Canada

Double success for BroadbandTV CEO

Luxembourg

RTL Group shares to beincluded in 3 more indices

The NetherlandsRTL Nederland invests in growing online first aid courses market

Belgium

Radio like you’ve never ‘seen’ it before

AN EPIC TALEUFA Cinema: bringing a bestseller to the big screen

week 50 / 12 December 2013

Canada

Double success for BroadbandTV CEO

Luxembourg

RTL Group shares to beincluded in 3 more indices

The NetherlandsRTL Nederland invests in growing online first aid courses market

Belgium

Radio like you’ve never ‘seen’ it before

AN EPIC TALEUFA Cinema: bringing a besteller to the big screen

week 50 / 12 December 2013

CoverThe Physician

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

Radio like you’ve never

‘seen’ it before RTL Belgium

p. 9–10

RTL Nederland invests in growing

online First Aid courses market

RTL Nederlandp. 11–12

Double success for BroadbandTV CEO

BroadbandTVp. 13

RTL Group shares to be included in

three more indicesRTL Group

p. 8

SHORTNEWS

p. 15

Between science and religionUFA Fictionp.4–7

Big Picturep.14

PEOPLE

p.16–19

4

English actor Tom Payne plays the main character, Rob Cole

BETWEEN SCIENCE AND

RELIGION

Germany – 12 December 2013

UFA Fiction

On 16 December the UFA Cinema production

The Physician has its world premiere in Berlin, before

opening in European movie theatres on Christmas Day.

The film is one of the biggest cinema productions

in the history of UFA.

5

In the early Middle Ages, the art of healing from the Greco-Roman era had largely been forgotten in Europe. There were no doctors, or hospitals – only barbers with scant medical knowledge. At the same time, pioneers in the art of healing taught and practised in Persia in the 10th and 11th centuries – notably the legendary physician, scientist and philosopher Ibn Sina, better known in the West under the Latinised form of his name, Avicenna.The Physician – based on the eponymous novel

by Noah Gordon – tells the story of the orphan Rob Cole (played by Tom Payne) who travels from medieval England to Isfahan in Persia to fulfi l his burning desire to help people by studying medicine under Ibn Sina (played by Ben Kingsley), the ‘Prince of Physicians’. Along the way, Rob encounters countless dangers and challenges, and has to make sacrifi ces and battle his way uncompromisingly.

Wolf Bauer, CEO of UFA comments: “The fi rst theme that inspired us was the heroic journey of Rob Cole, the novel’s main character, ‘from darkness to light’. His seemingly unquenchable thirst for knowledge and understanding – the fateful determination that drives the hero of the story and

takes him on an adventure to completely strange, unknown worlds to fi nd answers to his questions.”

In the end, Rob’s unwavering pursuit of knowledge is rewarded with friendship and true love. The Physician is one of the greatest adventure stories of modern popular literature: an epic set between East and West, love and hate, and science and religion.

Wolf Bauer: “One important motifin the fi lm is religious tolerance.Rob Cole converts from a Christianto a Jew because it’s the only way to achieve his goal of studying at the famous madrassa in Isfahan, where he delves into Islamic culture. In addition, a deep friendship develops between him and his fellow students, Mirdin, a Jew, and Karim, a Persian, which plays a crucial role during the plague scenes and is of course to be understood as evidence of possible understanding and friendship between the religions. Noah Gordon wanted to see these different layers of his book refl ected in the fi lm version as well.”

Until recently, Noah Gordon’s The Physician was one of the few great unfi lmed historical novels of recent decades – even though the book had been published in the US back in 1986. Nico Hofmann, Producer and CEO of UFA Fiction and UFA Cinema, says: “Noah Gordon is a very smart and sensitive person who has a clear idea of what he wants from a movie. I think that many previous attempts failed because producers only approached it on a commercial basis: both the imagery and suggested casting sometimes made it feel more like a historic science-fi ction spectacle that had nothing to do with Gordon’s ideas at all.”

