18 February 2010

week 07

Gadgets galore How Five’s becomes a role model of diversification

France Germany Groupe M6 reports stable FremantleMedia Licensing results develops Merlin App

Germany / France Netherlands RTL Group companies cover RTL Nederland partners the Olympics with Philips week 07 the RTL Group intranet

18 February 2010

week 07

Jason Bradbury and , both presenters of Five’s The Gadget Show, trying to survive in the Liwa desert using a range of hi-tech gadgets and garments.

Gadgets galore 2 How Five’s The Gadget Show becomes a role model of diversification

France Germany Groupe M6 reports stable FremantleMedia Licensing results develops Merlin App

Germany / France Netherlands RTL Group companies cover RTL Nederland partners the Olympics with Philips week 07 the RTL Group intranet

“Technology brings benefits” The Gadget Show demonstrates how a TV format can be extended off screen. Backstage talked to Emma Derrick about Five’s diversification strategy. Emma Derrick, Commercial Development Controller at Five - 18 February 2010

Presented by a team of four – Jason Bradbury, Suzi Perry, Jon Bentley and – The Gadget Show presents and reviews the latest technology news and gadgets. The show is aimed at giving the mass consumer an insight into the gadget world. In addition, it aims to give enough information for the more “geeky” audi- ence while still making it accessible to the more casual viewer.

When The Gadget Show was first broadcast in 2004 it was planned as weekly programme of The Gadget Show team: Jason Bradbury, Ortis Deley, 30 minutes. Later it was extended to air for 60 Suzi Perry and Jon Bentley minutes each week. Now in its 13th season, the team still tests the latest high-tech gadgets using Additionally, Future, a special-interest innovative methods involving epic challenges media group and UK’s market-leading consumer and big stunts. They offer advice on buying new technology publisher, will launch The Gadget technology, bring news of the latest games and Show Magazine, the programme’s first ever gizmos, as well as giving viewers the opportu- print edition. Created as a one shot special, The nity to win some of the best buys on the market. Gadget Show Magazine goes on sale this April, With more than two million viewers each week, with a cover price of GBP 5. The Gadget Show The Gadget Show is one of Five’s most popular Magazine promises to bring the popular TV tech- formats. nology show to life in print. The 132-page title will look back at The Gadget Show’s ultimate gear In 2009, the show was extended off air with from 2009, with an eye on the best of the year The Gadget Show Live – a four-day exhibi- ahead. The magazine will be widely available at tion. Last year’s inaugural show attracted more retail outlets throughout the UK with advertising than 50,000 gadget enthusiasts. This year, the sold by Future’s technology sales team. event has been extended to a fifth day to cater for increased demand for tickets, as more than Following the announcement of the magazine 65,000 visitors are expected. It will be held from and in the lead-up to this year’s live event, 8 to 11 April at the NEC, Birmingham. Backstage talked to Emma Derrick, Five’s Commercial Development Controller, about the format itself and its brand extension. 3 week 07 the RTL Group intranet

During the ‘desert challenge’ Suzi Perry and Jason Bradburry face their most punishing challenge ever Does the average viewer of The Gadget Show differ from the average Five-viewer? Yes. The Gadget Show is younger, slightly more upmarket and male than the average Five viewer. A third of Gadget Show viewers are aged between 16 and 34 years and half of them are ABC1s – a premium target group. And despite the show being in its 13th season, it continues to grow in popularity. Last year’s series was the biggest ever and a Christmas special was the single most watched episode in the show’s history. This is how the magazine could look like include a fully equipped studio and editing suit Why is The Gadget Show so suitable for and merchandise stand selling a select range of brand extensions off screen? Gadget Show products. The Gadget Show is now in its 13th series and has gradually built up an incredibly loyal What’s the role of the 132-paged Magazine audience. The excitement and passion that the which you launch this year to accompany the presenters and format portray makes it highly live event? engaging. Last season – the 12th – was The The Gadget Show Special Edition is a one-off, Gadget Show’s most successful to date attract- premium quality annual, celebrating the show, ing an average of 1.62 million viewers across the gadgets, and giving the inside track on each the series and a 6.6 per cent share. Also, it’s of the presenters – their likes, their loathes and one of the five most-streamed programmes the kit they use every day. With in-depth Q&A’s, on our catch-up TV service, Demand Five. behind the scenes insight and a mammoth look It appeals to people at all levels of technical back at the kit that’s made technology great over ability cutting through the jargon by the past 20 years, The Gadget Show Special demonstrating the actual benefits that Edition brings classic moments of the show to life the technology brings to the consumer in layman in print for the first time ever. The special will be terms. As a result the viewers trust and want to retailed from strategic sites within Gadget Show buy into Gadget Show beyond the TV screen. Live, including the main entrance and concourse as well as on newsstands. In April you are going to organize The Gadget Show Live for the second year now. What What is your favorite gadget? makes this brand extension work? My Sky + box and new blu-ray DVD player which Our live event partner Upper Street Event I’ve been really impressed with. completely understood the brand and ensured that the ethos of this was maintained throughout After the live show and the magazine – are the show and that the feature reflected all that there any more plans to diversify the format represents the Gadget Show. four out of five visi- even further? tors to the 2009 event rated it as ‘excellent’. The Yes, we hope to appoint a creative marketing event has doubled in size in 2010 and all 56,000 agency to look at partner promotions and we’d tickets sold out on the 9 February, two months also like to take our live event merchandise into prior to the show opening. This year we will have the high street retailers in 2011. a prominent Gadget Show / Five stand which will

