RTL Group
Encyclopedia
RTL Group is Europe's largest TV, radio and production company, and is majority-owned by German media conglomerate Bertelsmann
. It has 45 television and 32 radio stations in 11 countries. This Luxembourg-based media group operates TV channels and radio stations in Germany
, France
, Belgium
, the Netherlands
, Australia
, Luxembourg
, Spain
, Greece
, Hungary
, Croatia
and production companies in the United States
.
It is one of the world's leading producers of television content such as game shows and soaps (particularly through its ownership of London-based FremantleMedia
), including The X Factor
, Pop Idol
, Good Times, Bad Times, The Price Is Right
, Family Feud
, and The Bill
.
RTL originally stood for Radio Télévision Luxembourg (in French
) or Radio Television Luxemburg (in German
).
The RTL Group started in 1931 as CLR or Compagnie Luxembourgeoise de Radiodiffusion which operated Radio Luxembourg
. CLR was one of 23 founding broadcasting organisations of the European Broadcasting Union
in 1950. The RTL Group is still an EBU-member under a previous name: CLT Multi Media. In 1954 it was renamed CLT or Compagnie Luxembourgeoise de Télédiffusion and started television
broadcasts. In 1997 it merged with Hamburg
-based UFA Film- und Fernseh-GmbH (not to be confused with pre 1945 UFA
) to create CLT-UFA. In 2000 it merged with Pearson
TV and became RTL Group, which also allowed it to enter the American broadcast market. As of October 2005, Bertelsmann
owns 90.4% of the company.
One of the major reasons for RTL's early success, apart from the merits related to the programming content itself, was that Luxembourg
allowed commercial radio and TV stations long before other European countries. This flexibility enabled RTL to transmit to other countries (such as the United Kingdom, France, Germany, and the Netherlands) in their own languages. Many British radio presenters began their careers on Radio Luxembourg
before moving to the BBC
and to commercial broadcasters in the UK. In the 1970s, Radio Luxembourg's English-language audiences declined as a result of new music stations in the UK, and the service ceased broadcasting in the early 1990s on the Astra 1A
satellite. Radio Luxembourg
relaunched in November 2005 and is currently available online at www.radioluxembourg.co.uk and on Digital Radio Mondiale
. A sister station, Atlantic 252
was a long-wave radio station jointly run by RTL Group and Irish broadcaster RTÉ. It ceased broadcasting live on December 20, 2001.
France
Germany
Greece
Luxembourg
Netherlands
Belgium
Spain
Russia
Romania
Moldova
Bulgaria
Bertelsmann
Bertelsmann AG is a multinational media corporation founded in 1835, based in Gütersloh, Germany. The company operates in 63 countries and employs 102,983 workers , which makes it the most international media corporation in the world. In 2008 the company reported a €16.118 billion consolidated...
. It has 45 television and 32 radio stations in 11 countries. This Luxembourg-based media group operates TV channels and radio stations in Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
, France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
, Belgium
Belgium
Belgium , officially the Kingdom of Belgium, is a federal state in Western Europe. It is a founding member of the European Union and hosts the EU's headquarters, and those of several other major international organisations such as NATO.Belgium is also a member of, or affiliated to, many...
, the Netherlands
Netherlands
The Netherlands is a constituent country of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, located mainly in North-West Europe and with several islands in the Caribbean. Mainland Netherlands borders the North Sea to the north and west, Belgium to the south, and Germany to the east, and shares maritime borders...
, Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
, Luxembourg
Luxembourg
Luxembourg , officially the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg , is a landlocked country in western Europe, bordered by Belgium, France, and Germany. It has two principal regions: the Oesling in the North as part of the Ardennes massif, and the Gutland in the south...
, Spain
Spain
Spain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...
, Greece
Greece
Greece , officially the Hellenic Republic , and historically Hellas or the Republic of Greece in English, is a country in southeastern Europe....
, Hungary
Hungary
Hungary , officially the Republic of Hungary , is a landlocked country in Central Europe. It is situated in the Carpathian Basin and is bordered by Slovakia to the north, Ukraine and Romania to the east, Serbia and Croatia to the south, Slovenia to the southwest and Austria to the west. The...
