week 46 / 13 November 2014

Luxembourg

RTL Group Q3 results: Solid results driven by slight improvement in advertising revenue in key markets

The Netherlands

RTL Nederland launches brand new multi-channel network

Belgium

‘360° Expert Meeting on Media – Convergence – Regulation’

COLD WAR

GETTING HOTHow UFA Fiction and RTL Television produce

the historical large-scale event series Deutschland!

week 46 / 13 November 2014

Luxembourg RTL Group Q3 results: Solid results driven by slight improvement in advertising revenue in key markets

The Netherlands RTL Nederland launches brand new multi-channel network

Belgium ‘360° Expert Meeting on Media – Convergence – Regulation’

COLD WAR

GETTING HOT

How UFA Fiction and RTL Television produce the historical large-scale event series Deutschland!

CoverA scene from Deutschland!

PublisherRTL Group

45, Bd Pierre FriedenL-1543 Luxembourg

Editor, Design, ProductionRTL Group

Corporate Communications & Marketing

backstage.rtlgroup.com backstage.rtlgroup.fr backstage.rtlgroup.de

Think before you print

QUICK VIEW

“The drama highlightof 2015”RTL Television / UFA Fiction

p.4–7

Big Picturep.14

SHORTNEWS

p.15

“We need fair competition and modern regulation”

RTL Group

p.10–11

RTL Nederland launches brand new multi-channel

network RTL Nederland

p.12–13

Q3/2014: Solid results driven byslight improvement in advertising revenue in

key markets RTL Group

p.8–9

4

“THE DRAMA HIGHLIGHT

OF 2015”

Germany – 13 November 2014

RTL Television / UFA Fiction

With the production of Deutschland!

RTL Television and UFA Fiction try their hand at a

new generation of TV series, with a large-scale event,

horizontally narrated series set against a historical

backdrop.

In eight 45-minute episodes, Deutschland! tells the story of the protagonist Moritz Stamm during 1983

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5

The man in the dark suit slowly gets out of the taxi.

He looks aghast at the crowd of protesters: “Make

Love – Not War” is on one of the banners held

by young, longhaired men and women. They are

demonstrating against the deployment of American

Pershing II missiles on West German territory. It

is 1983 and Germany is divided – the arms race

between East and West is pushing it towards nuclear

catastrophe.

In the background, the director shouts: “Cut”. The

scene is in the can. What was reality over 30 years

ago now serves as the setting for the mini-series

Deutschland!. In eight 45-minute episodes, RTL

Television and UFA Fiction tell the story of the

protagonist Moritz Stamm during 1983 – the year the

world came to the brink of nuclear catastrophe when

the Soviet Leader Juri Wladimirowitsch Andropov

mistakes NATO’s manoeuvres on German soil for

the dreaded nuclear ‘fi rst strike’ by the US.

The beginning of a whole new kind of series

Nico Hofmann, Producer and Managing Director of

UFA Fiction, remembers the 1980s as a turning point:

“I can’t imagine a more exciting period for relating

experiences about the East/West German border.”

He is convinced that broadcasting Deutschland! on

RTL Television during 2015 will have a big impact

on series production: “With Deutschland! we are

completely reinventing the standards of scenario-

based storytelling. This will be the drama highlight of

2015.” In an interview with Stern magazine, Hofmann

adds: “Complex material, courageously told.

There are no stand-alone episodes, the individual

instalments can only be understood as part of the

whole. I believe that we will be able to reach the

mass market with it, although Deutschland! isn’t

as easily digestible as say, an access prime-time

series.”

1983: The crisis year in the shadows

The series concept is the brainchild of US writer

Anna Winger. She has lived in Germany for the

last twelve years and developed the story from her

personal experiences: “In addition to discussions

with experts, I asked strangers to share their

experiences and tell me their stories. In the process

I found that this isn’t just about the past, but also

about the present. Many of the problems back then

are still around today, which makes this interesting

for younger generations as well. I wanted to show

how much the historical past has shaped Germany’s

self-image.” Winger wrote the scripts with the

support of her husband, producer Jörg Winger, and

a German-American team of writers. “The series is

a journey back in time to 1983 that confronts the

viewer with their own memories. Besides the main

protagonist’s story, secret historical events are also

told, which younger generations are otherwise not

taught. The beginning of the reunifi cation process

thanks to the peace movement in the East and

Next >

Moritz Stamm is sent to West Germany as a Stasi spy and quickly realises that the situation between the two German states is escalating

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6

West, contrasted with the military escalation, creates

a striking contradiction that shows how paranoia

can cause real confl icts to arise on a global scale,”

explains Jörg Winger.

