week 27 / 4 July 2013

Germany

Bernd Reichart wants Vox to be “louder and edgier”

United Kingdom

55 local versionsof Got Talent

Luxembourg

Participation rates up again for Employee Survey 2013

Germany

A cross-media advertising campaign for Germany’s favourite daily series

TOTALCONVERGENCE

How M6 Publicité successfully exploits Groupe M6 brands

week 27 / 4 July 2013

Germany

Bernd Reichart wants Vox to be “louder and edgier”

United Kingdom

55 local versionsof Got Talent

Luxembourg

Participation rates up again for Employee Survey 2013

Germany

A cross-media advertising campaign for Germany’s favourite daily series

TOTALCONVERGENCE

How M6 Publicité successfully exploits Groupe M6 brands

CoverMontage with Ronan de Fressenel, Deputy General Manager

in charge of Marketing and research (right)and Nicolas Thorin, Head of the

web advertising arm

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

“We want to belivelier and edgier”

Voxp. 9

Total worldwide –in 55 local versions

FremantleMediap. 11

Employee Survey 2013:Participation rates up again

RTL Groupp. 8

“The biggest and most important business”

Bertelsmannp. 12

Daily series on the social net

Grundy UFA / RTL Televisionp. 10

SHORTNEWS

p. 14–16

“Telling consumers a consistent story”M6 Publicitép.4–7

PEOPLE

p.17

Big Picturep.13

4

Ronan de Fressenel, Deputy General Manager in charge of marketing and research (left) and Nicolas Thorin, Head of the web advertising arm

“TELLING CONSUMERS

A CONSISTENT STORY”

France – 4 July 2013

M6 Publicité

M6 Publicité provides advertisers with a major advertising offering and

capable of connecting with a very broad audience

thanks to its many highly recognisable brands. Backstage set out tolearn more about the

services it offers.

5

Like any media sales house belonging to a television group, M6 Publicité is responsiblefor commercialising and marketing advertising space, on its television channels and web media. However, the services offered by M6 Publicité go well beyond the bounds of traditional advertising. “Thanks to the power of the M6 brand and its shows, enormous leverage is possible both offl ine and online,” says Ronan de Fressenel, Deputy General Manager in charge of marketing and research. “We can offer advertisers unique and customised communication tools by joining forces with M6 Créations and/or M6 Licences. Both combine creativity and perfect knowledge of our brands.”

One example of a customised campaign is the one created for Auchan supermarkets during the fourth season of cookery show Top Chef, which, for example, included adverts featuring Auchan personnel interacting with the candidates. Top Chef products, including a cake produced on-screen by a candidate exclusively for Auchan, was sold the next day in the supermarkets andeach week customers were treated to events and activities linked to the show.

As Ronan de Fressenel puts it, “This is a good example of brand association, in terms of both ‘affi nity’ – since the advertiser’s brand is closely linked to the programme’s values – and in terms of ‘power’, since the brand was present across multiple media. M6 Publicité’s strength lies in the fact that we can tell consumers a consistent story. Very few media houses offer this kind of all in one service.”

They also used ‘Dynamic Contents’ in this 360° campaign. Nicolas Thorin, Head of the web advertising arm, explains: “This innovative advertising format features interactive product placement. For Top Chef we suggested it to a creambrand as part of a licensed web series. When you saw the cream on screen, a ‘target’ appeared next to it. The user was able to click on it or touch it to get additional information.”

As is the case with any kind of innovation, demand for this tool is still nascent, “but interest is growing,” says Nicolas Thorin, adding that “At M6 Publicité Digital, we are able to leverage our innovations to offer things other than traditional advertising. We use our brands to try to bring advertisers’ brands to life. And we do this in synergy with what television advertising can already offer them. We call this total convergence.”

As a pioneer in this area, M6 Publicité Digital was also the fi rst media sales house in France to offer second screen advertising. “Enriched TV advertising campaigns are the big trend right now,” says Nicolas Thorin. “We have two kinds of synchronised placements: ‘partner’ and ‘contextual’.For the former, synchronisation occurs when thecommercial is aired; for the latter synchronisation happens during the show, with the product integrated into the plot.” In May, Banque Populaire – in collaboration with M6 Publicité and Zénith (an agency) – became the fi rst bank to launch an enriched TV advertising campaign. While

M6 CRÉATIONSM6 Publicité’s media production department delivers creative and innovative solutions customised to advertisers’ general communication strategies, including sponsorship credits, advertising films, game modules, on-air design and special operations for Groupe M6 channels.