Next >

Ben Kingsley as Ibn Sina, the legendary physician

Nico Hofmann, Producer and CEO of UFA Fiction and UFA Cinema

Wolf Bauer, CEO of UFA

6

The author Noah Gordon describes his view of the events leading up to the movie: “Several producers tried to develop the property as a fi lm. Half a dozen producers came to Boston and attempted to buy the rights. We liked Wolf Bauer and Nico Hofmann, and my children, who owned the rights, sold them to UFA. I was not able to insist on anything. But I asked that the fi lm be shot in English, and this was done.”

On 25 December the fi lm adaptation of a novel that sold six million copies in Germany alone comes to the big screen. Headed by charismatic newcomer Tom Payne as Rob Cole, this exciting journey through time to the Middle Ages is directed by Philipp Stölzl (Goethe! North Face) and features a stellar international cast including Stellan Skarsgård, Olivier Martinez, Emma Rigby, Elyas M’Barek, Fahri Yardim and Ben Kingsley.

Following a long preparatory phase, during which the perfect design concept and tone were determined, the fi lm sets were built in Germany and Morocco. “Every director and every producer has different approaches and everyone else involved brings in their own ideas as well,” says production designer Udo Kramer. “You have to fi nd a common key that everyone involved can identify with. The rest is still a lot of work and there can be surprises, but it means you’re following a basic idea.”

Europe and Persia in the 11th century. Gloomy villages and towns in medieval England. Isfahan in the glaring light of the desert sun. A journey through almost the entire known world – populated with dozens of main characters based around Rob Cole, and in the background hundreds of locals, or Seljuk warriors. Every actor, every extra in the project must be dressed appropriately to bring the great vision to life and transport the viewer into this exciting world of the Middle Ages.

During production, the team’s main focus was authenticity, as Nico Hofmann explains: “We’re recreating another world after all – and on different continents. Everything has to be just right. Before and after the production we obtained consulting

from a medical history perspective.Although The Physician is a fi ctionalhistorical adventure, the basics have to be accurate, of course. Every detail is important, be it the countryside and buildings in Isfahan or the surgical instruments. And the surgical instruments in Isfahan were different from those in England or those used by the Jewish doctors. When we were on set, it sometimes felt like being in a historical museum.”

The fi lm’s focus is not only on the narrative, but also on the message conveyed. Nico Hofmann says: “In talks with Gordon, we also noted the precision with which he had worked on the material. The book has many different layers. There’s a philosophical level, a coming-of-age story of a young man who gets to know a new world, it’s about tolerance between religions, about science and medicine and the exploration of the human body. We explored this complexity in detail on walks with Gordon, and this was the basis for our script work. The script could have easily been reduced to simple plot points and turned into an action spectacle, but we deliberately engaged with this complexity.”

Next >

Rob Cole and Rebecca (played by Tom Payne and Emma Rigby)

“WE LIKED WOLF BAUER AND NICO HOFMANN, AND MY CHILDREN, WHO OWNED THE RIGHTS, SOLD THEM TO UFA”

Noah Gordon

“THE BOOK HAS MANY DIFFERENT LAYERS...WE DELIBERATLY ENGAGED WITH THIS COMPLEXITY”Nico Hofmann, Producer of The Physician

7

THE PHYSICIAN – PROMOTED BY RTL TELEVISION

Many German media are taking the upcoming world premiere of the movie The Physician as an opportunity to report extensively on how it was made. Among other things RTL television will broadcast a 12-minute “making-of” special about The Physician on Christmas Day afternoon, the day the movie is released in movie theaters. It tells RTL viewers and potential moviegoers more about how the movie was made, and features interviews with its cast and director.

Mediengruppe RTL Deutschland’s sales house IP Deutschland organised a “movie tie-in” for Universal Pictures. “When we presented our ideas to Universal Pictures International in mid-September, the client was really enthusiastic,” Lars-Eric Mann, Director of Sales Solutions at IP Deutschland, tells Bertelsmann Intranet, Benet. For instance, from this week until Christmas, a specially produced trailer can be seen throughout the day – a total of twenty times – in the “promotional space” before and after commercial breaks. This 25-second trailer serves a dual purpose: it publicizes the RTL programme on Dec 25, as well as the movie.

