Be Hot in 2008! RTL Televizija's Dance with Fire

week 38 the RTL Group intranet

Newsletter Be Hot in 2008! RTL Televizija's dance with fire

Germany UFA is still innovating France M6 receives awards at La Rochelle United Kingdom FremantleMedia strikes deals in Singapore Luxembourg Luxembourg launches Youmake.tv

People Ralph Lee appointed as Head of Factual at Five Nicolas Bayle joins M6 Publicité as Sales Director week 38 the RTL Group intranet

Dance with fire RTL Televizija launched its programme schedule for the new 2008 season in spectacular fashion, using the slogan “Be Hot in 2008”. Croatia - 19 September 2007

RTL Televizija's daredevil artists were given a you look at our performance in prime time you free rein to perform breathtaking stunts and see that RTL is almost always 50 per cent some fiery magic. Previous presentations of ahead of its competitors”, he went on. RTL Televizija's programme schedule had featured the elements air and water; this year it RTL Televizija is especially delighted with its was fire's turn. Advertising customers, mem- success in access prime time, thanks to the top bers of the press and friends of the broadcas- ratings achieved by new programmes, its new- ter were invited to an unprecedented “Be Hot in look news bulletins, the magazine Exploziv and 2008” circus event in Zagreb's Hippodrom. the soap Zabranjena Ljubav. “In just one week Hardly any of the Croatians attending the event we managed to increase our audience share had previously had a chance to experience a during access prime time to almost 30 per circus show, since most big circus families cent,” Mainusch proudly reported. have not yet toured Croatia. The top programmes in store during the new RTL Televizija offered its enthusiastic audience season were presented via video trailers bet- of 900 guests a 90-minute circus performance ween circus acts that featured numerous fami- with all the trimmings. RTL Televizija CEO liar faces from RTL Televizija as well as other Christoph Mainusch made a particularly dazz- Croatian stars. The glamorous RTL presenter ling entrance, magically appearing on the stage Tatjana Juric acted as circus director, guiding at the beginning of the event against a back- the audience through a memorable evening. drop of flickering flames and fountains of fire, before launching into a short dance with a troupe of female dancers.

In his presentation, Mainusch explained the channel's programming strategy, summed up last season's successes and presented the new programme schedule. “Last year RTL Televizija ended the year as Croatia's number one broadcaster, both in prime time and during the day taken as a whole”, Mainusch said, sum- ming up his channel's performance. “If

Miro Bizic, Tatjana Juric, Christoph Mainusch 2 week 38 the RTL Group intranet

RTL star Ana Begic, from Bibin svijet, was a According to Mainusch, the guarantors of RTL lion-tamer. Robert Knjaz, who hosts the show Telvizija's success are the channel's clear posi- bearing his name, was put in a box, sawn into tioning, its ability to create programme brands pieces and then magically made to disappear. and acquire the best films and series, its sche- The invited guests were totally amazed that the duling and programme flow and the high quali- box was empty, so they were suitably relieved ty of its local productions. when Robert popped up again - safely in one piece - later in the evening. RTL series star “With next year's line-up I can promise you Robert Kurbasa succeeded in freeing himself once again: we will be an even clearer number from chains in a water-filled tank. And the 1 over the day as a whole as well as during clown entertaining the audience was one of prime time”, Mainusch concluded. Croatia's best-known comedians. In the light of the audience's tremendously Christoph Mainusch described his channel's enthusiastic response and positive feedback programming strategy as follows: “keep the from the press to this year's presentation, next best and introduce new programme trends - year will see the circus returning to Croatia, the successes of tomorrow”. The main pro- albeit with one difference: Next year's 'programme trends during the new season will be gramme circus' after the presentation of the local fiction and some big new shows. For ins- channel's schedule will be open to the public, tance, there will be a new show entitled To i to the delight of all Croatians. djeca znaju - a quiz show in which young contestants take on adults, and two talent shows, Hrvatski Top Model and Hrvatski Super Talent. In addition, a new season of Big Brother has just started and there will be some new Domino Day events.

