VEGAS, BABY! RTL Group’S Presence at the CES 2016

week 02 / 14 January 2016

VEGAS, BABY! RTL Group’s presence at the CES 2016

North America North America North America American Idol’s StyleHaul BroadbandTV’s final season announces new Major Lazer video kicked off online series clip passes a billion views week 02 / 14 January 2016

VEGAS, BABY! RTL Group’s presence at the CES 2016

Publisher RTL Group 45, Bd Pierre Frieden L-1543 Luxembourg

Editor, Design, Production RTL Group Corporate Communications & Marketing

k before y hin ou T p r in t

backstage.rtlgroup.com backstage.rtlgroup.fr backstage.rtlgroup.de QUICK VIEW

American Idol’s final s e a s o n k i c k e d o f f FremantleMedia North America p.12–13 HUSTLE AND BUSTLE IN LAS VEGAS RTL Group p.4–11 StyleHaul announces new online series StyleHaul p.14

BroadbandTV’s Major Lazer video clip passes a billion views BroadbandTV p.15

RTL Belgium relaunches Mint radio station Big Picture RTL Belgium p.18 p.16

SHORT Enex welcomes a new member Enex NEWS p.17 p.19

PEOPLE

p.20–22 HUSTLE AND BUSTLE IN LAS VEGAS Luxembourg – 14 January 2016 RTL Group

Report on a visit to one of the world’s biggest consumer electronics shows, RTL Group’s reception and panel discussions

Illustration of RTL Group at CES in Las Vegas 4 It’s January in Las Vegas. Now that the hullabaloo of New Year’s Eve has died down, few tourists remain in the city as the first visitors to the show start arriving. Very quickly, though, the tourists find themselves clearly outnumbered, because more than 170,000 decision-makers and managers from the consumer electronics sector are descending on Las Vegas to attend what may well be the world’s largest consumer electronics show: CES 2016. Over an area covering in excess of 220,000 square metres spread across the entire city, more than 3,600 exhibitors are displaying their latest innovations. In addition, at a wide range of CES panels and in keynote speeches, top managers like StyleHaul CEO Stephanie Horbaczewski, BroadbandTV CEO Shahrzad Rafati; StyleHaul Chief Content Officer Mia Goldwyn and Bertelsmann Marcel Reichart (right) with YouTube influencer iJustine at CES 2016 Digital Media Investments Managing Director Urs Cete report on their business activities. “CES is the first global tentpole and agenda-setting event for our industry and opportunity to connect to Although the show’s official start date is Wednesday key partners and clients. Together with the CEOs 9 January, by that time a fair number of events have of the RTL Digital Hub, we were thrilled to kick-off already taken place. And any visitors not already in CES 2016 with a joint invitation to our key business town by Sunday or Monday face a severe weather partners, industry peers and influencers and to problem, with Tuesday’s rain and fog causing major further raise RTL Group’s profile in the US digital and delays at Las Vegas’s McCarran International business community. We look forward to develop our Airport. Many flights are cancelled altogether, and presence in the next years,” says Marcel Reichart, those that aren’t face an average delay of around Executive Vice President RTL Digital Hub. four – and in extreme cases six – hours. This causes frustration not only for travellers, but also for those On Wednesday morning, things still seem relatively waiting. Many meetings have to be called off, and quiet. The queue for taxis in front of the hotel numerous events and receptions are attended by is relatively short and the drive to The Venetian fewer participants than anticipated. goes pretty smoothly. But at the entrance of the hotel, it becomes clear that hordes of people are Nonetheless, the cocktail reception organised by thronging to the opening keynote and finding a RTL Group and the RTL Digital Hub companies way to the fifth floor is like finding a path through a StyleHaul, BroadbandTV, SpotX and VideoAmp is maze. The venue can accommodate 7,500 people, warmly welcomed and hosts numerous high-ranking and it certainly looks like that number have turned managers (see page 8). A great opportunity for up, because the place is packed. networking. Next >

Long queue forming at The Venetian to enter the opening session 5 The show itself draws huge crowds, especially to the stands of companies offering virtual reality products like Samsung Gear VR or Oculus Rift. Just next door, Virtuix is holding a virtual reality eSports tournament, and it’s really a rather strange – but also impressive – spectacle, watching the participants running on the spot and pointing their guns.

