week 47 / 21 November 2013 A UNIQUE COLLABORATION How RTL Nederland, SBS and NPO are launching a joint video-on-demand subscription service Luxembourg United Kingdom Luxembourg Belgium RTL Group Three more In the spotlight Television industry companies help years of Britain’s of financial market celebrates World typhoon victims Got Talent and Television Day The X Factor week 47 / 21 November 2013 A UNIQUE COLLABORATION How RTL Nederland, SBS and NPO are launching a joint video-on-demand subscription service Luxembourg Australia / Germany France Canada RTL Group reports FremantleMedia Groupe M6 sets Broadband TV significant profit locks in first up Multi-Channel announces growth adaptation deal Network a production for Wentworth programme Cover In the spotlight Montage with main programmes of the financial featured by NLziet from Dutch broadcasters market RTL Group p. 10–11 Publisher RTL Group 45, Bd Pierre Frieden L-1543 Luxembourg Television industry unites to celebrate World Television Day ACT p. 12–13 Editor, Design, Production RTL Group Corporate Communications & Marketing k before y hin ou T p r in t backstage.rtlgroup.com backstage.rtlgroup.fr backstage.rtlgroup.de QUICK VIEW RTL Group companies help typhoon victims RTL Group p. 7–8 Three more years of Britain’s Got Talent and The X Factor FremantleMedia UK p. 9 The best of Dutch TV in one stop: NLziet RTL Nederland In the spotlight p.4–6 of the financial market RTL Group p. 10–11 Television industry unites to celebrate World Television Day ACT p. 12–13 SHORT NEWS p. 14–15 In early 2014, RTL Nederland, NPO and SBS will launch NLziet, a THE BEST OF new video-on-demand subscription service for Dutch viewers. The new DUTCH TV IN service represents a unique collaboration between commercial and public broadcasters. ONE STOP The Netherlands – 21 November 2013 RTL Nederland Bert Habets, CEO of RTL Nederland, being interviewed at the press conference 4 From TV series and films to reality shows, audience have changed. We, as broadcasters, have documentaries and talent shows, NLziet lets to understand that these requirements go beyond viewers watch Holland’s most popular programmes our own set of rules. Viewers often have no idea up to 365 days after they are broadcast on TV. where a programme was originally broadcast, they Some shows will even be available seven days just follow a fundamental need to decide what, when prior to broadcast. “Today is a historic day for all and where to watch something.” TV-lovers in the Netherlands,” Bert Habets, CEO of RTL Nederland, declared at the press conference The three platforms will remain independent from announcing the new service. He explained the one another, also to ensure that the cash flows rationale behind the new platform: “There is one remain strictly separated between public and factor that unites the three companies more strongly commercial broadcasters. The project itself will be than anything that divides us: the TV viewers. In financed by the three parties, and income will be recent years it became evident that consumers split according to the number of minutes of content not only want great, funny, helpful and emotional watched on each of the partners’ portals. The public content, but that they need something more basic broadcaster NPO will additionally ensure that no and fundamental: to be in the driver’s seat.” And that public money is spent for the platform. will be possible with NLziet. In essence, this new service gives subscribers the freedom to decide Bert Habets: “We realised that in order to make when to watch their favourite programmes, in the this project happen, we needed to step out of our highest quality and without any interruptions from comfort zone. The Netherlands have a reputation of ads. being one of the world’s most innovative television markets. A combined subscription VOD service by “Nearly two years ago, I called Henk Hagoort – the country’s key players is the next logical step the Chairman of the Board of Directors of the in the development of a TV-loving country like the Nederlandse Publieke Omroep – with the idea of a Netherlands.” joint subscription-based video-on-demand service,” says Bert Habets. “He liked the idea immediately To start with, NLziet will only be accessible via PC but also pointed out that we needed to figure out (Windows, MacOS, Linux), and later via smartphone, the regulatory framework. Now, the collaboration tablet and TV as well. An integrated search engine agreement has been signed and the establishment allows viewers to search for programmes from the of the project is a fact.” three broadcasting companies. While the website NLziet.nl – which is already live for prelaunch – will NLziet will launch at the beginning of 2014. It is not be jointly operated by RTL, NPO and SBS, each meant to replace the various broadcasters’ existing VOD platform