 2015
17 PEOPLE A NEW CHAPTER FOR JEAN-MICHEL APHATIE RTL Radio (France)
France – 29 May 2015
Political journalist and Deputy Director of the editorial department, Jean-Michel Aphatie is leaving RTL Radio at the end of the season. He has hosted the
© Abaca © press political interview on France’s top breakfast show for 12 years.
Since the new projects he was offered for the coming season were not ones he wished to pursue, the station on rue Bayard and Aphatie have decided to part by mutual agreement.
Christopher Baldelli, CEO of RTL Radio (France), wished him well for the rest of his career, commenting: “I have particularly appreciated Jean-Michel Aphatie’s rigour, independence and pugnacity; his interview has been a benchmark for the last 12 years. Through his persistent style and knowledge of the political arena, Jean- Michel has defended the journalism profession, which he holds in the same high regard as we do. Our paths are now diverging but I would like to thank him on behalf of RTL Radio.”
The journalist thanked the station on his Twitter account and drew a line under “12 fabulous years” at rue Bayard. As one of the cornerstones of RTL’s breakfast show since 2003, Jean-Michel Aphatie has interviewed numerous figures from the world of politics on the show L’invité de RTL.
Jean-Michel Aphatie has been hosting political interviews on RTL Radio for 12 years
18 PEOPLE MARCO LOUWERENS RTL Nederland
The Netherlands – 4 June 2015
In addition to his current task, Programme Director of RTL 7, Marco Louwerens will also be in charge of the programme at the new channel RTL Z.
RTL Z will target Dutch viewers with an entrepreneur mindset and is one of the three pillars of the new RTL Z (formerly programme window on RTL 7). The two other pillars are digital and live events.
Erland Galjaard, General Programme Director, RTL Nederland, comments: “Marco has largely proven his capabilities at RTL when it comes to build a TV brand for a specific target group. With ‘Meer voor Mannen’ (More for Men*), he gave Dutch male viewers a home. I think that with the new channel he will foster a brand that will offer more to ambitious Netherlands.”
Marco Louwerens on RTL Z: ”We are busy working on establishing a channel that perfectly combines information and entertainment. Business, politics and breaking news remain important as they are integrally part of RTL Z’s DNA. However we intent to offer a more varied programming which also includes subjects such as technology, innovation, lifestyle and personal finance and this using a new approach and under a new light in alternation with among others, documentaries.” Marco Louwerens The new RTL Z is RTL Nederland’s fifth free-to-air channel besides RTL 4, RTL 5, RTL 7 and RTL 8, to be launched in September 2015.
*which is the slogan of RTL 7
19 PEOPLE OLAF KOENS RTL Nederland
The Netherlands – 4 June 2015
Starting autumn 2015 Olaf Koens will replace Roel Geeraedts as RTL Nieuws’ permanent Middle East correspondent. Geeraedts will return to the Netherlands.
Aged 29, Koens studied philosophy in Groningen and Brussels. In 2007 he started freelancing in Moscow and worked, among others, for the ANP (Netherlands national news agency), Het Belgische Knack, Het Financieele Dagblad and different Russian media.
Since 2011 he is a freelance correspondent for RTL Nieuws in Moscow and since 2013 also a correspondent for national newspaper De Volkskrant. Among others, he reported on the reelection of Putin, the annexation of Crimea by the Russian Federation and the crash of the Malaysian Airlines flight 17. Earlier this year he was rewarded for his work with a “Journalist of the Year 2014” award.
Editor-in-chief of RTL Nieuws Harm Taselaar comments: “Olaf is a go-getter journalist. He has the needed attitude Olaf Koens for a region known as one of the most difficult in the world, and the talent to report from the hornet’s nest that is the Middle East, through TV reports, cross talks and an extremely active online presence. We found the right successor to Roel Geeraedts and Conny Mus in Olaf.”
Olaf Koens adds: ”This new job is a long-cherished dream coming true. After being stationed a very long time in Russia, it’s time for some change… a new place, a new language, a new dynamic.”
In his new role he will report about events taking place in the whole of the Middle East, and will not be solely based in Tel-Aviv like his predecessors.
20 More about Backstage
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