RTL benefits from larger advertising market

Thanks to the recovery in the advertising markets in Germany and France, RTL Group was able to increase its revenues and operating result in the first half of the year. According to the company, revenues rose by 19.1 percent from 2.397 billion euros in the same period last year to 2.854 billion euros between January and the end of June. "We have seen a better advertising environment in most of our major markets," explained RTL CEO Gerhard Zeiler. However, Zeiler told Werben & Verkaufen that the outlook for the current financial year is only cautiously optimistic, as the development of the advertising market remains difficult to predict.
The Cologne-based private broadcaster RTL wants to tap into further sources of income with special-interest channels. RTL boss Anke Schäferkordt has announced the launch of three new pay-TV channels (see
RTL specifies pay-TV plans). The TV newcomers RTL Living, RTL Crime and Passion are to become part of cable network operators' basic pay-TV packages from the fall. RTL Living will show renovation shows, cooking formats and gardening programs, RTL Crime crime and thrillers and Passion soaps and dramas. The soap channel will be organized with an as yet unnamed partner and will therefore not bear the RTL name. Schäferkordt also announced that she is working on a video-on-demand offering. The platform is to be distributed via cable and satellite as well as on the Internet via DSL.