Gerhard Zeiler to Leave RTL Group

08 February 2012

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Gerhard Zeiler to leave RTL Group...

Germany France RTL-Journalistenschule Death of Culture Pub working towards more diversity founder Christian Blachas in the media

France Germany RTL Matin, the inevitable UFA’s Du hast die Macht! political rendez-vous initiative rewarded 08 February 2012

week 06

...Guillaume de Posch and Anke Schäferkordt appointed as new CEOs

Germany France RTL-Journalistenschule Death of Culture Pub working towards more diversity founder Christian Blachas in the media

France Germany RTL Matin, the inevitable UFA’s Du hast die Macht! political rendez-vous initiative rewarded week 06 the RTL Group intranet

Cover 1: Cover 2: Gerhard Zeiler Guillaume de Posch (left) and Anke Schäferkordt, the designated CEOs of RTL Group starting 18 April 2012

3 week 06 the RTL Group intranet

RTL Group appoints Guillaume de Posch and Anke Schäferkordt as new CEOs – Gerhard Zeiler to leave RTL Group Luxembourg, 7 February 2012 – Gerhard Zeiler, Chief Executive Ofﬁ cer of RTL Group, leaves the company on his own request with effect from the Annual General Meeting on 18 April 2012, to take on a new challenge. Guillaume de Posch and Anke Schäferkordt will succeed him as co-CEOs. Luxembourg - 8 February 2012

Guillaume de Posch, currently Chief Operating Speaking for RTL Group’s majority shareholder, Ofﬁ cer of RTL Group, will take over responsibility Thomas Rabe, CEO of Bertelsmann AG, says: for the Group’s broadcasting operations outside “I regret Gerhard’s decision to leave the Germany, and the company’s production company, but would like to personally business. congratulate him on the impressive success story of the past decade. Under his leadership, Anke Schäferkordt will continue to manage the the Group’s revenues, EBITA and return on German TV business in addition to her role as sales showed an exemplary development, and CEO of RTL Group. the company is strategically and powerfully positioned for continued growth. Guillaume Elmar Heggen – RTL Group CFO and Head of de Posch and Anke Schäferkordt as CEOs, the Corporate Centre in Luxembourg – Guillaume and CFO Elmar Heggen will jointly succeed de Posch and Anke Schäferkordt are expected Gerhard Zeiler. The expertise of these ﬁ rst-class to join the RTL Group Board of Directors as managers will provide valuable impetus for the Executive Directors. company’s further development as it continues to increase its value long-term.” Andreas Rudas – Executive Vice President Regional Operations & Business Development Gerhard Zeiler, CEO of RTL Group, says: CEE and Asia – will sit on the RTL Group “I’m deeply grateful for my wonderful years at Executive Committee alongside de Posch, RTL Group, with a great team of passionate Schäferkordt and Heggen. managers and an ever-supportive Board of Directors and shareholders. The decision to Siegfried Luther, Chairman of the RTL Group leave was not an easy one, but on the other Board of Directors, says: “On behalf of all hand I look forward to a new, international task. shareholders and the entire RTL Group Board, I wish RTL Group a successful next step in its I thank Gerhard Zeiler for his outstanding unbelievable development.” achievements in his 13 years at RTL and nearly nine years as CEO of RTL Group. Under his excellent management, RTL Group has become the undisputed number one free-to-air TV company in Europe, and a globally renowned brand for popular, high-quality television. Guillaume de Posch and Anke Schäferkordt, two exceedingly experienced, internationally recognised managers, will take over the management of RTL Group. I am delighted that the two have agreed to take on this task together with the Group’s CFO, Elmar Heggen.”

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A letter from Gerhard Zeiler to all RTL Group employees

Dear Colleagues,

The following lines are really not easy for me to write: after more than 13 years at RTL and almost nine years as CEO of RTL Group, I have decided that it is time to leave the company.

During these last nine years we have had, thanks to all of you, a tremendous journey. The intention of our shareholders in the year 2000, when they formed the Group and merged CLT-UFA with Pearson TV – namely to become the undisputed European leader in free-to-air television and to develop a worldwide content powerhouse – has become reality and we have achieved this together.

From a company with a little more than EUR 400 million EBITA we have grown to a company with an EBITA of EUR 1.1 billion; from a 10% margin company we have Gerhard Zeiler turned into a 20% one. Even more importantly, all of our broadcasters with their families of channels are – in most countries – signiﬁ cantly stronger than they were and FremantleMedia has developed into the most successful, globally operating, non-American content company. Last but not least there is not one single proﬁ t centre under our control, which was not able to increase its audience share. As I said, it has been a remarkable journey.