Notable new local fiction series include Ne daj se Nina (Ugly Betty) and Urota, a thriller featuring Robert Kurbasa. The hit autumn series Jesen Stize, Dunjo Moja is also new onscreen.

The hosts of RTL Televizija

Be Hot in 2008 circus

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UFA in short Floaded is the name of UFA's new platform for short films, which went online yesterday. Germany - 18 September 2007

Short films are definitely 'in' at the moment and Benz is carrying out a photo shoot for its new are thus greatly sought after. Floaded, the new super roadster. The film features well-known Internet project launched by UFA, Teamworx actors and famous brands (including and the publishing company Gruner + Jahr, Mercedes-Benz, Canon and Michelin). presents short films produced exclusively for the website. The films, produced by Teamworx, UFA CEO Wolf Bauer said: "Floaded is check out will be financed through interactive advertising. one of the most exciting ongoing Internet Users of the website can stop its content whe- projects for high-quality short films. floaded.com never products made by a particular brand Lavishly produced films made exclusively partner appear on the screen. Clicking on the for an Internet platform and associated with website's 'brand button' takes visitors to a pro- the possibility of showcasing brands interac- file web where they can find out more about the tively create not only a new advertising plat- product featured in the film. Clicking again will form, but also an innovative forum for creative take them to the respective brand partner's people from the film industry and TV sector“. homepage.

The first short film shown on the new website is called Die Erlkönigin (The Test Model) and plays on what used to be a stretch of motorway in northern France where Mercedes-

Die Erlkönigin

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Personal stuff RTL Lëtzebuerg launched its new video community website Youmake.tv. Luxembourg - 19 September 2007

The new website, which is Luxembourg's equi- has already attracted. Within the next few valent to the successful video portal projects weeks, RTL TVI in Belgium will go online Clipfish.de (RTL Television), Wideo.fr (M6) and with a Belgian Youmake.tv. Thereafter, if Tucanal.tv (Antena 3), enables users to watch, Youmake.tv is called up from Belgium, grade and upload videos and even create per- the Belgian version will appear on the sonalised video websites (so-called 'chan- user's screen. Other companies owned check out nels'). These spaces can be matched to the by RTL Group have also already expres- user's taste and feature videos and any 'perso- sed an interest in the project. youmake.tv nal stuff'. Alain Berwick, the managing director of To begin with, roughly 450 videos can be seen, RTL Lëtzebuerg, explained: “We're very but naturally the people in charge at RTL happy with the success of Youmake.tv. Lëtzebuerg's subsidiary RTL New Media are Already more than 600 registered users! That's hoping to see that figure rise steeply over the a promising start, and it means we can look to next few days and weeks. To this end, before the future with confidence”. the website's launch, a meeting was held with Luxembourg's police, volunteer fire brigade and a well- known music club. The result? A mutual cooperation agreement whereby users will be able to watch any videos of police officers and fire fighters in action and any footage of interesting bands exclusively on Youmake.tv. Further sub-pages are also planned, e.g. to include the work of keen amateur filmmakers in Luxembourg, as are competitions for the website's registered users. Six-hundred users have already registered.

But the project isn't just a success in terms of the number of users it

Youmake.tv 5 week 38 the RTL Group intranet

High Quality TV M6 bagged two awards at the 9th La Rochelle Fiction Festival. Les Bleus France - 19 September 2007

The French TV channel's first award was for the sible character trait. The channel will soon be best prime time series: Les Bleus, premiers pas broadcasting the film in four 52-minute episo- dans la police. This fiction crime series has not des. been screened before and is a new feature in the 2007/2008 programme schedule. M6 was delighted to receive these two awards, bestowed by the audience and also by profes- The greenhorns in question are youngsters sionals in the sector. M6 regards them as due aged around 20 who have become cops, for compensation for the great efforts it has made better or for worse. They love each other, hate to promote French fiction and emerging talent. each other and occasionally get in something of a mess, but when it comes down to it, they are always there for one another.

