24 November 2011
week 47
Creative freedom Sara Geater on the new structure for Talkback Thames
Germany France €100 million raised for children Viewers vote in need on Facebook
Germany France IP Deutschland and Vodafone Enquête Exclusive air HD commercials on radical Islam
the RTL Group intranet week 47
Cover: Sara Geater, CEO of FremantleMedia UK
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“A strong foundation for growth” The restructure shapes a portfolio of customer focused label brands managed by creative leaders and supported by a new division. Sara Geater explains the idea behind FremantleMedia UK. Sara Geater United Kingdom - 23 November 2011
The new structure will become effective on The labels will consist of: 1 January 2012 with the launch of four labels which are geared towards comedy, comedy Thames – celebrating the strong heritage of entertainment, entertainment and factual. entertainment, Thames will be led by Richard They will be supported by a new division, Holloway, one of the UK’s most successful FremantleMedia UK, led by Sara Geater, who and experienced entertainment producers. It has served as CEO of Talkback Thames since will have two divisions, each headed by one October 2010. Talkback Thames is one of the of the industry’s leading talents in this genre: largest independent UK production companies Suzy Lamb as Head of Thames Productions and has aired over 450 hours of programming on and Andrew Llinares as Head of Thames/Syco terrestrial TV in the United Kingdom in the past Co-Productions. This label will produce shows twelve months. like The X Factor, All Star Family Fortunes, Take Me Out and Britain’s Got Talent. “We are restructuring Talkback Thames to evolve the business to the next level and fulfil the Talkback – recognising the company’s long businesses’ ambition to become the UK’s most history in comedy entertainment, Talkback innovative creative content business”, says Sara will be headed up by Dan Baldwin, who is fast Geater, CEO of FremantleMedia UK. “We will be becoming one of the most renowned comedy putting our creative leaders at the forefront of entertainment producers. Talkback will be individual businesses, as we believe this is the responsible for productions such as Celebrity best way to engage with our customers.” Juice, Never Mind The Buzzcocks, QI or Richard Bacon’s Beer and Pizza. Sara Geater says that FremantleMedia UK will continue to invest in development and talent, Retort – headed up by leading scripted comedy manage the overall business, provide leadership producer and executive Jon Rolph, Retort will and support for the Managing Directors of focus on scripted comedy. Retort will produce the labels, give guidance and provide key shows like Phone Shop or The Revolting World support functions (Finance, Legal, IT, HR of Stanley Brown. and Communications) as well as merger and acquisition activity. Geater says: “This is about Boundless – combining factual entertainment, investing in the future growth of the business and factual features and specialist factual to create putting in place a strong foundation for growth. a super factual label. FremantleMedia UK is I believe that giving our creative leaders more currently recruiting a label Managing Director ownership and creative freedom will enable and Michele Kurland will play a key role within a better environment for creativity to flourish the label. The label will work on shows like The and will deliver the best programming for our Apprentice, Grand Designs or Escape To The customers.” Country.
Each label will have a creative leader as its Managing Director, as well as a Head of Development and a Head of Production. 3 the RTL Group intranet week 47
The jury of The X Factor: Louis Walsh, Tulisa Contostavlos, Kelly Rowland and Gary Barlow (from left to right)
Further to the creation of the four labels, in the best interests of the overall group. We FremantleMedia UK is also reviewing the names will create a new FremantleMedia UK board and structure of its digital units – including led by me, with each of the label Managing Talkback Thames Digital and Screenpop. Directors and the head of the key support functions. This will be a forum for us to share In the past, Talkback Thames was renowned strategies, ideas and market intelligence. The for producing drama series like The Bill. The Heads of Production from each label will also partnerships with drama companies Projector continue to work together to ensure that we as Pictures and Hillbilly TV for the productions a group are working to best practices. We will Kidnap and Ransom and Holy Flying Circus will continue with meetings such as the Editorial sit alongside the labels. Boards and Bounce. We will also continue to benefit from being part of the FremantleMedia Sara Geater says: “We already have successful Group. The labels will maximise the commercial drama partnerships, but a drama label is value of their content through FremantleMedia something we are looking to do in the future Enterprises and will have access to the global either through acquisition or through establishing FremantleMedia creative network.” a new label with the right talent.”