Yes, not everything worked out as planned. The sale of Five and especially the sale of Alpha in Greece, where – despite the operational success – we decided, because of the macroeconomic situation, to get out of the market again, were two of these examples. But all in all the story we have written together is one of great success and we can be proud of our achievements.

One of my great personal beliefs in life is that change is good and sometimes even necessary. I also believe, that change brings out new opportunities. Our company is not only in great shape, it also needs to start the next chapter in its development. And it is only logical, that this chapter should be written by a management team which is committed for the next ten years.

As sad as it is to say goodbye to you, I do it with the knowledge that I leave a company in great shape, with the best people in our industry and with a management team which is world-class.

Thank you very much, that you accompanied me during all these years and worked with me to bring RTL Group to where it stands today. It was a pleasure and honour for me to have worked alongside you.

At this point I also want to express my gratitude towards our Board of Directors and our shareholders for the support they gave to us during the time I headed the company. The advice we got was always productive and the support unequivocal.

And I also want to personally thank Thomas Rabe, the CEO of Bertelsmann. Despite the difﬁ culties my departure is causing for him at the beginning of his new job – his understanding of my decision has been sincere. The fact that I know that Thomas always had, and always will have, the best interests of RTL Group in his mind, made my decision to leave much easier.

At the end I wish all of you the best for your future and our company, RTL Group, a successful next chapter in its incredible journey. I will stay on board until the Annual Shareholder’s Meeting in April and will work closely with the team, who will be responsible for RTL Group in the future. A team, which is not only world-class, but simply THE BEST in our industry.

Yours,

Gerhard Zeiler

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The RTL Group Executive Committee The new CEOs

Guillaume de Posch, born 1958 in Belgium, Anke Schäferkordt, born in 1962, has is one of Europe’s most experienced TV been CEO of RTL Television since September executives. After fi rst jobs at the international 2005. In November 2007, the German RTL energy and services company Tractebel family of channels adopted the brand name (1985-1990) and the global management Mediengruppe RTL Deutschland. In her consulting fi rm McKinsey & Company capacity as CEO of RTL Television, Anke (1990-1993), he started his career in the Schäferkordt is also CEO of Mediengruppe media industry at the Luxembourg-based RTL Deutschland. Compagnie Luxembourgeoise de Télé-diffusion (CLT), which ultimately became RTL Group After studying business administration in the year 2000. At CLT, Anke Schäferkordt began her career at Guillaume de Posch started as assistant Bertelsmann AG in 1988. In 1991 she to the Managing Director (1993-1994) and went to Cologne to become an executive then became Head of CLT’s TV operations assistant for sales controlling and strategic in French-speaking countries (1995-1997). planning at RTL plus (today RTL Television). From 1997 to 2003, he was Deputy The following year, she took over the General Manager and Programming Director Controlling Department. From 1993 to 1995 of the French pay-TV company TPS, before Anke Schäferkordt was a Director in charge he joined the Munich-based, publicly listed of the Corporate Planning and Controlling ProSiebenSat1 Media AG in August 2003, Division at RTL Television. In 1995 she moved fi rst as Chief Operating Offi cer and then as to the TV broadcaster Vox where she was CFO Chairman of the Executive Board and CEO and in 1997 she was also named (2004-2008). From 2009 to 2011, Guillaume Programme Director. From 1999 to 2005 de Posch advised several European and US Anke Schäferkordt was the CEO of Vox. In broadcasters. February 2005 she was appointed Chief Operating Offi cer and Deputy CEO of In December 2011, Guillaume de Posch RTL Television. In this capacity she was was appointed Chief Operating Offi cer of responsible for Finance, Technical Services, RTL Group with effect from 1 January 2012. In Information and Media Policy as well as this capacity, he is in charge of the Corporate the General Secretariat, the advertising Strategy and Business Development team at sales unit IP Deutschland, the Vox channel RTL Group’s headquarters and oversees the and RTL Group’s holdings in the German company’s broadcasting operations in the channels N-TV and Super RTL. Netherlands, Belgium and radio operations in France. Guillaume de Posch is also a member of the RTL Group Executive Committee. 6 week 06 the RTL Group intranet

A rite of passage for politicians Less than three months before the 2012 French presidential election, the Socialist Party (PS) candidate François Hollande was a guest on L’invité de RTL. This was followed the next day by the visit of the National Front (FN) candidate Marine Le Pen to the studios. François Hollande France - 3 February 2012

Now on the campaign trail, it was François Hollande and Marine Le Pen’s turn to answer questions from Alain Duhammel and Jean-Michel Apathie in the inevitable political rendez-vous of RTL Matin, the popular morning show.