Long lines were already forming in the early morning

Gary Shapiro, President and CEO of the Consumer Electronics Association which organises CES, welcomes the visitors: “CES represents innovation. Our industry is literally changing the world, a new world where intelligence and data is the new currency.” He goes on to introduce the various sectors presenting their latest wares at the show, Visitors were eager to check out Virtual Reality themselves revealing the innovations that will attract the most attention at the event: 8K TVs, virtual reality, On a huge stand, TV manufacturers are showcasing self-driving cars, drones, wearables and intelligent the latest trend in TV sets, where not only has the products. resolution risen to 8K (equivalent to 16 times full HD resolution), but the contrast has also become Reed Hastings, CEO of Netflix, kicks off his much richer, with more and more suppliers offering presentation with a little history, making his standpoint HDR (high dynamic range) TV sets with more vivid clear quite early on by saying that first there was images. There are also 3D TVs that work without radio, then came television, followed by cable viewers having to don 3D glasses, and a growing TV and now the Internet. Several times, Hastings number of TV sets featuring organic light-emitting stresses the Internet’s importance for television, diodes (OLEDs). promising: “We can now put consumers in the driver’s seat. Rapid innovations allow changing the An audible hum means that drones (or unmanned way of storytelling.” Supposedly, during Q4 of 2015 aerial vehicles, UAVs) aren’t far away. Luckily they’re alone, 12 billion hours of content were watched on all closed off behind nets and fences, because if Netflix, though Hastings stops short of saying which they weren’t, the chaotic situation in the exhibition shows are especially popular or how often they halls would descend into total mayhem. Nowadays, are viewed. What follows is like the presentation drones offer pretty much any features one might of a programme schedule by a TV channel: Netflix think of, including automatic collision-avoidance Chief Content Officer Ted Sarrandos calls a few systems and automatic target recognition routines. celebrities up onto the stage and shows trailers of There are even combat UAVs which friends can use the latest productions. Hastings then rounds off his to play their very own ‘game of drones’. keynote speech with another surprise, for during his presentation the service was extended to even more There isn’t much time to give everything a try countries and is now available worldwide, with the because everywhere visitors have to stand in exception of China. “You’ve witnessed the birth of line for the next panel, meeting, dinner or other the first global television network,” Hastings says. engagement. However, there’s still just time to head So, when all is said and done, it’s back at the start off to C Space, a side venue in the Aria Hotel, where and afterall it’s still about TV. VideoAmp has a stand of its own.

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6 VideoAmp booth at CES 2016

“WE WERE THRILLED TO KICK-OFF CES 2016 WITH A Click here to watch the Beet.TV series on CES 2016, JOINT INVITATION TO OUR KEY presented by SpotX BUSINESS PARTNERS, INDUSTRY PEERS AND INFLUENCERS AND TO FURTHER RAISE RTL GROUP’S PROFILE IN THE US” Marcel Reichart Next >

Panoramic view at CES 2016

7 NETWORKING IN LAS VEGAS On 5 January 2016, the RTL Digital Hub and its partner companies hosted a cocktail reception in Las Vegas with more than 120 attendees – a fantastic way to round off the first day of the CES 2016 event.

Together with StyleHaul, BroadbandTV, SpotX and VideoAmp, the RTL Digital Hub invited industry experts and business partners to join representatives from leading media and digital companies, such as Viacom, News Corp, AOL, Hulu, CBS Interactive or Ogilvy, and meet ‘CES Entertainment Matters Ambassadors’ iJustine and Joey Graceffa – vloggers signed with StyleHaul.