remains technically independent from platforms, but offers subscribers one-stop access one another and no joint advertising model will be to the large assortment of programmes available set up. Also, every party will deal with producers on the three online platforms – RTL XL, NPO Plus independently. and Kijk. Habets says: “The requirements of the TV Hans Edin, CEO of SBS Nederland, Henk Hagoort, Chairman of the Board of Directors of NPO and Bert Habets, CEO RTL Nederland (from left to right) Next > 5 NLziet is not limited to RTL Nederland, NPO and “Now that I’m here talking to you about the project, SBS. “We have indicated that NLziet ist an open it all seems quite logical and the idea was realised service where the independence of existing quite quickly – as is the case with all really good platforms is maintained and no joint advertising ideas,” Habets says. “This is the result of thinking, model is put to the market,” says Habets. “Other puzzling, eliminating and compromising over the Dutch broadcasters are welcome to join and of past few months, as the partners didn’t always have course we are open to cooperation with all partners the same opinion. But I can tell you that our faith and in the distribution market. We want to be a platform will to make NLziet a success is strong – otherwise that is as broadly available as possible.” we would have discontinued this project a while ago.” The product itself is still in development, so the three companies declined to provide more details about the subscription price and launch date. Anyone interested in the offer can already register at NLziet.nl, and will be invited for a free 30 day subscription at the beginning of 2014. NLziet will feature content from ten Dutch broadcasters 6 RTL GROUP COMPANIES HELP TYPHOON VICTIMS RTL Group The devastating situation in the disaster areas in the Philippines has prompted many RTL Group companies to call for donations, including RTL Television, RTL 4, FremantleMedia and Atresmedia. Luxembourg – 19 November 2013 Immediately after the disaster, ‘RTL - Wir helfen Kindern’ launched a major fundraising campaign in aid of the typhoon victims. In TV programmes and online posts, viewers were informed about the situation in the disaster areas and called on to donate. To date, the ‘RTL - Wir helfen Kindern’ account for the typhoon victims in the Philippines has received €647,578. Action Medeor used the funds to locally deliver trauma kits, which contain painkillers, antibiotics and everything that is needed for surgical procedures, and Care was able to start the distribution of packages containing food. RTL Charity Director and anchor Wolfram Kons explained: “It goes without saying that we will continue to focus our efforts on our eight selected projects to help children. But when, just days before our big fundraiser, a disaster plunges millions of families and their children into a dramatic emergency, it is our duty to respond topically and swiftly. In the 24 hours of our telethon, we reach more viewers than any other charity show on German television. So for this reason, we are also us- ing the RTL-Spendenmarathon to help the people of the Philippines.” During the 18th RTL-Spendenmarathon, RTL reporters will report from the disaster areas on the current situation of the people there. Kons will Wolfram Kons, RTL Charity Director and anchor also welcome to the studio employees from the cooperation partners that have been providing emergency relief in the disaster zones for the past week with funds raised earlier by the ‘RTL Wir helfen Kindern’ foundation. The RTL-Spendenmarathon kicks off on 21 November at 18:00 on RTL Television. In the Netherlands, RTL 4, SBS 6 and the public broadcasters teamed up with Dutch relief organisations to host a day of action for the Philippines. From 6:00 to midnight, there were numerous special programmes and calls for donations. During the RTL Nieuws newscast on RTL 4, and as part of RTL Z on RTL 7, audiences were repeatedly called on to donate, and Koffietijd, Editie NL and RTL Boulevard also devoted themselves to the fundraiser, before the day of action culminated in Nationale Actie Filipijnen: Giro 555 at 22:30 – live on Nationale Actie Filipijnen: Giro 555 RTL 4, SBS 6 and Nederland 1. In total, €18.5 million was raised. Next > 7 United Kingdom The X Factor in the UK announced that it will donate proceeds from this past weekend’s contestant vote and live performance downloads to the Disasters Emergency Committee’s (DEC) Philippines Typhoon Appeal. Simon Cowell tweeted on the subject ITV, Syco Entertainment and FremantleMedia will together donate a minimum of 50 pence from every track downloaded from the weekend 16 and 17 November to the appeal. Spain Atresmedia has an on-going collaboration agreement with Unicef to support their humanitarian efforts in case of emergency situations.