20 January 2011

week 03

The other talent show New, different, exciting: RTL 4’s of Holland

Germany France Hindenburg premieres Groupe M6 honoured for in Berlin its diversity

United States American Idol returns for RTL Nieuws publishes season 10 Wikileaks documents the RTL Group intranet week 03

20 January 2011

week 03

Cover: Montage showing the four finalists of .

The other talent show 2 New, different, exciting: RTL 4’s The Voice of Holland

Germany France Hindenburg premieres Groupe M6 honoured for in Berlin its diversity

United States Netherlands American Idol returns for RTL Nieuws publishes season 10 Wikileaks documents the RTL Group intranet week 03

It’s the voice that counts The Voice of Holland has re-invented the talent show format by taking a new approach. With the finale in sight, Backstage asked Erland Galjaard to talk about the format. Netherlands - 20 January 2011

Even the casting process for RTL 4’s innova- “The Voice of Holland is more than a ‘regular’ tive talent show was different from other talent talent show,” says Erland Galjaard, Program- shows. Candidates had several different op- ming Director at RTL 4. “With the blind auditions, tions to enter the show: either by responding to the extremely limited number of candidates, promotional spots on RTL 4 and apply directly. who were often highly professional, a live band Also, potential candidates could audition online created from scratch, and very popular coaches by passing muster with a virtual jury, which auto- who also performed during the live shows, this matically decided based on their vocal merits – was essentially a new format – the next step, as range, expression and musicality – whether the it were.” candidate would be given the chance at a slot on the TV show. The number of times the video was The format was presented at the annual viewed, and the scores given by other Internet programme press conference held by RTL users, were included in the decision as well. Nederland. “It’s not meant to replace X Factor Finally, talent scouts searched in clubs, theatres, nor Holland’s Got Talent,” says Galjaard. “It is music schools for talents and invited them to the part of a strategic schedule in which we claimed auditions. a whole slot for a whole year in the same very popular genre skewed towards young viewers.” In total, these calls for contestants produced Thus The Voice of Holland went on air in 7,000 applications who came to a screen- September – right after Holland’s Got Talent ing. Only the 150 best of them started in the had finished. And as soon as the finale will be TV programme and performed in front of the over, X Factor will go on air again. coaches Nick & Simon, Jeroen van der Boom, Van Velzen and Angela Groothuizen. They On Friday 21 January, the winner of the first edi- had to decide, with their back to the stage, tion of The voice of Holland will finally be known. It whether a candidate should be in their team will either be Pearl Jozefzoon, Leonie Meijer, Kim or not – judging only the candidates’ voices. de Boer or Ben Saunders. From 21:00, the finale About 70 candidates then made it to the second will also broadcast live on . To date, stage of the show. The radio partner Radio 538 The Voice of Holland has attracted an average gave away 4 wildcards for this second stage 2.7 million viewers per episode, making it the of the show. The Voice of Holland is hosted by most-watched talent show ever on RTL 4 – Martijn Krabbé, and Winston followed by Idols season 2 (2003/04) with Gerschtanowitz. an average 2.5 million viewers per episode.

The finalists: Kim, Pearl, Ben and Leonie (from left to right) 3 the RTL Group intranet week 03

The first season of Idols (2002/03) is third with around 2.3 million viewers. A look at the audience shares shows a similar picture: up to 54 per cent of the channel’s target group (shoppers aged 20 to 49) tuned in to The Voice of Holland, with an average audience share of 47 per cent in this demographic (Idols season 2: 43 per cent; Idols season 1: 42 per cent). For the filming of the last eight shows at the Lukkien studio in Ede there was a live audience of 1,400 each time. However, the programme saw its biggest live audience ever on Wednesday 19 January when (ex-)candidate Lenny Keylard performed in front of 50,000 people at the Ajax and Feyenoord football game.