M6 LICENCESM6 Publicité’s licensing department extends the connection between advertisers and the brands and programmes of Groupe M6 channels by marketing and managinglicences.

Next >

...complementary information is displayed

When clicking on or touching the ‘target’...

6

the commercial aired, viewers had access – via M6, W9, 6ter (mobile and tablet) applications – to synchronised spaces providing additional information.

For almost a year now M6 Publicité Digital has been offering advertisers ‘brand channels’ on Replay. Based on the Group’s video services, the ‘brand channel’ is a tool enabling advertisers toenjoy premium editorial multi-screen highlighting on catch-up TV (PC, mobile, tablets and, since May, IPTV). Advertisers also get a special web space where they can broadcast commercials or ‘brand content’, such as exclusive extras, teasers and trailers. As Nicolas Thorin explains, “They could also be called ‘brand programmes’, becausewithin the Replay platform advertisers get an exclusive programme window for their content. This is a very popular tool because it provides aunique level of visibility.” Universal Pictures France was the fi rst advertiser to try out the toolwith the theatrical release of Fast and Furious 6. The campaign ran from 21 to 27 May, chalking upmore than one million views.

M6 Publicité also carries out marketing research to help advertisers and media agencies in their quest for inspiration and creative ideas. This isthe case with studies Consommation,

Comportement, Télévision: quelles sont les tendances émergentes de 2013? (Consumption, Behaviour, Television: what are the emergingtrends of 2013?) and Les Nouveaux Adultes, la période de la vie où tout se joue (The New Adults – the period in life where all is decided). “Originally, this kind of research and the strategic information was intended for in-house use. We then thought that the fi ndings could also be of interest to advertisers. And we were right; these studies are very successful and very popular.”

For instance, the trends study for 2013 reveals that the economic crisis is encouraging individuals and consumers to be creative and more demanding, and to seek out greater freedom. Now more than ever, new technologies are their allies in their efforts to succeed. Les Nouveaux Adultes showed advertisers that, among other things, this particular target group made up of independent young adults aged 25 to 34 had a high potential for brand loyalty. This is invaluable information that helps advertisers hone their marketing decisions.

This research, like the innovative tools provided by M6 Publicité, makes Groupe M6’s media sales house unique in France, enabling it to indeed go beyond the classical services expected from an advertising house.

M6 PUBLICITÉ DIGITAL – FACTS & FIGURESMonthly:- More than 14.7 million unique visitors- 50 million video views- 250 million page viewson 20 websites, IPTV* services and mobile and tablet applications

* available on Freebox, SFR neufbox, Bbox and Orange Livebox

Next >

MARQUES MEDIA & DIVERTISSEMENT PORTAILS THEMATIQUES

E-COMMERCE

7

M6 PUBLICITÉ GLOSSARY*Audience surfing a new tool enabling advertisers to benefit from the high profileand audience of the various (thematic) websites in the Groupe M6 portfolio. The editorial content is juxtaposed with the brand content

*Targeted advertising on Replay a tool offered in partnership with Ezakus used to address a specific target audience within the total catch-up TV audience, thus enablingadvertisers to be closer to their television advertising purchases no matter the type of video consumption

ANNUAL TREND STUDY: CONSOMMATION, COMPORTEMENT, TÉLÉVISION: QUELLES SONT LES TENDANCES ÉMERGENTES DE 2013? (Consumption, Behaviour, Television: what are the emerging trends of 2013?)

This study is produced by the Groupe M6 marketing teams in partnership with Ipsos and Trend Observer. It is a tool for understanding French people’s state of mind. Groupe M6 uses thesesocietal trends to deliver programmes that meet viewers’ expectations.

The analytical work done by Groupe M6 revealed three key areas for 2013 and 14 new inspirational trends for our brands:

Creativity by everyone: a burst of creativity is being seen among individuals and brands. The crisis is encouraging everyone to think up a new system and to do things themselves

Luxury for everyone: the idea of luxury – a crisis-resistant sector – is moving into more general public brands, be it in terms of expertise, services and customisation

Freedom first: in response to the economic crisis, we are looking for freedom of consumption, with no limits and no model forced on us; we are also seeking greater freedom of movement

8

With a total participation rate of 86.9 per cent for this year’s Employee Survey, RTL Group has increased this key indicator by 8.4 percentage points compared to the 2010 survey, as the preliminary results show.Luxembourg – 1 July 2013

Participation rates across the Group increased signifi cantly, especially at RTL Radio in France, RTL Klub in Hungary and Mediengruppe RTL Deutschland in Germany. The Corporate Centre in Luxembourgshowed the highest participation of all RTL Group units with 95.8 per cent, an increase of 5 percentage points compared to the previous survey.

