Moving Forward How M6 Presents the Euro 2008

week 23 the RTL Group intranet

Newsletter 5 June 2008 Moving forward How M6 presents the Euro 2008

United Kingdom UEFA Cup football on Five TalkbackThames launches Toyboize Hungary RTL Klub most influential in media industry The Netherlands The first news channel for mobile phones France Axel Duroux, Knight of the Legion of Honour COVER: Estelle Denis, Piere Ménès, Thierry Roland (from left to right)

Kingdom FA Cup football on Five kbackThames launches Toyboize y L Klub most influential in media industry therlands 2 week 23 the RTL Group intranet

Official broadcaster of Euro 2008 M6 Group is back on the ball in Euro 2008, this time broadcasting 15 of the tournament’s matches, starting on Sunday, 8 June. Official logo of EURO 2008 France - 5 June 2008

Euro 2008 will include M6’s first ever broad- with Dominique Grimault and Pierre Ménès. casts of games played by the French team. Thierry Roland and former defender of the “This is a landmark of which it is particularly French national team Franck Leboeuf will com- proud”, said Jérôme Bureau, the channel’s ment the matches. M6 will also be hosting a director of information and news magazines. website dedicated to the event and providing a M6 loves football anyway, and is more enthu- service for mobile users. M6’s digital ‘little sis- siastic than ever about ‘the beautiful game’ ter’, W9, will be airing its own 52-minute daily now that it will be exclusively broadcasting magazine and broadcasting two games live. some of the games featuring Les Bleus. “Euro 2008 is the top footballing event of the year. To give the tournament the airtime it deserves, This tournament is even harder to win than the M6’s coverage of Euro 2008 will comprise two World Cup, because there’s not a single ‘easy’ daily programmes: le Journal de l’Euro, which game or clash of secondary importance”, will last between 5 and 10 minutes, and 100% Bureau added. Euro, a special live magazine lasting a full hour with many special guests. Estelle Denis has Groupe M6 ,which also owns the French foot- already laid M6’s cards on the table by promi- ball club Les Girondins de Bordeaux, shelled sing that “if the French team doesn’t do well, out 50 million euro to secure the broadcasting we won’t pull any punches; and if it performs rights. Nicolas de Tavernost, Chairman of the admirably, naturally we’ll be really fired up, Board of Groupe M6, explains his strategy for adopting an equally forthright tone, with no investing in football as follows: “Football is the beating about the bush. I also hope we’ll have leading televised sport in France. This is why as much fun as we did during the World Cup”. we have made two kinds of investment in it, The programme will air live every day during the firstly by acquiring broadcasting rights and second or third part of the evening schedule secondly by acquiring a football club that has and will provide off-the-cuff reactions to the turned out a profit for the past 9 years. Football latest football news, adopting the very frank is still a loss-making proposition on television, approach that will characterise the programme. but a general-interest channel like M6 has an obligation to present all genres in its schedule. The website will offer fans the chance to keep From time to time, we have to run the risk of up to the minute by reporting any news and making a loss if we want to move forward. The major events from the tournament. Internet European Championship is tremendously users can also look forward to broadcasts of important to our image”. matches on the Web, courtesy of Groupe M6, as well as special programmes featuring aerial Consequently, M6 has thought long and hard footage, providing full information on the day’s about how to make Euro 2008 a truly special events in the competition including news about experience for football fans by enabling them teams, players and fixtures, information files, to experience the thrills and spills of the tourna- articles, statistics and a photo gallery. Further ment “as if they were there”. The channel will broadcasting a road movie by Thierry Roland air two live programmes every day, presented and Franck Leboeuf from Switzerland and by the popular sports journalists Estelle Denis Austria covering training schedules, containing 3 week 23 the RTL Group intranet

asks Estelle Denis to tidy up his office, shut the door and return home.

