week 13 the RTL Group intranet Newsletter 27 March 2008 Building Friendships Patrick Ohler and Fabian Jager on the social network “Wer-kennt-wen” United Kingdom Five Life becomes Fiver FremantleMedia presents its MIPTV state American Idol helps Fox reign supreme Germany RTL Television renews its afternoon schedule People Johannes Züll leaves Mediengruppe RTL Deutschland Building Friendships Patrick Ohler and Fabian Jager on the social network “Wer-kennt-wen” COVER: Screenshot of the Wer-kennt-wen.de website, Patrick Ohler (left) and Fabian Jager United Kingdom Five Life becomes Fiver FremantleMedia presents its MIPTV state American Idol helps Fox reign supreme Germany RTL Television renews its afternoon schedule People week 13 the RTL Group intranet ‘‘It's all about finding friends’’ RTL Interactive owns a 49 per cent interest in the social network Wer-kennt-wen.de. The com- munity numbers 1.7 million members and is growing faster than virtually any other network. Backstage interviewed the website's co-foun- ders Fabian Jager (25) and Patrick Ohler (26). Fabian Jager Germany - 27 March 2008 The sustained success of Wer-kennt-wen.de is Why should anyone register with Wer-kennt- based on the idea of reflecting real life on the wen.de? Internet, because all the website’s members register using their real names. That makes it Patrick: Because doing so will give them a easy to search for old friends and acquaintan- chance to get in touch with long-lost friends, ces, which is one of the most frequently used acquaintances, colleagues and of course us, as functions on Wer-kennt-wen.de. Anyone, except well as enable them to forge new contacts and youngsters under 14 years of age can register organise theme-based communities. with the website for free, whether trainees, stu- dents, housewives, employees, self-employed How can they sign up? individuals or pensioners. The page layout deli- berately points users to the site's main functions Fabian: We designed Wer-kennt-wen.de as a so that even Internet novices can quickly and closed system, so to join you have to be invited easily find their way around. by a member. For instance, RTL employees may have friends or colleagues who have already The range of topics covered is also as close to registered and can invite them to sign up. In reality as possible. In addition to covering the- addition, our homepage offers would-be mem- mes such as sport, music, cars, culture, careers bers the option of being invited by other users by and hobbies, to name but a few, in groups, clicking on the ‘Lass Dich jetzt einladen!’ (Get forums and chat rooms the website's users also yourself invited to join!) link. exchange their views on topical social issues. In the meantime, Patrick Ohler and Fabian Jager have gained their credentials as computer visua- Backstage is giving away five Wer-kennt- lists and are working all out from Cologne along wen.de sets (comprising a coffee mug, with a large body of new colleagues to continue pens, a key ring, various badges and a developing their social network. Backstage lighter). To enter the draw, just send an spoke to the two co-founders about the success e-mail with your work address and the of Wer-kennt-wen.de. mention ‘Wer kennt Wen’ to: [email protected]. 2 week 13 the RTL Group intranet Put simply, how does Wer-kennt-wen.de How do your friends, the first users of Wer- actually work? kennt-wen.de, feel about your transformation into businessmen? Fabian: Wer-kennt-wen.de is all about establi- shing new contacts and finding old friends on Fabian: Our friends and families have always the Internet. Anyone can register for free once supported our Wer-kennt-wen.de project. As its they have been invited by a member. To set up a first members they are part of its roots, and it is user profile, you must be 14 years or older, and only thanks to them that the community could provide your real name and an active e-mail grow this big. Naturally they’re also rather proud address. All members have access to the same of owning one of the first accounts and being at features, so they can get to know other users, the top of our virtual family tree. send and receive messages, set up photo albums, chat, write blogs, contribute to forums, Do you see yourselves as entrepreneurs or as and so on. computer mapping experts? How did you hit upon your business idea? Fabian: Our degree gave us the basic expertise we needed to become the entrepreneurs we are Fabian: At the time, we were working on our today. At the moment, we’re benefiting from degrees in computer mapping and wanted to being able to combine