5 6

1: From left to right: Marcel Reichart, EVP RTL Digital Hub, with Krishan Bhatia, EVP Business Operations & Strategy at NBC Universal and Jimmy Maymann, President Content & Consumer Brands at AOL

2: From left to right: George Musi, Managing Partner, Analytics & Insights at Mindshare; Ross McCray, CEO of VideoAmp; Jay Prasad, Chief Business Officer of VideoAmp and Tom Russel, Partner & Managing Director at Mindshare

3: Sean Buckley (left), SVP Platform & Global Supply at SpotX and Randy Cooke, VP Programmatic TV at SpotX

4: Mike Shehan, CEO of SpotX with Scott Ferber, CEO of Videology

5: StyleHaul CEO Stephanie Horbaczewski (centre) with YouTube stars iJustine and Joey Graceffa

6: Jeremiah Bates, CFO of StyleHaul; Tracy Crane, Chief Marketing Officer at StyleHaul; Mia Goldwyn, Chief Content Officer of StyleHaul and Rob DeChiaro, EVP and General Manager of The SHop at StyleHaul

8 GET AN INSIGHT ON ‘MCNS BECOME MPNS’ “YOU WANT TO BE PART OF THAT CONVERSATION”

In one of the first panels of the 2016 Consumer Electronics Show (CES), StyleHaul CEO Stephanie Horbaczewski spoke about multi-channel network (MCN) business and underlined the importance of talent, premium content and driving conversation.

(from left to right): Urs Cete, Stephanie Horbaczewski, Mike Pusateri, Charles Segars, Sanjay Sharma and Adrian Sexton

To start the conversation on the panel ‘MCNS Become MPNS*: The YouTube Phenomenon’, Bertelsmann Digital Media Investments (BDMI) Managing Director Urs Cete was asked how BDMI selects its targets. His answer was: “Essentially, we look at two kinds of companies: we like companies that are leaders in one domain and could move into other markets, but we also like companies that have proved their business model works on different platforms.”

In the ensuing conversation, panelists agreed with Stephanie Horbaczewski, Co-Founder and CEO of StyleHaul, that the description ‘multi-channel network’ never really fits to any of those companies since they all serve a wide range of platforms: “What’s the biggest differentiator for us? Content. With StyleHaul we already serve multiple platforms, but the key is finding the right platform for the right content.” Ultimately, this notion will become the leading driver of conversation. Stephanie Horbaczewski: “Conversation is important to our clients: we talk with brands and recommend who they should work with, like who’s talking about them or who’s talking about the topics they want to be involved in.” Adrian Sexton, Interim President and COO of Endemol Beyond USA, added: “And this is what makes MCNs unique: if you find 100,000 young girls discovering lipstick for the first time, as a lipstick brand you want to be part of that conversation.”

Sanjay Sharma, the CEO of All Def Digital, explained: “Ultimately, everything we are talking about is not too different from the traditional model: we have the ability to create premium content, and with it we build audiences, build a brand, generate intellectual property and then work with the traditional model to sell advertising or rights.” Stephanie Horbaczewski added: “I think we will see a head-on collision between traditional TV and MCNs, but in a good way. There will be more and more collaboration instead of working against each other. New ways of funding are emerging and we’re just getting started.”

* MPN stands for multi-platform network

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GET AN INSIGHT ON BROADBANDTV “WE PLAN TO LAUNCH INTO FOUR NEW MARKETS”

Andrew Wallenstein of Variety with Shahrzad Rafati, Founder and CEO of BroadbandTV

On 7 January 2016, Shahrzad Rafati, Founder and CEO of BroadbandTV, had a fireside chat with Andrew Wallenstein of Variety, as part of the CES 2016 conference. She explained how BroadbandTV seeks to maintain its leading value proposition in all their verticals.

To begin with, Shahrzad Rafati explained how BroadbandTV (BBTV) started out with a technological background as the most advanced multi-channel network (MCN) on YouTube – and reached out into gaming and music verticals with TGN (Gaming), Opposition and Wimsic (both music). She said: “But it becomes more and more difficult to develop verticals from scratch organically. That’s why we also looked into acquisitions and partnerships.” As examples she mentioned the acquisition of YoBoHo, which operates the leading kids network HooplaKidz on YouTube. She went on to explain how new verticals can also be formed as partnerships, like Windfall in collaboration with BMG or Outspeak in collaboration with Huffington Post which was launched in June 2015. “When we look at partnerships, we take care that they share a similar vision and are complementary to us,” Shahrzad Rafati said. In the case of Outspeak Huffington Post brings in more than 200 million unique visitors and a pool of 100,000 contributors. “These partnerships are constantly evolving as the industry evolves,” she said. “We listen to our content creators and have ongoing discussions in these partnerships. They work well, and we definitely want to do more.”