A second, equally humorous and unconventional trailer shows how M6’s football experts - who are positively chomping at the bit waiting for the feast of football to get under way - have trans- formed parts of the channel’s headquarters, including its production department, offices, stairways and even lifts into one big football pitch. The trailers all sign off with the French byline Une http://euro2008.m6.fr/ chose est sûre, le 7 juin ils seront prêts interviews and footage of supporters, and (One thing is certain: Come 7 June, they’ll relaying the atmosphere at the venue hosting be ready). the game in question. Bloggers haven’t been forgotten either. They will be allotted their own A brief rundown on the team presenting 100% space to exchange their thoughts with the Euro and le Journal de l’Euro : channel’s football specialists. It’s also worth noting that M6 Mobile by Orange, the Group’s One presenter... mobile phone service, will be offering its subs- * Estelle Denis cribers access to a special Euro 2008 dossier. Euro 2008 will also mark her tenth anniversary as a sports journalist. She is definitely passio- To whet viewers’ appetite, M6 has put together nate about the game. When she was younger some really tasty Euro 2008 trailers. One of she played as a defender...in a boy’s team and these fun clips shows the team that presents is a seasoned TV professional who cut her 100% Foot trying to break into the office of teeth at France Télévisions, then Infosports, French team selector Raymond Domenech – TPS Star, TF1 and LCI before joining M6 in who is none other than the husband of Estelle 2005, where she fronts 100% Foot. Denis both in the clip and in real life – to try and Since mid-February 2008, Estelle has also get their hands on the list of the 23 players cho- been presenting 100% Mag, a daily information sen to make up France’s Euro 2008 squad. But magazine broadcast by M6, which is netting then the phone rings and Raymond Domenech the channel phenomenal ratings during access prime time.

(From left to right) Pierre MENES, Dominique GRIMAULT, Jean Philippe DOUX (assis), Jerome de VERDIERE, Jean Marc FERRERI, Estelle DENIS (seated), Thierry ROLAND, Frank LEBOEUF 4 week 23 the RTL Group intranet

...two pundits... * Dominique Grimault Dominique has been a 100% Foot pundit since To mark the event, M6 has put together a 2005, having started out as a reporter, then a communication campaign based around senior reporter working both for the print media the theme Pour être derrière les Bleus, il for 18 years as well as radio and television faudra être devant M6 (Viewers wanting to (TF1, La Cinq and Antenne 2). He’s one of back France will have to settle down in France’s top football experts, being the former front of M6). The multimedia campaign editor-in-chief of L’Equipe (the leading French will entail 3,000 posters being put up in daily ahead of Le Monde), and has more than Paris and the French provinces until 11 50 works on sport to his name. He has gained June, ads in various print media, inclu- recognition and is highly regarded for his plain- ding L’Equipe, Le Parisien, Le Monde, speaking approach. Direct Matin and Direct Soir, and a banner on the façade of M6’s headquarters in * Pierre Ménès Neuilly sur Seine. He worked for L’Equipe for 21 years and published a humorous anthology entitled le Dictionnaire absurde du foot (The Absurd Dictionary of Football) in which the entry for ‘club chairman’ states that he is also known as RTL group companies are big suppor- “Mr Moneybags”, possibly “a rather successful ter of the Euro 2008. business mogul who went into football to get his face known, only to find himself wading Check their websites: from hassle to hassle through the brown stuff”. He’s living proof that M6’s pundits really do ‘say Mediengruppe RTL Deutschland it how it is’. http://sport.rtl.de/fussball/euro2008.php

...and two commentators RTL-TVI, Belgium * Thierry Roland http://www.rtlinfo.be/sport/static/view/eu He started his career working in ORTF’s sports ro2008/EURO2008 department back in 1955. In 1962 he made his debut as a World Cup commentator. Today he’s RTL Netherlands an unparalleled commentator, with a born gift http://www.rtl.nl/actueel/rtlnieuws/ek2008/ for finding just the right turn of phrase. His voice is instantly recognisable to any football Radio Berlin, Germany fan and he’s famous for coming out with such http://82.98.97.105/ gems as “Well, there are two people who definitely won’t be spending their holidays toge- RTL Radio France ther”; “Brought down like a grouse in full flight”; http://www.rtl.fr/dossier/93498/1/euro- “Having seen that, we can die peacefully”; or 2008.html (describing a referee and his two assistants) “Rarely have I seen such a useless trio. They ought to be stuffed”. An emblematic figure in French football, he’s just as well-known as many players.

* Franck Leboeuf He started is career in 1986 in France until he made a switch to English club Chelsea in 1996. Franck left in 2001 for his hometown club Olympique Marseille. With the French national team, he won the 1998 FIFA World Cup. It is the second time he is commenting matches on M6 with Thierry Roland.