Vodafone is a partner of The Voice of Holland and provides viewers and subscribers with Erland Galjaard Talpa-produced programmes and information about the candidates on the mobile Internet. golden single, which is awarded for more than The contestants and viewers use a mobile web 10,000 downloads. Erland Galjaard explains application to communicate with each other: his popularity: “Ben is a unique person, ex- they were able to contact their fans at any time, tremely talented, extreme looks, and still wherever they were, to give them the latest ‘one of the guys’, a normal boy who is update on their experiences. In November, not impressed by all the attention. He had Arno Otto, Managing Director Digital Media at over 2 million people watching his audition on RTL Nederland, had told Backstage: “We’ve Youtube but still is very tangible and friendly – been talking about cross-media for more than down to earth.” ten years now, but I believe that The Voice Of Holland is the first true and 100 per cent cross- The finalists’ four singles have been available for media format.” download since the semifinal was broadcast on 14 January. On the afternoon of 21 January, the The many possibilities offered by online tools numbers downloaded will be very important as have never been used so extensively in a major they will also count towards the end result and TV programme as for The Voice of Holland. help determine the winner, who will be given the According to the Stir survey for the period chance to record a single followed by an album, August to November 2010, the show’s website get a car and be Kane’s supporting act during was visited by about 1.9 million people aged three of the Dutch rock band’s concert at the 13 and over. Excerpts from the various audi- Ahoy in Rotterdam. A second season is already tions were viewed numerous times on Youtube, planned, as Galjaard confirmes: “We plan to start with Ben Saunders taking the lead by generat- with The Voice of Holland 2 i n S e p t e m b e r 2 0 1 1 . ” ing nearly two million views. The programme has more than 79,000 friends on the social In fact RTL Nederland aims to exploit the format network Hyves, not including the friends for longer than it is broadcast on screen. The each candidate won individually since their company started marketing the show some participation in the show. The number of weeks prior to the broadcast, then launched a Facebook friends comes to nearly 40,000, and the programme has about 36,000 followers on “We’ve been talking about Twitter. cross-media for more than ten years now, but For the first time as well, the public I believe that The Voice is able to directly download full (three-minute) tracks of the songs sung by the participants of Holland is the first in the live show. This sent The Voice of true and 100 per cent Holland into the Dutch top 100 single charts cross-media format.” 30 times. Singles by Ben Saunders went to Arno Otto, Managing Director Digital Media number one twice, and one song even won a at RTL Nederland

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Nick and Simon, Van Velzen, Angela Groothuizen, Jeroen van der Boom and Martijn Krabbé (from left to right) reality show and a printed magazine during the broadcast and aims to market the tail for many more weeks after the finale. One option will be to organise events such as live concerts. This concept already proved successful in late 2010, when a series of four concerts featuring the final 12 candidates performing on the stage of the emblematic Heineken Music Hall between Christmas and New Year’s sold out completely, drawing 20,000 music aficionados in all. “Because of the immense popularity of the TV show, the real- life series, the magazine and all the media attention, all contestants are considered famous artists – stars if you want – and the concert was a Watch the finale perfect way to see and hear them on 21 January at 20:30 perform live,” explains Galjaard. on RTL 4

The format was developed by the pro- duction company Talpa Media in con- junction with RTL Nederland. “We helped develop the format from scratch, made vital edits to its structure and the look and feel of the concept,” says Galjaard.”The Voice of Hol- land will be a serious competitor for all talent shows in every country. The fact that within just a few months, big markets like the US and France have decided to produce their own versions says it all.”

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Great entertainment Teamworx produced one of the most elaborate TV movies of the 2011 TV year for RTL Television. This week, Hindenburg premiered in Berlin. The Hindenburg in the TV movie Germany - 19 January 2011