“I am very happy with these preliminary results. For the 2013 edition of the Employee Survey, not only did we see participation rates of over 80 per cent for nearly all of our units, but this is also the fourth consecutive time since the survey’s inception in 2002 that RTL Group’s overall participation rate has increased. I would like to take this opportunity to thank all our employees and also the HR teams across RTL Group who have contributed to this success,” says Romain Mannelli, Executive Vice President, Human Resources, and adds: “We’ve come a long way since 2002, but now we have the most important work ahead of us. Management can now drive a positive process of exchange based on the results, and take targeted action.”

The results of the Employee Survey 2013 will be communicated in early September.

EMPLOYEE SURVEY 2013:PARTICIPATION RATES UP AGAIN

RTL Group

2002

63.4%

*Preliminary results

71.3%

78.5%

86.9%

2006 2010 2013

*

Evolution of the Employee Survey’s participation rate since 2002 at RTL Group

9

In an interview with the German magazine Werben & Verkaufen, Bernd Reichart, the new Managing Director of Vox, explains how he wants to continue to develop the Cologne station: making it bolder, edgier and taking a few risks. Germany – 1 July 2013

Bernd Reichart has joined Vox from RTL Group’s Spanish commercial TV broadcaster Antena 3. He says he is delighted with this opportunity as he knows that “Vox is still close to Anke Schäferkordt’s heart. The channel is her baby. She and Frank Hoffmann made it what it is today.” After nearly ten years of experience in Spanish television, where he worked as Managing Director Multichannel at Antena 3, “switching to the big German TV market, which is still as robust as ever, is a wonderful prospect.”

Although Reichart has not worked in Germany for the past ten years, television is a global business and there are many parallels between the Spanish and German markets. “For instance, in Germany as in Spain, formats from the same big international production companies are adapted, and you have the same series output from the major studios,” he explains. “Moreover, you deal with the same international advertisers and advertising agencies.”

The new Managing Director explains his goals for the channel and says his strategy does not involve repositioning: “It’s more about moving beyond Vox’s core audience and inviting new viewers to discover our programme line-up.” Above all, Reichart wants totry new things: “We’re aiming high and plan to further narrowthe gap to the established channels of the fi rst generation.To do this, Vox must and will continue to provide ‘Voxy’ formatsthat are not found on other channels. Regular Vox viewers expect this from us. We wouldn’t be successful with ‘me too’ programming.”

Vox’s daytime programme line-up has become “strong and sturdy” over the past two years, “so that we can afford to be more experimental in other time slots – for example, in prime time,” while still keeping the popular genres on board. “We want to keep our core topics such as fashion, cooking, animals and emigrants fresh and optimise the relevant formats. We also want to be more willing to take risks.”

One thing is clear: “Vox will stay ‘Voxy’.”

“WE WANT TO BE LIVELIER AND EDGIER” Vox

Bernd Reichart, Managing Director, Vox

10

A cross-media on-air, advertising and Facebook campaign for the three daily series Gute Zeiten, schlechte Zeiten, Alles was zählt and Unter uns has been ongoing since 3 July, under the heading ‘Miteinander mehr erleben’ (Experience more together). Germany – 4 July 2013

Every day, RTL Television will broadcast short trailers featuring popular characters from the three beloved daily series. For instance, series character Emily Höfer (Gute Zeiten, schlechte Zeiten) might say: “Honestly, we have so much fun together. We’ve still got a lot of shared experiences ahead.” Each clip ends with the statement: Together every day. Specifi cally, the featured characters are Eva Wagner and Easy Winter from Unter Uns, the Alles was zählt characters Letizia Kaldenhoff, Jenny Steinkamp and Bea Meyer, and Max Kruger, Emily Höfer and Jasmin Flemming from GZSZ.

In addition to eight print ads and eleven TV commercials, the campaign includes a systematic online extension. On Facebook, viewers are given the opportunity to get in touch with characters from the series. The focus is on interactivity between users and characters. The on-air ads call on users to communicate with the characters and interact with them about everyday matters.

So, every day, the editors of Grundy UFA’s Digital Drama department will post statements from each character’s perspectiveon the series’ offi cial Facebook page. Thanks to the dailyupdates, interaction between fans and formats has rarely been so high.

