22 December 2011
week 51
From soap to stardom Why daily soaps so often are launch pads for fantastic careers
Luxembourg Germany Guillaume de Posch appointed RTL II reorganises new member of RTL Group’s its online ad sales Executive Committee Luxembourg Belgium The Simpsons learn Philippe Delusinne calls to speak Luxembourgish on European policy makers the RTL Group intranet week 51
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A launch pad for career Backstage takes a look at how daily soaps turn their cast into world stars. Kylie Minogue United Kingdom - 22 December 2011
FremantleMedia is known not only for major the song The Locomotion at a charity benefit and blockbuster shows like Idols, Got Talent and was signed by a record label. Since her debut in X Factor that attract millions of viewers to screens the music industry, her worldwide record sales around the world, but also for its place in the have soared to over 68 million units, with over series business, as the producer of leading daily 20 consecutive top ten hits in the UK. Her music soaps in Europe and Australia. Not only is the success won her international recognition and a production of a daily series very sophisticated long list of awards, including six nominations at and challenging for both crew and cast, they the ‘Brit Awards’ for Best International Female, are in fact a breeding ground for up-and-coming an Award she won in 2002. She performed in stars, as a retrospective of the history of soaps front of over four million people at the closing and their cast members shows. Many stars have ceremony of the 2000 summer Olympic Games become world-famous thanks to the things they in Sydney, Australia, and has four wax replicas of went on to do after the soaps, but even lesser herself at Madame Tussaud’s in London – only known names have faces that are famous the the Queen has had more models created. Today, world over. her music career is alive and well, and she was nominated yet again for Best International Dietrich Leder, Professor of Television Culture Female at the ‘Brit Awards’ in 2011. at the Academy of Media Arts in Cologne, says actors of daily soaps have learned to exploit their Mark Lawson analysed in the Guardian in 2006: recognition value, as they are constant guests “The pop explosion from the soap is not as in the houses and apartments of their usually unlikely as it seems. [The creators of neighbours] youthful viewers: “If an actor appears in a major Watson and Grundy had achieved an intense block-office production outside the daily soap connection with the audience that buys records. in which they rose to fame, or if they produce Young actors in a long-running series would tend, a music title, then they are ensured a high level anyway, to dabble in music but, in the case of of attention to begin with. If their performance Neighbours, the hobby became a phenomenon.” in the film, or the music title, fulfils the fans’ Kylie Minogue’s way to the music industry expectations, this attention turns into recognition was the first evidence of the most improbable or even enthusiasm. If they can then corroborate aspect of the success of Neighbours: its power this performance in follow-up movies and as a celebrity academy. For RTL Group CEO records, their path to stardom is paved.” Gerhard Zeiler, there are no secrets behind the mechanism: “Soap stars know how to work Kylie Minogue began her acting career at a hard and they are household names. That can young age, but it wasn’t until her portrayal of the be an ideal launch pad for stardom.” Besides character Charlene on Neighbours that her rise to Minogue, her on and off-screen boyfriend, Jason international stardom began. She played the role Donovan, also parlayed his Neighbours part into from 1986 to 1988. In 1987, Minogue performed a pop career.
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appearing in the role of Adam/Felicia in the hit film The Adventures of Priscilla, Queen of the Desert. Since then, Guy has risen to international fame, with acting roles in LA Confidential, Best Picture ‘Oscar’-winning film The Hurt Locker and multiple Award-winner and international hit The King’s Speech. In 2011, he won an ‘Emmy Award’ for his supporting role in HBO miniseries Mildred Pierce.
Jason Donovan, Kylie Minogue and Guy Pearce (from left to right)
Jason Donovan played the character of Scott Robinson from 1985 to 1989. The wedding to Charlene Mitchell (played by Kylie Minogue) was watched by more than 19 million viewers on BBC1 in the UK alone. After Neighbours, Jason Donovan excelled in the music business, releasing a single and an album that went to number one on the UK album charts, selling Natalie Imbruglia (left) and Scott Michaelson 30 million records. He later appeared on I’m A Celebrity… Get Me Out Of Here! in 2006. A DJ Natalie Imbruglia pursued a singing career after for the UK radio station Heart, he was also one leaving Neighbours, where she was known as of the contestants on the latest season of Strictly Beth Brennan, in 1993. Her version of the song Come Dancing in the UK. Torn became an international hit in 1997, topping the UK and US charts at number one and selling Guy Pearce started acting on Neighbours in over seven million copies while she continued 1985, aged 17, then went on to the television working as an actress. Today, she is considered series Home and Away as well as other film and one of VH1’s most popular artists and was a television programmes. He became a star after judge on Australia’s X Factor in 2010.