“Now that’s great entertainment!” – This senti- On May 6, 1937 the biggest airship built to ment might have been expressed by any one date went up in flames in Lakehurst near of the more than 550 guests who attended New York as it was trying to complete a landing the premiere in Berlin of the two-part TV movie delayed by a storm. 97 people were Hindenburg, produced by Teamworx for RTL on board, 35 of them died. The accident spelled Television. After the end of the screening, the the end of air traffic using zeppelins, though makers of the film – especially the director the causes of the fire have not been Philipp Kadelbach, the two Teamworx producers conclusively resolved to this day. Sascha Schwingel and Jürgen Schuster and of course the actors – took their bows to enthu- Set against the backdrop of this famous tragedy, siastic applause that refused to die down. And the last flight of the “Hindenburg,” the story is Germany’s TV viewers are sure to agree with told around the young airship engineer Merten the premiere audience’s verdict. RTL Television Kröger (Maximilian Simonischek) and his great airs the gripping TV movie during prime time on love Jennifer van Zandt (Laureen Lee Smith), 6 and 7 February. daughter of US Congressman Edward van Zandt (Stacy Keach), who is also on board The premiere of Hindenburg was a highlight in its the Hindenburg with her mother Helen (Greta own right. Astonished passers-by in front of the Scacchi) when it sets off on its last voyage. event venue, the former Kosmos movie theater Shortly before departure Kröger stumbles upon a on Karl-Marx-Allee, were treated to big-screen German-American conspiracy aimed at destroy- glitz. A red carpet, celebrities, guests dressed ing the zeppelin. At the moment of landing, just to the nines, flurries of flashbulbs and persist- as its passengers are to be rescued, the Hinden- ent journalists hounding the stars – in short, burg goes up in flames, and the investigation of everything that makes up a really big movie the tragedy brings to light an unimagined web of premiere. Not without reason – given its entanglements... production budget of over ten million Euros, Hindenburg is the “biggest fictional in-house Teamworx had already decided more than production in RTL Television’s history,” ten years ago to tackle the gripping topic. Anke Schäferkordt, CEO of RTL Television, “I still remember how this project was first proudly noted in her welcome speech. As presented as the follow-up project to our Schäferkordt emphasized, the whole team first two-part miniseries The Tunnel at the “committed a lot of passion, dedication and Mip TV in Cannes in 2000. No other project incredible attention to detail to this project.“ took such a long time from the initial idea to its realisation,” says producer Jürgen Schuster. His The public invited, including many actors, colleague Sascha Schwingel also sees this as media industry representatives and journalists a truly spectacular movie: “I see Hindenburg were able to witness the results of this as the most important project in my time as a passion first-hand: they watched the complete producer at Teamworx.” first part of the film, and a summary of Part II. The drama involving Zeppelin LZ 129, known Small wonder, given that the very production as the “Hindenburg” has become etched into involved a level of elaborateness and effort the collective consciousness as one of the generally associated more with Hollywood biggest technology disasters of the 20th century. blockbusters than a TV movie. Not only were

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Jürgen Schuster, Barbara Thielen, Maximilian Simonischek, Lauren Lee Smith, Sascha Schwingel, Anke Schäferkordt and Petra Maria Müller (from left to right) sophisticated digital techniques used to show The applause went on for several minutes after such things as the flight of the enormous airship, the curtain fell, and didn’t abate while Barbara the reconstructed scenery and props were also Thielen, Head of RTL Television‘s Fiction depart- exceedingly elaborate. Parts of the zeppelin, ment, called up the film’s actors and makers one which was 247 metres long, 45 metres high and by one until more than 30 protagonists were 47 metres wide, were reconstructed true to their gathered on stage. Producer Sascha Schwin- original size at the MMC production studios in gel spoke for everyone when he expressed his Cologne-Ossendorf, where the production crew thanks for the “courage and trust” given to the spent seven of the eleven weeks of shooting. team from every quarter. This trust, he said, The reconstruction of a part of the Hindenburg’s included letting him and his co-producer Jürgen body alone filled the 24-metre hall from floor Schuster choose a director “whose cinematic to ceiling. Passenger cabins, large parts of CV would fit on a business card,” and a lead the passenger deck, hallways, stairways, the actor, Maximilian Simonischek, “who had all of officers’ mess, freight and radio rooms were also four days of shooting experience before this” – a recreated. But while furnishings, tableware and story worthy of Hollywood indeed. magazines were reproduced as true to the original as pos- sible, the film crew took some liberties with the rooms of the zeppelin. The original cabins were simply too small to get any decent footage in them; bigger rooms were needed. The dining hall and officers’ mess were expanded for this same reason.

Still from the TV movie

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TV, twitter, talk about it On 17 January, Super RTL launches Glee with a multimedia bonus for its viewers. Sue Sylvester Germany - 17 January 2011

US audiences and critics and critics alike are Super RTL’s Managing Director Claude Schmit full of glee: the comedy series with musical comments: “Our new offer is a response to elements attracts an average ten million viewers changing viewing habits: young TV viewers per episode, and has amassed a Golden Globe in particular want to discuss what they’re for ‘Best Television Series – Musical or Comedy’, watching with their friends even while a three TCA Awards and 19 Emmy nominations. programme is being broadcast. By linking the On Monday 17 January Super RTL broadcast social network Twitter with Super RTL Teletext, the first two episodes in their German premiere, we provide a new interface that lets people reaching 4 per cent of viewers aged 14 to 49. easily read online discussions on their TV screens.”