Estelle DENIS, Thierry ROLAND 5 week 23 the RTL Group intranet

A news channel for mobile phones RTL 24 is to offer a diverse range of programmes including RTL Nederland’s most popular news programmes with broadcasts by RTL Nieuws, RTL Z, Editie NL and RTL Boulevard. The Netherlands - 30 May 2008

Since 5 June 2008, mobile users are able to mobile telephones than there are inhabitants receive RTL 24 via KPN DVB-H mobile techno- and this technology means that it is now possi- logy. RTL 4 is broadcast live to mobile phones ble to watch television via this mass medium. since this date too. The new KPN DVB-H tech- Our aim is to follow viewers wherever they go nology means that mobile users are able to and be available for them to watch at any given view high-quality television images at any given location. We anticipate mobile television taking time while on the move. Via RTL 24, RTL off over the next few years and so we want to Nederland is offering both consumers and be able to offer our viewers their favourite pro- advertisers a unique tailor-made service, with a grammes via their mobile phones right from special feature on RTL 24 being the mobile day one. That’s why we broadcast our most banner enabling advertisers to put their messa- popular programmes live and the reason ge across in a whole new format. Even prior to behind our developing RTL 24 especially for RTL 24’s launch, a number of innovative adver- mobile viewers”. tisers such as Volvo, Nike, KPN, Samsung, Ford and LG have already signed up and seve- ral of them will also be utilising the channel’s exclusive mobile banner feature.

CEO of RTL Nederland Bert Habets says of RTL 24 and RTL 4 via KPN DVB-H mobile technology: “In the Netherlands there are now more

RTL 24 logo More Football on Five Exclusive three-year deal to broadcast the UEFA Cup signed United Kingdom - 5 June 2008

Under the terms of the deal, which begins in these rights and will now see the tournament the 2009-2010 season, Five will have the first covered on Five, from the first round right pick of matches in each round thereby bringing through to the final, until 2012”. the very best games of the tournament to viewers on a free-to-air basis. Five will also have Charles Constable, Five’s Director of Strategy, exclusive rights to the UEFA Cup Final. In total said: “Football is a key part of Five’s program- the deal will guarantee 15 games a year from ming strategy. It’s great for our viewers that we 2009-10 to 2011-12. can now guarantee them so many games every season, involving some of the best teams in For the first time, TV rights for the tournament Britain and Europe”. from the group stage onwards have been sold collectively rather than by the individual clubs Football has been a cornerstone of Five’s sche- involved. Five negotiated the agreement with dule since the channel’s launch in 1997, with sports marketing agency T.E.A.M, which is dis- more than 264 live games shown, including five tributing the TV rights on behalf of UEFA. England internationals; UEFA Champion’s League qualifiers featuring Manchester United Robert Charles, Five’s Controller of Sport, said: and Liverpool; European Cup Winner's Cup “Five has been the place to watch UEFA Cup matches with Chelsea; and international games football, with more than 100 games shown over involving Scotland, Wales and the Republic of the past 11 years. I’m delighted we’ve secured Ireland, as well as UEFA Cup matches. 6 week 23 the RTL Group intranet

Knight of the Legion of Honour Pursuant to a Presidential Decree of 21 March 2008, Axel Duroux, Chairman of the Board of Directors of French radio group RTL Radio, has been made a Knight of the National Order of the Legion of Honour. Axel Duroux France - 30 May 2008

Axel Duroux received his decoration from RTL “Honour and Fatherland” is the motto engraved Radio veteran Philippe Labro who was the on the back of the medal awarded to those group’s director of programmes for 15 years recognised as members of the Legion of and later became its vice president. In addition Honour, the longest-standing national civil and to his current exploits as a businessman, military order in France and established on 19 Philippe Labro is also renowned in France as a May 1802. It is commonly known as the Cross journalist, writer and film director. Axel Duroux of the Brave (Croix des Braves) and is awarded has been Chairman of the board of RTL Radio to individuals who have displayed “eminent – the latter comprising RTL, RTL 2 and Fun merit”. It may also be awarded to foreigners Radio – since 2005. and the Legion of Honour is recognised in par- ticular in the United States.