Russell Crowe played the tough Kenny Larkin on Neighbours for four episodes in 1987. Today, he is an acclaimed international film actor with a Star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. After Neighbours, Crowe appeared in Australian films such as Romper Stomper before making his mark in the US with roles that have earned him countless international Awards and nominations. He achieved three consecutive ‘Academy Award’ nominations (1999 to 2001) for his roles in The Insider (1999), Gladiator (2000) and A Beautiful Mind (2001). He has also appeared in LA Confidential (1997), Master and Commander: The Far Side of the World (2002), and Robin Hood, among others. In 2001 he was awarded the prestigious ‘Australian Centenary Medal’ for his services to the Australian society
Guy Pearce
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Soap actors are a regular guest in viewers’ living rooms and have learned what appeals to, interests, and moves their audience. Dietrich Leder says: “They have a lot of things in common with their audiences; other actors can often only attain this special status with difficulty and through a longer filmography.”
Australia’s Neighbours isn’t the only launch pad for successful careers. In Germany, Grundy UFA’s Gute Zeiten, schlechte Zeiten (Good Times, Bad Times) also introduced several actresses who are now well known in Germany. Yvonne Catterfeld’s television exposure on the show launched her music career, and helped to make her single Für dich number one on the German, Austrian and Swiss charts. Her first album went Platinum, and she repeated this Jason Donovan and Russel Crowe success with a subsequent single and album, while still appearing in movies and television. and film production, has also been nominated six times for Best Actor by the Australian Film In 2004 she won an ‘Echo Award’ for Best Institute, winning four times. He is also an avid Female Artist National Rock/Pop. She has sports fan and the co-owner of an Australian played in movies and TV productions such National Rugby League team, the South Sydney as Keinohrhasen, Vulkan and Zweiohrküken Rabbitohs. and is currently working on her sixth album. In an interview on the occasion of the broadcast Jesse Spencer furthered his acting career in the of her latest movie Das Mädchen auf dem US after appearing on Neighbours from 1994 to Meeresgrund, Catterfeld told the German tabloid 2000, and is best known today for his role as Bild: “The media don’t really associate soaps Dr Robert Chase on the hit US medical drama with real performance, and many members of House. The show is the most popular TV series the audience also tend to think that anyone can in the world according to the Guinness Book of do a soap. But the truth is: you need enormous World Records, and is watched by 81.8 million discipline. The time pressure is much greater people in 66 countries. than in films, because everything always has to
Jesse Spencer Yvonne Catterfeld (left) and her colleague Raphaël Vogt
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be finished right away.” Obviously, this is tough, but can also be a good training ground for an great career in show business.
Dietrich Leder has a similar view on this: “Their success is also based on the fact that acting in daily soaps is a very taxing profession that requires – beyond acting skills – great physical and mental presence, along with great discipline and a certain degree of flexibility,” he says. This flexibility is not just needed in the production process, but also in marketing the soap in question. Actors on soaps have learned to promote the product they work on.
Alexandra Neldel (right) at a polo event. She had been working as a dental assistant, and went on to successfully audition for a role on daily soap opera Gute Zeiten, schlechte Zeiten in 1996. After leaving the series in 1999, Neldel appeared in various German films and TV movies including Lammbock, Samba in Mettmann and ‘Emmy’-winning Berlin, Berlin. Neldel took on the leading role of Lisa Plenske in the multi-award-winning Grundy UFA telenovela Verliebt in Berlin, which aired on Sat1. A role for which she won the ‘Rose d’Or’ for Best Actress in a soap in 2006. She remains one of Germany’s favourite actresses.