The Cologne-based broadcaster already actively interacts with its viewers in several social networks, including the Facebook pages facebook.com/GleeDeutschland and facebook. com/SuperRTL and a Twitter account of its own. More information is also available at: Glee.de.

Glee

Starting 24 January, Glee will be broadcast adja- cent to Deutschland sucht den Superstar – Das visit Magazin. Super RTL will air all 22 episodes of Glee.de the first season, and has already secured the rights to the second season, which began in the US in September 2010. Fox has already com- missioned a third season for 2011.

To mark the launch of the new series, Super RTL presents a technical innovation: viewers could track ongoing Web discussions about the TV programme in real-time on their TV screens. All Twitter tweets including the hashtag #glee and authored in Germany were accessible on page 777 of Super RTL Teletext during the broad- cast of Glee. This allowed TV viewers to stay abreast of the online discussions without missing a second of Glee. Britanny 8 the RTL Group intranet week 03

Worth the wait… The tenth season of American Idol, a production of FremantleMedia North America, kicked off this week in the US. In addition to the best talents America has to offer, viewers can expect a series of novelties and new faces in the jury. United States - 19 January 2011

The American Idols judges: Randy Jackson, Jennifer Lopez and Steven Tyler with host Ryan Seacrest (from left to right)

19 January was kick-off night for the two-day Las Vegas auditions on 23 February, where premiere of the Emmy Award-winning talent contestants will, for the first time, compete to competition show that, after nine seasons, secure one of the 20 available spots on the continues to resonate with American audiences semi-final by performing Beatles songs on the as a ratings juggernaut and entertainment Cirque du Soleil Love stage. The first results phenomenon. It’s 10th season should prove show will air on 3 March: the ten contestants – worth the wait as a number of changes have five male and five female – who won the most been introduced, including new judges, new votes from the two semi-finals of 1 and 2 March talent and new surprises along the way. will be announced and the judges will also make their special “Wild Card” picks rounding out the Three new but known faces will be joining the finalists. team: two judges and an in-house mentor. Simon Cowell and Ellen DeGeneres have been Also, in celebration of its much-awaited tenth replaced by multi-talented singer and actress season, American Idol is launching Idol across Jennifer Lopez and songwriter, multi-instrumen- America, a biodiesel-fueled bus tour experience talist and front man of rock band Aerosmith, traveling to 16 cities across the US over a four- Steven Tyler. Jimmy Iovine, chairman of Inter- week period beginning on 19 January. During scope Geffen A&M Records, whose career as a the mobile tour, visitors will have the opportu- music producer and record executive is unparal- nity to participate in a nationwide contest for a leled, will be serving as in-house mentor. chance to win a trip to Hollywood to deliver Ryan Seacrest’s now famous line: “This is American The two-night season premiere hosted by Ryan Idol” on the Idol stage alongside Ryan. In Seacrest saw hopefuls from New York / New addition, fans will be able to view one-of-a-kind Jersey try their luck during the first episode, while American Idol memorabilia like framed plati- the new judging panel will travel to New Orleans num records, Ryan Seacrest’s suit and Carrie the day after. Auditions will continue for three Underwood’s finale dress as well as photos and weeks throughout the US, with the Hollywood even take a trip down memory lane by watching auditions to be broadcast on 16 and 17 Febru- the special Welcome Home documentary that ary. Other novelties include the newly introduced showcases all nine past Idol winners.

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Boosting creativity Mip TV’s sixth annual Content 360 digital creativity festival has opened its call for entries. For the first time, Content 360 will include for the first time a category supported by FremantleMedia and RTL Group. Luxembourg / United Kingdom - 18 January 2011

The Content 360 Festival offers digital media The 48th Mip TV will be held in Cannes, innovators the possibility to showcase their France, from 4 to 7 April 2011. The Content 360 ideas for next generation audience engagement competition is open to digital producers, interac- directly to the global TV and media industry tive agencies, digital designers, Internet content at Mip TV, to win financial backing and gain creators, game developers, and mobile applica- international recognition. tion providers from around the world. Content 360 finalists will be announced by 23 February and In conjunction with RTL Group, FremantleMedia will be invited to present their ideas in Cannes joins the competition looking to identify a key during the Mip TV and new Connected Creativity individual or company in the digital media space conference programme. Applicants have until with whom to develop, produce and distribute 14 February to submit new ideas for interactive a global digital entertainment format. The and digital entertainment formats, online and winner will be offered a EUR 10,000 contract social games, as well as smart phone and to co-develop the idea further. In addition to connected TV apps. The winners will be the FremantleMedia and RTL Group category, announced on 6 April, during an awards this year’s competition includes independent ceremony in Cannes. categories for online and social games and rich media apps, which aim to recognise recent Content 360 competition categories and rules innovations in this rapidly growing area of are available on http://www.connected-creativity. interest to media companies. com.