Axel Duroux (left) receiving the decoration from Philippe Labro (right)

7 week 23 the RTL Group intranet

Most influential RTL Klub CEO Dirk Gerkens tops the league table compiled by Marketing&Media with the title “The 50 most influential people in the Hungarian media industry”. Dirk Gerkens Hungary - 30 May 2008

The top list, which was based on the votes of Rákosi is an indirect owner of RTL Klub and is the editorial office and the editorial board of the tied in closely with the leading Hungarian com- magazine, also reveals that the headquarters of mercial television through the producing com- RTL Klub is fully packed with influential people. panies and cable televisions. The top ten also includes the leader of RTL Namely, the top 50 contains six of the channel’s Klub’s biggest competitor in the Hungarian management – including ex-commercial direc- television industry: TV2’s CEO Zoltán Várdy tor Steve Varcoe (16th), who left the company (8th), who represents his channel alone in the just a few weeks ago. His successor Gabriella top fifty. Vidus (19th), programming director Peter Kolosi (11th) and deputy CEO Ákos Róbert (22nd) are also in the top 50. You can add Tamás Rákosi, the owner of the IKO Group, who placed fourth.

Ákos Róbert Peter Kolosi Gabriella Vidus

8 week 23 the RTL Group intranet

“French television landscape stuck in a time warp” In an interview with weekly publication L’Express, the Chairman of Groupe M6’s Management Board, Nicolas de Tavernost, speaks out against regulations governing private television channels – rules which he believes are archaic and in desperate need of an overhaul. Nicolas de Tavernost France - 2 June 2008

As often mentioned in Backstage, television is There are certainly many constraints in France, undergoing a veritable revolution – its very own the majority of them no longer justified in view Big Bang if you like – entailing all manner of of the current situation. Just one example of changes such as the digital switchover, new many is the fact that in the age of DVDs and channels springing up constantly and thereby downloads, M6 is not allowed to broadcast bringing about increasingly stiff competition, as films before 20.30 on Wednesdays, Saturdays well as ‘delinearisation’ of content (program- or Sundays. And the latest news is that the mes available on demand) and the ongoing government wants private channels to pay a advent of technology enabling television pro- levy to fund public television while advertising grammes to be received and viewed on a varie- is shortly to be prohibited on the latter. In ty of new platforms. Nicolas de Tavernost’s view “Neither M6, TF1 nor Canal+ are there merely to finance public The possibilities are endless but there are also broadcasting.” countless pitfalls. Groupe M6 has put in place a new, solid economic model based on respon- The M6 boss simply wants to see French regu- ding in a targeted fashion to each of these chal- lations “tuned into those of our neighbours” – lenges and this innovative strategy is now bea- what could be controversial about that? ring fruit. In broad terms, the new strategy entails a package of channels, a presence across all existing platforms and particularly successful diversification of revenue.

But regulations in France are proving slow to adapt – indeed the regulatory framework has not changed in 20 years – and it is of this, in his view, anachronistic situation that Nicolas de Tavernost has been particularly critical: “We are somewhere back in the Middle Ages while the rest of the world is experiencing unpreceden- ted changes in television. The French television landscape has become stuck in a time warp and this ‘fossilisation’ is affecting the way in which films are broadcast, channel formats, the pay/free-to-air system and more,” he told L’Express.

9 week 23 the RTL Group intranet

BlueRay arrived The release of CSI: Miami Season 5.1 on 30 June 2008 marks the first time that Universum Film is publishing the popular US crime series on Blu-ray Disc. Special features include an interactive "investigation mode" and additional BD-live features. CSI: Miami Germnay - 3 June 2008

On Profile 1.1 / Bonus View-enabled Blu-ray players, the “investigation mode” supplies bonus background information and picture-in- picture interviews about key moments in the plot. Users can switch the feature on and off, much like an audio commentary that runs parallel to the episode.

BD-live access, integrated here for the first time, lets users add content to the disc – extra information, the latest CSI trailers, photo spreads etc. – by downloading it to the Blu-ray player via an Internet line. The CSI disc can thus be augmented at any time, for significant added value to its users. In the future, CSI: Miami fans will actually be able to communica- te with each other directly via the Blu-ray player when the disc is inserted, thanks to the online linking of the CSI: Miami Blu-ray to the www.tuneHD.net community in a later step. BD-live features may be accessed on all the latest Profile 2.0-enabled Blu-ray players and other devices including the Playstation 3.