Shahrzad Rafati elaborated: “We need to understand that each value proposition needs to be unique for each vertical. It’s not one size fits all. For example: someone just getting started on YouTube will need different services from us than a great influencer such as RCLBeauty101 who gained more subscribers than PewDiePie in October 2015.” Describing what traditional players can learn from BBTV’s success in digital, she said: “BroadbandTV has four key themes that have worked for BBTV: first, cost efficient content models; second working with digital influencers to capitalise on their community; third thinking beyond traditional advertising and fourth leveraging technology and applying intelligence to make better decisions.”

So far BroadbandTV is active in 15 markets. Shahrzad Rafati: “Every region has its own specifics, but some are similar to each other such as the Portuguese and the Spanish markets – in this case you need to apply these learnings. For 2016, we plan to launch into four new markets, two of those are test markets for us, and in two we go ahead and launch our full offering.”

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GET AN INSIGHT ON PROGRAMMING FOR ONLINE VIDEO “THE MESSAGE IS CONSTANTLY ENHANCED”

From left to right: Reena Liebling, Ann Greenberg, Nate Hayden, Adam Goldstein, Mia Goldwyn and Jonathan Skogmo

On 7 January 2016, StyleHaul’s Chief Content Officer Mia Goldwyn joined the panel ‘Programming for the new OVNs’, discussing how online video content can be designed to reach its audience and drive engagement.

Nate Hayden, Vice President Original and Branded Entertainment at AOL, kicked off the discussion by stating that content will be mostly defined by the platform it will be produced for. This could mean an eight minute video that drives about 80 per cent engagement might not work on a platform like Facebook unless it is shortened to about two minutes. Mia Goldwyn said: “Over the past years we have seen an explosion of platforms which now allows us to start production from the creator’s viewpoint and to see how we create the best experience for the user.” Referring to the StyleHaul’s original series Vanity which premiered in June 2015, Goldwyn explained how StyleHaul uses data to increase user experience: “Initially we relied a lot on conversation on Twitter until we realised through our usage data that the show worked better on other platforms. Usage data allows us to quickly enhance user experience,” she said before explaining what kind of data this means: age, sex or location. “Privacy is very important to us, we do not share any private information and have no intention to do so whatsoever.”

Talking about branded entertainment, Goldwyn said: “Our creators touch the products they present every day. We work with brands around product launches and chose those creators who would use these products anyhow, and this makes the message authentic which is welcomed by our community.” The value of the approach to work closely with creators and the community: branded entertainment is authentic, educational, aspirational and ultimately drives engagement. “And this engagement is in our opinion more important than actual viewing figures. The message is constantly enhanced,” Mia Goldwyn said.

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11 A MILESTONE SEASON FOR A LANDMARK SERIES FremantleMedia North America

American Idol’s farewell season kicked off on 6 January 2016 with auditions around the country. The show’s 15th season will celebrate past series and deliver a final hurrah that will serve as a tribute to the format. North America – 11 January 2016

From left to right: host Ryan Seacrest with judges Jennifer Lopez, Harry Connick Jr. and Keith Urban

The premiere of the format’s much-anticipated final season gave viewers and the judges Keith Urban, Jennifer Lopez and Harry Connick Jr. a look of some of the performers who may be among the last batch of finalists, beginning with auditions in Atlanta and Denver. Superstar Kanye West also made a surprise appearance. It was watched by 10.9 million viewers, achieving a 2.9 per cent audience share in the key 18 to 49 demographic and was the night’s number one-rated programme.

A global phenomenon, the show inspired a whole new generation of talent shows. “American Idol changed people’s lives. Not just the contestants, not just me, but even the people watching, because it made them believe that they could do anything,” says one of the judges Jennifer Lopez. “This being the farewell season, I feel like it’s going to be a fantastic year,” adds Harry Connick Jr. The show’s legacy has also been widely covered by the media including

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12 The Hollywood Reporter, Forbes.com, Variety and many others. Variety wrote: “Fox’s American Idol showed it’s still capable of drawing a sizable audience as it kicked off its 15th and final season on Wednesday.”