4 week 07 the RTL Group intranet

Stable results in 2009 Groupe M6 reports operating result and net profit on par with previous year and a slight increase in revenue thanks to strong digital and diversification businesses. France - 12 February 2010

In 2009, in a tough economic and fiercely Meanwhile, Groupe M6 recorded significant competitive environment, Groupe M6 proved revenue growth from its digital channels the strength of its business model: consolidated (by 19.7 per cent to EUR 22.7 million) and revenues increased by 1.6 per cent to EUR diversification businesses (by 23.4 per cent to 1,376.6 million. This increase was fuelled mainly EUR 52.2 million). by growth in the digital channels and the diversi- fication businesses. Net profit for the publicly traded Group amounted to EUR 139.2 million, a slight increase over the At EUR 190.3 million, Groupe M6’s operat- previous year’s result (EUR 138.4 million). ing result (EBITA) was only slightly below the previous year’s value of EUR 190.3 million. Groupe M6 exercised its put option relative to Return on Sales remained high at 13.8 per cent. its 5.1 per cent shareholding in Canal Plus France. On 22 February 2010, the Group will Mainly due to lower ad sales, the main receive a payment of EUR 384.2 million for this channel M6’s result declined by 14.4 per cent to shareholding from Vivendi. EUR 117.9 million. Considerable cuts in programme costs compensated for part In view of Groupe M6’s business results and of this decline in advertising income, cash position at 31 December 2009, the without adverse consequences for the Management Board has proposed to the Annual channel’s audience shares. General Meeting, which takes place on 4 May 2010, the payout of an extraordinary dividend of EUR 1.50 per share in addition to the stable ordinary dividend of EUR 0.85 per share.

Grupo Antena 3 publishes its results for 2009 Grupo Antena 3 − in which RTL Group has a 21.5 per cent shareholding − reported its full year results 2009 which were significantly impacted by Spain’s severe economic downturn. Spain - 18 February 2010

Grupo Antena 3’s net profit was down 33 per In the fourth quarter, the TV channel Antena 3 cent to EUR 60.7 million (2008: EUR 91 million), clearly outperformed the market. While the over- while the company’s operating result (EBITDA) all advertising market was down 11.2 per cent, decreased from EUR 164 million in 2008 to Antena 3 could increase its advertising revenues EUR 81 million in 2009. Following the economic by 5.7 per cent. As a result, Grupo Antena 3’s downturn, the Spanish net TV advertising market EBITDA and net profit were up compared to the fell by an estimated 23 per cent in 2009. Grupo fourth quarter of 2008. Grupo Antena 3 reported Antena 3’s revenue was down 15.5 per cent to an in increase by 70 per cent in operating profits EUR 704 million (2008: EUR 833 million). to EUR 46 million (Q4/2008: EUR 27 million) and an in crease by 110 per cent in net profit to EUR 42 million (Q4/2008: EUR 20 million). 5 week 07 the RTL Group intranet

Covering the Olympics RTL , N-TV and Sport.de as well as RTL Radio in France provide detailed coverage of the Winter Olympics in Vancouver. France / Germany - 17 February 2010