, Croatia
Croatia
Croatia , officially the Republic of Croatia , is a unitary democratic parliamentary republic in Europe at the crossroads of the Mitteleuropa, the Balkans, and the Mediterranean. Its capital and largest city is Zagreb. The country is divided into 20 counties and the city of Zagreb. Croatia covers ...
and production companies in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
.
It is one of the world's leading producers of television content such as game shows and soaps (particularly through its ownership of London-based FremantleMedia
FremantleMedia
FremantleMedia, Ltd. is the content and production division of Bertelsmann's RTL Group, Europe's second largest TV, radio, and production company...
), including The X Factor
The X Factor (TV series)
The X Factor is a television talent show franchise originating in the United Kingdom, where it was devised as a replacement for Pop Idol. It is a singing competition, now held in various countries, which pits contestants against each other. These contestants are aspiring pop singers drawn from...
, Pop Idol
Pop Idol
Pop Idol is a British television series which debuted on ITV on 6 October 2001. The show was a talent contest to decide the best new young pop singer in the United Kingdom, based on viewer voting and participation. Two series were broadcast - one in 2001-02 and a second in 2003...
, Good Times, Bad Times, The Price Is Right
The Price Is Right
The Price Is Right is a television game show franchise originally produced by Mark Goodson and Bill Todman, and created by Bob Stewart, and is currently produced and owned by FremantleMedia. The franchise centers on television game shows, but also includes merchandise such as video games, printed...
, Family Feud
Family Feud
Family Feud is an American television game show created by Mark Goodson and Bill Todman. Two families compete against each other in a contest to name the most popular responses to a survey question posed to 100 people...
, and The Bill
The Bill
The Bill is a police procedural television series that ran from October 1984 to August 2010. It focused on the lives and work of one shift of police officers, rather than on any particular aspect of police work...
.
RTL originally stood for Radio Télévision Luxembourg (in French
French language
French is a Romance language spoken as a first language in France, the Romandy region in Switzerland, Wallonia and Brussels in Belgium, Monaco, the regions of Quebec and Acadia in Canada, and by various communities elsewhere. Second-language speakers of French are distributed throughout many parts...
) or Radio Television Luxemburg (in German
German language
German is a West Germanic language, related to and classified alongside English and Dutch. With an estimated 90 – 98 million native speakers, German is one of the world's major languages and is the most widely-spoken first language in the European Union....
).
The RTL Group started in 1931 as CLR or Compagnie Luxembourgeoise de Radiodiffusion which operated Radio Luxembourg
Radio Luxembourg (English)
Radio Luxembourg is a commercial broadcaster in many languages from the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg. It is nowadays known in most non-English languages as RTL ....
. CLR was one of 23 founding broadcasting organisations of the European Broadcasting Union
European Broadcasting Union
The European Broadcasting Union is a confederation of 74 broadcasting organisations from 56 countries, and 49 associate broadcasters from a further 25...
in 1950. The RTL Group is still an EBU-member under a previous name: CLT Multi Media. In 1954 it was renamed CLT or Compagnie Luxembourgeoise de Télédiffusion and started television
Television
Television is a telecommunication medium for transmitting and receiving moving images that can be monochrome or colored, with accompanying sound...
broadcasts. In 1997 it merged with Hamburg
Hamburg
-History:The first historic name for the city was, according to Claudius Ptolemy's reports, Treva.But the city takes its modern name, Hamburg, from the first permanent building on the site, a castle whose construction was ordered by the Emperor Charlemagne in AD 808...
-based UFA Film- und Fernseh-GmbH (not to be confused with pre 1945 UFA
Universum Film AG
Universum Film AG, better known as UFA or Ufa, is a film company that was the principal film studio in Germany, home of the German film industry during the Weimar Republic and through World War II, and a major force in world cinema from 1917 to 1945...
) to create CLT-UFA. In 2000 it merged with Pearson
Pearson PLC
Pearson plc is a global media and education company headquartered in London, United Kingdom. It is both the largest education company and the largest book publisher in the world, with consumer imprints including Penguin, Dorling Kindersley and Ladybird...
TV and became RTL Group, which also allowed it to enter the American broadcast market. As of October 2005, Bertelsmann
Bertelsmann
Bertelsmann AG is a multinational media corporation founded in 1835, based in Gütersloh, Germany. The company operates in 63 countries and employs 102,983 workers , which makes it the most international media corporation in the world. In 2008 the company reported a €16.118 billion consolidated...
owns 90.4% of the company.
