Emotional Moments of All Kinds RTL Group Channels Start to the New Formula 1 Season with Some Extra Power

02 April 2009

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Emotional moments of all kinds RTL Group channels start to the new Formula 1 season with some extra power

LuxembourgLuxembourg UnitedUnited KingdomKingdom Gerhard Zeiler looking at the A new kind of quiz for the years ahead website of The Sun

France Dawn Airey on a possible 15 years of Capital merger with Channel 4 COVER: Montage with different impressions from the Formula 1

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“Recognising the signs of the times” Last Sunday the 2009 Formula 1 season began in Melbourne, Australia. RTL Television, RTL 7 and RTL Klub broadcast comprehensive coverage of the sporting event – with RTL Television using a new design and new production technology. Manfred Loppe, Head of Sports at RTL Television Germany - 2 April 2009

After another thrilling final last season, Formula 1 is still TV’s most-watched sporting event series. Manfred Loppe, Head of Sports at RTL Television, says: “Formula 1 is the perfect choice for people who love suspense, high- tech, racing, competition and emotional moments of all kinds. The changes to the rules and the technology will invigorate the sport.”

In the new season, the sport unveils its new, exciting look. Not only do the race cars themselves look different, numerous far-reaching changes to the rules promise more passing manoeuvres, greater equality of opportunity, and more sensational images. The return of slicks, and the complete aerodynamic overhaul of the cars mark the opening of an entirely new chapter in Formula 1 history.

“Each new development always harbours potential risk,” says Loppe. “But the new rules aren’t aimed at further increasing the distances in Formula 1 – on the one hand they aim to reduce costs, and on the other to give smaller teams a chance to catch up. This development Christian Danner (left) and Heiko Waßer takes us 100 per cent in the right direction.” new insights and impressions, for example Not only have the rules of Formula 1 changed: from the garages and buses, as well as the kit- just in time for the new season, RTL Television chens and the physio department. In this way also presents a new layout for its F1 coverage. we’ll get closer to the drivers and the previous- The overall presentation, including graphics, ly secret places of Formula 1 than ever before.” animations and fade-ins, has been changed and is now more comprehensible and clearer. Meanwhile, Formula 1 is also adapting to the “In terms of content, we want to take the vie- general trend towards environmental protection wers by the hand even more and lead them into and social responsibility by prescribing a rigo- the backstage areas of this top sport,” says rous austerity programme this season. And RTL Loppe. “If the teams deliver on the promises Television has also adapted to the trend and they made to us, we will now be able to share introduced a new production regime. “We reco-

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gnised the signs of the times early on and took measures accordingly, to be able to maintain our high levels of quality at a lower cost,” says Loppe. “We made savings in production engi- neering and logistics, which the viewers, however, will not notice.” Because the races take place worldwide, it is particularly important that the setup of local production facilities proceeds quickly and smoothly. For this reason, the channel has developed a new container system especially for the overseas races into which the full technical units are compressed, fully wired, and can be flown with any airline. “So once they’ve arrived, the units only have to be hoo- ked up to the power supply,” says Loppe. “As Olav Mol, the face of Formula 1 at RTL 7 a result we are more flexible, we save weight, time, manpower, and hence costs.”

For RTL Television in Germany, Melbourne is the 19th Formula 1 year in succession – with a proven team: former world champion driver Niki Lauda joins presenter Florian König to provide concise expert analysis of the races. Heiko Waßer and ex-Formula 1 driver Christian Danner provide commentary, with pit reporter Kai Ebel completing the RTL quintet. “After a long break you always look forward to the new season, of course. Especially as right now the rules have changed to an almost unpreceden- ted extent in Formula 1,” says Ebel. “That’s why it’s a bit like poker: you don’t actually know how Florian König and Niki Lauda (right) strong your own hand is as long as you don’t several years now. The opening race last know how good the others are.” And that’s Sunday was watched by 63.6 per cent of vie- exactly what happened with Brawn GP’s victo- wers in the target group of men aged 20 to 49. ry last weekend. A total of 3.65 million people The race also achieved a total market share of in Germany watched the opening race on 50.7 per cent – despite it being shown so early Sunday morning, equivalent to a total audience on Sunday morning. In addition to Formula 1, share of 50.7 per cent. RTL GP also broadcasts races from A1, World Touring Car Championship, Moto GP and the In the Netherlands, RTL 7 broadcasts Dakar Rally. Viewers are offered additional info Formula 1 races as part of RTL GP, the chan- on the RTLGP.nl website. There is also a print nel’s motorsport magazine. Olav Mol is the face magazine, a game, an RTL GP collection and a of Formula 1 at RTL 7, having presented the tour operator, RTL GP Travel, which organises programme and provided race commentary for travel to various motorsport events.

