Profile

RTL Group – the leading European entertainment network

With 43 television channels and 31 radio stations in 10 countries, RTL Group is the leading European entertainment network. The Luxembourg-based company operates TV channels and radio stations in Germany, France, Belgium, the Netherlands, Luxembourg, Spain, Greece, Russia, Hungary and Croatia. It is one of the world’s leading producers of television content such as talent and game shows, drama, daily soaps and telenovelas, including Idols, Got Talent, The X Factor, Good Times - Bad Times, Family Feud and The Bill.

The company history dates back to 1931 when the Compagnie Luxembourgeoise de Radiodiffusion (CLR) was founded. As a European pioneer, the company broadcast a unique programme in several languages using the same frequency. RTL Group itself was created in spring 2000 following the merger of Luxembourg-based CLT-UFA and the British content production company Pearson TV, owned by UK media group Pearson plc. CLT-UFA itself was created in 1997 when Bertelsmann AG (shareholder of UFA) and Audiofina (shareholder of the historic Compagnie Luxembourgeoise de Télédiffusion CLT) merged their TV, radio and TV production businesses.

In July 2001, Bertelsmann became majority shareholder of RTL Group following a stock swap with the Belgian-Canadian holding company Groupe Bruxelles Lambert (GBL). In December 2001, Bertelsmann entered into an agreement with Pearson plc to acquire its 22 per cent stake in RTL Group. Bertelsmann’s interest in RTL Group is now 91.2 per cent. The remaining 8.8 per cent of RTL Group is publicly traded on the Brussels and Luxembourg stock exchanges.

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