One of the major reasons for RTL's early success, apart from the merits related to the programming content itself, was that Luxembourg
Luxembourg
Luxembourg , officially the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg , is a landlocked country in western Europe, bordered by Belgium, France, and Germany. It has two principal regions: the Oesling in the North as part of the Ardennes massif, and the Gutland in the south...
allowed commercial radio and TV stations long before other European countries. This flexibility enabled RTL to transmit to other countries (such as the United Kingdom, France, Germany, and the Netherlands) in their own languages. Many British radio presenters began their careers on Radio Luxembourg
Radio Luxembourg (English)
Radio Luxembourg is a commercial broadcaster in many languages from the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg. It is nowadays known in most non-English languages as RTL ....
before moving to the BBC
BBC
The British Broadcasting Corporation is a British public service broadcaster. Its headquarters is at Broadcasting House in the City of Westminster, London. It is the largest broadcaster in the world, with about 23,000 staff...
and to commercial broadcasters in the UK. In the 1970s, Radio Luxembourg's English-language audiences declined as a result of new music stations in the UK, and the service ceased broadcasting in the early 1990s on the Astra 1A
Astra 1A
Astra 1A was the first satellite launched and operated by SES . During its early days, it was often referred to as the Astra Satellite, as SES only operated one satellite originally....
satellite. Radio Luxembourg
Radio Luxembourg (DRM)
Radio Luxembourg is the name of a commercial radio station that has broadcast in many languages in conjunction with a television service operated from the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg.-Background history:...
relaunched in November 2005 and is currently available online at www.radioluxembourg.co.uk and on Digital Radio Mondiale
Digital Radio Mondiale
Digital Radio Mondiale is a set of digital audio broadcasting technologies designed to work over the bands currently used for AM broadcasting, particularly shortwave...
. A sister station, Atlantic 252
Atlantic 252
Atlantic 252 was a long wave radio station broadcasting to Ireland and the United Kingdom on 252 kHz from its 1988 purpose built transmission site Clarkstown radio transmitter, which provided service to Atlantic 252 from 1989 until 2002. The station's studios were located just 12 km away in...
was a long-wave radio station jointly run by RTL Group and Irish broadcaster RTÉ. It ceased broadcasting live on December 20, 2001.
Television stations
Stations are listed with RTL's current share ownership percentage in brackets.- BelgiumBelgiumBelgium , officially the Kingdom of Belgium, is a federal state in Western Europe. It is a founding member of the European Union and hosts the EU's headquarters, and those of several other major international organisations such as NATO.Belgium is also a member of, or affiliated to, many...
- RTL TVI (66%)
- Club RTLClub RTL-Programs:* Hannah Montana* The Simpsons* Handy Manny* Heroes* Phineas and Ferb...
(66%) - Plug TV (66%)
- CroatiaCroatiaCroatia , officially the Republic of Croatia , is a unitary democratic parliamentary republic in Europe at the crossroads of the Mitteleuropa, the Balkans, and the Mediterranean. Its capital and largest city is Zagreb. The country is divided into 20 counties and the city of Zagreb. Croatia covers ...
- RTL TelevizijaRTL TelevizijaRTL Televizija is a Croatian commercial broadcaster with national availability that has been broadcasting since April 30, 2004.RTL Televizija is 74% owned by the RTL Group....
(74%) - RTL 2RTL 2 (Croatia)-Airing currently:* Bella Calamidades * Columbo * Dexter * Dollhouse * Everybody Loves Raymond * How I Met Your Mother ...
(100%) - RTL Plus (100%)
- FranceFranceThe French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
- France
- Fun TV (100%)
- M6 (48.8%)
- M6 Boutique La ChaîneM6 Boutique La ChaîneM6 Boutique & Co is a French shopping television channel owned and operated by M6.-External links:*...
(100%) - M6 Music HitsM6 Music HitsM6 Music Hits is a French music video television channel owned and operated by the M6 group....
(100%) - M6 Music Rock (100%)
- M6 Music BlackM6 Music BlackM6 Music Black is a French television own and operated by M6, devoted to play Contemporary R&B and Hip hop music....