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Formula 1 on RTL Television: more than 2 billion viewers

25 years ago, on 26 March 1984, the fledgling commercial channel RTL plus covered its very first Formula 1 race, the Grand Prix of Brazil – via telephone line at the time. Until 1988, RTL broadcast the World Cup races live and in full length, after which it showed the pre-qualifying races for two years.

RTL’s Formula 1 success story began ‘for real’ in 1991, when RTL Television finally broadcast a top-league race again, the Grand Prix of France. What none of the responsible parties at RTL Television and in Formula 1 could know at the time: RTL Television has never stopped broadcasting the top league of motor sports since that momentous French Grand Prix. 19 April marks a big anniversary: The Grand Prix of China will be the channel’s 300th consecutive broadcast of a Formula 1 race.

RTL Television has racked up 101,000 minutes of F1 broadcasting, or 70 days, since then. The total number of all viewers who have watched the live races on RTL Television to date is an astronomical 2.022 billion.

RTL Sports Chief Manfred Loppe says: “Formula 1 grew into a brand alongside RTL Television here in Germany, and the RTL brand has long since become synonymous with Formula 1, which has added to our reputation and given us great ratings. The two are united by a shared success story and a very close partnership.”

In Hungary, RTL Klub has been broadcasting apart from international football matches and Formula 1 races live for over eight years. On European and World Championship finals. Last racing weekends, fans of motor racing can Sunday’s race attracted 54.9 per cent of the 18 watch the qualifying races on Saturdays and to 49-year-old target market, and attained a the races on Sundays. If due to the time diffe- total audience share of 44.9 per cent. rence the race is too early in the morning, RTL Klub repeats it in the evening, so that no Throughout the 2009 season, in addition to one has to miss it – just as RTL Television and 17 Grand Prix on Sundays, all three stations will RTL 7 do. also broadcast the live qualifying races on Saturdays. The final of the 2009 season takes The qualifying race and the race itself are each place on 1 November with the first-ever Abu accompanied by a studio discussion with the Dhabi Grand Prix. From a sporting perspective, presenter Balázs Gyulai and one or two guests. it is almost impossible to make predictions for There are also two commentators – Gyula the coming season, because of the new rules – Czollner and László Palik – who follow the as Brawn GP’s victory on Sunday demonstra- events from the studio in Budapest and an ted. interpreter who translates the interviews with the winners at the post-race press conferen- The next race – in Malaysia – will be broadcast ces. An on-site reporter, Zoltán Szujó, is res- on RTL Television, RTL 5 and RTL Klub on ponsible for conducting exclusive behind-the- 5 April. scenes interviews and reports, to provide viewers with additional information on the drivers and teams.

The Hungarian Grand Prix is one of the country’s most popular sporting events and also very popular on TV, scoring the highest ratings

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A good year, and bleak prospects At Bertelsmann’s Top Management Meeting in Berlin, RTL Group CEO Gerhard Zeiler gave an overview of the company’s situation and took a look at the years ahead. Gerhard Zeiler Luxembourg - 30 March 2009