Klaas Voß served as the academic consultant for

integrating historical facts into the script. The idea

was to include the complex historical contexts

without reducing the entertainment value. “The

series has succeeded in doing this in an exemplary

manner. The overall package is coherent and

consistent, thanks in part to the very promising

casting. Deutschland! is a fi ctional production that

keeps pace with the perceived authenticity of high-

quality American TV.”

Philipp Steffens, Head of Fiction at RTL Television, is

delighted about the creative collaboration within the

team: “The series delivers the excitement of a spy

thriller and gives the novel perspective of an East

German spy in 1980s West Germany.” Together, he

said, everyone involved had succeeded in creating

an exciting and dramatic story from beginning to

end, set against the backdrop of historical events.

An experience for every generation

RTL Television Editor Ulrike Leibfried says that

Deutschland! is an original German series that

stands out from US series: “The issue affects us

all. The personal anchoring catapults us back

into emotional situations. I’m excited that younger

generations will get the chance to come into contact

with the period.”

According to Nico Hofmann, some of the promising

young actors in the cast of Deutschland! “grew up

with UFA Fiction”. Like many of their generation,

before the shooting, which began in September

and will continue until December 2014 in Berlin and

the surrounding area, they did not have any close

association with East and West German history

of the 1980s. Lead actor Jonas Nay plays Moritz

Stamm, a spy who travels to West Germany as Martin

Rauch. “To me the script felt like historical material

completely removed from my life, even though the

events occurred only a few decades ago,” says the

24-year-old. “The series tells a part of our history

that is not covered in school. It’s exciting to relive the

events in person whilst shooting the series.”

Actress Lisa Tomaschewsky has lived in the

German capital for a year. To prepare for her role as

Yvonne Edel, a young girl who fl ees from the East

and returns shortly afterwards, the 26-year-old was

given a tour of the city by a historian: “Since then

I see Berlin with different eyes. I have much more

respect for the subject and for German history now.”

As with any role, native Berliner Sonja Gerhardt, who

plays the devoted Communist Annett Schneider,

says she learned a lot by being part of Deutschland!: “Documentaries, books and especially the intense

conversations with my parents about their own

experiences and impressions helped me prepare.”

Like most young Germans, the 25-year-old fi nds

it very diffi cult to imagine the living conditions in

the GDR. “While some Berliners still differentiate

between East and West, the division is completely

irrelevant for our generation. We’re extremely lucky

and privileged to be living in freedom and have

freedom of speech.”

Next >

The main cast and producers of Deutschland!: (from left to right) Philipp Steffens, Head of Fiction at RTL Television, Sonja Gerhard, Jonas Nay, Lisa Tomaschewsky, Ludwig Trepte and Nico Hofmann, Producer and Chairman of the Board of UFA Fiction

7

THE STORY OF DEUTSCHLAND!

In 1983, NATO rehearsed the nuclear worst case so convincingly on West German soil that Soviet Leader Andropov was misled into assuming this was in fact the dreaded nuclear ‘first strike’ by the US. While panic ensued in East Germany, people were demonstrating for peace in Western Europe. Indeed the nuclear emergency was closer than the demonstrators and young people of the ‘New German Wave’ suspected. The story of the series’ main protagonist Moritz Stamm (played by Jonas Nay) is set against this backdrop. The 23-year-old Stamm is sent to West Germany as a Stasi spy, infiltrating the West German army as an agent and quickly realising that the situation between the two German states is escalating. Caught between loyalty to his native East Germany, and the tempting freedom of the West, he decides to try to save world peace, in the process also trying to cope with his own love life, his family conflicts, and his personal problems.

Deutschland! is being shot in Berlin from September to December 2014. RTL Television plans to broadcast it in autumn 2015.