“RTL Group New Media are delighted to be supporting FremantleMedia’s first ever sponsor- ship of MIPTV’s Content 360 contest”, says Ian McClelland, Head of RTL Group New Media, and explains: “We see this as a good opportunity to fulfill our remit of researching and developing new entertainment products, services and businesses and also supporting our colleagues exploration of new creative and commercial digital opportunities.”

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Media and diversity Groupe M6 is honoured for its offensive strategy in the promotion of diversity. Aïda Touihri, of Tunisian origin, is the presenter of 12.45 and the magazine show 66 Minutes France - 20 January 2011

“Promoting diversity is not a gamble, it is a The report emphasised that “the M6 image necessity truly appreciated by the public.” increasingly tends to be personified by men It would be fair to say that Groupe M6 has and women of diverse origins.” To give a few embraced this statement made by Club examples: Averroès in the “Media and Diversity” study published on Wednesday 19 January. Aïda Touihri, of Tunisian origin, is the Talking about the strategy of Groupe M6, Club presenter of 12.45 and the magazine show Averroès states: “The magazine shows, fictional 66 Minutes programmes, reports and series try to reflect today’s French society as faithfully as possi- After taking an interest in the love life of ble and convey fundamental values like social farmers in L’amour est dans le pré, Karine cohesion, tolerance, sharing and solidarity.” LeMarchand was back at the end of sum- Nicolas de Tavernost, Chairman of the Board mer for the magazine show C’est ma vie of Groupe M6, has this to say: “Conscious of its and is presenting two new programmes: particular social responsibility in terms of edu- L’espoir de l’année and On ne choisit pas cation and respecting differences, Groupe M6 ses voisins continued its approach to implement initiatives and concrete actions in 2010 to favour the Vikash Dhorasoo, the former international dynamic representation of the cultural plurality footballer of Indo-Mauritian origin, has and diversity of elements in the French popula- joined the team of 100% Foot where he is tion on the air as well as in its teams.” now a commentator Founded in 1997, Club Averroès unites almost In 2010, a new member was added to the 400 media professionals in the promotion of jury for Season 8 of Nouvelle Star: Marco diversity in the French media. Each year it pub- Prince, composer and former member of lishes a study with the objective of “highlighting the group FFF, born in Benin policies that are exemplary and those that are less so in terms of reflecting diversity”. For more The commentators of 100% Mag: Michael information, consult the “Media and Diversity” Zazoun, health specialist and Laurence 2010 Annual Report of Club Averroès and Roustandjee, who is also the presenter of especially pages 24 to 28, which are A vos papilles each week on Teva. devoted to the strategy of Groupe M6: http://www.clubaverroes.com. Karima Charni, of Tunisian origin, has been presenting 100% Poker since October 2010. 11 the RTL Group intranet week 03

RTL Nieuws to make Dutch Wikileaks documents public RTL Nieuws and NRC Handelsblad revealed the first part of Wikileaks reports about the country. More documents are to be disclosed. Netherlands - 17 January 2011

RTL Nieuws and the Dutch daily NRC Handelsblad were recently granted access to the Wikileaks diplomatic reports regarding the Netherlands. Over three thousand such reports had been written by the American Embassy in Den Haag for the United States from June 2000 to February 2010.

RTL Nederland and NRC both disclosed the first part of the Dutch Wikileaks documents on Friday 14 January: RTL Nieuws broadcast a special edition of its RTL Z bulletin on RTL 7, while NRC published them in the newspaper. More disclo- sures will follow this week.

Access to these sought-after documents was made possible thanks to the Aftenposten, a Norwegian newspaper, which managed to secure all the 250,000 diplomatic reports a few weeks ago.

The two Dutch news companies are part of a small group of European media that were able to read the diplomatic documents and commu- nicate about them. In addition to Aftenposten, RTL Nederland and NRC, the Swedish daily Svenska Dagbladet and the Danish paper Politiken will also run reports about the documents.