Forbes.com mentions: “When American Idol premiered on Fox on June 11, 2002, it immediately became a household name.” Since its launch, the series has consistently pushed boundaries. Whether it was record-breaking ratings, iconic brand integration, pioneering telephone voting in its first season or introducing Google voting and Click on the image to watch promos and videos of the farewell season Twitter Fan Save in this year’s show, American Idol has always raised the bar. It also revolutionised pop culture. Time analysed this influence by dedicating an article on the seven ways American Idol has influenced pop culture: “The premise of American Idol put the star-making power traditionally held by industry executives in the hands of its audience. That’s shaped the way a generation of music fans support their favourite musicians.”

The show launched the careers of global stars including Kelly Clarkson, Jennifer Hudson, Carrie Underwood, Daughtry, Jordin Sparks, Scott McCreery and Phil Phillips to name but a few. Collectively American Idol contestants have sold over 61 million albums, registered 440 Billboard number ones with 77 contestants on the Billboard charts and won 12 Grammy Awards. In honour of American Idol’s final auditions, Billboard’s Idol Worship looks back at the auditions of artists who got their break on the singing competition: “Who can forget the first time Carrie Underwood walked into that audition room? Or Chris Daughtry (Simon Cowell said “no” if you can believe it!)? Or Kelly Clarkson, Jordin Sparks and Adam Lambert?” From left to right Top: Simon Cowell, Mel B Bottom: Heidi Klum and Nick Cannon

Howie Mandel, Mel B and Heidi Klum will return as judges to NBC’s top-rated summer competition series America’s Got Talent, joining previously announced new judge and Got Talent creator Simon Cowell, while Nick Cannon will again assume hosting duties.

13 A STYLISH RELATIONSHIP StyleHaul

As part of its newly minted partnership with Verizon’s Go90 platform (Backstage reported), StyleHaul has announced that its next scripted series Relationship Status will be released exclusively on Verizon’s mobile video platform in spring 2016. North America – 8 January 2016

The dramedy, consisting of twelve interweaving episodes, will document the lives of a group of 20- to 30-somethings as they navigate the complexities of dating and relationships in the modern age of social media. Told through the lens of social storytelling, Relationship Status is optimised for mobile consumption, utilising its medium to elevate its message.

Relationship Status is the second original scripted series from StyleHaul, following last summer’s teen revenge drama Vanity. Relationship Status will star a highly engaged ensemble cast of more than 30, featuring a mix of traditional film and television talent alongside digital creators, including: Shawn Ashmore (X-Men: Days Of Future Past, The Following), Emma Bell (The Walking Dead), Brant Daugherty (Pretty Little Liars), Willa Fitzgerald (Scream), Andy Gala (New Girl), Evan Gamble (The Vampire Diaries), Nicholas Grava (The Mentalist) and Milo Ventimiglia (Heroes, Gilmore Girls). Elizabeth Allen Rosenbaum (Aquamarine, Gossip Girl) is directing from a script by Céline Geiger (The Lying Game). James Frey and Todd Cohen from Full Fathom Five and Milo Ventimiglia and Russ Cundiff from DiVide Pictures are executive producing, alongside StyleHaul.

“Céline’s script does a phenomenal job of capturing the hilarity and complexity of dating in the digital age,” says Mia Goldwyn, Chief Content Officer of StyleHaul. “We’re thrilled to partner with Full Fathom Five and DiVide, as well an extremely talented group of actors to bring this story to life on Verizon’s Go90 platform.” Mia Goldwyn, Chief Content Officer of StyleHaul “The effect the digital era has had on all of our relationships – how it conveniences them, complicates them, confuses them – is something I’ve wanted to explore through story for some time, taking full advantage of the very tools the story examines to tell the tale. I couldn’t ask for better partners in doing so than StyleHaul and Verizon’s Go90, and am humbled by the creative team we’ve assembled both in front of and behind the screen,” adds James Frey, Founder of Full Fathom Five.