Zeiler began his presentation with a look at the ‘cost, cost, cost’”. Zeiler said that this 2008 financial year. The company succeeded in is essential to prepare RTL Group increasing revenue and profit for the seventh for new growth in a changed future year in a row, he said. In particular, he highligh- and to invest resources in this ted the outstanding achievements of same future. “But if we are suc- Watch the film on Mediengruppe RTL Deutschland, the interna- cessful, if we do our homework, tional production arm FremantleMedia, and we will have the financial power to Backstage Groupe M6 in France. Zeiler pointed out that grow, to acquire and also to conso- the Group has a net cash position of more than lidate the market and we will be – EUR 900 million, giving it a strong position in compared to our competitors – the competitive European environment. He in a stronger position after the crisis.” added that this was particularly noteworthy as in the past three years RTL Group has distribu- Because he realised that his description of the ted more than EUR 1.8 billion to shareholders. market and the necessary measures would not But Zeiler did not dwell on the past for long. exactly trigger a wave of enthusiasm, Zeiler Because, he said “2008 also brought the first ended his speech with two positive messages: signs of the crisis.” first, he pointed out that people are watching more TV now than ever before. TV consump- And that was just the beginning, according to tion is growing because of the crisis. And the RTL Group CEO. “In 2009 we expect dra- what’s more, he said that all of RTL Group’s matic losses in the advertising markets across flagship channels are growing their audience Europe, and strong pressure on prices and pro- share in this environment of increasing televi- motional discounts.” Zeiler said it was unclear sion consumption. “This is not only good news, how long the crisis would last, or whether the it’s excellent news, because it proves, that our markets would be able to reach their previous creative concept is working,” said Zeiler, levels again afterwards. However, he firmly dis- concluding his overview of RTL Group’s situa- missed notions that RTL Group needed a new tion. strategy to cope with these challenges. “Building families of channels, diversifying our Zeiler finished off his presentation in Berlin by businesses and pursuing our geographic screening a short film about a young girl’s expansion puts us right on track, but – and this dreams and what television can do to make ‘but’ is quite a big one – for 2009 and maybe them come true: the success story of even 2010 there is another focus, another prio- Alexandra Burke who won The X Factor in rity which we have to acknowledge and this is: 2008.

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Bertelsmann Entrepreneur Awards 2008 Hartmut Ostrowski presents the Bertelsmann Entrepreneur Awards 2008 to eight outstanding entrepreneurs – four of them of RTL Group companies. Luxembourg - 31 March 2009

One of the key messages of the one-day Top Management Meeting in Berlin was that Bertelsmann is well-equipped for the current economic crisis and will find the right answers to the challenges of the coming months. Apart from the group’s structural and cultural advan- tages, this assertion is also based on last year’s performance. On 26 March, the best of the best were given the Bertelsmann Entrepreneur Award 2008.

Hartmut Ostrowski, David Liess, Ulrich Bongartz, Tony Cohen, They all fulfilled a list of strict criteria, reviewed Anke Schäferkordt, Frank Hoffmann and Immanuel Hermreck meticulously by Günter Grüger, Executive Vice (from left to right) President Corporate Controlling and Strategy, The next two winners are also repeat winners and his team, which remained the same despi- and also come from the ranks of RTL Group, or te the unfolding economic crisis already hitting more precisely from its strong global produc- some countries and businesses in 2008. tion arm FremantleMedia: Tony Cohen and Corporate HR chief Immanuel Hermreck gave a Cécile Frot-Coutaz. Frot-Coutaz also accepted brief recap of these criteria on Thursday. They her third award this year, for her long-running include an operating EBIT of more than success at the helm of FremantleMedia North EUR 30 million, a return on sales significantly America. A further award for FremantleMedia above market level and a positive BVA. Even CEO Tony Cohen underscored how extraordi- tougher criteria apply to all those who have narily well the production businesses are doing already won the award in the past and aim to around the world. Cohen had also won the win it again the following year. award in 2006, and Hermreck described Cohen as an “organic growth champion” at The current crop of prize winners includes a Bertelsmann, who has given his company an businesswoman who has already won the immensely creative momentum. Bertelsmann Entrepreneur Award an astoni- shing six times: Anke Schäferkordt, CEO of The four award winners from RTL Group were Mediengruppe RTL Deutschland. In his intro- joined by four more winners from the Arvato duction, the Corporate HR chief said she is res- division. ponsible for Bertelsmann’s largest and most profitable profit center and had expanded its success on every level last year. Schäferkordt’s success seems to be infectious: the second Entrepreneur Award went to her close collea- gue Frank Hofmann. As Managing Director of Vox he is responsible for the continuous advan- cement of the channel in the audience and advertising markets. Hofmann received his third Entrepreneur Award this year.