DAILY SERIES ON THE SOCIAL NETGrundy UFA / RTL Television

Poster motif for Unter Uns

11

Bernd Reichart

FremantleMedia and Syco Entertainmentannounced the record-breaking achievementof Got Talent as the hit international formatreaches its 55th local adaptation – a record unequalled by any other talent show in history. United Kingdom – 28 June 2013

Got Talent is a global ratings phenomenon that captivates audiences

around the world with adaptations across Europe, Asia Pacifi c, the Middle East, Africa and the Americas. The launch of Afghanistan’s Got Talent on 1TV Media later this year will round the number of local Got Talent formats off at 55. The announcement follows the recent launches of Brazil’s Got Talent on Rede Record and Kazakhstan’s Got Talent on Kazakhstan 1 earlier this year.

Rob Clark, Director, Global Entertainment Development, FremantleMedia said: “Got Talent has fi rmly cemented itself as the world’s favourite format and we are immensely proud of its continued achievements. It is a uniquely global entertainment show that transcends cultures and countries, becoming a fi rm audience favourite, series after series. Got Talent is an all-round record-breaker. Whether it is notching up more territory sales than any other talent format, or reaching over a billion views on the Britain’s Got Talent YouTube channel, the show is a true phenomenon. More than 620 million viewers have watched the Got Talent format since it fi rst launched in 2006 and as the show continues to enter new markets, FremantleMedia and Syco look forward to its continued success.”

55 LOCAL VERSIONS FremantleMedia

THE SUCCESS DOESN’T STOP:

Britain’s Got Talent, the UK’s number one entertainment show of the last decade, hashad seven hit seasons

America’s Got Talent, the longest running local version of the format, is currently in its eighth season, attracting peak audiences of more than 11 million viewers

And further local versions of Got Talent are on the way, with total sales of the block-buster format, co-owned by FremantleMedia and Syco, having reached 58 territories to date

On top of the record number of local format adaptations, the US version, America’s Got Talent, has been sold to 180 countries by FremantleMedia International

Susan Boyle, winner of Britain’s Got Talent 2009

12

In an interview with the German newspaper Süddeutsche Zeitung, Thomas Rabe, Chairman & CEO of Bertelsmann, spoke about the merger of the book publishers Random House and Penguin, discussed the media group’s strategy, and emphasised the great importance of the TV business for Bertelsmann.Germany – 2 July 2013

In the interview, Rabe also underscored the importance of content for all of the group’s divisions: “We are a content company, and we believe in the value of content, especially in the digital age. Therefore, we will further expand and strengthen the content business.”

The proceeds from the sale of RTL Group shares in April 2013 could also be used for this, Rabe said. He would not rule out the odd transaction during the second half of 2013. But he stressed that the reduction of Bertelsmann’s shareholding in RTL Group doesn’t mean Bertelsmann is abandoning the company: “On the contrary, we continue to hold at least 75 per cent and have a clear intention to retain the leadership. We’re committed to the TV business. It is and remains Bertelsmann’s biggest and most important business.”

Asked whether he is worried that RTL Group is beyond its peak, Thomas Rabe, who is also Chairman of the Board of RTL Group, replied: “I’ve been on board for 13 years and I’ve learned that every creative business goes through cycles – without exception. At RTL we’re coming from a very high level, and we are witnessing a second wave of fragmentation in the TV industry. The number of TV channels is growing steadily. But it’s not as if television is becoming less important – on the contrary, it’s becoming more important when you take on-demand television into account. Video is also playing an increasing role in the digital world.”

“THE BIGGEST AND MOST IMPORTANT BUSINESS” Bertelsmann

Thomas Rabe, Chairman and CEO of Bertelsmann

The 2013 edition of the Tour de France, from 29 June to 21 July this year, will be the sporting event of the summer on RTL Radio in France and RTL Lëtzebuerg. Fans can follow the 100th edition of the cycling event on TV, radio and online. They will have the opportunity to listen tointerviews with, for example, Andy Schleck,the famous Luxembourgish cyclist.

