26 March 2009

week 13

“Plenty of opportunities” Tony Cohen on FremantleMedia’s approach to facing tough times

Germany Belgium IP Deutschland maximises A new medium arrives effects of ad’s settings

France Croatia French radio forms the RTL Televizija has been named Bureau de la Radio a superbrand week 13

COVER: Montage with Tony Cohen

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“There’s good news along with the bad” On 19 March, Tony Cohen held a presentation at the Changing Media Summit in London, presenting his strategy for facing the tough times ahead, along with new ways of funding TV productions. Tony Cohen at the Changing Media Summit 2009 United Kingdom - 26 March 2009

The Changing Media Summit has established major TV markets, many of FremantleMedia’s itself as one of the most important events for titles hit new audience records during 2008, anyone concerned with creative and commer- proving that viewers continue to have an appe- cial success in the digital age. It is aimed at tite for must-see entertainment and drama pro- senior executives responsible for strategies in gramming. In the United Kingdom viewing figu- all kinds of media. This year it was organised res were up year on year for both individuals under the headline: ‘Survive or thrive? It’s and young adults. In fact this can be broken crunch time for your digital strategies’. down into detail: more people are watching prime-time TV. Among all individuals, the figure “Pretty well everywhere in the world the chan- increased by two per cent, while among young nels are cutting budgets, ordering fewer new viewers aged 16 to 19 the figure increased by 4 shows, demanding lower prices and more per cent. Audience numbers for rights. This all looks like a tough future,” says FremantleMedia’s shows are also growing Tony Cohen, CEO of FremantleMedia. “But around the world. Ratings for The X Factor, for while it will be tough, no question, I’m bullish example, are up 31 per cent in the UK, 16 per about the future.” Last year FremantleMedia cent in Denmark, and 36 per cent in Italy, and managed to increase its revenue and EBITA other shows have had similar increases. figures for the fifth consecu- tive year, while its produc- tion units report that in March 2009 they are the busiest they have ever been in the company’s history – currently producing over 300 different series around the world. “There’s good news along with the bad, there are still plenty of opportunities for creative producers and there are some things we can do as an industry to secure our future,” Tony Cohen explains.

The good news is that peo- ple are watching more televi- sion. Despite increasing audience fragmentation in all Increasing TV viewing figures in the UK 3 week 13 the RTL Group intranet

Programmes by FremantleMedia occupied top positions in their genres in key markets such as the US, the UK, Germany, France, the Netherlands and Australia. “We’re often told that the days of broadcast television as a mass medium are over. Not true, not yet,” Cohen says, backing up his state- ment with a comparison of the top five entertainment shows in 1998 versus 2008. “Audience share for the top four shows has actually gone up and so did the absolute numbers. TV does mass audience better than ever.”

Speaking about the production business, Cohen explains that the United Kingdom supplied 27 per cent of all new sales of for- mats produced worldwide in 2008, and three quarters of those were produced by independent production companies. According to Cohen the success of British TV productions is mainly based on three pillars: public-service broadcasting, which has encouraged creative risk taking; inde- pendent quotas, which have created a highly competitive creative market; and lastly the terms of trade which ensure that producers control their own product exploi- Tony Cohen in discussion with Kara Swisher tation and get rewarded for the rights they created. “If we want to stay a global TV suc- The X Factor, and over 700 videos uploaded,” cess story, we must fight for these unique ele- Cohen says proudly. “Three months ago we ments of the UK market,” Tony Cohen says. were the first ever TV production company to sign a global deal with YouTube to both launch Talking about production in detail, Tony Cohen new online channels and monetize our proper- is sure that broadcasters want global hits more ties.” than ever before: “We will continue to develop our ability to deliver these hits around the world Finally Tony Cohen spoke about what the as these are the shows that will make a diffe- broadcasting industry can do to ensure pro- rence in prime time.” To ensure best production duction remains a healthy sector. Referring to quality FremantleMedia will continue to invest Lord Carter’s Interim Report on Digital Britain, in creative teams and long-term partnerships which was published in January and said that as well as expanding the global production and the government “will examine measures… to enterprises network. “Last year we opened in foster UK creative ambition and alternative fun- Brazil – we already have five shows on air. This ding mechanisms to advertising revenues”, he year we expect to expand further in Eastern said FremantleMedia would focus on three Europe.” Apart from geographical expansion things: product placement, micro payment and and distributing formats, FremantleMedia plans fighting piracy. Andy Burnham, Secretary of to expand programme brands beyond the TV State for Culture, Media and Sport, had already shows. “Only a few weeks ago we launched pointed out that product placement might not ‘The American Idol Experience’ in Orlando with be an option for the British government, as it Disney. Our licensing operation will be investing could undermine audience trust in program- further into our gaming and live events busines- mes. According to Cohen, the government ses because audiences want to interact even should rethink its position, as product place- more with our brands off-screen,” Tony Cohen ment is potentially very valuable and helps explains. Speaking of interaction, broadcasters to sell spot ads and enhance FremantleMedia has also some good examples audience recall of the commercial message. for online brand extensions: “We now have ele- Furthermore, it is likely that advertising will slip ven YouTube channels including Minder and away from the broadcast world into things like