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15 years of exciting business In business, virtually nothing has remained the same over the past 15 years. In France, one TV magazine has accompanied and covered all these upheavals and transitions: Capital. France - 30 March 2009

When Capital first went on air in spring of 1994, In the 2006/07 and 2007/08 TV seasons, the bricks-and-mortar retail sector was flouri- Capital averaged 4.3 million viewers per episo- shing and there was no apparent need to de, reflecting a slight upturn in its long-term consider the Internet as an economic factor, let viewer figures. Market shares most recently alone as serious competition. The first few came to 17.5 percent of total audience, or 19.9 generations of mobile phones were too bulky to percent among housewives under the age of 50 be truly mobile, and the stock markets led a lar- years, the main target demographic for the gely unobserved life of their own. That was 15 French advertising industry. years ago. And today? Since well before the eruption of the worldwide economic crisis, On 29 March, from 20:40 to 23:45, Guy business has come home to living rooms and Lagache, who took over as presenter from kitchen tables, and is heatedly discussed in Emmanuel Chain in 2003, reviewed the major places ranging from bar rooms to parliament. changes in the global economy over the past 15 years, and their implications for all of our M6’s Capital reflects this development. Again lives. The anniversary special of Capital, like the and again, the magazine addresses hot topics regular editions, strived to present complex or stimulates public discourse with its covera- business contexts in an edifying, easily unders- ge. Its most successful programmes, each dra- tood way. This, after all, has been the show’s wing six million viewers or more, have dealt recipe for success since 1994. 4.2 million vie- with such topics as the work of debt collectors wers tuned in to the special edition of Capital, or the real revenues and profit margins in retail. presented by Guy Lagache, on 29 March. That The most-watched episode in the history of made M6 the second most-watched channel in Capital was on 20 January 2008, when 6.4 mil- terms of overall audiences with a total audien- lion people tuned in to learn more about buying ce share of 20.8 per cent. The magazine had power. The runner-up was an edition devoted also had a great start to the new year: all the to the status symbols of the rich, which attrac- shows broadcast in January 2009 attained ted 6.3 million viewers. But the business maga- more than 4 million viewers. zine also gets excellent market shares for programmes that deal with topics from the viewers’ own daily lives and provide helpful hints and information.

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Increasing ratings For the fourth consecutive month, M6 is the only major channel whose ratings have increased. W9 is proud to see the highest ratings increase among French channels for the sixth consecutive month. France - 1 April 2009

In an increasingly competitive world (with the The film Mr & Mrs Smith posted the highest growth of DTT and ADSL equipment), M6 is the DTT audience rating ever on 9 March with 1.4 only major channel whose ratings have increa- million viewers. With an average of 600,000 vie- sed from one year to the next with an 11.1 per wers in the month of March, W9 is the most cent total audience share in March 2009 (com- watched DTT channel in the early-evening seg- pared to 10.9 per cent in March 2008). M6’s ment. It is also the most watched DTT channel ratings have also increased in comparison to by viewers under the age of 50 with an audien- the month of February 2009 (+0.2 percentage ce share of 6 per cent of exclusive DTT viewers points). age 15 to 49.

In March 2009, M6 multiplied its gains in every type of programme. The news magazine Capital drew 4.9 million viewers (on 15 March), the talent show Nouvelle Star drew 4.8 million (on 24 March), the American crime series Bones 4.8 million as well (on 20 March), the culinary docu-reality Un dîner presque parfait champions special 4.3 million (2 March 2009), the film The Sixth Sense 4.1 million (on 26 March) and finally the UEFA Cup football match between Ajax Amsterdam and Olympique de Marseille, which captivated 3.7 million viewers (on 18 March). Un dîner presque parfait

In March 2009, the digital sister channel W9 registered a total audience share of 2.3 per cent. With an increase of 0.7 percentage points compared to 1.6 per cent in March 2008, W9 shows the highest ratings increase among all the French channels in one year.