Jarmo Koski’s voice is famous in Finland; he has been a leading voice actor in a number of international smash hit animated movies including Shrek 2 and Shrek the Third as King
Jeannette Biedermann Jeanette Biedermann played the role of Marie Balzer in Gute Zeiten, schlechte Zeiten from 1999 to 2005. Music became Biedermann’s top priority after the show. She released an album and single which sold more than 10 million copies, putting her among the highest-selling German singers of today. She has won two ‘Echo Awards’, a ‘Golden Camera’ and a ‘Top of the Pops Award’. She has also since served as a judge on Stars auf Eis (Stars on Ice, in 2003 and 2006) and has starred in various films and dramas including Anna und die Liebe in which she has played the main role of Anna Polauke since 2008.
Alexandra Neldel’s acting career began when she was discovered by a German casting agent
Jarno Koski
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Harold; A Bug’s Life as Heimlich; Winnie the Pooh as Winnie; Toy Story and Toy Story 2 as Slinky Dog; Teletubbies as Tinky Winky and Nick Knatterton. Kaski has played the character of Seppo Talaasmaa in FremantleMedia’s Salatut Elämät (Secret Lives) since 1999.
Jasper Pääkönen’s performance on Salatut Elämät in 1999 marked the beginning of a flourishing acting career. After leaving the show in 2001, he starred in Finnish box-office hits including Paha maa (Frozen Land) and Napapiirin sankarit (Lapland Odyssey). He is most popularly known for his main role in the hit movie Pahat pojat (Bad Boys), for which he was named ‘Best Actor’ at the Brussels Film Festival 2003. Nowadays he is focusing on business, founding Pokerisivut.com, a poker magazine with film producer Markus Selin in 2009. In 2010, Pokerisivut.com was awarded ‘Best Overall Affiliate’ at the London 2010 IGB Affiliate Awards.
Daniele Favili (right)
Daniele Favilli played a lead role in Italy’s hit drama Un Posto Al Sole, a Grundy Italia production, from 2002 to 2007, and made his mark internationally when he appeared as Grifonetto Baglioni in the UK drama-documentary Raphael: A Mortal God (2004). Today he is an up-and- coming star in the United States, having landed a major part in the movie Mob Rules, which won the ‘SAG Indie Award’ for Best Ensemble Cast, and received a number of nominations. He rose to prominence following an appearance on the hit US TV show Torchwood: Miracle Day, and is currently in production on a modern western feature film called Swelter, along with other TV and film projects in the US and Italy.
Jasper Pääkönen Eventually, Dietrich Leder summarizes: “Soap actors know that they need to keep winning over the audience. As a result, no path is too far or too steep on their quest to perhaps becoming a star. And they have also learned how quickly fame can fade – a lesson that happens at the latest when someone is written out of a daily soap.”
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Change on RTL Group’s Executive Management Team Guillaume de Posch appointed new member of the RTL Group Executive Committee. Guillaume de Posch Luxembourg - 20 December 2011
RTL Group announced the appointment of Guillaume de Posch says: “I am delighted to Guillaume de Posch (53) as Chief Operating join Europe’s number 1 Free-TV broadcasting Officer (COO) with effect from 1 January 2012. group, especially as this marks my return to the In this capacity, he will be in charge of the company in which I first started my broadcasting Corporate Strategy and Business Development career in 1993. I am very much looking forward to team at RTL Group’s headquarters and will working with RTL Group’s first-class international oversee the company’s broadcasting operations management team.” in the Netherlands, Belgium and radio operations in France. Guillaume de Posch will also be Guillaume de Posch, born 1958 in Belgium, is member of the RTL Group Executive Committee, one of Europe’s most experienced TV executives. alongside Gerhard Zeiler (Chief Executive After first jobs at the international energy and Officer), Elmar Heggen (Chief Financial Officer services company Tractebel (1985-1990) and the and Head of the Corporate Centre) and Andreas global management consulting firm McKinsey & Rudas (Executive Vice President Regional Company (1990-1993), he started his career in Operations & Business Development CEE and the media industry at the Luxembourg-based Asia). Compagnie Luxembourgeoise de Télédiffusion (CLT), which ultimately became RTL Group Gerhard Zeiler, CEO of RTL Group, says: “I am in the year 2000. At CLT, Guillaume de Posch very happy that Guillaume de Posch has decided started as assistant to the Managing Director to join RTL Group in this new function which will (1993-1994) and then became Head of CLT’s be vital to drive RTL Group’s expansion in new TV operations in French-speaking countries businesses and markets. Guillaume has a truly (1995-1997). From 1997 to 2003, he was Deputy unique expertise in all aspects of the international General Manager and Programming Director broadcasting business, combined with a deep of the French pay-TV company TPS, before understanding of the technological challenges he joined the Munich-based, publicly listed for the media industry in the digital age. I wish ProSiebenSat1 Media AG in August 2003, first Guillaume the best of success in his new position as Chief Operating Officer and then as Chairman and look forward to a close cooperation.” of the Executive Board and CEO (2004-2008). Since January 2009, Guillaume de Posch has advised several European and US broadcasters.