10 week 23 the RTL Group intranet

The Toyboize channel TalkbackThames and comedy outfit Navelgazing launched their first-ever digital media project Toyboize on YouTube this week. United Kingdom - 4 June 2008

The web comedy follows a former child pop group who reunite 20 years after their heyday when their song is used in a mobile phone advert. But the years have been pretty unkind to the once-angelic pre-pubescent pop stars...

Weekly webisodes will be uploaded on YouTube with daily news bites following the Toyboize’s journey as they attempt to make their comeback. TalkbackThames and Navelgazing have created a special Toyboize channel on YouTube, allowing users to subscribe and add the show to their friend lists. watch toyboize at They have also created website at www.toyboi- www.youtube.com/toyboize ze.com and a group on social networking site Facebook - both dedicated to the band.

The Toyboize channel on YouTube

11 week 23 the RTL Group intranet

New season’s line-up for Live from Abbey Road FremantleMedia Enterprises has announced the eagerly anticipated list of artists lined up for season two of Live from Abbey Road and that pre-sales for this hugely successful export total a hugely impressive 60 territories even before the show’s first transmission. Mary J Blige) United Kingdom - 5 June 2008

Live From Abbey Road season two will show- case unforgettable, intimate performances and revealing interviews with some of the greatest artists from around the globe, including Alanis Morissette, Def Leppard, James Blunt, Sheryl Crow, Panic at the Disco, Mary J. Blige and Bryan Adams. Individual and pan-regional broadcasters committed to the series include Channel 4 in the UK, Sundance Channel in the US, The Biography Channel in Germany, Kanal 5 in Sweden, XYZ in Australia, MediaCorp in Singapore, and Sony across the Latin America region.

FremantleMedia Enterprises CEO David Ellender said: “Few music shows around the world invoke a following like the one we’ve encountered with Live From Abbey Road. Once you understand its original and unique formula it becomes infectious, and viewers can’t wait to tell their friends about it. Season two is a highly valued addition to our growing music catalo- gue”.

Series one of Live From Abbey Road was sold to more than 145 countries and attracted big names like the Red Hot Chili Peppers, Gnarls Barkley and LeAnn Rimes. Maintaining and building on the optimal audio and visual stan- dards set in the show’s debut season, the enti- re series of season two of Live From Abbey Road is filmed in high-definition format.

12 week 23 the RTL Group intranet

Thousand stories from RTL Group Backstage, RTL Group’s completely revamped intranet, has been up and running with expanded content since 31 May 2007. In fact, over the past year Backstage has published more than 1,000 hot news items covering all the Group’s areas of activity.

Luxembourg - 2 June 2008

Backstage has consistently published whiche- days, and anyone wanting to keep right up to ver stories were deemed to be of importance to date can subscribe to the daily newsletter the group, ranging from Axel Duroux being which is sent out on weekdays, naturally free of made a Knight of the Legion of Honour to a charge. story about Dirk Gerkens being Hungary’s most important media manager, or from what Proven services like the press review, the President Nicolas Sarkozy said on France’s Group address book and basic news remain Radio RTL to German Chancellor Angela important components of Backstage. But new Merkel’s thoughts on Gute Zeiten – Schlechte services have also seen the light of day, like Zeiten. In addition there have been exclusive easily set up communities and the instant mes- interviews with top managers, reports on inter- senger, which can facilitate collaboration bet- nal meetings, up-to-date personnel news, ween Group employees. reports on key ratings, successful productions, In December 2007 Backstage pocketed an significant awards and various anniversary iNova Silver Award for its innovative concept. celebrations. We would like to thank all our faithful readers Backstage’s relaunch last year expanded the for their support and look forward to the next range of news covered and made stories avai- 1,000 stories. Should you have any sugges- lable in three languages: English, French and tions, praise or criticism, please feel free to German. A weekly newsletter summed up the write in to [email protected]. most important events of the previous seven