Vincent Jay Jason Lamy-Chappuis

RTL Television has acquired a “News-Access” in the Nordic combined event. These two package containing daily footage of the most French athletes, gave their country its first important decisions. Early each morning, the two gold medals. Just after his victory, Punkt 6 and Punkt 9 news magazines will Vincent Jay admitted to RTL Radio announce the night’s winners, and enhance their correspondent Jean-Michel Rascol on the air sports coverage with interviews and colourful that he was the first to be surprised: “I knew I stories tying in to one of the world’s biggest could do something. From then on, winning an sporting events. Punkt 12 will also report on Olympic gold medal was not something I thought the Olympic games. Reinhard Brings, who is about. If someone had said I would be an on the ground in the Whistler Mountains, where Olympic champion, I wouldn’t have believed it. the Alpine and Nordic disciplines are I signed on for this, but didn’t really think it would being fought, will report mainly for the happen. I guess I benefited from the mild weath- main news shows RTL Aktuell and er, seized an opportunity and took advantage of RTL Nachtjournal. it.” Jason Lamy-Chappuis claimed that he only began to understand what had happened to him N-TV is also providing comprehensive cover- once he had the medal around his neck and age of the first major sporting event of 2010: heard the Marseillaise. every morning on Olympia Frühstück – since 12 February and until 1 March – the news Internet users on the RTL.fr site can find all channel airs a compact summary of all the the interviews with athletes and trainers as major events at the winter games as well as all well as the results and analyses of the major the events of the previous evening and night. sporting event. Once again RTL Radio invites This is rounded off by interviews, daily live internet users to share their news photos and feeds from the German camp, and analyses. An videos of the Olympic Games on their site outlook on the next day of the Olympics keeps Témoins RTL. viewers up to date about upcoming competi- tions. The special runs daily from 7:00 to 12:00, For German internet users who want to learn after each news programme. more about the Olympics online, Sport.de has all information on the Winter Games. The In France, RTL Radio’s special correspondents RTL Interactive-produced sports website has a are reporting on the latest performances of the 24-hour live ticker for winter sports enthusiasts, French athletes. On the first Olympic weekend, along with breaking news and backgrounders on RTL Radio particularly followed the exploits of the German Olympic team, all the results to date Vincent Jay last Sunday in the 10km biathlon and the latest medal count. sprint event and Jason Lamy-Chappuis

6 week 07 the RTL Group intranet

Merlin magic mobile In cooperation with FremantleMedia Licensing Germany, the publisher Intenium Console will bring Merlin – Das neue Abenteuer to the App Store. Germany - 17 February 2010

The fantasy adventure for iPhone and iPod Touch is based on the internationally popular TV series about the young magician Merlin and his friend, the future King Arthur. It takes players to the court of Camelot, where they prove their prowess in the roles of young Merlin and Arthur, vanquishing monsters, finding lost treasures and answering tricky questions.

All graphics are taken from the TV series, which has been shown to great success in more than 180 countries. The second season is already on the airwaves in the US and Great Britain, with season three currently in production. Like the TV series, the Merlin – Das neue Abenteuer app appeals to a broad audience, is easy to get into and captivates young and old users alike. The game will be on sale for EUR 2.99 in the App Store.

Mel Alcock, Regional CEO for Europe, Middle East and Africa at FremantleMedia Enterprises commented, “FremantleMedia Enterprises has had great success selling the programme around the world, and our licensing teams globally are looking at ways to complement on-air activity with off-air brand engagement initiatives. Partnering with Intenium enables us to offer Merlin fans everywhere an additional way to connect with the brand.”

7 week 07 the RTL Group intranet

Raising money for Haiti FremantleMedia Enterprises has partnered with media investment agency, Group M, to distribute the We are the World 25 for Haiti video worldwide. United Kingdom - 15 February 2010

World25.org

FME and Group M, one of the world’s Following the world premiere, fans can leading media investment agency group, have now download the song and view exclusive partnered to secure international distribution footage from the recording session on the for a simulcast to air the We are the World 25 official website: World25.org. Downloads for Haiti video after its world premiere on NBC at are also available on iTunes, and through a the opening ceremony of the Vancouver Winter partnership with YouTube, the video will be Olympics. The move will ensure that the song viewable on the We Are the World 25 YouTube achieves maximum impact globally in raising Channel. money for the Haitian cause. Immediate donations will be made possible Recorded on 1 February in the same studio as by clicking on the “Donate Now” button or by the original 25 years earlier, the new version, downloading the song on iTunes and all featuring more than 80 artists, was created in proceeds will go directly to the We Are The collaboration with Grammy-winning producer World Foundation, a newly created not-for-profit RedOne, producer/musician Wyclef Jean organization founded by producer Quincy Jones and producer/musical director Ricky Minor to and Lionel Richie, the producer and co-writer of benefit the Haitian earthquake relief efforts. the iconic 1985 philanthropic anthem We Are Academy Award-winning writer-director Paul The World. Upon its original release, We Are the Haggis (Crash, Million Dollar Baby), whose World quickly became the fastest selling single own personal efforts as well as those of in history and in the years that have followed, Artists for Peace and Justice have already USA for Africa has raised and distributed more saved countless lives in Haiti, filmed the than USD 63 million in revenue. private recording session to create the accompa- nying video and “behind-the-scenes” production. 8 week 07 the RTL Group intranet