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Liz Mohn visits RTL Group Liz Mohn, Chair of the Bertelsmann Verwaltungsgesellschaft, and Gunter Thielen, Chairman of the Bertelsmann AG Supervisory Board, visited RTL Group in Luxembourg. Gunter Thielen, Liz Mohn and Elmar Heggen (from left to right) Luxembourg - 19 December 2011
Following short welcome speeches by Elmar In closing, Elmar Heggen took the opportunity to Heggen, Chief Financial Officer of RTL Group present a special prize to Liz Mohn: the Golden and Head of the Corporate Centre, and Andreas Lion of Luxembourg. Heggen said: “We are Rudas, Executive Vice President Regional delighted you took the time to visit the RTL Group Operations & Business Development CEE and headquarter in Luxembourg. We hope that the Asia, Tun van Rijswijck, Chief Operating Officer Luxembourg Lion, once installed in your office, of the Broadcasting Center Europe (BCE), gave will serve as a steadfast reminder of your visit the two eminent guests a guided tour of the here with us.” BCE’s broadcasting technology and the RTL Lëtzebuerg studios. Liz Mohn was very pleased: “This prize is all the more meaningful because you do such Afterwards, Rhys Noelke, RTL Group’s Vice great work here in Luxembourg. Today I was President Business Development, showed Liz privileged to learn how television is made – and Mohn and Gunter Thielen how television is what television will look like in the future. We continually evolving in the digital world and is have every reason to be grateful that we live in coming available on more and more devices and these times and that we get to experience so screens – with better picture quality and new much. I will gladly come back.” features. Noelke used various RTL Now, M6 Replay and RTL XL applications for tablets and Gunter Thielen said: “RTL Group has changed Hybrid TVs to demonstrate how television of the steadily in recent years. Today we saw once future can already be experienced today – and again that everything revolves around content, how RTL Group is helping to shape it. and the company is adjusting to developments. Television is without a doubt a business with a future.”