both roles, which enables put a project of our own into practice. We had us to face up, in particular, to the major techno- the idea for a social network while queuing up in logical challenges we face. the cafeteria: we deliberately set out to create not a thematic network, but rather a social net- How has your life changed over the past year, work, a network for everyone. Wer-kennt- or rather since you graduated? wen.de aims to reflect real life in all its diversity, including its social complexity and everyday Patrick: We have less free time and more res- topics. ponsibility, both for our project and for our employees. These days, we are celebrating our What made you decide to study what you successes as a sizeable team. We now have a did? staff of 22. Patrick: The thing about the course that appea- Is Wer-kennt-wen.de changing other peo- led to us most was its multidisciplinary aspect, ple’s lives? because the students taking it don’t just ‘do computer science’, but also attend relevant lec- Patrick: Yes, we constantly receive e-mails from tures and seminars on educational science, psy- users about how much their lives have changed chology, philosophy, art and design, which gives thanks to Wer-kennt-wen.de. One user got back them a real chance to look beyond the confines in touch with the first love of their life through the of ‘pure’ computer science. website and now they are together again after 20 years. In another case a woman found her birth Did you two also meet each other on the mother through Wer-kennt-wen.de. Web? Fabian: No, in the real world, at a birthday party during what was our second year at the University of Koblenz. Patrick Ohler 3 week 13 the RTL Group intranet FremantleMedia well prepared for MIPTV 2008 FremantleMedia delivers blockbuster slate with game shows and reality formats leading the pack. United Kingdom - 27 March 2008 FremantleMedia is launching a formidable line- One of the sure-fire ratings hits is Family Links, up which suggests that game shows and reali- just acquired from Sweden’s Metronome ty formats will be the big prime-time winners Group. This show will be produced and rolled dominating schedules over the year ahead. out worldwide. It is a highly adaptable, multige- Password, The Big Give, Family Links, and Your nerational family quiz show with major poten- Price or Mine lead a sensational slate with tial. It draws on strategy, suspense and also strong global potential. tests family dynamics, as teams work to ans- wer questions and win dream prizes taken from Rob Clark, FremantleMedia’s Senior Executive their own personal wish list. With questions Vice President, Entertainment and Production, tapping into popular culture across the board, Worldwide Entertainment , said: “Broadcasters this game show format will be fresh and rele- always want the next big hit, but at the moment vant to viewers across all cultures. we see they are focused on balancing the schedules. They need the blockbuster formats Already delivering amazing ratings for TV3 in but they also want a variety of shows. They Denmark, Your Price or Mine is the voyeur’s need to hit everyone’s sweet spot and be dream. We all love peeking inside other peo- representative of their audience and their chan- ple’s houses and enjoy to knowing what they ging tastes. So this season’s slate has it all. We paid for everything. This quiz show allows its have big shows with blockbuster finales; family audience to do just that, letting contestants game shows with passion and prizes; reality with contrasting tastes and backgrounds check formats with cut-throat competition, and gen- out each others’ houses and guess how much tler feel-good shows with positive role models. their prized possessions are worth. Capturing We have some truly great formats across all many of the winning elements that made The genres, boasting real global appeal”. Price is Right such a bankable winner, Your Price or Mine also adds elements of ‘taste’ to Password, commissioned by CBS in the USA, create a game show format that will be a great is the show where contestants can win big- new platform for a wide range of audiences money prizes with just one word. The format around the globe. has the perfect mix of tension, drama, top cele- brities and big money. Mixing celebrity and contestant involvement, the show has a unique edge against the competition, can be adapted to many markets and has huge global potential. The Big Give is the breakout success for 2007 on ABC in the USA that has created a new rea- lity genre. It involves a reality-based competi- tion, where giving is everything.