Bones

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“Commercial TV is not dead” On 31 March, Dawn Airey, Chairman and Chief Executive of Five, speaking at a Royal Television Society dinner, has claimed that the UK Government “has begun to recognise” the potential value of a merger between Five and Channel 4. Dawn Airey United Kingdom - 2 April 2009

“The business model that has sustained com- Dawn Airey estimated that savings can be mercial public service broadcasting in this generated that are so substantial they would country for half a century is being devastated not only plug Channel 4’s much-talked-about by economic circumstance and new technolo- funding gap but ensure the sustained delivery gies,” Dawn Airey said. “But commercial TV is of public service content across all platforms: not dead and will never be dead and there are “In fact we think that the amount of money things we can do – and already are doing – to saved could allow the creation of more not less put our own houses in order and sustain public public service content.” Even though, Airey service plurality.” mentioned that there are still more options on the table. “A merger between Five and Dawn Airey pointed out that the current climate Channel 4 might make ‘industrial logic’, as should give the permission to think the unthin- Gerhard Zeiler put it, but whatever happens kable, which does not just imply to reassessing don’t underestimate RTL’s commitment to the cost base of the TV industry by downsizing remaining a long-term player in one of the lar- and cutting programme budgets. gest television markets in Europe with Five at the heart of it.” One of these unthinkable ideas to create syner- gies and save costs could be a possible merger As she pointed out that Five turned 12 earlier of Five and Channel 4. “For Five, being a fully- this week, she said Five is also sustainable on fledged public service broadcaster has been a its own backed by RTL Group if a merger of major way of building our reputation, gaining Five and Channel 4 won’t be possible: the trust of audiences and building a brand. It’s “I wouldn’t have come back to Five if I didn’t also why we are enthusiastic participants in the believe it had a future. I want the channel to be effort to help find a solution to Channel 4’s that truculent, lively, annoying, opinionated – funding gap,” Airey explained and underlined: but, above all, energetic – teenager.” “The differences we have are also complemen- tary strengths, which is something that the Government has begun to recognise.”

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A new kind of quiz FremantleMedia and The Sun, one of the UK’s best-selling newspaper, are to launch an innovative new venture that will bring a live, interactive gameshow to The Sun’s website later this year. Peter Cassidy United Kingdom - 2 April 2009

Sun Quiz Live will enable users to play against Pete Picton, The Sun’s Online Editor, says: “We one another in real time, and to interact with the are always looking for new ways to engage and presenter, crew and their fellow players. The entertain our readers, and Sun Quiz Live will do concept was developed by FremantleMedia’s both. The site is going from strength to Participation Media team and will be broadcast strength, and bringing a live gameshow expe- daily on Thesun.co.uk. It will offer a variety of rience to our audience will enrich it still further.” word, number and logic puzzles lasting a few minutes each. The show will initially be scheduled two hours per day, five days per week. Visitors to Peter Cassidy, Vice President Participation Thesun.co.uk will be able to watch free, but the Media at FremantleMedia, says, “Sun Quiz Live games themselves will be offered on a pay-to- draws directly on our expertise in gameshow play basis. FremantleMedia will produce the production and interactive games. It combines show, with Illumina Digital as technical partner. live video with multiplayer puzzles to create a Sun Quiz Live is due to launch in summer 2009. new entertainment experience – a gameshow where the viewers are the contestants.”

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Exclusive interview with Hillary Clinton During the Afghanistan Summit in the Netherlands, US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton granted RTL Nieuws an exclusive interview. Rick Nieman The Netherlands - 31 March 2009

RTL Nieuws anchorman Rick Nieman interviewed Hillary Clinton on topics including the US’s new Afghanistan and Pakistan policy and the military and diplomatic role of the Netherlands in Afghanistan.

The conversation also touched on Clinton’s first two months as Secretary of State and the special relationship between the United States and the Netherlands.

Excerpts of the interview were aired on the RTL Nieuws on 31 Hillary Clinton March at 19:30, with the full interview being broadcast in a special entitled RTL Nieuws Extra: Rick Nieman interviews Hillary Clinton at 22:15. The full interview attained a market share of 19 per cent in the target group of shoppers aged 20 to 49.

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10 billion pairs of ears tuned in Philippe Bouvard’s Les Grosses Têtes is celebrated 33 years of laughter on RTL Radio France. The 1,000th episode at the théâtre des variétés with Jean Yanne, Jacques Martin and Léon Zitrone among others France - 1 April 2009

On Wednesday 1 April, Philippe Bouvard, the programme’s figurehead since its debut, celebrated Les Grosses Têtes entering its 33rd year on the air in a special show with a secret only Philippe Bouvard knows. From 16:00 to 18:00, eight “Grosses Têtes” outdid themselves to offer listeners a totally outrageous programme.