Rhys Noelke, Andreas Rudas, Christiane Freund, Francesco Costadura, Gunter Thielen, Liz Mohn, Elmar Heggen, Alexander Glatz, Vincent de Dorlodot, Romain Mannelli, Ursula Schmidt, Alain Berwick, Christian Hauptmann, Kerstin Froehlich, Caroline Mart, Tun van Rijswijck, Lou Scheider and Jean-Marie Bourhis (from left to right)
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‘environMINDquiz’ winners enjoy cooking class at Berlin’s Margaux Restaurant On the occasion of the fourth ‘environMINDday’ in Luxembourg, RTL Group employees could take part in a quiz to win a cooking class for two with top chef Michael Hoffmann. On 15 December, the happy winners went on a true ‘sustainable’ culinary voyage. Top chef Michael Hoffmann Luxembourg - 21 December 2011
The big day finally arrived for Sarah Cattani Hoffmann showed the participants how to make (RTL Télé Lëtzebuerg) and Catherine Klein dishes including a potato soup, golden saffron (CLT-UFA), the lucky winners of the quiz featuring risotto and the aforementioned duck. They also the topic of ‘Green food’. Both went to the learned how to expertly fillet line-caught Brittany Margaux, a Michelin-starred restaurant located bass – the celebrity chef doesn’t use net caught in Berlin, to embark on a sustainable culinary fish. Fittingly for the upcoming holiday season journey of discovery with Michael Hoffmann. Hoffmann also demonstrated how to properly carve a Christmas goose. The bird came from Together with about ten participants from France, where legislation prescribes a more other Bertelsmann divisions, they were given ethical treatment of animals. an insight into the cuisine of the renowned gourmet, who has made a name for himself with The highlight of the evening was a six-course his vegetarian menu in particular. High-quality meal. Each course was complemented by a seasonal ingredients, and especially vegetables matching wine presented to the winners earlier and herbs grown in his own garden, are the by the ‘Margaux’ sommelier. secret behind Hoffmann’s creations. “The menu was very surprising, delicious and Homemade vegetable stock serves as the promoted simple products such as celery, beet basis for many of Hoffmann’s dishes. All kinds and cabbage coming from Hoffmann’s garden” of vegetables are boiled down to make a says Sarah Cattani. Catherine Klein adds: “It was concentrate which is then used to refine soups a real sustainable cooking marathon experience and sauces. Our colleagues learned that the which really amazed us”. vegetable stock is also used, for example, to ensure crispiness in a broiled duck.
Top chef Michael Hoffmann and the participants Sarah Cattani and Catherine Klein (left) enjoyed a six-course meal 10 the RTL Group intranet week 51
“It will be necessary to regulate new entrants” In an interview with the newspaper La Libre Belgique published, Philippe Delusinne, CEO of RTL Belgium and President of the Association of Commercial Television (ACT), calls for more regulation of the sector owing to the arrival of new entrants. Belgium - 19 December 2011
Delusinne said that while the commercial In the interview, Delusinne emphasised that he broadcasting market is doing well and has not wasn’t trying to block the competition, but when yet reached its full potential he wished to remind asked if they new entrants signed contracts leading European policymakers of the industry’s with channels, providing for the payment of importance in Europe and the risks they face with broadcasting rights and the sharing of advertising the arrival of new entrants such as Google and revenue, he replied: “They say they will do that, Netflix, whose arrival on the old continent is only but only time will tell whether they actually do it.” a matter of days, or even telephony operators.
“If we want our industry to remain economically and socially important, it will be necessary to regulate the new entrants,” said Delusinne. “They are coming to a market we built by making heavy investments but are not bending to its rules. If they continue not investing in content, creativity or local production and keep on failing to comply with the rules governing copyright and the protection of minors, they will shatter the model and kill off our industry.”
While economic conditions in recent years have not been conducive to the development of advertising markets, Delusinne said the activities of new media have enabled audiovisual players to cope with market volatility and access new sources of revenue such as video on demand or income linked to interactivity.
Philippe Delusinne
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RTL II reorganises its online ad sales Starting 1 January 2012, all of RTL2.de’s online advertising slots will be marketed by IP Deutschland’s Interactive unit. Also from January, the RTL II-Mediathek will become part of the new ‘RTL II Now’ platform. Germany - 19 December 2011
RTL Interactive’s ‘Now’ family: Vox Now, RTL Now, RTL II Now and Super RTL Now (from left to right)