INOVA Award

Covers of Backstage Weekly Newsletter

13 week 23 the RTL Group intranet

A record month for RTL II In May, the channels in Mediengruppe RTL Deutschland (RTL Television, Vox, RTL II, Super RTL and N-TV) drew 33.8 percent of the 14- to 49-year-old market, putting them well ahead of the ProSiebenSat.1 group, which attracted 30.6 percent. RTL II had the best month since February 2005. Germany - 3 June 2008

M6 comes out on top With an 11.1 per cent audience share among over-4s in May, M6 is the only channel in France to see its audience share for the whole day’s broadcasting climb by 0.1 per cent on last month’s figures. This new score makes May M6’s best month yet in 2008. France - 3 June 2008

RTL Klub unveils its new image RTL Klub started June with a new image, showing different hungarian landscapes and the RTL Klub logo. Hungary - 4 June 2008

The European Football Championship on N-TV N-TV keeps its viewers on top of the European Football Championship: each morning during the tournament, the Cologne news broadcaster will serve up an hourly Fußball- Frühstück (Football Breakfast) right after the news. Germany - 4 June 2008

Exclusive broadcast from the CDU MediaNight The Berlin radio station 105,5 Spreeradio was the first radio station ever to report live from the well-established media event at Konrad-Adenauer-Haus in Berlin, RTL Television repor- ted with two teams as well. Germany - 4 June 2008

Who needs laugh tracks? From 18 July, RTL Television will broadcast eleven episodes from the first season of My Name Is Earl in what will be a German premiere of the popular US comedy. Germany - 5 June 2008 14 week 23 the RTL Group intranet

RTL-TVI reorganises the management of its editorial staff Faced with the departure of editorial director and editor-in-chief Philippe Roussel (scheduled for 1 August), the Belgian channel has opted to split his job into two separate posts, offering the job of editorial director to Laurent Haulotte and to make Fabrice Grosfilley editor-in-chief of RTL-TVI’s news. Laurent Haulotte Belgium - 5 June 2008

Philippe Roussel has decided to leave to embark on a fresh professional adventure on the French island of Réunion. RTL-TVI Director of Television Stéphane Rosenblatt outlined what Roussel had achieved in the following eulogy: “Philippe has brought us a great deal, including digitisation and the integration of our editorial teams. He will leave behind a moderni- sed, efficient editorial team”.

For the past 11 years, no less, Laurent Haulotte has been the emblematic presenter of RTL- TVI’s evening news broadcast 19 heures, the most popular news bulletin in Belgium’s French-speaking Community. Laurent Haulotte will take up his new responsibilities very soon: “Giving up presenting will be an emotional wrench, but the challenges awaiting me are exciting”, he said, commenting on his promo- tion in the Belgian daily La Libre Belgique. He will remain the director of RTL Sport.

Fabrice Grosfilley will become editor-in-chief of RTL-TVI’s news programmes.

“The editorial director looks after the budget and is responsible for development and trans- versality between our editorial teams. The editor-in-chief is in charge of actual writing and editing”, Stéphane Rosenblatt concluded. Philippe Roussel

15 week 23 the RTL Group intranet

People Frank Lilie appointed Head of Press & Public Relations at RTL II Frank Lilie Germany - 3 June 2008

As Head of Press & Public Relations at RTL II, Oliver Haase, Director Marketing and Lilie will be in charge of the channel’s corpora- Communications, said: “Frank Lilie is the per- te and program communications. He reports fect PR manager and press spokesman for our directly to Oliver Haase, Director Marketing and ambitious communication goals. We want to Communications at RTL II. increase our focus on setting trends and topics in the TV market in the future, to achieve a clea- Lilie, 37, a business school graduate, will assu- rer positioning for the RTL II brand. This calls me his new position with effect from 01 June for a communicator who thinks and acts 2008. He succeeds Barbara Faltermeier, who beyond classic public relations.” left the company in December 2007 at her own request. Lilie has been with RTL II since March Frank Lilie studied business at the University of 2004, and was appointed Deputy Director Lüneburg. After graduating, he completed an Press & Public Relations in July 2005. He has internship at MPC Management Profile already served as interim head of department Consulting, a Munich based PR agency. He for the past five months. worked as an Account Manager at the Weber Shandwick PR agency before joining RTL II.

16 http://backstage.rtlgroup.fr http://backstage.rtlgroup.com http://backstage.rtlgroup.de

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

Editor, Design, Production RTL Group Corporate Communications and Marketing