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The most-watched movies in Spain Among the ten most watched movies of 2010 in Spain, six have been produced by Antena 3 Films, proving the production company’s leading position in the spanish film industry. Spain - 18 January 2011

In 2010, cinema goers in Spain had the opportunity to watch 113 Spanish movies. Recent figures revealed the most-watched among this large choice of feature films, which could be determined thanks to the amount cashed for each movie.

The results give Antena 3 Films as the clear winner, with six of their productions placed in the top ten. Most remarkably, Antena 3 Films clearly leads the top five with:Tres metros sobre el cielo, which also happens to be the most- viewed film in Spain in 2010 beating block- busters such as Narnia 3 followed by Los ojos de Julia, Que se mueran los feos, Conocerás al hombre de tus sueños and Lope. The sixth movie is titled Pájaros de papel and obtained the title of the tenth most-viewed Spanish film.

These six movies grossed in total EUR 31 million and attracted about 52.6 per cent of total viewers, a good end of the year for Antena 3 Films.

For 2011, the production company aims to follow on these successful footsteps with already six Tres metros sobre el cielo was Spain’s most watched movie projects in the pipeline which includes dramas, in 2010 comedies and thrillers starring international stars like Clive Owen or Diego Peretti as well as established Spanish actors such as Hugo Silva, Paco León or Adrian Ugarte among others.

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“Mommy, can we come to work with you again?” RCB Radio Center Berlin hosted a Family Day under the heading “Colour me radio – The exciting everyday life of the radio circus”. Steffen Schmitter Germany - 20 January 2011

The idea was to give the staff’s children and family members an impression of what their mom, dad, brother or daughter do when they go to work. A fun accompanying programme was also provided: the kids were invited to have their faces painted or be entertained by Zack the Clown. Stephan Schmitter, Managing Director of RCB Radio Center Berlin, gave the families guided tours of the broadcasting centre and explained the functions of the different departments, 104.6 RTL’s Sebastian Fitzek, who is also the author of six bestsellers, read from his latest book Der Augensammler, while the children played Wii games with their parents, guest enjoyed of a large buffet catered by the Estrel Hotel, or little would-be presenters tried out their radio skills on the mike in Production.

It’s well known that children say whatever they’re thinking and don’t hold back with their candid opinions. On her way home, presenter Jessica Witte-Winter said she had “three exhausted little warriors” in the car wearing tired but blissful smiles and asking her: “Mommy, can we go back there again tomorrow?” That really says it all, says the presenter, and adds: “A huge thank-you to the organisers. We’re already looking forward to Family Day 2012.” Kids enjoyed the Family Day at the RCB Radio Center Berlin

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Season Six, and still going strong Casting calls were recently held in Croatia for the participants in the sixth season of Big Brother, the first regional edition. In Germany, RTL II has just announced that it will broadcast Season 11 this spring. Croatia - 20 January 2011

More than 5,000 people auditioned for Big Brother in Croatia

Some are in it for the money, some to become In Germany, RTL II will kick off the eleventh famous and others just because they want to live season of Big Brother in spring 2011. Castings an exciting and extraordinary adventure. This are already underway, but still open to new is what the over 5,000 Croatian hopefuls who applicants. Holger Andersen, Programming attended the castings had in mind when they Director at RTL II, says: “The ‘Big Brother’ brand applied for the sixth season of Big Brother, soon is a fixture in German TV. We manage to keep to be broadcast on RTL Televizija. surprising and inspiring our viewers. The new season is now open for applications. I look This year Emotion Production, Serbia’s biggest forward to welcoming many exciting and production company is in charge of the project. interesting candidates.” Season 11 will be This is the first-ever regional Big Brother, where broadcast for 100 days starting in spring participants of other Balkan countries (Serbia, 2011 – and as usual, the winner will receive a Bosnia and Herzegovina, Macedonia and worthwhile prize. Montenegro) will also have the opportunity to enter the Big Brother house together with Croatian candidates. The house is located in Beograd, Serbia, and only one of the 15,000 applicants will return from it with the coveted prize of EUR 100,000.