“We are excited to be in a relationship with StyleHaul and Go90. This project snaps into the zeitgeist of how people are connecting, disconnecting and hooking up in a wired world. It’s the perfect platform for sharing with this generation and the next step in content creation,” says Milo Ventimiglia.

14 REACHING ANOTHER MILESTONE BroadbandTV

Major Lazer’s Lean On video clip has achieved a billion views on YouTube – the first BroadbandTV partner to reach this mark and the first video across RTL Group to achieve this level of success. North America – 12 January 2016

The multi-channel network BroadbandTV welcomed Major Lazer, one of the world’s most popular music groups, to its network in February 2015 and since the beginning of the partnership Major Lazer has seen its views soar. Lean On is currently the 16th most watched video on YouTube to date and is the second video uploaded in 2015 to reach the milestone of one billion views. It is also the third independent (non-Vevo) music video to achieve a billion views.

In a news article on Tubefilter.com, Ali Adab, Vice President of Content and Partnerships at BroadbandTV, says: “Achieving a billion views on YouTube is an incredible achievement and is testament to the focus that Major Lazer has had on engaging with their fans, and growing their online audience. We’ve worked with Major Lazer for almost a year and have provided the team with an end to end solution to help them capitalise on their success and momentum, driving viewership and monetisation across premium and fan uploaded content. The success that Major Lazer has achieved signals to other music artists the power of online video, they’ve actively utilised YouTube as a significant part of their distribution and engagement strategy and they are now reaping the benefits.” Ali Adab, Vice President of Content and Partnerships at BroadbandTV It took around 290 days to achieve one billion views, making it the fourth fastest video to reach a billion views after PSY’s Gangnam Style, Wiz Khalifa’s See You Again, and Taylor Swift’s Blank Space. Lean On is the most streamed song on Spotify to date. In 2015, BroadbandTV managed five video assets that made the Billboard charts including Lean On which peaked at number four in the Billboard Hot 100.

Watch the video clip of Lean On

15 MINT, THE RADIO STATION WITH A TANG OF FRESHNESS RTL Belgium

RTL Belgium’s pop rock radio station, which graced the airwaves with its own particular brand of freshness between January 2007 and September 2008, returned to the FM waveband on 4 January 2016. Belgium – 5 January 2016

Even after coming off air in September 2008, Mint – which attracted 5.3 per cent of its target group of listeners aged between 30 and 44 – remained widely available digitally, with 1,000 unique listeners tuning into the station every day. Mint is also available to 1.5 million French-speaking households via cable, making it a recognised brand with a distinctive pop rock format.

Mint made a triumphant return on regional networks on 4 January 2016 through Maximum FM in the province of Liège and Must FM in the provinces of Namur and Luxembourg. These radio stations broadcast Mint’s music whilst retaining their own regional roots and identity by airing specific programmes with local appeal.

Mint is aimed primarily at listeners in their thirties living in or around cities, who are inquisitive, committed, well-informed eco-responsible citizens and culture vultures. This target group will now rediscover a radio station that speaks to them, has a certain calculated bite and is both cheeky and very much in tune with its time. Most of the music it plays dates from the 1990s and 2000s, with new music also getting a look-in of course.

By broadcasting through the various provincial networks, Mint is taking back its rightful place as a radio station that brings a tang of freshness to daily life.

16 ON SOLID GROWTH Enex

LNK, Lithuania’s most popular TV channel, takes Enex, the international news provider’s total membership to 53. LNK is part of the privately-owned MG Baltic Group. Luxembourg – 7 January 2016

LNK News Director, Rolandas Agintas, who attended Enex’s 2015 General Assembly in Paris, says: “LNK is delighted to be part of a team of leading broadcasters around the world. We see great opportunities ahead for strong international coverage.”

Enex’s Managing Director Adrian Wells adds: “There are very few countries in Europe where Enex does not have a member so it is particularly important for Enex to complete the remaining pieces of our partner jigsaw puzzle. We are very proud to have our first Baltic station.”