Another element in the collaboration was the broadcast of a two-minute, exclusive trailer premiere at the end of October in a commercial break on RTL – even before the trailer was shown in movie theaters. The concept is complemented with online ads, known as pre-rolls, on RTL Now and RTL.de, where The Physician trailers are played before videos open on the relevant web pages, before the actual content of the requested video is seen. “Universal Pictures International has used the whole gamut of special advertising formats for The Physician, and across all platforms,” says Lars-Eric Mann. “A very nice knock-on effect is that all this goes to support an RTL Group subsidiary’s production as well.”

Wolf Bauer says in conclusion: “From the beginning, Noah Gordon held us to our moral responsibility – the promise we had given him. An oath, so to speak,that we would make an appropriate screen adaptation of The Physician. We’ve kept that

promise. It was a long road, but from it a friendship with him was also born, along with the wish that Noah Gordon will watch the movie, be deeply touched and say, ‘This is my work.’ And I think we’ve achieved that.”

UFA Cinema’s The Physician

8

Effective 23 December 2013, RTL Group will be included in the Stoxx Europe 600 index at Deutsche Börse in Frankfurt and the Bel Mid index of Euronext Brussels.Luxembourg – 10 December 2013

On 26 November, Stoxx Limited announced changes in the composition of the Stoxx Europe 600 index with the inclusion of RTL Group. This change will become effective from 23 December 2013. With a fi xed number of 600 components, the Stoxx Europe 600 Index represents large-, mid- and small-cap companies across 18 countries in the European region. Stoxx is a global index provider, currently calculating a global, comprehensive index family of over 6,000 indices.

Following the review of the composition of the Bel Mid index at Euronext Brussels, RTL Group will be included in the index as of the opening of European markets on 23 December 2013. The Bel Mid index is managed by NYSE Euronext and comprises stocks of medium-size companies not included in the Belgian Blue Chip index, Bel 20. Accordingly, the Bel Mid index is comparable to the German MDAX.

RTL Group’s shares have been listed on the regulated market (Prime Standard) of the Frankfurt Stock Exchange since 30 April 2013, in addition to the existing listings on the Luxembourg Stock Exchange and Euronext Brussels. In September 2013, the company’s shares were included in the MDAX index.

In addition to the above mentioned index inclusions, on 7 November 2013 MSCI (Morgan Stanley Capital International) announced the results of their semi-annual review. MSCI indices are used by more than 2,300 investment organisations including the ten largest asset managers. Following this review, RTL Group has been included in the MSCI as from market close on Tuesday 26 November 2013.

The public offering in April 2013 was the largest in Europe this year and the biggest media IPO since 2004. Bertelsmann now holds 75.1 per cent of RTL Group’s ordinary shares with the remainder as free fl oat (24.1 per cent) and treasury shares (0.8 per cent).

RTL GROUP SHARES TO BE INCLUDED IN THREE MORE INDICES

RTL Group

9

On 12 December 2013, to mark the centenary of the fi rst European radio broadcast, Belgian radio stations have joined forces to offer the public a fascinating exhibition: ‘Vu à la radio’ (‘As seen on radio’). So open up your eyes and your ears! Belgium – 11 December 2013

28 March 2014 marks the centenary of the fi rst European radio broadcast, which took place in Brussels. To commemorate the anniversary, the company Tempora has organised an exhibition with the support of RTL Belgium, NRJ-Nostalgie group and RTBF. The ‘Vu à la radio’ exhibition will be on view from 12 December 2013 to 27 April 2014 at the Tour & Taxis site in Brussels.

‘Vu à la radio’ takes a look at what audiences have been listening to for a century, but also offers them an overview of the airwaves of the

future, because the history of radio is far from over: this leading media is constantly developing and evolving with its audience as well as their lifestyles and listening habits. In addition to commemorating the past and remembering past voices and programmes, the exhibition celebrates the future of the most popular media in a major exhibition that shows how the airwaves stimulate our imagination every day.

Eric Adelbrecht, General Manager of Radio at RTL Belgium and President of the Association of Commercial Belgian Radio, says: “Usually, when you are about to celebrate an anniversary it’s customary to pause and take stock of years gone by. The analysis of

the fi rst hundred years of radio inevitably caused all the protagonists to also refl ect on the radio landscape over the next century of this exciting medium. Editors, from the most powerful radio networks to local community radio stations, must all join forces so that in 100 years our grandchildren or great-grandchildren will still celebrate this old lady who has not aged... radio. Not surprisingly, these are the professionals who have worked for many weeks to create ‘Vu à la radio – 100 ans de radio en Belgique.’ I’d like to sincerely thank them and the Tempora team for this magnifi cent exhibition.”