The Mediengruppe RTL Deutschland subsidiary RTL Interactive’s Managing Director Marc IP Deutschland prevailed against over its Schröder says: “Our ‘Now’ family gives viewers competitors in a pitch. Its ad sales mandate the option of time-shifted television. We covers traditional display advertising formats as are pleased that, from January on, RTL II’s well as videos on RTL2.de and the RTL II online successfully launched video-on-demand site will site MyPokito.de. The ‘RTL II-Text’ Teletext site complement Mediengruppe RTL Deutschland’s is already produced by RTL Interactive and portfolio of channel platforms under the RTL II marketed by IP Deutschland. Now brand.“
The long-form content featured in the RTL II- Paul Mudter, Head of Interactive at IP Mediathek, which was successfully launched in Deutschland, adds: “We are delighted to have August 2011 will be merged into the new ‘RTL II RTL II’s online offerings in our portfolio. This Now’ platform come January, which will make brings together all of the online portals operated it part of RTL Interactive’s video-on-demand by Mediengruppe RTL Deutschland under portfolio. RTL II users can still use the RTL II- our ad sales umbrella. Especially in video, the Mediathek to view (short) clips. addition of strong formats like Die Geissens, Berlin – Tag & Nacht and many others gives Jochen Starke, Managing Director RTL II, says: us some exceedingly attractive advertising “Our high-quality online sites have seen a steep environments.” rise in user numbers, especially since the launch of our new mediatheque in August. We will now RTL II’s TV airtime sales will continue to be further expand our video-on-demand range handled by El Cartel Media. Cross-media together with RTL Interactive, and will rev up campaigns will be designed and managed by our ad sales as well with IP Deutschland. With El Cartel Media, and realised in co-operation Mediengruppe RTL Deutschland’s online sites with IP Deutschland. Likewise, tie-ins and in its portfolio, our new partner has proven TV collaborations will continue to be realised by expertise and commands an outstanding market RTL II in co-operation with IP Deutschland. The position. RTL II will benefit from this as well.” online ad sales agreement that has existed with Interactive Media since 2007 ends at the turn of the year.
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Charity campaign raises €15,000 The money raised by Super RTL’s “Kinder helfen Kindern” campaign goes to the Tafel Neuss food bank, which provides warm meals to children in need each day. Germany - 20 December 2011
On 12 December, the Tafel Neuss food bank In addition, children in need throughout Germany was able to enjoy an early Christmas present. can look forward to a very special Christmas: to Within the framework of the Super RTL charity date, more than 10,000 “Kinder helfen Kindern” campaign “Kinder helfen Kindern,” the Super RTL toy packages were donated to GLS; they will presenters Nina and Paddy presented a cheque be distributed in time for Christmas Eve to for more than €15,000 to the chairman of the children from disadvantaged families throughout Bundesverband Deutsche Tafel, Gerd Häuser. Germany. The money will be used for the continuation of a project that provides warm meals to children from socially disadvantaged families each day.
Gerd Häuser, Rebecca Schuh, Paddy and Nina (from left to right)
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D&Co brings cheer to hospitalised children For the second consecutive year, the D&Co team has decided to help children in hospitals by supporting the “Cé Ke Du Bonheur” association. Valérie Damidot France - 22 December 2011
Sponsored by actors Omar Sy and Fred Testot, Robert Pires, Emmanuel Petit, Amel Bent, James the “Cé Ke Du Bonheur” association aims to Blunt, Géraldine Nakache, Anggun, Corneille, improve the quality of life for hospitalised children Olivia Ruiz and many others. From painting to and adolescents. Last year, with generous gardening and repairs of all kinds, there was no participation from other artists and personalities, shortage of work in order to offer these children they did an extreme makeover on the “Maison and their parents an entirely renovated and des enfants” (children’s home) of the Robert comfortable “Maison des enfants” with a cosy Debré hospital. Valérie Damidot and her D&Co and unique décor, a little like one’s own home. were on hand again this year to meet another big challenge: to renovate, in just one week’s time, a The show Spéciale D&Co: C’est du bonheur 300 square metre structure of the same type at gathered more than 2 million viewers that the Bicêtre hospital in Paris. evening, which corresponds to an audience share of 13.5 per cent among housewives For this occasion, Valérie Damidot gathered under 50, making M6 the second most-watched a group of friends who have had their share of channel in prime time on 20 December. happy moments with children to lend a hand to the D&Co team during the renovations, including