(100%) - Paris PremièreParis PremièreParis Première is a French TV channel, available on cable, satellite and the digital terrestrial service, Télévision Numérique Terrestre. It was launched on December 15, 1986 and is now wholly owned by M6.-External links:*...
(100%) - RTL9RTL9RTL9 is a Luxembourger television channel shown internationally to viewers in Luxembourg, France, Belgium and francophone Switzerland.- Télé-Luxembourg :...
(35%) - Série Club (50%)
- TévaTevaCompanies commonly known as Teva include:*Teva Pharmaceutical Industries, Ltd.*Teva Naot*Teva sport sandals*Teva Learning Center...
(51%) - TF6TF6TF6 is a French television channel broadcasting entertainment intended for young adults.- History :TF6 was founded in December 2000 by Métropole 6 and TF1 when they decided to bring closer their two competitor family projects chain on the cable and satellite service TPS, of which they are the two...
(50%) - W9W9 (French Television Channel)W9 is a French television network which is available through digital terrestrial television TNT, satellite and ADSL. It is a subsidiary of M6; the name W9 has been selected for the channel because "W9" is the mirror image of "M6"....
(100%)
- GermanyGermanyGermany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
- RTL TelevisionRTL TelevisionRtl.de' redirects here. For other uses, see RTL.RTL Television , or simply RTL, is a German commercial television station distributed via cable and satellite along with DVB-T , in larger population centres...
(100%) - VOX (99.7%)
- RTL IIRTL IIRTL II is a privately owned, commercial, general-interest German television channel.It was founded as a second-generation commercial broadcaster in 1993. It quickly became infamous for its perceived "trash programming", comprising lots of soft porn as well as shows such as Peep and many...
(35.9%) - Super RTLSuper RTLSuper RTL is a Cologne-based German television network operated by RTL Disney Fernsehen GmbH & Co. KG. It was the second German television channel aimed mostly at children...
(50%) - n-tvN-tvn-tv is a German television news channel owned by the Bertelsmann AG Media's RTL Group and an affiliate network of CNN since the networks creation in 1992....
(100%) - K1010 (19.87%) - closed
- Traumpartner TV (100%) - closed
- Passion (50%, pay-TV)
- RTL Crime (100%, pay-TV)
- RTL Living (100%, pay-TV)
- GreeceGreeceGreece , officially the Hellenic Republic , and historically Hellas or the Republic of Greece in English, is a country in southeastern Europe....
- Alpha TVAlpha TVAlpha TV is a Greek terrestrial channel . The station features a mix of Greek and foreign shows with an emphasis on entertainment programs. The studios are located near Athens...
(66.6%) - Kanali 9 Thessaloniki (66.6%)
- HungaryHungaryHungary , officially the Republic of Hungary , is a landlocked country in Central Europe. It is situated in the Carpathian Basin and is bordered by Slovakia to the north, Ukraine and Romania to the east, Serbia and Croatia to the south, Slovenia to the southwest and Austria to the west. The...
- RTL KlubRTL KlubRTL Klub is a television station owned by RTL Group and broadcast in Hungary. It was one of Hungary's first commercial TV channels and was only two days after the main rival TV2 to begin broadcasting.-About RTL Klub:...
(100%) - CoolCool TVCool TV is a Hungarian television channel, which migrated to Romania after being threatened with closure by Hungarian authorities. The channel was launched in 2004 in the Hungarian language, and in 2005 it also started broadcasting cool stuff....
(100%) - Film+ (100%)
- Film+2 (100%)
- Reflektor (100%)
- PrizmaPrizmaThe Prizma Color system was a technique of color motion picture photography, invented in 1913 by William Van Doren Kelley and Charles Raleigh. Initially, it was a two-color additive color system, similar to its predecessor, Kinemacolor...
(100%) - Sorozat+ (100%)
- Muzsika TV (100%)
- LuxembourgLuxembourgLuxembourg , officially the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg , is a landlocked country in western Europe, bordered by Belgium, France, and Germany. It has two principal regions: the Oesling in the North as part of the Ardennes massif, and the Gutland in the south...
- RTL Télé LëtzebuergRTL Télé LëtzebuergRTL Télé Lëtzebuerg is the main television channel in Luxembourg, broadcasting in Luxembourgish.The small television market in Luxembourg led to a unique system in Europe: Luxembourg remains the only country in the world to run television stations in both the PAL and SECAM formats. Originally, both...