RADIO LIKE YOU’VE NEVER ‘SEEN’ IT BEFORERTL Belgium

‘Vu à la radio’ exhibition

Next >

10

A lavishly staged exhibition environment and multimodal museum (frescoes, graphics, audio-visual productions, unusual objects, photographs, interactive electromechanical devices, windows of discovery, hands-on exhibits, etc.) enable the visitor to learn about the subject of the exhibition in a fun and educational way. It should be pointed out that RTL Group contributed by providing the exhibition with material from its historical archives, notably period photos.

In addition, to celebrate the inauguration, the Belgian francophone radio stations Bel RTL and Vivacité joined forces on Wednesday 11 December to present a joint live programme hosted by two of their top presenters Pascal Vrebos and Benjamin Maréchal from a radio studio set up in the heart of the exhibition.

Special programme ‘Vu à la Radio’, 11 December 2013 at 18:15 on Bel RTL.

RTL Group provided exhibition material

Eric Adelbrecht, General Manager of Radio at RTL Belgium

PRACTICAL INFORMATION

Venue: Tour & Taxis, Avenue du Port, 86 C – 1000 Brussels

Duration of the exhibition: from 12/12/2013 to 27/4/2014

Opening hours: Monday to Friday: 09:00 to 17:00. Weekends, school holidays and public holidays: from 10:00 to 18:00

Languages: French, Dutch and English

Rates:Adults: €10 Groups (min. 20 pers.) and 65+: €8 Children (6 to 18) and students: €8 Groups of young people (6 to 18), min. 20 persons.: €6 Families (2 adults and 2 children): €28 Children under the age of 6: free

Guided tours: €65 for a 1h30 tour (max 20 people)

Information and reservations: info@exporadio.be or 02/549.60.49

A 3D virtual tour of the exhibition can be taken at www.exporadio.be

11

On 12 December 2013, the investment branch of RTL Nederland, RTL Ventures, announced the acquisition of a 38.4 per cent interest in the Dutch Learning Company (DLC), founder of the fi rst and largest online fi rst aid course in the Netherlands: IedereenEHBO.The Netherlands – 12 December 2013

RTL Ventures and the DLC’s goal will be to promote among the Dutch population, the need to increase their knowledge of fi rst aid procedures, making it possible to learn fi rst aid quickly and easily. More than 30,000 people in the Netherlands are taking the IedereenEHBO course every year, which is approved by the Red Cross and its cost is partially or entirely covered by many insurance companies in the Netherlands. Having once learned the theory, participants of the course can take a practical test under the supervision of a certifi ed fi rst aid instructor at one of the 200 course locations distributed throughout the Netherlands.

Eugène Kuipers, director and founder of IedereenEHBO explains: “The level of fi rst aid knowledge in our country has always been alarmingly low. According to statistics available from the Red Cross, only 3.2 per cent of the Dutch population had a fi rst aid diploma in 2012. Yet due to such factors as the consolidation of hospitals andlonger driving times for ambulances, victims have to wait increasingly longer to receive professional assistance. This means that the general public has to become more self-reliant when it comes to fi rst aid. Having more people with a fi rst aid diploma also acts as a preventive measure since they are more aware of unsafe situations. RTL is making us more effective in our attempts to promote the importance of fi rst aid among the Dutch public.”

Nicolas Eglau, Director of RTL Ventures, adds: “To promote the importance of a thorough knowledge of fi rst aid among the general public, we are not just making a fi nancial investment; we are also investing our marketing efforts. Giving people easy access to ways they can improve their own health is a common theme at RTL. The e-learning method used by IedereenEHBO is right in line with this objective. Research has shown that people in various walks of life are interested in taking a fi rst aid course but often can’t set aside the time for it. This is why we believe in the power of online learning combined with practical training provided at times convenient for the learner. We also see the many advantages of applying this form of learning to other segments in which RTL Ventures is involved such as personal fi nances.”