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online search if advertisers aren’t given the chance to combat the skipping of ads on TV. “And lastly I believe that product placement and integration are self regula- ting,” explains Cohen. “If you place inappropriate pro- ducts, place them badly or place them too often the audience lets you know, powerfully, simply, finally. They just stop watching.” In the UK FremantleMedia has a 500-strong research panel to test audience reactions. This panel was asked what they thought of product pla- cement on American Idol. A large majority said that pro- What does the audience think about product placement? duct placement did not bother them at all. Cohen comments: “This is Lastly, persuading audiences to pay for valua- entirely consistent with Ofcom’s own research ble programming will only work if there is a into this in 2005, which found that viewers reliable way to stop piracy. At the moment there objected less to product placement than they are basically two things rights owners can do to did to traditional spot advertising.” protect their properties: written notification to offenders and legal action, which is very expen- Another way of new funding for television could sive, time-consuming and can be particularly be a micro pay per view. Today, on-demand unpopular. According to Cohen, the most effec- offers a premium experience – convenience, tive way could be to cut off the offender’s inter- flexibility, control over time windows and inter- net access. activity. In the future, on-demand viewing will be included on the living room screen and Tony Cohen concluded by saying: “Audiences become just another option. “We must look still watch broadcast TV. There’s still opportuni- afresh at the potential of what we might call ty for creative produces to invest to build their ‘micro pay per view’. Charging just a few businesses. It is clear that we need new money pence, say five pence, on demand, a TV pro- but we can be creative about taking action in gramme for catch up or even first run could our industry. We need to regulate and develop really both stimulate demand and significantly our industry to ensure television production help fill the gap left by dwindling ad revenues.” remains able to do what it is meant to do – to When asked, 46 per cent of the entertain.” FremantleMedia audience panel said yes and half of them would pay at least five pence.

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Sport connects people On 18 March, in an event tying in to this year’s Com.mit Awards, Peter Kloeppel and Nazan Eckes spoke with players of the junior team of 1. FC Köln, and to former professional footballer Ümit Özat, about how sports can facilitate the integration of young immigrants. Peter Kloeppel , Ümit Özat and Nazan Eckes Germany - 20 March 2009

In January 2009, RTL Television announced its second Com.mit Award for Integration. The media prize is given out to grammar- school students who suc- cessfully deal with the topics of immigration and integra- tion using the media of film. As part of this programme, Peter Kloeppel, Editor-in- chief of RTL Television and Nazan Eckes, a Turkish- German TV presenter, met the 1. FC Köln junior team and ex-footballer Ümit Özat in Cologne. Nazan Eckes, Ümit Özat and Peter Kloeppel with the players of the junior team of 1. FC Köln

Sport has a unique ability to connect people Ümit Özat, a former Turkish national team was the unanimous conclusion reached by the player who was Captain of 1. FC Köln until he junior players, who come from places including resigned last week for health reasons, and who Germany, Turkey, Morocco and Egypt, on the was recently appointed to the panel of judges 1. FC Köln club grounds. Johannes, a Cologne- for the Com.mit Award, concluded: “No lan- born player of Turkish parentage, reports that guage is needed, it doesn’t matter what natio- his experiences on and off the football field vary nality you are, you just speak the language of widely: “In football, you tend to be much more sports.” He cheerfully adds: “1. FC Köln welco- accepted than in other careers, because med me – a Turkish player – with open arms everyone on the team shares a common goal. from the beginning.” Off the pitch, I do encounter the usual prejudi- ces sometimes.”