Main protagonist Moritz Stamm is overwhelmed by what the Western world offers

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8

RTL Group announces its results for the nine months ending 30 September 2014.Luxembourg – 13 November 2014

Q3/2014: continued improvement of TV advertising market

conditions

TV advertising markets across Europe were up in the third quarter

– with the exception of Belgium

However, the third quarter, with the summer holiday season, is

a traditionally weaker quarter in terms of advertising revenue

(seasonality)

In the third quarter of 2014, reported Group revenue was stable at

€1,259 million (Q3/2013: €1,257 million), while reported EBITA was

€160 million (Q3/2013: €161 million)

January to September 2014: exchange rate effects and new

advertising tax in Hungary weigh on RTL Group results

TV advertising markets across Europe continued to show signs of

improvement over the fi rst nine months of 2014. With the exception

of France – which was stable – and Belgium – which was down 0.7

per cent – all European net TV advertising markets in RTL Group’s

territories were up year-on-year

Reported Group revenue decreased slightly to €3,946 million

(January to September 2013: €4,012 million), mainly due to negative

exchange rate effects, lower advertising sales in France along with

lower revenue from FremantleMedia and UFA Sports

RTL Group’s digital revenue* continued to show dynamic growth,

up 16 per cent to €180 million benefi tting from organic growth and

new acquisitions

Reported EBITA was €679 million compared to €713 million in the

fi rst nine months of 2013. The decrease is mainly due to lower profi t

contributions from FremantleMedia and RTL Group’s broadcasting

operations in France, which offset growth from Germany and the

Netherlands

Q3/2014: SOLID RESULTS DRIVEN BY SLIGHT IMPROVEMENT IN ADVERTISING

REVENUE IN KEY MARKETS RTL Group

* Excluding e-commerce, home shopping and distribution revenue for digital TV

Next >

9

EBITA margin at 17.2 per cent (January to September 2013:

17.8 per cent)

Net profi t attributable to RTL Group shareholders decreased by

42.8 per cent to €306 million (January to September 2013: €535

million). As described at the half year, this was principally due

to movements in impairment charges. In the fi rst nine months of

2014, RTL Group recorded a goodwill impairment on RTL Hungary

amounting to €77 million. Conversely, the net profi t for the fi rst nine

months of 2013 included a signifi cant positive one-off effect of €72

million, resulting from the reversal of an impairment on RTL Group’s

holding in the Spanish broadcasting company Atresmedia

Net cash from operating activities was €586 million, resulting in an

operating cash conversion of 86 per cent

Following the payment of an extraordinary interim dividend of €307

million on 4 September 2014, RTL Group had net fi nancial debt of

€926 million as of 30 September 2014 (30 June 2014: €475 million)

“A global force in online video”

Joint statement from Anke Schäferkordt and Guillaume de Posch,

Co-Chief Executive Offi cers of RTL Group:

“After nine months, we see a similar picture as at our half-year results

in August. While Mediengruppe RTL Deutschland and RTL Nederland

report signifi cant profi t growth, the economic situation in France and

for FremantleMedia remain challenging. In the third quarter, signifi cant

revenue and EBITA growth in Germany led to stable Group results, and

we had a good start into the important fourth quarter.

Given our high cash fl ows and strong fi nancial position, we won’t

wait for the economic condition to improve, but invest today in new

growth drivers for RTL Group. This year, we will invest more than €240

million in rapidly growing digital businesses – while also launching

new channels and further diversifying our content production arm. This

is the highest investment level for acquisitions since 2005. With the

recent acquisitions of SpotXchange and Style Haul, we have made

strategically important progress to make RTL Group a global force in

online video and online video advertising.”