RTL NEDERLAND INVESTS IN GROWING ONLINE FIRST AID COURSES MARKET

RTL Nederland

Next >

Nicolas Eglau, Director of RTL Ventures

12

...is very low compared to other Western European countries

First Aid knowledge in the Netherlands...

DID YOU KNOW?

First Aid in the Netherlands

First Aid knowledge in the Netherlands is very low compared to other Western European countries such as Germany, France and the Scandinavian countries

For many, main reasons for not taking a First Aid course are lack of time, cost and not knowing how to locate certified courses

Thus, First Aid training is a good prospective growth market in the Netherlands, as more people become interested in learning First Aid

THE DUTCH LEARNING COMPANY

In 2008, the Dutch Learning Company became the first provider of First Aid courses using a combination of e-learning,through the www.iedereenEHBO.nl website, and a half day of practical training. The DLC has rapidly become the largest provider of First Aid courses throughout the Netherlands. Also included in their portfolio are InternetBHV.nl, InternetVCA.nl and InternetHeftruck.nl.

13

Shahrzad Rafati, founder and CEO of BroadbandTV – the Multi-Channel Network RTL Group formed a strategic partnership with in June 2013 – was named Executive of the Year at the 2013 Digi Awards. In addition, Rafati made the list of Canada’s 100 Most Powerful Women. Canada – 6 December 2013

Shahrzad Rafati took home the Executive of the Year prize at the 2013 Nextmedia Digi Awards held on 3 December 2013 in Toronto. The Digi Awards are Canada’s premier annual showcase of the remarkable companies, products and people who are making wavesin the digital media industry. Rafati was selected among other prominent executives in the digital industry who led their organisations to new digital heights in 2013.

Commenting on the award, Rafati says: “It is an honour to be recognised once again by Nextmedia and to be nominated among such an extraordinary group of fi nalists. The past year has been a time of tremendous growth and excitement for BroadbandTV, this award is testament to the hard work put in by our amazing team.”

In addition to the Digi award, BroadbandTV’s CEO and Founder was also named one of The Women’s Executive Network’s (WXN) ‘Most Powerful Women’, in the Sun Life Financial Arts & Communications category. WXN launched Canada’s 100 Most Powerful Women Awards in 2003, selecting fi nalists based on their career accomplishments; impact on Canadian thinking and culture; vision and leadership; and community service.

“It is an honour to be in the company of such accomplished Canadian women,” said Rafati. “Heading up a company in the tech and media space, I have a particular appreciation for this year’s theme ‘What Glass Ceiling?’ and for the idea that eventually, rather than being thought of as successful female leaders we’ll simply be successful leaders.”

DOUBLE SUCCESS FOR BROADBANDTV CEOBroadbandTV

Shahrzad Rafati, Founder and CEO of BroadbandTV

The Croatian association ‘RTL helps children’ recently held its annual year-end telethon campaign ‘Be my friend’ and raised over €200,000 in just two and a half hours. The President of the Republic, Ivo Josipovic (pictured, right) and

the First Lady, Tatjana are avid supporters of the campaign and were even answering the phones in the call centre. The funds raised will go

towards fi nancing 15 projects that will collectively benefi t 1,400 Croatian children.

Bringing smiles to children’s faces

15

RTL Radio buys the site Girls.fr RTL Radio

On 11 December 2013, in line with its online development strategy, RTL Radio announced an agreement with Bauer Media Group to acquire the website Girls.fr. France – 12 December 2013

India’s Got Talent at Asian TV Awards FremantleMedia India

The local Indian version of FremantleMedia’s fl agship entertainment format, Got Talent, won Best Entertainment Programme at the prestigious Asian TV Awards in Singapore. India – 9 December 2013

France’s First Lady a guest on RTL Radio RTL Radio

On 5 December 2013, Valérie Trierweiler was the special guest on RTL Radio’s programme RTL Soir. Among other things, she talked about her humanitarian commitments in Africa. France – 9 December 2013