(100%) - Den 2. RTL (100%)
- NetherlandsNetherlandsThe Netherlands is a constituent country of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, located mainly in North-West Europe and with several islands in the Caribbean. Mainland Netherlands borders the North Sea to the north and west, Belgium to the south, and Germany to the east, and shares maritime borders...
(RTL NederlandRTL NederlandRTL Nederland is a subsidiary of the RTL Group. The media company is located in Hilversum. Although the licences of it tv-stations RTL 4, RTL 5, RTL 7 and RTL 8 are officially Luxembourgish, the company targets the Dutch market...
, formerly known as Holland Media Groep or HMG and until 1995 RTL 4 SA)
- RTL 4RTL 4RTL 4 is a commercial television station in the Netherlands. It is the most-watched commercial station in the country, popular especially with those aged between 20 and 49. The station has three sister tv channels: RTL 5, RTL 7 and RTL 8...
(73.7%) (started in 1989 as RTL Veronique, renamed in 1990 as RTL 4) - RTL 5RTL 5RTL 5 is the 2nd channel of the RTL Group in the Netherlands. The channel mainly broadcasts American films and hit series but also local productions including Jensen! and Holland's Next Top Model, a Dutch version of America's Next Top Model. RTL 5 recently started airing the Dutch version of...
(73.7 %) - RTL 7 (formerly known as YorinYorinYorin was a Dutch television channel. Yorin disappeared and most programs of this channel went to RTL 5. The programs of RTL 5 moved to a new channel called RTL 7....
) (73.7%) - RTL 8RTL 8RTL 8 is a commercial television station which launched in the Netherlands on 18 August 2007. The channel apperead by the former Tien, previously known as Talpa, which was launched in August 2005, and other assets of John de Mol's Talpa Media were amalgamated with RTL Nederland...
(formerly known as Talpa, Tien) (73.7%) - RTL Lounge (73.7%) (digital channel)
- RTL Crime (unknown) (digital channel)
- RTL 24RTL 24RTL 24 is a TV channel owned by RTL Group. It is used only in mobile phones. It is a Dutch language TV channel that broatcasts only news....
(73.7%) (TV on your mobile)
- RussiaRussiaRussia or , officially known as both Russia and the Russian Federation , is a country in northern Eurasia. It is a federal semi-presidential republic, comprising 83 federal subjects...
- National Media Group (REN TV, Channel OneChannel One (Russia)Channel One is the first television channel to broadcast in the Soviet Union. The channel was renamed Ostankino Channel 1 in 1991, after the Soviet Union broke up and the Russian SFSR became the Russian Federation. According to a recent government publication, the Russian government controls 51%...
, Channel 5Petersburg - Channel 5Petersburg - Channel 5 is a television channel based in St. Petersburg, Russia, also known simply as Channel 5. Director General: Alexey Brodskiy, Producer General: Ljubov Sovershaeva...
) (7.5%)
- SpainSpainSpain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...
- Antena 3Antena 3 (Spain)Antena 3 is a Spanish terrestrial television channel owned by Antena 3 de Televisión. Some of the more popular programmes broadcast by Antena 3 include Aquí no hay quien viva, El Barco, Los Protegidos, Los Simpson and El Internado....
(18.6%) - Antena.NovaAntena 3 (Spain)Antena 3 is a Spanish terrestrial television channel owned by Antena 3 de Televisión. Some of the more popular programmes broadcast by Antena 3 include Aquí no hay quien viva, El Barco, Los Protegidos, Los Simpson and El Internado....
(18.6%) - Antena.NeoxAntena 3 (Spain)Antena 3 is a Spanish terrestrial television channel owned by Antena 3 de Televisión. Some of the more popular programmes broadcast by Antena 3 include Aquí no hay quien viva, El Barco, Los Protegidos, Los Simpson and El Internado....