For the PS candidate, the core of this campaign is dominated by the struggle against unemployment. Asked whether he had already set a goal to address this issue during his possible fi ve-year term, Holland replies: “I am careful not to make predictions of this nature. (...) I am trying to fi nd measures to reduce unemployment. How? Youth unemployment? Unemployment among older people? Marine Le Pen This is my proposal for a ‘generational contract’: employing those who are furthest from the job market.” In this interview the candidate was also asked to outline his proposals to curb the rise in petrol prices or reduce the public defi cit. Finally, questioned about his ability to govern, he says: “I’m not going to pull a couple of proposals out of my hat just to sound good during the presidential election. I refl ect for a long time on what I announce.”

For her part, the FN candidate Marine Le Pen expressed her intention to reverse the 2010 pensions reform, returning the minimum retirement age to 60. Her presence at the bal of the Viennese radical right-wing student fraternity Olympia also came up during the debate. “They are accused of being Far Right as I was by the Left,” she says.

The full interviews with François Hollande and Marine Le Pen can be heard on RTL.fr.

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Grundy UFA produces new telenovela for ZDF Romance in the afternoon, emotion, passion and intrigue – all this is promised by the new ZDF telenovela Wege zum Glück (Ways to Happiness – working title). Producer Rainer Wemcken elaborates on his ambitious goals. Rainer Wemcken Germany - 3 February 2012

Since the end of January 2012 UFA Gundy has What was your reaction and that of your been shooting a new series for the public-service employees? TV channel ZDF in Potsdam-Babelsberg and the Our reaction after the order became offi cial? We surrounding area as well as on the Baltic sea. It broke out the champagne and took a moment to focuses on the story of several friends who have celebrate this important step. Then we rolled up known each other since childhood, but were our sleeves and got to work, because producing suddenly torn apart at the time. 45 minutes a day requires extensive, meticulous preparation. The 240 episodes of the new telenovela under ZDF’s well-known umbrella brand Wege zum How are you preparing for the production of Glück are scheduled for broadcast in spring the telenovela in Potsdam? 2012. The producers are Rainer Wemcken and A major challenge in creating any new series Guido Reinhardt. is putting together the team. It takes a solid, professional team to produce 45 minutes of In the following interview, Rainer Wemcken classy entertainment every day. We have great explains how some 130 people are working writers, a highly motivated production team and hard to produce 45 minutes of fi rst-class excellent actors. Everyone is working hand in entertainment every day. hand to make the return of Wege zum Glück a success. What do you think are the reasons for Wege zum Glück’s return to ZDF? Roughly how many Grundy UFA employees In 2004, we brought the telenovela to Germany will be involved with the production? and established it in the market with Bianca – Approximately 130 employees are working every Wege zum Glück. We very successfully fi lled day to make Wege zum Glück a success. the 16:15 time slot on ZDF with this over a long period. But even after the programme ended What can viewers look forward to? in 2009, we always believed in the Wege zum To a captivating telenovela with a large, Glück brand, so we never really shelved the extraordinary story and beautiful images. project. Instead, we continuously followed and The audience knows Wege zum Glück, and further developed our ideas, and stayed in touch associates it with romantic, moving entertain- with the channel. ment. The new telenovela will offer even more than that. Visually and thematically, the se- On the one hand, Wege zum Glück is still a strong ries will set new standards and show viewers brand, which the audience associates with good unprecedented quality that can easily compete entertainment and a superior series. And on the with prime-time formats. other hand, in our years of cooperation ZDF learned to appreciate Grundy UFA as a highly professional and reliable partner at all times. An order of this magnitude always involves a great amount of trust.

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Think, participate, and make a difference The Du hast die Macht! (You have the Power!) civic education initiative for young people carried out by UFA has been named one of the ‘365 Landmarks in the Land of Ideas’ contest. Germany - 6 February 2012

The political initiative for young people by the foundation Robert Bosch Stiftung and UFA was selected from over 2,000 applications as a ‘Landmark 2012’ in the ‘365 Landmarks in the Land of Ideas’ competition. Since 2006 the ‘Germany – Land of Ideas’ initiative and Deutsche Bank have jointly run an annual contest to ﬁ nd 365 outstanding projects and ideas that make a lasting contribution to the sustainability of Germany.

The Du hast die Macht! online project targets teens with the aim of promoting democratic awareness and strengthening their Logo of Du hast die Macht! motivation to get involved. Du hast die Macht! builds awareness of political issues among young people and encourages them to get involved and think about the issues, without patronising them.