RTL Gemist now on Philips Net TV RTL Nederland and Philips have signed an agreement under which RTL Nederland is the first media company in the Netherlands to provide high-quality content for users of the Philips Net TV. Netherlands - 18 February 2010

RTL Gemist within a TV screen

Philips Net TV is a new generation of multimedia and volume of the content we’ve TV sets that have Internet connectivity. Net TV made available on Net TV is very high. by Philips provides fast, easy access to numer- RTL Nederland is blazing the trail in this area. ous entertainment and information sites on the We want to help shape the future and be part of Internet, directly from TV’s online start page, it rather than playing catch-up. Our strategy is which can be selected by pressing a button on to be present wherever our viewers are. We are the remote control. Net TV in the Netherlands therefore leveraging our expertise and now provides access to RTL Gemist as well, quality to make viewers as well as meaning that Net-TV device users can view RTL advertisers an appealing offer.” content 24/7 and watch it on their TV instead of having to switch to their laptop or desktop Jan-Willem van Wier, Marketing Manager Net TV computers. at Philips Consumer Lifestyle, says: “Philips TV sets deliver an impressive TV experience, which RTL Nederland’s technology arm RTL has become even richer through the addition Digital Media have developed a new of RTL Gemist. Our customers can now watch application specifically for this purpose. their favourite shows again from the comfort of Arno Otto, Managing Director of RTL Digital their living-room sofa, without having to involve Media, is happy to report that “the quality a laptop or PC.“

9 week 07 the RTL Group intranet

Water that kills During the month of February Expédition RTL went to Bangladesh, a country where water abounds. Elias had to drunk arsenic-contaminated water for years © Julien Dumond/Philippe Maillet France - 16 February 2010

For a long time, rivers and sea ensured the subsistence of the people of Bangladesh. Now, “the devil’s waters” are killing them. The state, companies, non-governmental organisations and the population are combining their efforts to find solutions to the new climatic dangers. RTL Radio France’s special correspondent Julien Dumond went to investigate and to report.

Bangladesh, four times smaller than France World expert on water and arsenic Yan Zen works for UNICEF but with three times as many people, is the © Julien Dumond/Philippe Maillet most densely populated country in the world. It panels to the residents who do not have is also the world’s number one country on the access to electricity through microcredit, scale of climatic risk. According to the Intergov- which gives disadvantaged populations access ernmental Panel on Climate Change, a rise in to bank loans. sea level would swallow up 17 per cent of the total surface area of Bangladesh between now On the third day of their expedition, Julien and 2050, making at least 20 million people Dumond and Philippe Maillet took a closer look homeless. at the terrible problem of arsenic, a veritable scourge in Bangladesh where groundwater In the first stage of Expédition RTL in is naturally contaminated. Having no choice, Bangladesh, reporter Julien Dumond and inhabitants continue to drink water from technician Philippe Maillet took listeners to the poisoned wells. Tens of thousands of people nomadic islands. Located in the northern part in Bangladesh are sick with pneumopathy or of the country on the immense Brahmaputra skin cancer. The United Nations Development River, these islands disappear with the rising Programme (UNDP) predicts up to 20,000 of the waters. The NGO Friendship Interna- deaths per year in the years to come and the tional manages floating hospitals for the most peak has not yet been reached. In collaboration isolated of them, with Frenchman Yves Marre with the Grameen Bank, the French company at the helm. In 1994, he convoyed a barge from Veolia inaugurated a water treatment plant less France to Bangladesh that he transformed into than a year ago, while UNICEF and many other a floating hospital to bring medical care. Since associations are trying to prevent the problem then, a second hospital boat has been put and install filters or arsenic-free wells. into operation. This Expédition RTL was led in partnership with Next, Julien Dumond and Philippe Maillet went the “Planète” pages of the newspaper Le Monde to Grameen Shakti, the “green” arm of the and was sponsored by Erik Orsenna, member of Grameen Bank founded by Muhammad Yunus, the Académie française, travel writer and author winner of the 2006 Nobel Peace Price for his of L’avenir de l’eau: petit précis de mondialisa- efforts to help the most destitute. In the tion, published by Editions Fayard. village of Mawna, Grameen Shakti supplies solar 10 week 07 the RTL Group intranet