Kaspar Pflueger, Programme Director at RTL Televizija, comments: “With more than 5,000 contestants in Croatia alone, the turnout for our first-ever open castings is phenomenal. It shows the huge interest in Big Brother and I can promise everyone that it will be a massive event this spring. RTL Televizija continues to be the home to programmes that are the talk of the nation, and this new edition of Big Brother will not be an exception.“ 15 Jungle fever On 14 January, ‘Ich bin ein Star – Holt mich hier raus!’ returned to German TV screens on RTL Television. The season premiere attracted 39.3 per cent of the 14- to 49-year-old viewer market – representing the show’s best start ever and attracting the highest total number of viewers since its first season in 2004. Also, the following episodes attracted around 40 per cent of the viewers the RTL Group intranet week 03

Commit Award 2011 RTL Television administers the fourth ‘Com.mit Award for Integration’. Germany - 14 January 2011

Legendary Super Bowl to be broadcast live on W9 W9 will air the finale of the American football championship live on 6 February. France - 14 January 2011

In full ascent Paris Première, which registered a 15 per cent ratings increase in one year, is the most watched general-interest pay-TV channel in France according to Médiacabsat. France - 18 January 2011

A great year for the French radio stations Record ratings: RTL Radio in France reached its highest level in 10 years. Its music orientated sister stations are in top form as well. France - 19 January 2011

RTL.fr ranks number one, as ever With over 2.7 million unique visitors, the RTL Radio website was France’s leading radio website in November 2010. France - 18 January 2011

A player that counts on the Internet In November 2010, the M6 Group websites registered more than 15 million unique visitors. France - 21 January 2011

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People Steffi Ackermann Germany - 14 January 2011

Producer Steffi Ackermann joins Teamworx from Polyphon Film- und Fernsehgesellschaft on 1 February 2011. Apart from various TV films, she was also formative in producing the award-winning series Doctor’s Diary.

At Teamworx, she will be in charge of TV film Steffi Ackermann development, as well as realigning the series segment with Ariane Krampe. Ackermann continues her successful collaboration with Florian David Fitz with the cinematic Jesus liebt mich (Jesus Loves Me) for UFA Cinema.

Nico Hofmann, Managing Director and producer at Teamworx, says: “Steffi Ackermann is an exceptional talent. She managed to breathe new life into German series with Doctor’s Diary and has raised the bar. I greatly look forward to working with her.” Commenting on her switch, Ackermann says: “Teamworx offers me the best opportunity to realise exciting projects in a crea- tive environment. I very much look forward to that.”

Steffi Ackermann studied stage design and architecture in Berlin-Weissensee and Vienna from 1996 to 1998, and began working for various film and TV productions during her studies. She subsequently studied Production at the Baden-Württemberg Film Academy, at the same time managing various productions including for Horst Buchholz ...mein Papa. Since graduating, she has worked at Polyphon as a producer for the cinematic productions Früher oder später and Polnische Ostern, the event comedy Undercover Love and the series Doctor’s Diary (Seasons 1 to 3), which earned her numerous awards including the Adolf Grimme Prize, the German TV Award and the

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People Jean Dutourd passed away Jean Dutourd in the Académicien uniform France - 19 January 2011

“Jean Dutourd knew everything about everything, and in order,” said Philippe Bouvard of the academi- cian and member of Grosses Têtes, who died on 17 January in Paris at the age of 91. The rue Bayard radio station paid him a glowing tribute.

“Jean Dutourd was a man of letters, someone who spent his life writing, whose sole ambition consisted of publishing a hardcover book each year, and who lived only by his pen. They are very rare, there are barely a few dozen today. He was also the patriarch of Grosses Têtes Two “Grosses Têtes”: Philippe Bouvard and Jean Dutourd as well as our cultural conscience,” President Nicolas Sarkozy saluted him as an said Philippe Bouvard, talking about his fellow “iconoclast of French literature”. On Tuesday companion of witticisms for more than 30 years. afternoon, Philippe Bouvard and the entire “From time to time, we pulled pranks on him, station paid tribute to Jean Dutourd during a but we owe him a lot because he gave Grosses special Grosses Têtes programme. Têtes its mark of prestige.”

Jean Dutourd defined himself as a “good for nothing”, and yet he was a member of the Académie française. He died on Monday night in Paris at the age of 91. A former member of the Resistance, he threw himself into writing novels after the war. He subsequently worked with France Soir, first as a literary critic, and then as an editorial writer. He was elected to the Académie française in 1978, thus becoming an “immortal”. On RTL Radio, this provocative schoolboy was one of the mainstays of Grosses Têtes. Until the 2000s, he answered Philippe Bouvard’s questions by telephone, saying, “There is no age limit for pranks.”

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