FremantleMedia International sales in Asian market FremantleMedia International

At the Asia TV Forum in Singapore, FremantleMedia’s global distribution arm FremantleMedia International (FMI) announced more than 1,200 hours of sales to the region, all made within the last eight weeks.Singapore – 10 December 2013

Jamais trois sans trois by Marc Herman RTL-TVI

Just in time for Christmas and the New Year, Belgian comedian Marc Herman is releasing his new box-set Jamais trois sans trois in collaboration with RTL-TVI. Herman’s third opus consists of footagebroadcast on the Belgian channel during the 2012/13 season. Belgium – 10 December 2013

SHORT NEWS 1/1

16

FremantleMedia has announced the opening of a production operation in Oslo, Norway, and appointed Petter Testmann-Koch as Managing Director (MD) of FremantleMedia Norge with effect from Spring 2014.

Testmann-Koch will report to Daniela Matei, CEO Nordics,

Eastern Europe and Balkans (NOREEBA), and will join the NOREEBA senior management team.

In addition to setting up the offi ce and building the production team, Testmann-Koch will be responsible for the overall day-to-day management of the operation and for driving the strategic vision of the business. He will focus on developing quality content for the Norwegian market across all platforms, selling FremantleMedia formats inNorway and working closely with FremantleMedia’s international production, licensing and sales operations.

Petter Testmann-Koch comments on his appointment: “It is an exciting time to be joining FremantleMedia as it expands its Scandinavian business, and I’m humble to have the opportunity to establish and build FremantleMedia’s presence in the market. The Norwegian TV-market is a great place to be at the moment, and I sincerely hope that with the power of the FremantleMedia brand behind us, we´ll continue the success of its iconic shows, as well as developing new content for the Norwegian audiences.”

Daniela Matei, CEO NOREEBA, commented: “Petter is a highly experienced and talented programme-maker with strong relationships within the Norwegian and international markets. He is a truly creative entrepreneur, having successfully run his own production company; this, together with drive and strong leadership skills, positions him well to launch the Norwegian business and solidify FremantleMedia’s presence in the Scandinavian market.”

PEOPLE

PETTER TESTMANN-KOCH

FremantleMedia NorgeNorway – 6 December 2013

Testmann-Koch’s appointment follows the recent appointment of Anne Brostrom as Managing Director of Blu, FremantleMedia’s Danish production arm, and FremantleMedia’s acquisition of a majority stake (51 per cent) in Miso Film, a leading Danish scripted-production company, all of which demonstrate FremantleMedia’s commitment to the region.

Petter Testmann-Koch joins FremantleMedia from Nordisk Film TV where, as CCO & Executive Producer, he had overall creative responsibility for development and production as well as co-managing formatacquisitions and sales. Production credits during this time included 71 Degrees North, Home of the Year, Celebrity Cook Off and The Voice of Norway. Prior to this he worked as a producer/director at Dinamo Story (Eyeworks Dinamo) for fi ve years producing event-scale shows such as Spellemann (Norwegian Grammy), Amanda (Norwegian Oscar), Gullruten (Norwegian Emmy), and Eurovision Song Contest Countdown. Testmann-Koch began his career as a freelance broadcast journalist and went on to work as a producer/director for several production companies including Nordisk Film, Global TV Production Oslo and Allegro Film before founding his own production company, Potato.

Petter Testmann-Koch, Managing Director of FremantleMedia Norge

17

PEOPLE

SONJA SCHWETJE / RENATE FRIEDRICH /

FRIEDER WEISS N-TV

Germany – 9 December 2013

Sonja Schwetje (40) has been appointed Chief Editor of the news channel N-TV with effect from 1 January 2014. Schwetje’s successor as Head of the News Desk is Renate Friedrich (48). Frieder Weiß (52) rounds off the new senior editorial team as Deputy Chief Editor.

Sonja Schwetje has been with Mediengruppe RTL Deutschland since 1998. After studying business administration and journalism at the University of Hamburg, Schwetje began her career as an intern at RTL Nord, then held successive positions as a reporter, editor and managing editor. In 2005, Schwetje joined RTL West in Cologne as a chief editor, eventually also serving as Managing Editor and as a presenter on the programme Guten Abend RTL.