The campaign speciﬁ cally uses forms of communication that young people use intensively: the internet, social networks and TV. An up-to-the-minute example is the political talk show Zugehört! planned for the end of February 2012, which features a female professional boxer, a musician and an author representing Germany’s youth entering into a debate with prominent politicians. Young people can voice their own opinion on future prospects, integration, the environment, and education by contacting Zugehört! online in advance or during the event on the podium, from the audience, or via live streaming.

The Du hast die Macht! initiative is based at the UFA Lab in Berlin-Kreuzberg, is check out sponsored by the Robert Bosch Stiftung and carried DuhastdieMacht.de out by UFA.

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Latest addition to the VoD family With over 1,500 episodes and more than 1,300 hours of programming, RTL II’s extensive video-on-demand offer with full-length programmes has now launched at RTL2now.de. Germany - 7 February 2012

RTL2now.de screenshot

The channel’s viewers can now download many The full-length programmes of the RTL II RTL II formats they might have missed, anytime Mediathek, which launched in August 2011, and anywhere, including all episodes of top have been merged into the new ‘RTL II Now’ formats such as Berlin – Tag & Nacht (Berlin – platform and are now part of the Mediengruppe Day & Night), and X-Diaries – love, sun & fun. RTL Deutschland video on-demand portfolio What makes the site so special is that right from (RTL Now, Vox Now and Super RTL Now). As the start RTL II Now is offering all episodes on the before, Internet users can still watch platform free of charge, including an extensive shorter video clips such as ‘making ofs’, archive. The site is produced by RTL Interactive interviews, excerpts from top formats, and in close cooperation with RTL II. individual reports from magazine shows at RTL2.de/video. The Now-family sites, produced Matthias Büchs, Head of Online, Mobile, by RTL Interactive, generated 247 million and Teletext at RTL Interactive, says: “We are video views last year and are marketed delighted to be expanding the ‘Now’ by IP Deutschland. family around RTL II Now in cooperation with RTL II, thereby continuing Mediengruppe RTL Deutschland’s strategy of providing a catch-up service for our full-length programmes under this brand.” 10 week 06 the RTL Group intranet

Towards more diversity in the media landscape The RTL Journalistenschule (RTL School of Journalism) is partnering with the Grimme-Akademie to host a practice-orientated workshop for young journalists from immigrant backgrounds, from 21 to 24 March 2012. Germany - 8 February 2012

The workshop is part of the European Media 4 us project, which aims to encourage diversity in the media landscape by giving talented journalists from immigrant backgrounds a head start in their early career. RTL-Journalistenschule’s commitment towards the RTL media award Com.mit Award and its long-standing cooperation with the Grimme- Akademie are the driving forces behind this workshop.

Participants will be asked to write articles, texts and essays on the subject of migration and integration, taking care to present different perspectives after critically reﬂ ecting on check out the issues at hand. Together with the workshop’s mentors, www.grimme- subjects that will be of akademie.de interest to the wider public will be identiﬁ ed. A selection of articles and various contributions have already been published on the website.

The workshop has 12 available places for anyone with an immigration background and interested in participating. Deadline for applications is 5 March 2012. Ideally, applicants will already have experience in journalism. An interest in integration and migration issues is a prerequisite. Due to the nature of the aims and content of the Media 4 us project, priority will be given to applicants living in Germany from non-EU member states. However, the workshop organisers will consider all other applicants with an immigration background.

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Musical comedy genre revived The critics are unanimous: Adam et Eve, Pascal Obispo’s latest musical coproduced by M6 Evénements, is a hit. France - 8 February 2012

Le Parisien ran the following headline on a recent article: “Adam et Eve revives musical comedy” and ended the article, which was full of praise for this new show, with: “Adam et Eve reinvents the genre, an achievement that will compel the competition to outdo itself!” Direct Matin, a few weeks before the premiere, said the following: “This show should be one of the big hits of the coming year.” Adam et Eve in Le Parisien In Adam et Eve, which happens to be Obispo’s second musical after 10 Commandements, the author revisits the Adam and Eve story, inspired by the themes that are dear to him. In this version, Obispo retells the story in an allegorical fashion and invents a “second chance” for them. Strongly united in their feelings, Adam and his Eve will ﬁ ght together so that a new and better world is born.

Between the poetic and the modern, singers, dancers and circus artists bring to life humanity’s ﬁ rst love story on stage. The show features two hours of emotion and grace, punctuated by songs of love and of rebellion, blending all musical styles, from romantic ballads to guitar rock.

Adam et Eve – the second chance currently touring throughout France.