The second award for M6 was the audience's TV Hebdo prize for the best TV film: Merci, les enfants vont bien ! In it, viewers follow the adventures of the truly eccentric Blanchet family, in which sweet madness appears to be a genetically transmis-

Les Bleus

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FremantleMedia strikes deals in Singapore FremantleMedia Enterprises has made a series of significant sales to Mediacorp channels in Singapore. United Kingdom - 17 September 2007

More than 320 hours of high-end program- number of series fronted by the award-winning ming from FME’s portfolio have been picked and captivating natural history expert Nigel up by Mediacorp TV5, Channel News Asia and Marven, including Nigel Marven’s Rhino Mediacorp TV12. Adventures, Nigel Marven’s Ugly Animals and Penguin Adventures with Nigel Marven. Mediacorp TV5 has acquired a substantial package of shows that includes American Idol Vice President for Sales in Asia Ganesh Season 7, How Clean is Your House?, The Rajaram concluded the sales to Mediacorp. Martha Stewart Show, Jamie’s Kitchen Australia and Jamie Oliver: Australian Diary. David Ellender, CEO of FremantleMedia Enterprises, said: “It is very gratifying to see yet Channel News Asia has bought season one of another slew of our programming headed for the interview series Iconoclasts and the revea- the buoyant Asian market. The winning combi- ling documentary Secrets of the Great Plague. nation of our locally based sales team and the Together with Mediacorp, TV12 is buying the strong, diverse range of content we provide, children’s fun cookery series Planet Cook and a make us a real distribution force in the Asia Pacific region”.

RTL4Good on the index RTL Group continues to meet the corporate social responsibility criteria for the FTSE4 Good Index. Luxembourg - 19 September 2007

This was confirmed by the FTSE4 Good Policy deleted from the FTSE4Good Index include Committee in a letter to RTL Group this Honda Motor, Toyota Motor, Target Corporation September. and Texas Instruments.

In 2005, RTL Group was taken into the Created by the independent financial index FTSE4Good Index for the first time and has company FTSE Group, FTSE4Good is a finan- remained in it ever since. To guarantee the cial index series that is designed to identify and independence of company assessments, the facilitate investment in companies that meet FTSE works together with the Ethical globally recognised corporate responsibility Investment Research Service (EIRIS), an inde- standards. Companies in the FTSE4Good pendent body that conducts research into Index Series are doing more to manage their companies' social, environmental and ethical social, ethical and envi- activities. When assessing companies, EIRIS ronmental impacts, and uses international, globally recognised rules of are better positioned to conduct. capitalise on the bene- fits of responsible busi- This membership sends a powerful message to ness practice. investors and other stakeholders about the company's commitment to responsible busi- ness practice. Some companies that have been 7 week 38 the RTL Group intranet

Two big-name panellists join RTL Radio France's programme On Refait le Monde Together with his team of panellists, journalists, editorial writers, authors and philosophers representing a wide range of views, in On Refait le Monde (Let's Remake the World) Nicolas Poincaré scrutinises the major events that shape our world. Nicolas Poincaré France - 17 September 2007

For the new season of the programme, aired on Every evening roughly 620,000 listeners tune in RTL Radio every weekday between 19.15 and to the show. The programme's recipe for suc- 20.00, Poincaré's team of panellists is being cess comprises extensive freedom for its joined by two “big guns” from the printed panellists, regarding both what they say and press. how they say it, a hint of impertinence and the undeniable importance of the subject matter The first is Edwy Penel, former head of the edi- covered. torial team at Le Monde. The second is François d’Orcival, who used to head up the editorial team at Valeurs Actuelles. Both men will join a celebrated team of columnists which includes Alain Duhamel, regarded as France's top politi- cal journalist.

Edwy Penel Alain Duhamel

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Psych new on RTL Television He's young, good-looking, absolutely charming – and has a special gift. Psych Germany - 18 September 2007

The new hit US crime comedy series Psych supernatural powers who also gives the police written by Steve Franks will enrich RTL's pro- exclusive advice in unsolvable cases... though gramme schedule, starting on 30 October at not without obstacles and a bit of fibbing. 22.15, its regular Tuesday evening slot. The gripping criminal cases, excellent cast and After 57 failed jobs and having stubbornly modern look of Psych will provide uniquely resolved only to spend time doing things he entertaining evening viewing on RTL in what really enjoys, Shawn Spencer finally feels fulfil- will be the first German showing of the 15 epi- led, as Shawn Spencer, a clairvoyant with sodes of the programme's first season.