On the road with Tour de France 2013

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14

The German TV market in June 2013Mediengruppe RTL Deutschland

In June, Mediengruppe RTL Deutschland’s broadcasters achieved a combined audience share of 30.2 per cent in the 14 to 59 age group, putting them 4.9 percentage points ahead of the ProSiebenSat1 channels.Germany – 2 July 2013

The French TV market in June 2013Groupe M6

In the month of June 2013, M6 registered a 10.4 per cent total audience share – a 0.4 percentage point increase over the month of May. W9 remained the number fi ve channel with viewers under 50 with a 4.6 per cent audience share, while 6ter registered its highest score since its launch. France – 4 July 2013

The Dutch TV market in June 2013RTL Nederland

In June 2013, RTL Nederland’s channels achieved a combined audience share of 32.5 per cent in the target group of viewers aged 20 to 49 (June 2012: 26.5 per cent), outperforming the public service broadcasters (22.2 per cent) and the SBS group (21.3 per cent).The Netherlands – 3 July 2013

Live video boosts RTL.fr’s audienceRTL Radio

RTL Net released the audience results for the RTL.fr website in May. The live video service launched at the end of April boosted the radio station’s live audience in all digital media and helped the website set a new record. France – 4 July 2013

SHORT NEWS 1/3

15

The listeners take over Fun Radio

On 27 June 2013, Fun Radio offered its listeners an original and unique experience – to have a direct infl uence on how the day’s programmes unfolded through social networks on Fun Radio Social Day.France – 28 June 2013

The future looks bright for Psychic TiaFremantleMedia North America

FremantleMedia North America announced the premiere of a new real life series, Psychic Tia, on the A&E channel with back-to-back episodes airing on Saturday 3 of August. North America – 1 July 2013

Bel RTL is set for summerBel RTL

Some of the new programmes which started on 1 July include: La Chasse au trésor de Bel RTL, an entertainment programme in which two teams of listeners compete each morning in a different Wallonian community.Belgium – 1 July 2013

Grundy Light Entertainment tops Kress production company rankings once againGrundy Light Entertainment

The Kress Saisoncheck 2012/13 season review has ranked Grundy Light Entertainment as Germany’s most successful TV production company for the seventh consecutive year.Germany – 2 July 2013

SHORT NEWS 2/3

16

M6 rewarded for its children’s programmesM6

On 26 June 2013, the Prix Média Enfance Majuscule awarded two prizes to M6, for its television programmes on childhood and children’s protection.France – 2 July 2013

First details of new show formatRTL Television

In May 2013, RTL Television and Thomas Gottschalk had agreed to continue their exclusive collaboration. The channel has now announced new details: in Die 2 – Gottschalk & Jauch gegen Allethe two presenters will compete against the whole of Germany.Germany – 3 July 2013

All that’s in fashion on Paris PremièreParis Première

From 3 to 5 July 2013, Paris Première gives viewers a sneak preview of next winter’s fashion trends from the greatest design houses.France – 3 July 2013

Boundless escapes to the ContinentFremantleMedia UK

Boundless, a FremantleMedia UK company, is producing a new series for BBC Two. Escape to the Continent is a brand extension of the popular daytime show Escape to the Country on BBC One.United Kingdom – 4 July 2013

SHORT NEWS 3/3

17

PEOPLE

ALBA VENTURA JOINS RTL RADIO’S MORNING SHOW

RTL RadioFrance – 3 July 2013

Alain Duhamel, one of the voices on RTL Matin for 14 years now, expressed a desire to continue working with RTL Radio in a new way. He explains his move from the morning show to RTL Soir: “Politics is indispensable. I would say that it is more important than ever, at a time when it has fewer means than ever. I’m still fascinated by it, and that’s why I’d like to contribute a refl ective column between 18:00 and 18:30, because I think it’s worth the effort.”

Alba Ventura has been covering French politics for 13 years. She has worked for the political bureaus of Europe 1, RMC and BFM TV. In 2008, she joined RTL Radio as Deputy Political Bureau Chief, before being promoted to Chief of the same bureau in May 2012. Since 2011, Alba Ventura has contributed the political column Les Carnets d’Alba every morning at 6:50.

Following political columnist Alain Duhamel’s decision to leave RTL Radio’s morning show for the 18:00 time slot, Christopher Baldelli, Chairman of the Board of RTL Radio in France, has decided to entrust themorning political column to RTL Radio’s Political Bureau Chief, Alba Ventura.

Christopher Baldelli made this decision following a suggestion by News Director Jacques Esnous. RTL Radio’s Chairman of the Board welcomes the idea. “For fi ve years at RTL Radio, Alba Ventura has demonstrated her talent in deciphering what goes on behind the scenes in politics. We are therefore proud to entrust her with the morning political column.” For two years, Alba Ventura has contributed a political column, Les Carnets d’Alba, which airs on RTL Radio at 6:50.

Alba Ventura

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