An unparalleled radio phenomenon and a veri- table temple of laughter, Les Grosses Têtes draws more than 2.1 million listeners every day, Philippe Bouvard making it the most listened to show in France between 16:00 and 18:00, with a lead of more than 403,000 listeners (23 per cent) over the number two radio station (Source: Médiamétrie). To keep laughing all seven days of the week, Les Grosses Têtes can also be heard on saturdays and sundays (16:00 to 18:00) and now every night from 3:00 to 4:30. The last half hour, Dans la nuit des temps, is a condensation of the best moments in more than 30 years of the programme.

Les Grosses Têtes with Philippe Bouvard also The 2,500th episode at the Palais des Congrès represents 18,000 hours of broadcasting, 1,200,000 Grosses Têtes spectators in RTL’s Grand Studio, 2,000 special guests from every walk of life, and more than 10 billion pairs of ears that have tuned in. It is also the only RTL Radio show that is broadcast all year round, seven days a week, once a day, once at night – a longevity record for a radio show that demonstrates rock-solid loyalty.

Philippe Bouvard and Rama Yade, Minister of State responsible for foreign affairs and human rights

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60 kg of fish per year For the sixth episode of its exploration of the planet, L’Expédition RTL went to Japan to study the consequences of overfishing and the future of marine species. Franck Antson (left) France - 27 March 2009

Testing the quality of a tuna L’Expédition RTL in Japan After Alaska, Mali, India, New Caledonia and Japan still continues the practice of whaling, the Aral Sea, RTL Radio France correspondent officially for scientific reasons. With fish being Franck Antson took listeners to Japan, one of the traditional basic food of the Japanese, the the largest producers of ocean products and a archipelago is also the world’s largest importer country that often has a finger pointed at it for of ocean products. In fact, a Japanese person its role in the rarefaction of species. Today, consumes 60 kg of fish per year on average, experts decry the fact that three quarters of the while his French counterpart consumes two world have been overexploited. times less.

L’Expédition RTL investigated the land of the Rising Sun over the course of many reports, and although certain facts are alarming, initiati- ves are proving that the country is experiencing a real crisis of conscience and is attempting to modify its practices.

RTL Radio France correspondent Franck Antson (right)

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Videos, news and series These last four months have seen RTLTVI.be become the favourite French-language TV site of Internet users. Belgium - 1 April 2009

From November to February, RTL-TVI’s Web ning’s programme as well as other shows in site drew an average of 165,000 unique visitors their entirety, including Un dîner presque parfait who looked at more than 2,400,000 pages. and Le Grand Quiz des Belges. There is also Confident of this evolution, the RTLTVI.be site greater visibility (a more ergonomic navigation is offering its Internet users new functionalities menu), more news (emphasising the top story, to further facilitate navigation and increase traffic reports and the horoscope) and more interactivity. series. In fact, every hit series will have its very own site, full of details such as episode sum- First of all, there are more videos, especially maries, a presentation of the characters and a one on the home page announcing the eve- forum for fans.

The newly designed RTLTVI.be

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A March of awards The month of March again brought numerous awards for RTL Group companies, including a Grimme Preis. There were also a number of nominations to report. Die Gustloff Luxembourg - 1 April 2009