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Maximising the effects of an ad’s setting IP Deutschland’s new ‘Brand Environment Compass’ figures out the brand fit between products and programmes. Germany - 24 March 2009

Quantitative criteria such as reach, cost per mille (CPM) and affinity are standard variables in media planning. However, when deciding where and when to book commercials, qualita- tive criteria are also often an issue. Florian Ruckert, Head of Marketing at IP Deutschland, confirms: “There are several other parameters that can be ‘tweaked’ to absolutely maximise the potential effectiveness of an advert. In par- ticular, a high-impact spot can become even more effective if it is aired in the right setting.”

To this end, IP Deutschland now presents the ‘Brand Environment Compass’ (BEC), the per- fect tool to complement conventional media planning. It presents the psychological profile (image) of brands and TV programmes from the viewer’s standpoint, making it possible for media planners to consider not only the target- group and thematic match of a brand, but also the interaction between its image and that of its setting. The result is shown as a profile gra- dient. Various match indexes and rankings can also be generated.

The BEC currently contains the analyses of 100 brands from the automotive, fast-moving consumer goods (FMCG), retail and financial sectors and 50 recurrent TV formats aired on Florian Ruckert, Head of Marketing at IP Deutschland RTL Television and Vox. The compass was created in close cooperation with the market researchers at Mediascore and Prof. Dr. Gary Bente (University of Cologne). A second survey wave is already in preparation.

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Germany’s new number one social network The latest AGOF survey puts Wer-kennt-wen.de at the top of the ranking of social communities in Germany – with 5.71 million Unique Users, a 25.5 per cent increase since the previous survey, Wer-kennt-wen.de is one of the biggest winners of the quarter. Fabian Jager and Patrick Ohler Germany - 20 March 2009

Wer-kennt-wen.de was first included in the sur- June 2008. The platform for all age and interest vey for the ‘AGOF Internet Facts 2008-II’; when groups welcomed its one-millionth member at the ‘AGOF Internet Facts 2008-IV’ were publi- the beginning of December 2007; now its mem- shed on 19 March 2009, it was the top perfor- bership is close to 6 million. mer among Germany’s social networks. Wer- kennt-wen.de improved its ranking from num- For its ‘AGOF Internet Facts’, the ber 19 among all German websites in Q3/2008 Arbeitsgemeinschaft Online Forschung to number eight in the final quarter of the year, (Association of Online Research) surveys the reflecting an increase of 1.15 million Unique reach and structural data of all German online Users. This marks the community’s debut as a sites that contain advertising space. The Top Ten website in Germany. ‘Internet Facts’ shows reach and structural information for several hundred online sites and The community became a wholly-owned subsi- their booking units, and provides key informa- diary of RTL Interactive in February 2009, and tion about Internet use and e-commerce in IP Deutschland began marketing the network in Germany.

The team behind Wer-kennt-wen.de

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“I love radio” France’s four largest private radio groups announced they were joining together to create the Bureau de la Radio, an association whose mission will be to promote radio to the general public, the public authorities and various players in the advertising market. France - 23 March 2009

On the occasion of the creation of the Bureau Jean-Paul Baudecroux, CEO of NRJ Group, de la Radio, the radio stations are launching a Alexandre Bompard, CEO of Europe1, Axel major campaign called “J’aime la Radio” (I love Duroux, Chairman of the Board of the RTL radio). About 100 personalities from all hori- Radio family in France and Alain Weill, CEO of zons, artists, sports figures and politicians, will NextRadioTV, have asked Michel Cacouault to talk about their attachment to radio and their serve as president of the Radio Bureau, whose memories and emotions associated with this member stations are BFM Radio, Chérie FM, medium. The campaign, which is led by Europe1, Fun Radio, Nostalgie, NRJ, RFM, Rire Jérémie Blanc, associate director of Sunset & Chansons, RMC, RTL, RTL 2 and Virgin Productions, will be broadcast on the 12 mem- Radio. ber stations from 20 to 27 March 2009.