From painting to gardening and repairs, there was no shortage of work or fun
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“A wonderful challenge” Among the new programmes in RTL Télé Lëtzebuerg’s 2011/12 season presentation two shows were bound to wow audiences: the sitcom Weemseesdet and The Simpsons – both broadcast in Luxembourgish. The Simpsons Luxembourg - 22 December 2011
On Weemseesdet (“Tell me about it!”), viewers they had made when the show premiered. Airing are invited into the living room of the Wampach every Sunday, in a Luxembourgish version this family, where they can follow the funny and hilarious series, has managed to charm more often caricatured adventures of this typical and more viewers in the Grand Duchy. middle-class Luxembourgish family. On the menu: shopping, love, undeclared work, drinking Steve Schmit, Station Manager RTL Télé and driving, coronaries, multiculturalism, Lëtzebuerg, comments: ”What Luxembourgers passing one’s A-levels, contraception, doping, have in common, is first of all their local specific fetishism, Viagra, breast cancer, criminality, language. All of them watch their favourite series social pressures, racism, careerism and political in German or in French, but in each case it is an asylum – in short, normal life in Luxembourg. effort for them to do so in a foreign language. RTL broadcasts The Simpsons and a sitcom in Luxembourgish. This is one of the most relevant ways to prove to the audience that Luxembourgish is a living and modern language and that RTL Télé Lëtzebuerg offers them the contents they are looking for. One Luxembourger out of two watches RTL Télé Lëtzebuerg every Produced by Deal Productions, the production day, since 1995 – a record audience RTL will house created by Alexandra Hoesdorff-Rosen try to maintain in the next years, especially by with Luxembourgish actress and presenter providing Luxembourg with local news and Désirée Nosbusch, Weemseesdet is the very unexpected content.” first sitcom produced in Luxembourgish. It has been airing on RTL Télé Lëtzebuerg every To find the Luxembourgish voices of Homer, Friday since 30 September. The 24 episodes of Bart, Marge, and the other characters, RTL the sitcom, which is described as a combination Lëtzebuerg launched a major audition last of Roseanne, The Cosby Show and My So- summer. More than 250 people showed up, Called Life, were shot in the summer of 2011 and more than 500 voices were cast. A total of with the support of Filmfund Luxembourg and 42 episodes, from seasons 20 and 21, have RTL Lëtzebuerg. been scheduled for the 2011/12 season. The channel began with Episode 10 from season 20, Another family, American this time, slightly more as this was the first episode in the saga to be mad and of the working class, also made a produced in HD. The translation was done by remarkable debut on the Luxembourg channel at RTL Lëtzebuerg for Season 20 and by Hatari the start of the television season: The Simpsons. Publishing for Season 21. Fans of the series This well-known family from the town of Springfield have thus been able to discover some of the began learning Luxembourgish last summer series’ cult phrases delivered in Luxembourgish, and by 18 September the country’s television such as Bart’s famous “Eat my shorts!”, which viewers could witness the incredible progress became “Friess méng box!”.
15 Panpipe player wins Leo Rojas (27), an Ecuadorian panpipe player and street musician is winner of ‘Das Supertalent’ 2011. The finale of the Grundy Light Entertainment-produced show attracted as many as 7.94 million viewers to RTL Television. the RTL Group intranet week 51
500,000 coaches for The Voice of Holland The Thuiscoach app lets Voice of Holland viewers play at home and coach the candidates while watching the RTL 4 programme. It has been downloaded over 500,000 times since its launch. Netherlands - 16 December 2011
An upward trend in catch-up radio The results of the Médiamétrie study on the consumption of previously aired radio programming for November 2011 are the best ever registered by RTL Radio. With 4,332,000 podcasts downloaded, the station has again improved its performance. France - 16 December 2011
RTL à l’infini enriches its Telenet package RTL NewMedia and Telenet continue their collaboration and expand the selection of programmes available on the RTL à l’infini video-on-demand platform, starting with series. Belgium - 16 December 2011
Groupe M6 a major player in online video Médiamétrie/NetRatings recently published the first audience figures from its new Video Panel which measures video views on PC screens only. Groupe M6’s services are distinguished by excellent results in September 2011, both in the general ratings and in ratings limited to French TV groups. France - 20 December 2011