The Baltic region has attracted significant economic and political interest over recent years as conflict in Ukraine has provoked concern about the Baltic region’s security. LNK stands for Laisvas ir Nepriklausomas Kanalas (Free And Independent Channel) and is part of the privately-owned MG Baltic Group. Founded in 1995, LNK has sister channels TV1, Info TV, Likus and BTV.

Rolandas Agintas Adrian Wells

17 Back Presenters and journalists from RTL-TVI and Bel RTL – among them Caroline Fontenoy, Frédéric Bastien, Thomas de Bergeyck, Sandrine Dans and on stage Stephan van Bellinghen – are performing in Toc Toc, a theatrical play written by Laurent Baffie and directed for Télévie by Jean-Paul Andret. Kicked off for a great on 9 January 2016, the tour across Belgium aims to collect funds for cancer research.

Wish to support the cause? cause Learn how by visiting www.televie.be SHORT NEWS 1/1 Women at the top RTL Group

In a recently published study by audit and consultancy company Ernst & Young regarding the number of women holding management positions at DAX-listed companies, Co-CEO of RTL Group Anke Schäferkordt is the only woman holding a CEO position among the 160 DAX companies. Luxembourg – 8 January 2016

Mediengruppe RTL Deutschland launches a global channel Mediendgruppe RTL Deutschland

On 18 January 2016, Mediengruppe RTL Deutschland will launch the brand new channel RTL International, which will offer Germans living abroad a wide range of RTL Television formats in HD. Learn more in the upcoming Backstage weekly newsletter to be published on 21 January 2016. Germany – 5 January 2016

Boosting the talent pool M6

M6 Digital Talents will launch in January and February 2016 two new YouTube channels: Dot Move will offer dance-centred content to a wide audience, while Vloggist will target women through content created by five beauty and style influencers. France – 6 January 2016

In the land of success RTL Nederland

During its first year as an online video subscription service, Videoland saw its customer base grow by more than 200 per cent. As a result, Videoland now occupies a solid second place in the video-on-demand (VOD) market in the Netherlands. The Netherlands – 7 January 2016

Two reasons to celebrate UFA Fiction

Originally commissioned by RTL Television, the UFA Fiction production Deutschland 83 has been nominated for the German award Goldene Kamera in the category ‘Best German Multi-Part Production’. It has also been successfully launched on Channel 4 in the United Kingdom, making it the highest rated foreign-language drama in UK TV history. Germany – 8 January 2016

19 PEOPLE URSULA SCHMIDT RTL Group

Luxembourg – 12 January 2016

RTL Group has announced the promotion of Ursula Schmidt to Executive Vice President Audit and Compliance, effective 1 January 2016. In this capacity, she will continue to report to the Executive Committee and the Audit Committee of RTL Group.

With increasingly stringent audit and compliance requirements and RTL Group’s diversified and rapidly growing portfolio, Ursula Schmidt will continue to be responsible for overseeing and coordinating the internal audit and compliance activities for RTL Group and its subsidiaries across the world.

Elmar Heggen, Chief Financial Officer and Head of the Corporate Centre of RTL Group, comments: “Since Ursula took over the development of the Group’s compliance activities in 2013, she successfully led the roll-out of the revised Code of Conduct and anti-bribery programme across the Group, further advancing our strong corporate governance. Her analytical skills and deep insights into our operations make her a key contributor in helping RTL Group and its subsidiaries to reach our goals with a high level of integrity and best-in-class business practices.”

Ursula Schmidt says: “Enhancing the quality and consistency of audit insights across RTL Group and promoting and enabling business practices that are driven Ursula Schmidt by integrity as well as effective and efficient internal controls is at the heart of what we do. I am looking forward to further developing the Group’s audit and compliance programme and facilitating compliance at all levels.”

20 PEOPLE MANY AUDIENCES, EVER MORE DIGITAL PLATFORMS – ONE CORPORATE COMMUNICATIONS DEPARTMENT RTL Group

Luxembourg – 13 January 2016

RTL Group online and internal communications Katerina Kapsani has been promoted to Senior Communications Manager. In her new role, she leads the team that manages and edits the corporate website RTLGroup.com, the Group intranet and weekly newsletter Backstage, as well as RTL Group’s presence on the social networks Twitter, Facebook and LinkedIn. In addition, communication on RTL Group’s rich history will be further developed by this team.