For more information,

please see RTLGroup.com

Anke Schäferkordt and Guillaume de Posch, Co-Chief Executive Offi cers of RTL Group

10

How can we adapt outdated regulation and promote Europe as a competitive market for the creative industries? That was the key question addressed at a high-ranking expert meeting on ‘Media convergence and regulation’, held in Brussels on 4 November 2014 and co-organised by RTL Group. Luxembourg – 7 November 2014

Following the success of the fi rst ‘360o Expert Meeting on Convergent

Regulation’ held in September 2012, RTL Group commissioned two

eminent professors – Prof. Nico van Eijk from the Institute for Information

Law, University of Amsterdam, and Prof. Wolfgang Schulz from the

Hans-Bredow-Institute for Media Research, University of Hamburg – to

conduct an independent study on the future of European audiovisual

regulation in the face of convergence. The aim of the Hermes Project,

as it was called, is twofold: to outline the changes along the value chain

and to discuss concrete ideas for implementing future media regulation

that would create a level playing fi eld.

The keynote speech by RTL Group’s Co-CEO Guillaume de Posch

set the tone of the meeting: “The combination of comprehensive and

out-dated regulation run the risk to put European media companies

in a structurally disadvantaged situation. To be more precise: in an

increasingly borderless, global and worldwide media environment, EU

broadcasters are now competing with global tech and Internet players

which are not subject to the same regulation, often as a result of being

based outside the EU. This means that different rules and regulations

apply to players competing in the same environment – and of course

for the same viewers.” This description underlines the need to adapt

audiovisual regulation in the European Union.

Addressing the topic of linear and non-linear viewing, de Posch

underlined: “Changes in the way audiovisual media is consumed do not

follow a unifi ed pattern. Habits vary by country, depending on factors

such as local tastes, cultural context and the availability of high-speed

Internet access. But we see a massive increase in non-linear viewing,

in particular of short-form content on Youtube. And in most countries,

Youtube is currently not even measured either in the offi cial linear and

non-linear viewing fi gures.”

“WE NEED FAIR COMPETITION AND MODERN REGULATION”

RTL Group

The ‘360° Expert Meeting on Media – Convergence – Regulation’ took place in Brussels

Next >

11

Guillaume de Posch also addressed the topic of the biased competition

with international Internet giants that, because they are based in

the US, are not subject to the EU laws. He underlined the need for

European companies to develop state-of-the-art technology and win

the battle of content. In de Posch’s words: “This leads me to the key

question of today’s event: How can we adapt outdated regulation and

promote Europe as a competitive market for our creative industries?

In other words, how do we win the last battle, the battle of content?

How do we foster new programming ‘made in Europe’ that can be sold

across the world?”

In his conclusion, Guillaume de Posch called on EU policymakers to

ensure that the right environment is created for continued investment

in high quality content and reiterated: “We, collectively, cannot afford to

lose the content battle – and this is why we need fair competition and

modern regulation to preserve and boost Europe’s hugely diverse and

creative output.”

Following de Posch’s speech, Profs Nico van Eijk and Wolfgang Schulz

presented to the approximately 110 representatives from academia,

business and politics gathered at the Representation of the Free

State of Bavaria to the EU the key fi ndings of the Hermes Project.

The professors found that changes in the way audiovisual media is

consumed do not follow a clear pattern, and therefore stressed the

necessity of taking a different approach to regulation. Their proposed

approach is to start with identifying the regulation’s objectives, rather

using linearity as the defi ning criterion. According to the professors, this

kind of approach – called ‘fl ipping the regulatory structure’ – requires

close interfacing with other areas of regulation such as fundamental

rights, copyright law, and e-commerce regulation. The report also

raises the question of how to defi ne and promote ‘public value services’

and suggests the introduction of opt-in approach balancing obligations

and benefi ts.

The ‘360° Expert Meeting on Media – Convergence – Regulation’ was

jointly organised by RTL Group, the Representation of the Free State

of Bavaria to the European Union, and the Institute of European Media

Law.

RTL Group’s EU Affairs Steering Committee initiated the Hermes

Project. Its members are: Vincent de Dorlodot (General Counsel,

RTL Group), Tobias Schmid (Executive Vice President Governmental

Affairs, RTL Group Deutschland) and Lyn Trytsman-Gray (Senior Vice

President European Affairs, RTL Group).

Read the full text of Guillaume de Posch’s speech

In his conclusion, Guillaume de Posch called on EU policymakers to ensure that the right environment is created for continued investment in high quality content.