There will be few changes in the employees’ day-to-day-work, as Sara Geater points out: “As part of a review of the business 18 months ago, we reallocated our resources. This means that we now have a strong foundation to build on. This restructure is about evolving and growing the business to the next level. In terms of changes on a practical day-to-day level, the restructure will mean that each genre team member will now work within a label and the key support functions will now work within FremantleMedia UK.”
Each label will create an even more personalised branded relationship with broadcasters, bringing them closer to their customers in order to deliver the best programming for them, explains Sara Geater and adds: “Under the new structure the labels will continue to collaborate, acting Kevin McCloud, host of Grand Designs
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Donations soar past €100-million mark With €8,501,738 of donations raised, the 16th RTL-Spendenmarathon telethon not only set a new record, but also cracked the €100-million mark in total donations. Wolfram Kons Germany - 21 November 2011
Since 1996, when the RTL-Spendenmarathon personal items to the charity auction. Maite Kelly, first went on air with Wolfram Kons, over Michael Mittermeier, Gaby Köster and Manuel €101 million have been raised for hundreds Neuer also contributed the €814,000 they won of selected children’s charities. “Over €100 on Wer wird Millionär? Prominentenspecial (Who million in the past 16 years is an outstanding and Wants To Be A Millionaire? Celebrity Special) very special success,” says Anke Schäferkordt, with Günther Jauch on 17 November, which was CEO of Mediengruppe RTL Deutschland and watched by as many as 10.52 million viewers. Chair of the ‘Stiftung RTL – Wir helfen Kindern’ Extreme athlete Joey Kelly walked a distance of foundation. “The foundation’s continued support about 16 kilometres (16 kilometres, 394 metres of charity projects for children reflects our strong and 40 centimetres to be precise) underwater in commitment to society. I thank our viewers and 24 hours. 1,000 metres would have been enough promise you that we won’t let up in our efforts to to set a new Guinness world record. provide help for needy children in Germany and the world.” All ten major aid projects and several Wolfram Kons: “We did it. Like Joey Kelly, I’m smaller ones can now be implemented. exhausted but very happy. Next year we’ll show the viewers and everyone who helped the show Every major project has a celebrity sponsor. what became of their donations. And as always, Many international stars have donated precious I promise: every Cent goes to provide aid.”
Extreme athlete Joey Kelly 5 the RTL Group intranet week 47
High-definition advertising Two exclusive commercials in HD quality will for the first time advertise the Vodafone TV platform in conjunction with RTL Television’s HD programming. Germany - 22 November 2011
Screenshot from the TV spot
The concept behind the commercials link the channel’s own campaign to promote was developed by the airtime sales agent high-definition TV with the Vodafone TV IP Deutschland and the media agency Media platform, which has offered its subscribers Team OMD. RTL Creation and Jung von Matt 15 HD programmes and numerous HD movies Hamburg were also involved in the realisation since it launched in 2010. The joint commer- of the extensive special-ads campaign, in close cial starts by showing what HD television is co-ordination with OMG 4CE Fuse, an Omnicom capable of with sequences of images in the Media Group company specialising in Branded highest quality. Parallel to this, the lower third Content, Live Media, Premium and Product is taken up with the claim “You, too, can enjoy Placements. Media Team OMD handled the top image quality with HD – on Vodafone TV.” media planning. Part two of the commercial goes on to provide details about Vodafone’s HD television Lars-Eric Mann, Sales Director Solutions at offerings. The 22-second cooperative IP Deutschland, says: “Only if our viewers can commercial produced by RTL Creation is aired see what they’re missing without HD will they during a regular commercial break. want to bring this TV experience into their living rooms – the creative execution of these visually As an exclusive placement, the ‘HD-Post-Split’ stunning commercials really brings to life what will be shown following RTL Television highlight HD can do.” Anne Stilling, Head of Advertising trailers. The high-attention trailer ends in a & Media at Vodafone Deutschland, adds: “The payoff line about RTL HD, after which things commercials form a perfect symbiosis for giving continue appropriately with Vodafone’s High Vodafone TV a high-attention stage while also Definition offering. Two alternating motifs creating a close link to the idea of HD.” promoting Vodafone TV are inserted here immediately before the next part of the The commercials made their debut on programme. RTL Television has offered 21 November and are shown in high-reach RTL HD (high-definition television with better slots on RTL Television. The two special ads image quality) since 1 November 2009. 6 the RTL Group intranet week 47
Social network to help elect the best talent On 23 November 2011, coinciding with M6’s live broadcast of the first semi-final of the talent show La France a un Incroyable Talent (Got Talent), viewers were given the chance to cast their votes on Facebook. France - 24 November 2011
La France A Un Incroyable Talent on Facebook
Who will succeed last year’s La France Season six of La France a un Incroyable a un Incroyable Talent winners Axel and Talent is presented by Sandrine Corman and Alizée? The talent show’s fans had their Alex Goude and has been a huge success say as to which of the first semi-finalists with TV audiences. Viewers will be able to vote would participate in the much-awaited final by SMS, Audiotel or by visiting the Facebook on 14 December – on Facebook among other website. Fans can use virtual Facebook Credits, channels. M6 decided to introduce the option equivalent to the price of a text message, to pay of voting for the talent show’s acts on the social for their vote. network – already tested during the X-Factor – at the first semi-final on 23 November 2011. The second semi-final of La France a un IncroyableTalent will air on 30 November 2011 at 20:50 on M6.