Events, design services and RTL City communications Esther Pierard has been promoted to Head of Internal Communications (Luxembourg), Events and Creative Design. Esther continues to manage the internal communications activities for the Group’s Luxembourg Oliver Fahlbusch site (in the future called RTL City), the organisation of Following a proposal from Romain Mannelli, EVP Human corporate events and local fitness initiatives aimed at Resources, which was welcomed by the Executive preserving employees’ health. As part of her broader Committee, the HR Communications and Events team role, she has taken over co-ordinating the department’s (Esther Pierard, Josée Klein, Guillaine Matter) has joined Creative Design Services. Fabien Culot (Creative Design RTL Group’s Corporate Communications and Marketing and Digital Communications Executive) and Olivier Cros department. In addition, Romain Mannelli has handed (Senior Graphic Designer) report to her. Fabien Culot over – as already planned in 2015 – the Chairmanship is now the department’s key contact for the technical/ Corporate Responsibility (CR) to Oliver Fahlbusch, IT aspects of digital communications projects such as now promoted to Executive Vice President Corporate websites and newsletters. Communications and Marketing. Corporate Responsibility The main idea of these organisational changes is to fully On 1 December 2015, Irina Schulze Isfort joined leverage existing communications expertise in RTL Group’s RTL Group as Corporate Responsibility Officer. Corporate Centre. All internal and external communications Irina prepares CR-related content for RTL Group’s activities for RTL Group are now together in one integrated communications platforms. She will also propose new CR department, which will continue to cooperate closely with initiatives, participate in CR projects in cooperation with all Corporate Centre departments, the Communications Bertelsmann and RTL Group’s relevant stakeholders, departments of RTL Group’s operations and Bertelsmann’s and foster knowledge exchange between RTL Group’s Corporate Communications. operations.

The new structure of the department covers four key Oliver Fahlbusch says: “I am delighted to welcome our areas: new colleagues to the department and would also like to take the opportunity to thank HR, in particular Romain Media relations and Financial communications Mannelli and Francesco Costadura, for their support and Communicating RTL Group’s corporate strategy, financial excellent collaboration on this matter. I am very confident results and M&A transactions to the media continues to that the new departmental set-up will allow us to further be managed directly by Oliver Fahlbusch. In his function increase and improve our output across all communications as RTL Group’s media spokesman, he is supported by channels, to enhance the reputation of RTL Group. Andreas Meier (Communications Manager), who will focus I wish great success to my colleagues appointed to new particularly on financial communications and monitoring roles, and look forward to cooperating even more closely media coverage. with our colleagues in the Corporate Centre and in our businesses.” 21 PEOPLE MARCUS S TAN SpotX

North America – 14 January 2016

SpotX has appointed Marcus S Tan as Managing Director Japan and Asia Pacific (JAPAC), to lead the company’s expansion into new Asian markets and build new partnerships in cross-screen video and programmatic linear TV.

The appointment signifies SpotX’s commitment to expand its Asia Pacific operations beyond Australia, New Zealand and Singapore into other high-growth potential markets in South East Asia, India, China and Japan.

Tan’s two decades of ad tech experience span both traditional broadcast and new digital media. Most recently, he was PubMatic’s Head of High Growth Solutions in JAPAC, and previously, he built a successful Asian operation from the ground up for Smaato as Managing Director, Asia Pacific.

“I’m very excited to join SpotX at a time of exponential growth in the region,” says Marcus S Tan. “Asia is highly diverse and expected to lead the world in digital video consumption across screens in the coming years, with over 30 countries that exhibit astounding prevalence of mobile content consumption.” Marcus S Tan Tan will spend his time between SpotX’s Singapore and Sydney offices. Together with the company’s existing JAPAC leadership team of Christopher Blok, Daniel Rowlands, Al Jensen and Mandy Davenport, he will oversee new hires to support aggressive growth plans in the region.

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