(from left to right): Jean-Paul Baudecroux, Alain Weill, Alexandre Bompard, Axel Duroux and Michel Cacouault

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Bringing supply and demand together 23 March had been decreed “Employment Day” on RTL Radio France. With news and program- mes dedicated to the subject of employment, the radio station offered its listeners a day both positive and supportive. Julien Courbet France - 23 March 2009

Two days after the publication of February’s Thanks to this big solidarity day, RTL Radio col- unemployment figures, which are once again lected 6,000 job offers. The initiative of RTL without doubt most troubling, RTL Radio has Radio was greeted by thousands of listeners chosen to focus on what’s working today in for whom this concrete action represented a France: the sectors that are hiring, the personal real shot in the arm. Several hirings have alrea- initiatives that are paying off and the regions dy been made and Marc, a company manager, that are least affected by unemployment, while who had been looking for an electrical engineer bringing together those offering work and those for six months, declared in the 8 o’clock news, looking for work in France. “an announcement aired by RTL gives me three answers in 24 hours whereas an announce- Throughout the day, the news on RTL Radio ment by the National Employment Agency highlighted employment. Every news program- leads to zero applications in six months.” me featured reports on sectors that are short of manpower, creators of businesses, original ini- tiatives, guests, debates and listener participa- tion.

There was no shortage of programmes on the subject. Julien Courbet helped listeners on his public service show Ca peut vous arriver. From 9:30 to 11:30, he put people who are offering jobs in touch with people who are looking for work. Also on the show, a specialist in employ- ment rights and a lawyer gave advice to liste- ners and answer their questions about employ- ment rights. At 18:30, Nicolas Poincaré on RTL Soir welcomed Secretary of State for Employment Laurent Wauquiez.

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Loving movies On 7 April 2009 RTL Radio France is launching a collection of 30 films in association with Studio Canal. The films are available in three categories: great international films, hit comedy films and the best of French cinema. France - 25 March 2009

RTL is the radio station for all movie theatres as The site RTL.fr will not miss out on this occa- well as a partner in some of the most success- sion either. Besides being featured on the site’s ful films in recent years (La Môme, Bienvenue home page on 7 April, the collection will also chez les Ch’tis, James Bond). have a page devoted to it on the site www.lacollectiondvdrtl.com, featuring a pre- For a very attractive price (EUR 12.99), this sentation, an ad for the collection, online radio selection comes in collector’s boxes that inclu- spots dedicated to the collection, broadcast of de a 20-page booklet in which important infor- the presentation video by Stéphane mation from RTL Radio present each film. RTL Boudsocqu (RTL Radio’s film journalist), quiz- Radio’s editorial staff will be involved in this zes and gifts. ambitious project by offering the collection on two occasions: when it is released on 7 April and during several shows accompanying the Cannes Film Festival (L’info du petit matin, Laissez-vous tenter, Un Torrent de musique, On refait la semaine, Stop ou encore).

List of available titles:

The best of French cinema: L’Armée des Ombres César et Rosalie La Belle et la Bête Le Cercle Rouge La Grande Illusion Casque d’Or Le Chat Plein Soleil Les Choses de la Vie Les Valseuses Monsieur Klein

Great international films: Babel Total Recall Million Dollar Baby Ali Le Pianiste Basic Instinct Highlander Les 3 Jours du Condor Le Lauréat

Hit comedy films: La Grande Vadrouille Marche à l’Ombre Le Père Noël est une Ordure Le Magnifique L’Auberge Espagnole Bridget Jones, l’Age de Raison Love Actually Fauteuils d’Orchestre Prête-moi ta Main Les Bronzés

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A new medium arrives Starting on 31 March, Radio Contact will be backed up by a corresponding digital television channel called Radio Contact Vision. Freddy Tacheny, General Manager of RTL Belgium Belgium - 20 March 2009

Eric Adelbrecht, General Manager of Radio Contact, explains: “This involves simultaneous- ly broadcasting Radio Contact’s FM signal on the digital television platforms. Of course, you can already receive radio on these platforms, but all you actually see is a black screen and logo. The new thing is that relevant information will now be displayed: images, text, interactive content.”