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“A window on the world” M6 broadcast the 200th edition of Enquête Exclusive – a special edition featuring an exceptional documentary on radical Islam. Bernard de la Villardière France - 18 November 2011
Since its creation, the investigative magazine Enquête Exclusive has taken viewers to some of the most inaccessible countries, including North Korea and Iran, as well as some of the most dangerous places in the world, including Karachi, Pakistan and Ciudad Juárez in northern Mexico. Continuing in this vein, on 20 November the magazine show presented by Bernard de la Villardière celebrated its 200th edition with a documentary new to French television.
Enquête Exclusive offered a unique Bernard de la Villardière in action documentary looking into radical Islam, from Yemeni madrassas to the cells at the Created in 2005, to enrich the range of Guantanamo Bay detention camp where newsmagazine programmes offered by M6, 171 terrorists are still being held by the Enquête Exclusive’s objective, according to American authorities. In addition, the magazine Bernard de la Villardière, is to “open a window showed viewers the lives of three young on the world”. In all, the show has visited more men who left their comfortable lives in than 42 countries and counts more than 550 France, Luxembourg and Sweden to live original encounters. Bernard de la Villardière according to their faith in Yemen. This country in comments on his many investigations: the midst of civil war is, for these young converts, “My favourite experiences are those that the cradle of Islam, which they hold to be the carry the most risk and are the least expected, purest as well as the most radical. Unfortunately, and which lead me to meet people who are the country is also a prime breeding ground for struggling, who are fighting and who are strong.” terrorist movements.
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Movement is full of life, music is movement M6 Evénements in collaboration with the Disney Group presented the spectacle Disney, La Symphonie des Grands Classiques. The three shows were a huge hit and more are being planned for 2012. France - 21 November 2011
The orchestra playing songs from The Little Mermaid
In the latest event offered by M6 Evénements, Presented by M6 Evénements in collaboration Disney, La Symphonie des Grands Classiques, with the Disney Group, this spectacle, the first a symphony orchestra performed classic of its kind, was a great success. As a result, M6 Disney themes live. For the first time in Evénements is already planning a tour in 2012 France, they were illustrated with excerpts of the and more shows at the Grand Rex in the near films associated with the songs. The event was future. held on 10 and 11 November at the Grand Rex in Paris and played to full audiences.
Movement is full of life, music is movement: that is one of the messages this spectacle intended to convey, while introducing both younger and older audiences to the beauty and reality of a live performance, particularly in the digital age where everything is computerised. The 7,000 spectators for Disney, La Symphonie des Grands Classiques could watch the symphony orchestra on stage in a live performance, playing the hit music that has captured the imaginations of audiences of all ages. The programme included songs from Beauty and the Beast, The Lion King, The Little Mermaid, Alladin and other Disney films.