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Nathalie Kosciusko-Morizet on Le Grand Jury Nathalie Kosciusko-Morizet, French Minister for Ecology, Sustainable Development, Transport and Housing was the guest of RTL Le Grand Jury / Le Figaro / LCI, talking about the Durban summit and current ecological topics. France - 20 December 2011
Total Blackout starts well The opening episode of Total Blackout, the new entertainment show of RTL-TVI produced by FremantleMedia, attracted 607,300 viewers and a 30.9 per cent audience share. Belgium - 20 December 2011
Info Network to produce DMax news From 2 January 2012, Info Network, Mediengruppe RTL Deutschland’s production company for news and magazine shows, will produce the news for the men’s channel, DMax. Germany - 21 December 2011
The greatest DJs to end the year Every night until 1 January, the biggest names in the international techno-house scene will take control of the airwaves at Fun Radio, including Tiësto, Swedisch House Mafia, Michael Mind, DJ Antoine, Bob Sinclar, Martin Solveig and many others. France - 22 December 2011
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People Marcel Berghuis Marcel Berghuis Netherlands - 16 December 2011
Marcel Berghuis (42) will join RTL Nederland as Marcel Berghuis says: “I am very pleased with the company’s new HR Manager on 1 January this opportunity to work for this leading brand – an 2012. effective and creative company with passionate employees. I look forward to working with the HR In his new role, he will supervise all HR department to further advance the development management-related matters at RTL Nederland, of personnel relations.” including the development and implementation of HR strategies for personnel management and Marcel began his career in 1996 as an personnel information systems. officer at Spankracht Project Detachering. He later worked as a personnel consultant for RTL Nederland CEO Bert Habets says: “Marcel FunktieMediair and HR Manager for Publicis, has extensive experience in the fields of HR and then spent six years as an HR Project Manager personnel management. His expertise in staff at Mediq (formerly OPG Groep). He was in development corresponds precisely with our charge of HR management, employer branding goals. Also, his vision matches RTL Nederland’s and performance management. company culture and values, so we are delighted to have him join our team.“
People Jean-Xavier Bouxom France - 21 December 2011
Jean-Xavier Bouxom, has been appointed Deputy Director of Advertising for Le Figaro. He Deputy Director General for Commerce at M6 then worked for Espace Libération, where during Publicité, with effect from 19 December 2011. five years he held various managerial positions and was promoted to Delegate Director in 2006. Replacing Damien Viel, the 40-year-old His work involved on- and off-line advertising newly appointed Deputy Director General for and included working for the daily newspaper Commerce will be in charge of all advertising Libération. In 2007, Bouxom joined CBS Outdoor sales activities within M6 Publicité. Before joining France. M6 Publicité, he held the position of Director General for Commerce at CBS Outdoor France. In his new role, Jean-Xavier Bouxom joins a team whose other members are Ronan Fressenel, Bouxom started his career in 1999 at Publiprint, Deputy Director General in charge of studies where he was Advertising Manager in charge and marketing, and Henri de Fontaines, Deputy of job offers advertising. He then joined IP, Director General in charge of global strategies RTL Group’s advertising arm, as Advertising and creation. All three report to Catherine Manager before returning to Publiprint as Lenoble, Director General of M6 Publicité. 19 the RTL Group intranet week 51
People Ian McClelland Rhys Noelke Luxembourg - 22 December 2011
Ian McClelland, currently Senior Vice President of New Media at RTL Group, will join FremantleMedia Enterprises as of 1 March 2012. As of 1 January 2012, the New Media team will report to Rhys Noelke, Vice President Business Development. Ian McClelland After three years as Head and later Senior Vice President of New Media of RTL Group, Ian McClelland will be seconded to FremantleMedia in Australia to work on the digital strategy for FremantleMedia Enterprises Asia-Pacific as from 1 March 2012. Prior to accepting his new position at RTL Group, Ian worked for eight years at Turner Broadcasting, a company whose current assets include CNN, TBS and Cartoon Network.
As of 1 January 2012, the New Media team will report to Rhys Noelke, Vice President Business Development.
Rhys Noelke
20 The Season’s next edition will be published Greetings! on The weekly Backstage Newsletter Thursday, will be on Christmas holidays. 12 January 2012 Starting on 2 January, you’ll find daily news from RTL Group and its profit centres on http://backstage.rtlgroup.com http://backstage.rtlgroup.fr http://backstage.rtlgroup.com http://backstage.rtlgroup.de
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