(18.6%)
Former stations
- RTL 7, a Polish-language satellite televisionSatellite televisionSatellite television is television programming delivered by the means of communications satellite and received by an outdoor antenna, usually a parabolic mirror generally referred to as a satellite dish, and as far as household usage is concerned, a satellite receiver either in the form of an...
channel was sold in December 2001 to TVNTVN (Poland)TVN is a major Polish commercial television network. The broadcaster was co-founded by Polish businessmen Mariusz Walter and Jan Wejchert. The network launched on October 3, 1997. TVN belongs to the TVN S.A...
owners ITIITI GroupITI Group , known as Grupa ITI in Polish, is a large media conglomerate headquartered in Warsaw, Poland. ITI Group controls the Polish television network, TVN, among its many holdings.The ITI Group was co-founded by businessmen Jan Wejchert and Mariusz Walter in 1984...
and became TVN 7. - Media CapitalMedia CapitalMedia Capital SGPS, SA, is a Portuguese media corporation founded in 1988 , based in Oeiras, Lisbon. Media Capital is a major media group in Portugal, and is one of the biggest media corporations in Europe...
, a PortuguesePortugalPortugal , officially the Portuguese Republic is a country situated in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula. Portugal is the westernmost country of Europe, and is bordered by the Atlantic Ocean to the West and South and by Spain to the North and East. The Atlantic archipelagos of the...
media group was sold to PrisaPRISAPromotora de Informaciones, S.A is a Spanish media conglomerate. The PRISA group was founded in 1972 by Jesús de Polanco.-Newspapers:* El País, daily newspaper* Diario AS sports newspaper* Cinco Días economic newspaper-Magazines:...
on 6 February 2007. Subsequently, RTL's 33% share in TVI was transferred to PrisaPRISAPromotora de Informaciones, S.A is a Spanish media conglomerate. The PRISA group was founded in 1972 by Jesús de Polanco.-Newspapers:* El País, daily newspaper* Diario AS sports newspaper* Cinco Días economic newspaper-Magazines:...
. - Five, a UKUnited KingdomThe United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
TV channel was sold to Richard DesmondRichard DesmondRichard Clive Desmond is an English publisher and businessman. He is the owner of Express Newspapers and founder in 1974 of Northern & Shell, which publishes various celebrity magazines, such as OK! and New!, and British national newspapers Daily Star and Daily Express...
's Northern & Shell on 23 July 2010.
Radio stations
Station followed by RTL's present share amount percentage.France
- RTLRTL (French radio)In France, RTL is a popular nation-wide commercial radio network owned by the RTL Group.In 1931, Radio Luxembourg, the public radio network from Luxembourg, was privatised. Beginning in 1946, it could be heard easily in France. Until the 1980s, only the French public radio networks could transmit...
(100%) - RTL 2 (100%)
- Fun RadioFun Radio (France)Fun Radio is a French network of FM radio stations created on 2 October 1985 and dedicated to R&B, Dance music, Electro music and House music, operating on 250 different frequencies across France. The station belongs to RTL Group as do its sisters stations RTL and RTL2...
(100%)
Germany
- 104.6 RTL (100%)
- RTL RadioRTL RADIOIn 1992 Radio Luxemburg, the German version of Radio Luxembourg, changed its format and profile to become RTL Radio. ....
(100%) - (100%)
- Antenne Bayern (16%)
- Radio HamburgRadio HamburgRadio Hamburg is a private commercial radio station set up in the '80s to play the big hits of the times. Nowadays it plays hits from the '90s onwards, on high rotation. Their slogan is "Die Mega-Hits der 90er, 2000er und dem Besten von heute“. Its services also include reports on weather and...
(29.17%) - Radio NRW (16.96%)
- Radio 21 (17.3%)
- Big FMBig FM (German radio station)Big FM is a German radio station.It first aired on 1 April 2000, and covered parts of Baden-Württemberg. On August 2003, it took over the frequencies of the defunct radio station RPR Zwei to expand to Rhineland-Palatinate...
(7.74%) - Radio Regenbogen (15.75%)
- Radio Dresden (31.9%)
- Radio Leipzig (31.9%)
- Radio Chemnitz (31.9%)
- Radio Lausitz (31.9%)
- Radio Zwickau (31.9%)
- Vogtland Radio (31.9%)
- Hit radio RTL (30.5%)
- Antenne Mecklenburg-Vorpommern (19.7%)
- Radio Brocken (53.5%)
- 89.0 RTL (53.5%)
- Antenne Thüringen (15%)
- Radio Ton (2%)
- BB Radio (unknown)
- 105'5 Spreeradio (33.8%)
- Radio Top 40 (unknown)
- Oldie 95 (4.78%)
- Rock Antenne (16%)
Greece
- Alpha Radio (66.6%)
- Palmos 96.5 fm (66.6%)
Luxembourg
- RTL Radio Letzebuerg (100%)
- RTL RadioRTL RADIOIn 1992 Radio Luxemburg, the German version of Radio Luxembourg, changed its format and profile to become RTL Radio. ....