12 Elmar Heggen Elmar Heggen has served on the RTL Group Executive Management team since January 2006, and since 1 October 2006 he has been CFO and Head of the Corporate Centre of RTL Group. In this capacity, he controls Finance and Legal. He will join Guillaume de Posch and Anke Schäferkordt in the RTL Group Board of Directors as Executive Director. Andreas Rudas

Andreas Rudas – Executive Vice President Regional Operations & Business Development CEE and Asia – was appointed member of the RTL Group Executive Committee with effect from 1 January 2009. In this capacity, he oversees the operations in Croatia, Hungary, Russia, Germany (radio) and explores business opportunities in Central and Eastern Europe, and in Asia. He will sit on the RTL Group Executive Committee alongside de Posch, Schäferkordt and Heggen. week 06 the RTL Group intranet

It’s Dome time again RTL II and Universal Music together with Sony Music Entertainment launched a renewed edition of The Dome. Germany - 3 February 2012

One million friends The French series Scènes de Ménages has passed the one-million-fan mark on the world’s number one social network, Facebook. France - 6 February 2012

Good Morning on a mobile Contact mobile launched the Good Morning mobile phone package, a new phone service built around Radio Contact’s morning show. Germany - 30 January 2012

“Immediately transfixed” – 1,000 episodes of Wer wird Millionär? On 3 February 2012, the 1,000th edition of Wer wird Millionär? (Who Wants To Be A Millionaire), RTL Television’s quiz show with Günther Jauch, attracted more than eight million fans. Germany - 7 February 2012

“France in pieces” On 5 February 2012, M6 aired the latest edition of Capital on the controversial theme: “Work, buying power and the Euro: should France close its borders?” with Marine Le Pen as a guest. France - 7 February 2012

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People

César Rodriguez Blanco César Rodriguez Blanco Spain - 6 Febuary 2012

César Rodriguez Blanco has been appointed Commenting on his new appointment, Director of Drama at La Competencia, Rodriguez Blanco says: “I’m very pleased to be a FremantleMedia company in Spain. joining La Competencia at such an exciting time for the company. I see enormous potential in César Rodriguez Blanco will be responsible for the Drama market in Spain, and I look forward launching the new drama department and will to working with the team to launch our new be in charge of the overall strategy, content and department, and create and produce top-quality production. His new appointment will take effect Drama productions for Spanish audiences.” from March 2012 and he will be reporting to Javier Pérez de Silva, CEO at La Competencia.

“Cesar is one of Spain’s pre-eminent creators, producers and directors of Drama. As a company, we’ve been focused on entertainment and factual programming in all genres. Cesar’s experience and expertise in Drama make him perfect for the role and we’re looking forward to welcoming him to the team,” says Javier Pérez de Silva.

Rodriguez Blanco has extensive experience working in the Spanish TV market on different drama genres. These include series produced for Antena 3 such as La familia Mata, La Princesa de Éboli and Karabudjan. He previously spent ﬁ ve years at Notro TV as Director of Drama, where he was responsible for the popular comedy series, Doctor Mateo, which was aired on Antena 3. Blanco started his career at Globomedia, directing various series like Policías and Compañeros, which were both broadcast on Antena 3, and has had a formative inﬂ uence on Spanish TV drama.

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People Culture Pub founder Christian Blachas has died France - 7 February 2012

Journalist Christian Blachas, the founder For Thomas Valentin, Deputy Chairman and host of the cult magazine programme of the Management Board of Groupe M6, Culture Pub on M6, died on 5 February 2012 in “Christian Blachas showed how advertising Boulogne-Billancourt at the age of 65. reﬂ ected society, but was a step ahead. He had an unswerving determination to decipher the In 1987, Christian Blachas created Ondes de methods used by professionals to charm us and choc on M6, a monthly magazine programme sell to us. A lover of rock music, he shared his on advertising and communications that he passion through the programme Culture Rock co-hosted with Anne Magnier. Airing every for ﬁ ve years on M6.” Sunday evening, the magazine show was renamed Culture Pub in 1989 and continued to Christian Blachas was also the CEO of CB run on M6 until June 2005. The magazine was news, the monthly magazine of communications, re-launched on the website CulturePub.fr in marketing and media, and of the production 2007. company CBTV.

“Christian Blachas was a part of M6 from the start. With Culture Pub, which ran for 18 years, he managed to produce an original and daring programme that made it easier to understand the world of communications and advertising,” said Nicolas de Tavernost, Chairman of the Management Board of Groupe M6. “He was creative as well as a phenomenal entrepreneur.”

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