Five commissions Complainers Five has commissioned North One Television to produce The Complainers, a brand-new six-part series. United Kingdom - 17 September 2007

Each week Dom Joly will lead a crack team of The members of Dom’s team of professional the UK’s greatest complainers who set about complainers come from various backgrounds. campaigning on behalf of 'the little man'. They No job is too big or too small for the team to will tackle each problem head-on, sometimes take on as they opt for direct action, striking the using unorthodox methods to fight back on fear of God into customer relations depart- behalf of those unable to fight for themselves. ments up and down the country.

Five’s Controller of Factual Entertainment, Steve Gowans, said: “We are delighted to have Dom on board. He was the natural choice as our fearless champion of the people. He's also very funny”.

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A successful return for Prison Break on M6 M6 successfully broadcast the first two episodes of the second season of the celebrated US series Prison Break. Prison Break France - 17 September 2007

In so doing, it pulled off the tour de force of ran- audience of 5.3 million, giving M6 an overall king top in the ratings among viewers aged audience share of 21.3 per cent. As a result, under 50, attracting an audience share of 33.9 over the evening as a whole, M6 was the per cent. second most avidly watched French channel.

The first episode, which was aired at 20.50 was Fans of Prison Break will of course be able to watched by an audience of 5.2 million; the watch the remaining episodes on M6 at 20.50 second episode, which followed, drew an every Thursday.

Record-breaking ratings for RTL The daily soap launched in autumn 2006 achieved new record ratings. Alles was zählt: Diana (Tanja Szewczenko),Oliver (Norman Kalle) Germany - 14 September 2007

The battle for World Championship ice-skating The lavish World Championship sequences titles has fascinated fans of Alles was zählt (All were filmed in the ISS Dom sports arena in That Counts). Düsseldorf, Germany. The audience was played by a total of 1,000 extras - an unprece- 3.07 million RTL viewers aged 3 and above (an dented number for a soap production. The audience share of 13.5 per cent) watched as guest star in the World Championship sequen- Diana Sommer (Tanja Szewczenko) inched clo- ces is ice-skater Norbert Schramm. And the ser to her dream, landing the series its largest battle for medals remains very exciting as total audience since the programme's launch. Jenny Steinkamp (Christiane Klimt) does every- Among the young target group, too, Alles was thing she can to hamper the efforts of her rival, zählt managed an audience share of 19.8 per Diana Sommer. Will Diana manage to make it cent (1.66 million viewers), its best performan- onto the winners' rostrum anyway? ce since the series began. 10 week 38 the RTL Group intranet

People Ralph Lee appointed as Head of Factual at Five Ralph Lee United Kingdom - 14 September 2007

In his new position as Head of Factual, Ralph In 2002, he became Deputy Head of Specialist Lee will join the factual team assembled by Jay Factual at Channel 4 and was responsible for a Hunt, who will take up her role as Director of range of critically-acclaimed programming Programmes on 17 September 2007. Lisa Opie, Five’s Managing Director of Content Ralph Lee started his career in the History Unit said: “I am delighted we have been able to at the BBC, where he specialised in factual appoint such a talented individual to such a cri- development and began directing program- tical role for Five. I am sure he will make a huge mes, before he worked as a freelance produ- contribution to Jay Hunt’s team.” cer/director making single, hour-long docu- mentaries and biographies for Channel 4.

People Nicolas Bayle joins M6 Publicité as Sales Director France - 14 September 2007

M6 Publicité has appointed Nicolas Bayle as Nicolas Bayle headed the external communica- the new Sales Director of its Internet depart- tions department at Valeo Service between ment. 2004 and 2007. Before that he was a media manager at SFR and in charge of customer At his new position, Nicolas Bayle will report to relations at Carat. Claude Nahon, Head of M6 Publicité's Internet department.

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