12

RTL Nederland has offi cially launched its own multi-channel network (MCN), combining its own expertise in online video technology, marketing and sales with the experience of Youtube and MCN experts to reach a strong, wide fan base.The Netherlands – 13 November 2014

Arno Otto, Managing Director Digital Media at RTL Nederland,

explains that after investing heavily in new and existing digital

platforms in recent years, a proprietary MCN is the logical next step

for increasing the company’s growth in the non-linear market. “As we

forge ahead into the future, we underline once again that RTL has

become an all-around multimedia and entertainment company,” says

Otto. The MCN also helps RTL to present itself as even more open

towards social networks such as Youtube and to attract new audiences

while simultaneously helping new talent to promote itself and generate

revenue. Otto continues: “This is a whole new approach, but one that

really fi ts with what RTL stands for: creating talent as well as informing

and entertaining our audience.”

RTL NEDERLAND LAUNCHES BRAND NEW MULTI-CHANNEL NETWORK

RTL Nederland

Check out

RTL Nederland’s MCN.

Next >

RTL Nederland has offi cially launched its own multi-channel network

13

Erik Kepper, who joined RTL Nederland as Manager of RTL MCN

on 1 November 2014, explains that he aims to cover the needs of the

growing target group by offering relevant content at any time and on any

device. “With RTL I get the chance to do that with professionals from

the TV and digital industries. I believe in the power of this combination

and that’s why I chose RTL,” he explains. Although the online Youtube

talents “know exactly how to make successful videos for their target

audience and build a bond with their fans,” he says RTL’s help and

guidance in building, maintaining and promoting their channels will

structurally increase their income.

A fi rst partnership has already been signed with the Dutch music

interview platform Toazted for a period of two years. Kepper feels

that “the collaboration with Toazted shows that we take serious steps

and act quickly.” Toazted CEO Paul van der Vlist is excited about

the cooperation: “We have high expectations in RTL’s expertise and

experience. This partnership gives global reach to the musicians we

interview and allows us to expand our capacity by creating more unique

interviews in the future.”

BroadbandTV is the technical partner of RTL MCN.

FACTS

• The RTL MCN is based in Amsterdam

• The RTL MCN focuses on the best content from the music, entertainment, beauty, urban, fun, fashion, sports and food sectors

• The MCN relies on RTL’s in-house expertise in online video technology, marketing and sales

• The music platform Toazted is RTL Nederland MCNs first cooperation partner

• RTL Group has majority interests in the big MCNs StyleHaul and Broadband TV, plus a minority share in European MCN Divimove

Watch the trailer for

Toazted

Threelittle pigs

On Monday 10 November 2014, at 22:40, over 2.7 million viewers tuned in to watch the premiere of Antena 3’s original series Cuéntame un cuento, a retelling of popular fairy tale stories as action thrillers in an urban setting. The fi rst episode, Los tres cerditos (The Three Little Pigs), attracteda 17.6 per cent share among 16- to 54-year-old

(average: 13.4 per cent).

15

25 years after the fall of the Berlin Wall: Travel back in time with Vox and N-TV Vox / N-TV

9 November 2014 was the 25th anniversary of the fall of the

Berlin Wall. To mark the anniversary, Vox and N-TV dedicated their

programme line-up to the historic event.

Germany – 7 November 2014

Welcome to the No. 1 in children’s entertainmentSuper RTL

Super RTL is breaking new ground in employer branding by

developing an elaborate recruitment campaign entitled ‘Ready for the

toughest audience in the world?’.

Germany – 12 November 2014

Regional culinary challenges are on the menuM6 / RTL-TVI

Since 10 November 2014, M6 offers its viewers a new cooking show

in access prime-time: Objectif Top Chef. The fi rst episode attracted

1.7 million viewers, an audience share of 19 per cent among

housewives under 50. The programme

will also be screened on RTL-TVI from 17 November 2014.

France / Belgium – 11 November 2014

Spain rolls out the red carpet for The Hunger Games: Mockingjay – Part 1Atresmedia

On Tuesday 11 November 2014, Atresmedia, in collaboration

with eOne Films Spain, kicked off the Spanish premiere of the

much-anticipated third installment of the global blockbuster.

Spain – 11 November 2014

SHORT NEWS 1/1

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