After interning at the Henri Nannen School, Frieder Weiß held various positions in the Sat1 and ProSiebennewsrooms from 1988 to 2002, among other things serving as a London correspondent for SAT1 from 1997 to 1999. In 2002, Weiß joined N24 as head of the Planning desk. From 2008, he also sat on the Editorial Board in his role as editorial manager. Since 2010, Frieder Weiss has worked as a freelance journalist and consultant.

Renate Friedrich has been with the N-TV news channel since 1992, fi rst as editor, then as a managing editor, and since 1996 as Chief Editor. In this role, Friedrich coordinates daily news programs and is responsible for special projects involving breaking news, elections and sporting events. Prior to joining N-TV, Renate Friedrich was an editor with Sat.1 from 1990 to 1992.

N-TV Managing Director Hans Demmel says: “I’m delighted that we were able to persuade Sonja Schwetje to take over the chief editorship. She represents constancy, fresh impetus, and extraordinary journalistic instinct in equal measures. With Frieder Weiß and Renate Friedrich, she has two fi rst-class journalists at her side who are also very well connected within and outside the company. I am convinced that together with the news team, these three will develop the N-TV news in terms of relevance and in line with the audience’s needs and wishes.”

Sonja Schwetje, Chief Editor at N-TV

18

PEOPLE

MATTHIASWALTER

RTL IIGermany – 11 December 2013

Matthias Walter (32) is now Head of News at RTL 2 Production in Cologne.

Walter, who has a degree in journalism, was recently Managing Editor at RTL Aktuell, where he was responsible for planning and broadcasting the main evening news. He also co-created special programmes and developed new documentary formats for Mediengruppe RTL Deutschland. He began his career at the Westfalen-Blatt and Westdeutsche Allgemeine Zeitung newspapers. He also lectures at various universities. Jochen Starke, Managing Director of RTL II, says: “With Matthias Walter at its helm, RTL II News is led by an experienced television journalist who is very familiar with our production site in Cologne. As a practitioner and academic, he also deals extensively with emerging digital issues related to the TV medium, which makes him the right man to take RTL II News forward, especially among young audiences.”

Matthias Walter, Head of News at RTL II

19

Jennifer Batty, Executive Vice President of Programming at RTL CBS Asia Entertainment Network

Daniel Fung, Executive Vice President of Distribution at RTL CBS Asia Entertainment Network

PEOPLE

DANIEL FUNG

JENNIFER BATTY

RTL CBS Asia Entertainment NetworkSingapore – 11 December 2013

Thanks to Jennifer’s profound understanding of regional audiences and in-depth content knowledge and Daniel’s exceptional distribution track record and industry connections, the launch of our fi rst channel, RTL CBS Entertainment HD, has been a huge success across our key markets.”

Jennifer Batty has extensive industry experience, gained both in Asia Pacifi c and Europe. She has most recently worked as a consultant for RTL Group based in Hong Kong, focusing on the expansion of the RTL Group in Asia and was instrumental in launching the Big RTLThrill channel in India in November 2012.

Daniel Fung is a veteran in the pay-TV industry in Asia with experience spanning across business development, channel operations, marketing and distribution sales. He has most recently worked as a consultant for RTL Group based in Hong Kong, focusing on the expansion of the RTL Group in Asia.

RTL CBS Asia Entertainment Network has appointed two key executives. Jennifer Batty is Executive Vice President of Programming and Daniel Fung is Executive Vice President of Distribution, effective immediately.

Reporting directly to Jonas Engwall, CEO of RTL CBS Asia Entertainment Network, Jennifer Batty and Daniel Fung will be responsible for, respectively, content and distribution of the company’s two channels; the recently launched family-oriented RTL CBS Entertainment HD channel and the upcoming male-targeted RTL CBS Extreme HD channel scheduled to launch in early 2014. Jennifer Batty’s role is to build world-class programme offerings tailored to appeal to Asian audiences, while Daniel Fung is responsible for maximising distribution opportunities for the channels across the region. Both were previously consultants to RTL Group working on its expansion into Asia.

Jonas Engwall, CEO of RTL CBS Asia Entertainment Network, commented: “Jennifer and Daniel are heavy-weights with tremendous experience in the Asian pay-TV industry and I am excited to welcome them to our team.

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