(100%)
Netherlands
- Radio 538Radio 538Radio 538 is a Dutch commercial radio station aimed at young people. It has a broad format which includes Top 40, dance, R&B and recent hits...
(73,7%) - 538 Juize
- Radio 10 Gold
- Radio 10 Gold - Top 4000 Radio
- Radio 10 Gold - Disco Classics Radio
- Radio 10 Gold - 90's Hits
- Radio 10 Gold - 80's Hits
- Radio 10 Gold - 60's & 70's Hits
- RTL Lounge Radio
Belgium
- Bel RTL (44,2%)(but operational control)
- Radio Contact (Belgium) (44,2%)(but operational control)
- Mint (44,2%)(but operational control)
Spain
- Onda Cero (18.6%)
- Europa FM (18.6%)
Russia
- National Media Group (Radio Petersburg, Radio RSN) (7,5%)
Romania
- Romantic FM (~15%)
- News FM (~15%)
- Metropol FM (~15%)
- Radio Contact (1990-2003, now: Kiss FMKiss FM (Romania)Kiss FM is a Top40/Hit Radio station from Romania, owned by ProSiebenSat.1 Media AG. The station was rebranded from the old Radio Contact, after being purchased by a Belgian radio network...
)
Moldova
- Radio Contact (1998-2003, now: Kiss FMKiss FM (Romania)Kiss FM is a Top40/Hit Radio station from Romania, owned by ProSiebenSat.1 Media AG. The station was rebranded from the old Radio Contact, after being purchased by a Belgian radio network...
, ChişinăuChisinauChișinău is the capital and largest municipality of Moldova. It is also its main industrial and commercial centre and is located in the middle of the country, on the river Bîc...
branch)
Bulgaria
- Radio Contact (1999-2002, now: Radio 1 (Bulgaria))
Former stations
- Rádio ComercialRádio ComercialRádio Comercial is a commercial radio station in Portugal aimed at young and adult people. It has a broad format including contemporary, pop and rock music. It is among the most listened radio stations in the country.-History:...
, Cidade FMCidade FMCidade FM is a Portuguese radio-station that focuses on international and national hits. Cidade FM targets the younger audience, 15-24.Cidade FM is operated by the Portuguese Radio company Media Capital, or Media Capital Rádios, sister stations include: Rádio Comercial, Rádio Clube Português, Mix...
, Best Rock FM and Rádio Clube and other stations in PortugalPortugalPortugal , officially the Portuguese Republic is a country situated in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula. Portugal is the westernmost country of Europe, and is bordered by the Atlantic Ocean to the West and South and by Spain to the North and East. The Atlantic archipelagos of the...
, were transferred to PrisaPRISAPromotora de Informaciones, S.A is a Spanish media conglomerate. The PRISA group was founded in 1972 by Jesús de Polanco.-Newspapers:* El País, daily newspaper* Diario AS sports newspaper* Cinco Días economic newspaper-Magazines:...
when RTL sold its 33% share in Media CapitalMedia CapitalMedia Capital SGPS, SA, is a Portuguese media corporation founded in 1988 , based in Oeiras, Lisbon. Media Capital is a major media group in Portugal, and is one of the biggest media corporations in Europe...
group in February 2007.
Technical Services
- Broadcasting Center Europe
-
- Located in LuxembourgLuxembourgLuxembourg , officially the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg , is a landlocked country in western Europe, bordered by Belgium, France, and Germany. It has two principal regions: the Oesling in the North as part of the Ardennes massif, and the Gutland in the south...
, Broadcasting Center Europe is a European company providing technical services in the fields of TV, Radio, Telecommunications and IT. BCE was founded in January 2000 as a result of the merger of several technical entities of the RTL Group.- FremantleMediaFremantleMediaFremantleMedia, Ltd. is the content and production division of Bertelsmann's RTL Group, Europe's second largest TV, radio, and production company...
- FremantleMedia
- Located in Luxembourg