U-tune.nl turns everyone into a singer Radio 538 in the Netherlands has teamed up with Pool Worldwide to launch the new karaoke platform U-tune.nl. Thanks to a special software, you don’t even have to be a particularly good singer. Netherlands - 16 February 2010

See a video on Backstage

U-tune.nl

The new U-tune.nl platform lets people use their To record a song, users first have to select PC to record a song, upload it and share it with a mode: Karaoke, in which case a soft voice other users. The nifty thing is, you don’t have remains on the playback track for orientation, to sing well at all to sound good. The Autotune or Freestyle. Once they’ve given the website software changes the voice in such a way that access to their microphone, they can start nothing sounds “off”. This tool is used by many singing – the playback track starts and it’s professionals in pop music as well, such as Cher time to sing along. If the user likes the finished and Kanye West. recording, the new song can be saved and shared with other users – either on the platform itself or via social media like Facebook and Twitter.

11 The best of American cinema on RTL Always present for important cultural events, RTL Radio France invited several actors this week. On Friday 19 February, Director Martin Scorsese will be the special guest on Laissez-vous tenter. He will spend half an hour in the studio with Vincent Parizot to talk about his latest film Shutter Island and reminisce about his career as a director.

week 07 the RTL Group intranet

Belgian stations strengthen their leading positions The 19th wave for the second half of 2009 reinforces the uncontested number one position of the radio group comprising music station Radio Contact and generalist station Bel RTL in French-speaking Belgium with a record audience share of 36.5 per cent. Belgium - 12 February 2010

Radio on iPhone RTL Radio’s iPhone application now comes with even more practical content to help users stay on top of the latest news events. France - 15 February 2010

This Is It W9 is a partner in the DVD release of the blockbuster film about Michael Jackson, organising a special week dedicated to the King of Pop for the occasion. France - 15 February 2010

Hrvatska trazi zvijezdu delivers outstanding debut The first episode ofHrvatska trazi zvijezdu season two, the Croatian version of Idols, got off to a superb start with an audience share of 42 per cent among viewers aged 18 to 49. Croatia - 16 February 2010

Crowning achievement for M6’s Le Petit Nicolas At the 15th ceremony of the “Lauriers de la radio et de la television”, the prestigious “Laurier de la jeunesse” was awarded to the animated M6 series Le Petit Nicolas. France - 17 February 2010

Audiences soar for Lie to Me in Belgium On 16 February in prime time the US series Lie to Me, scored its best audience ratings yet, drawing almost 599,900 viewers, representing a very good audience share of 31.7 per cent audience share. The second episode proved equally popular, with 567,100 viewers for an audience share of 30.4 per cent. France - 15 February 2010 13 week 07 the RTL Group intranet

People Anupama Mandloi India - 12 February 2010

FremantleMedia has announced the appoint- ment of Anupama Mandloi as Head of Content for its Indian operations.

Anupama will be based out of Mumbai, reporting in to Saurindra Kumar Barua Raj, Managing Director of FremantleMedia India. In her new role, she will support Raj in furthering production operations in the country, strengthen- ing the team and heading content and develop- ment of properties.

Prior to joining FremantleMedia, Mandloi oversaw the non-fiction department of Star network’s flagship brand Star Plus. Her experience also includes a very successful nine years with Sony Television in various senior creative content and programming roles.

Of her new appointment, Anupama says: “I am very excited at the prospect of joining Fremantle- Media, with whom I have enjoyed several years of association. I have always loved the challenge of setting up large entertainment properties, and FremantleMedia has a formidable catalogue of high quality formats of all sizes, along with the experience and expertise to roll them out to local audiences. I look forward to continuing to grow the company’s presence in India.”

Raj says: “We are delighted that Anupama has decided to join the team and will drive our content strategy in the exciting world of Indian television. India is a priority market for FremantleMedia and a popular destination for many of our hit interna- tional brands. With the support of Anupama, we look forward to offering our clients a complete service delivering world class entertainment to our customers and viewers.”

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