Doctor’s Diary – Männer sind die beste Medizin Das Supertalent (Got Talent), a Grundy Light wins an Adolf Grimme Preis 2009 in Entertainment production for RTL Television, ‘Entertainment’. The awards ceremony will take was the only German production to be nomina- place on 3 April. This is the third award for the ted for a Rose d’Or in ‘Entertainment’. The joint popular series. The doctors’ series, penned by The Bill/Soko Leipzig episode co-produced by Bora Dagtekin and packed with incisive dialo- UFA Fernsehproduktion and Talkback Thames gues and great emotions, had already won a also scored a nomination. The episode has not German TV Award for ‘Best Series’ and a yet been aired in Germany, so the nomination German Comedy Award for ‘Best Comedy- officially goes to the British half of the produc- Series’ in 2008. Polyphon Film- und tion team. Fernsehgesellschaft is currently producing the second season of Doctor’s Diary for The nominees for this year’s coveted RTL Television in and around Berlin. It is sche- Promax/BDA Europe Awards include the image duled to go on air this summer. teaser for Domino Day 2008, in ‘Best Entertainment/Music/Variety/Comedy Promo’, Die Gustloff by UFA Filmproduktion won a the sweeping anniversary campaign ‘25 Years Jupiter for ‘Best TV Film’. Its director Joseph of RTL’ in ‘Best Use of an Original Music Vilsmaier accepted the award at a gala on Composition in a Promo Image Campaign’, the 27 March. The Jupiter is Germany’s foremost image teaser for Alarm für Cobra 11 in ‘Best audience film award. Promo not using Programme Footage’ and the montage ‘Break Bumpers RTL Paternoster’ in In Slovakia the FremantleMedia-produced ‘Best On-Air Ident (in-house)’. show Slovensko Ma Talent (Got Talent) was named Format of the Year at the OTO Awards, Sandra Thier, who presents the RTL II News, is the country’s foremost TV prize. up for a Romy, the Austrian TV Award, for ‘Most Popular Presenter’. The big gala takes place in On 13 March, the motif ‘Sarkozy’ in N-TV’s Vienna on 25 April. The Romy has been presen- image campaign was honoured as Ad of the ted by the ‘Kurier’, an Austrian daily, since 1990 Year 2008 by Germany’s Zeitungs Marketing in memory of the German-Austrian actress Gesellschaft (Newspaper Marketing Romy Schneider. Association). The ad ran from November 2008 as part of the campaign to launch the news channel’s new design.

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Moving into mobile Internet RTL II and Webmobilisten have jointly launched a new platform for the emerging topic of ‘Mobile Internet’ called ‘RTL II Mobil’. Germany - 27 March 2009

Power and convergence The production department of RTL Radio France and Les Echos médias are joining in a new business venture made-to-measure for opinion leaders. France - 30 March 2009

Why television remains key Seven speakers will look into this question from 10:00 to 17:15 on 5 May at TV Wirkungstag 2009 (TV Effectiveness Day). Germany - 30 March 2009

Beauties and nerds go to Thailand On 30 March, RTL 5 started showing the third season of De Beauty & de Nerd. Once again, the show will bring featherbrained, naïve models together with brainy but socially incom- petent geeks. The Netherlands - 30 March 2009

A 90 per cent increase With 2,505,000 unique visitors in February 2009, RTL.fr retains its leading position among the French radio Web sites. France - 31 March 2009 17 week 14 the RTL Group intranet

A family trip to Los Angeles to be won To celebrate the release of the new animated film from Dreamworks, Monsters vs. Aliens, opening in Belgium on 1 April, Bel RTL is offering its listeners a fabulous prize: a family trip to Los Angeles. Belgium - 1 April 2009

One day on the air = 6,000 jobs Just one week after its “Journée pour l'emploi”, RTL Radio France has drawn up an extremely positive report on the operation it initiated. All in all, RTL Radio collected 6.000 job offers. France - 2 April 2009

The German TV market in March Mediengruppe RTL Deutschland’s channels scored 34.4 per cent of the 14- to 49-year-old target audience in March 2009, and continued well ahead of the ProSiebenSat.1 group, which was more than four percentage points behind at 30.0 per cent. Germany - 2 April 2009

Dream parts now available UFA Cinema is joining Yourchance.de and Teufelskicker.de in running a nationwide casting call for its movie Teufelskicker (Hotshots), from 1 April to 8 May. Germany - 2 April 2009

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People New Head of Retail Germany - 31 March 2009

Stefanie Engels, 34, has been appointed to manage the Retail accounts within Super RTL’s Merchandising team.

Engels succeeds Melanie Podgornik as Senior Retail Manager and will intensify key account relationships with retail partners in her new Stefanie Engels capacity. She will also work with retail and licensing partners to draw up sales-oriented concepts, and further step up the activities to promote Super RTL’s own and licensed brands.

Engels previously served as Category Manager and Retail Manager at Super RTL. She now reports to Christoph Ahmadi, Head of Merchandising & Licensing.

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