RTL Belgium’s approach is based on the fact that media in the digital age have changed. Media content now has multiple lives. It can be enriched with additional information or functio- nality. Digital technology means that content is released from the shackles of its original medium, which in turn means that the number of contact points is rising. Freddy Tacheny, What that means is that each track it broad- General Manager of RTL Belgium, cites an casts will be accompanied on the digital chan- autumn 2008 survey carried out by Ipsos (a nel by the corresponding video clip, “a show- French market research firm) that emphasises case for recording companies and artists invi- that every day 18 per cent of the population ted into the studio”, adds Eric Adelbrecht. consumes TV, press or radio in a form different Presentations by hosts and newsflashes will from its original medium. Convergence is now a also be displayed on-screen. During adverts, reality. an advertiser’s logo can appear on the air or during the broadcast of the relevant TV advert. Right from its inception, Radio Contact has In fact, IP – the advertising arm of Radio always been a pioneering radio station – one Contact – will provide customised offerings for that has not hesitated to shake up the status this new service. quo. Today, it is keeping true to its reputation.

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“With Télévie, let’s give life a chance” In its 21 years of existence, Télévie has become an institution in the fight against cancer. Behind this noble and emotionally charged cause we find the RTL family in Belgium and Luxembourg as well as many volunteers who are joining forces to collect funds. Télévie 2009 Belgium - 23 March 2009

“The importance of Télévie, in the troubled and The rallying of volunteers for this 21st edition is, uncertain circumstances in which we find our- once again, impressive. In fact, almost 700 selves, is greater than ever. Télévie is concer- events have already been programmed ned with what is essential to life: health.” It is throughout Belgium’s French-speaking com- with these words that RTL Belgium’s CEO munity. RTL’s teams hope to pass the EUR 100 Philippe Delusinne launched the 21st edition of million threshold, which would be one giant Télévie. step forward in conquering the disease. This objective must be reached before 25 April, the Unfailingly, since 1989, tens of thousands of closing date of the Télévie 2009 campaign. people, be they presenters, journalists, artists, researchers or anonymous individuals, have joi- ned forces to collect money for cancer research, particularly in leukaemia. Thanks to the EUR 92,550,817 collected so far, no fewer than 1,273 grants have been given to resear- chers at the Fonds national de la recherché scientifique. All the money has gone toward basic and clinical research, and it has shown to be a success. Ninety per cent of children with leukaemia are now cured. “There is nothing bet- ter than offering a future to someone whose future remains uncertain because of cancer. This ultimate goal is what drives Télévie,” says Arsène Burny, president of the commission of the Télévie du Fonds national de la recherche scientifique.

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Being a superbrand The Superbrands Organisation recently published the latest Croatian edition of the Superbrands book, featuring RTL Televizija on the cover. The Superbrands book cover Croatia - 20 March 2009

The recently published book features Croatia’s 100 leading brands. The book provides insights into many of the strongest local and international brands. Each company is featured with a case study explaining their achievements in English and Croatian. “The case studies reveal each brand’s long and difficult journey from ordinary brand to Superbrand,” says Stephen Dodgson, CEO of the Superbrands Organisation.

“RTL Televizija is a brand known for its creativity, innovation and original approach and represents a symbol of quality. It has been recognized as such by its clients and its viewers,” reads the description of RTL Televizija in the latest edition of the Superbrands book.

The Superbrand status is granted by the Superbrands Organisation, an independent authority and arbiter on branding. The organization promotes the discipline of branding and pays tribute to exceptional brands through programmes in over 70 countries across five continents.

The Superbrands book

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Gerhard Zeiler presents Golden Lion At a 60th birthday party for Richard Holloway, Gerhard Zeiler presented the British producer with the Golden Lion, a venerable and cherished RTL Award. Richard Holloway and his wife (middle) with Tony Cohen (left) and Lorraine Heggessey (right) Luxembourg - 24 March 2009

On Wednesday 18 March, the Who’s Who of Lorraine Heggessey in her the British TV community convened for a birth- congratulatory note: “This day celebration for producer Richard Holloway, recognition could not be more More about the Lion on who heads the Entertainment division at deserved!” Tony Cohen, CEO of Talkback Thames. Gerhard Zeiler, CEO of RTL FremantleMedia, also pays RTLGroup.com Group, gave the laudatory speech, and was tribute to Richard’s extraordinary lavish with his praise: “Richard is a permanent contribution to FremantleMedia. member on the Dream Team of international TV “Richard is our gold standard for executives,” he said, and elaborated: “What the quality of his entertainment makes him so successful is his experience, his productions. He produced the top three creative sensitivity, his ability to handle talent, talent shows in the UK this decade and that’s and, most of all, his leadership skills.” Zeiler an amazing achievement.” also had a special surprise for the birthday boy: a Golden Lion, an award that has earned its The Golden Lion weighs 2.5 kg (5.5 lbs) inclu- place in TV history. Handing over the legendary ding the base and is 26 cm high. It was award, Zeiler commended Holloway for training designed and cast by the Luxembourg and developing “a huge amount of world-class painter/sculptor Auguste Tremon in 1958. The executive producers.” In another congratulato- Radio Luxemburg Lions were first presented on ry speech, a taped interview that was screened 17 March 1959 and, following a merger with at the party, producer Simon Cowell pronoun- Telestar, became part of the German TV ced his verdict: “Richard is the world’s best Awards in 1998. executive producer of entertainment.”