9 Royal protection
For a special edition of the magazine ‘Investigations’ on RTL-TVI, presenter Yann-Antony Noghès travelled to Monaco, where Prince Albert II granted him an exclusive interview to talk about his battle to protect the environment. The show also showed how selling a mobile phone helps the environment and how insects could replace meat in our daily diet. the RTL Group intranet week 47
A strong demand for online and mobile tie-ins As many as 25 per cent of the people who watch X Factor’ on Vox also visit its online sites. The music talent show is also seeing strong parallel use of interactive tie-ins. Germany - 18 November 2011
Best new season start in 10 years Médiamétrie recently published the radio audience measurement figures for the period of September to October 2011. RTL Radio remains France’s number one radio station and has made impressive gains in the number of listeners. France - 21 November 2011
Three new game show games Ludia has announced the release of three new games on the Playstation Network, based on the beloved TV game shows Hollywood Squares, Who Wants To Be A Millionaire, and Family Feud Decades in the United States and Canada, by the end of the year. North America - 21 November 2011
Toggo ‘to go’ Super RTL launches free app for mobile devices, based on its umbrella brand for children aged 6 to 13, Toggo. Germany - 23 November 2011
French-speaking Belgians choose RTL-TVI Thanks to its news special editions and L’Amour est dans le pré (The Farmer Wants A Wife), RTL-TVI scored top ratings in French-speaking Belgium with up to 756,300 viewers or 45 per cent of the audience watching. Germany - 23 November 2011
Still among the most podcasted A Médiamétrie study confirms RTL Radio’s ascent and reinforces its position as the number two radio station in France for downloads. France - 24 November 2011
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People Freddy Tacheny leaves RTL Belgium Belgium - 21 November 2011
RTL Belgium officially announced the departure of Freddy Tacheny, General Manager of RTL Belgium, on 21 November 2011. After 24 years at IP and RTL, Freddy Tacheny is leaving to explore new horizons, with the full agreement of RTL Belgium and its management.
RTL Belgium CEO Philippe Delusinne said that: “Freddy’s departure marks the end of an era for RTL Belgium. He was an extremely creative and passionate driver behind the company’s success in all areas: IP, television, radio and the development of new media. I wish him every success in any new challenges he Freddy Tacheny takes on. Our paths will no doubt cross again in the future. No replacement will be hired for Freddy. The Management Committee as a whole will, with me, directly assume the various responsibilities. The team will ensure the success of RTL in Belgium. I would like to stress that Freddy’s departure in no way changes the company’s strategy, objectives for the years ahead or its relations with the RTL Belgium group.”
Freddy Tacheny said: “It is with great pride that I leave this company which has given me so much joy. It was a personal passion of mine that led to much success in television, radio and new media, all thanks to the people working here. I know just how much the expertise and commit- ment of everyone at RTL Belgium will ensure the continuation of this fine adventure. I will always have a soft spot for Télévie, which I was so lucky to be part of right from the very first issue. It can count on my unfailing support.”
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People Dominique Demoulin Belgium - 22 November 2011 Dominique Demoulin
As of 15 January 2012, Dominique Demoulin Editorial Director Laurent Haulotte, has this to will be the presenter on the RTL-TVI programme say: “Dominique Demoulin’s arrival is part of the Controverse. complete re-organisation of the major Sunday discussion shows and a closer collaboration with Dominique Demoulin currently co-presents the RTL-TVI’s editorial department.” magazine show Indices with Georges Huercano. One of the key figures on this production, she Dominique Demoulin arrived at RTL Belgium has collaborated on the show Affaires Non in 1987 and became a legal specialist on Classées since its inception in November 2004. RTL-TVI’s news programmes, covering As of 15 January 2012, she will replace Pascal important events in society as well as major Vrebos as presenter on Controverse. trials that have marked the country. Belgium’s French-speaking audience has appreciated her According to Television and News Director for the precision, attention to detail, clarity and Stéphane Rosenblatt, “Dominique Demoulin’s empathy in her explanations and analyses of sensitivity and intelligence make her the ideal the important events that have rocked Belgium. personality to assume this post following the Prior to this, Dominique Demoulin covered news departure of Pascal Vrebos.” events in Liège for RTL-TVI.
People Christian Grobel United Kingdom - 24 November 2011
Christian Grobel has joined the manage- In his previous role at FremantleMedia ment team of FremantleMedia UK as North America, Christian played a key role in Director of Strategy and Operations. He was developing and assessing growth opportunities previously Business Development Director at in TV and digital, as well as in the acquisitions FremantleMedia North America. and integration of Original Productions, Radical Media and Ludia into the business. In his new position, Christian will work with FremantleMedia UK’s CEO Sara Geater on strategy setting and will oversee operational aspects of the business. His role will be critical in helping to enable the business to grow and take advantage of opportunities within the current fast-changing marketplace. 13 http://backstage.rtlgroup.fr http://backstage.rtlgroup.com http://backstage.rtlgroup.de
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