Just a day earlier, Holloway had accepted this year’s ‘RTS Judges Award’ at the prestigious ‘Royal Television Society Awards’. Each year, these awards are presented to TV professionals in recognition of excellence across the entire range of program-making and broadcasting skills.

A quick look at Richard Holloway’s CV shows that this is eminently true of his work. As Head of Entertainment at TalkbackThames, he is behind various vastly popular formats including The X Factor, Britain’s Got Talent, Pop Idol and the British adaptation of the hit show Hole in the Wall. “Yet despite the high profile nature of his programs and the many top artists he has worked with, he never seeks the limelight for himself,” writes Talkback Thames’ CEO Gerhard Zeiler and Richard Holloway 15 week 13 the RTL Group intranet

New record for Espejo Público Informative, topical, and to the point: three-and-a-half hour long Antena 3 morning magazine achieves top ratings: a market share of 22.1 per cent. Spain - 20 March 2009

Positive scorecard for the newest portals A glance at the figures in the recent ‘Internet Facts 2008-IV’ shows that the latest additions to the IP Deutschland portfolio – Frauenzimmer.de and Kochbar.de – are doing very well indeed. Germany - 23 March 2009

80 million videos watched Launched on 19 March 2008, M6 Replay has just celebrated its first anniversary, with 80 million videos watched in one year. France - 23 March 2009

Passionate Homeowners On 26 March at 20:00, the Talkback Thames production I Own Britain’s Best Home returns to Five for a new season. United Kingdom - 24 March 2009

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Uh-oh ... it’s Easter time at RTL RTL Television will be treating its audiences to great box-office highlights this Easter. The cross-media Easter campaign has been designed to match this year’s cinematic Easter highlight, Night at the Museum featuring Ben Stiller. Germany - 25 March 2009

Welcome to Pékin Express In April M6 is launching the 4th season of its great adventure game. The winning team will take home the prize of EUR 100,000. RTL Radio France will also cover the race. France - 25 March 2009

Nouvelle Star: a new record With an audience share of 29.7 per cent in the target group of viewers under 50, Nouvelle Star recorded its highest audience share this season. In this target Groupe M6 was also the most-watched channel that evening. France - 26 March 2009

One hour for Earth Groupe M6 is passing on the message about Earth Hour, a worldwide event that symbolises everyone’s commitment to climate peril, by broadcasting its promotional spot on several occasions. This Saturday, M6 is calling on France to turn off its lights, electrical appliances and monuments for one hour between 20:30 and 21:30. France - 26 March 2009

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People Peter Lubbers appointed Programming Director The Netherlands - 26 March 2009

RTL Nederland has appointed Peter Lubbers the new Head of Programming at RTL 7, the group’s male oriented channel.

After earning a degree from the School of Journalism in Utrecht, Lubbers initially worked for RTL Nieuws. This was followed by stints as Peter Lubbers Production Manager at Endemol and Director at Medical Multi Media before he returned to RTL Nederland in 2004 as senior programme coordina- tor in charge of formats including RTL Boulevard, Herrie Aan De Horizon, Derek Ogilvie, X Factor, Het Zesde Zintuig and Uitstel van Executie.

Bert Habets, CEO of RTL Nederland, says: “Peter is a dynamic, creative personality. He has truly ear- ned his stripes in the television sector. Peter is very experienced in production and programming – which makes him the perfect choice for this posi- tion.”

Lubbers (42) is eager to take on his new tasks: “I’m ready to roll up my sleeves and get to work. RTL 7 is a channel with a strong profile. My job will be to further strengthen its profile and enhance the chan- nel’s position.”

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