RTL to launch international pay-TV channel


Details

Joseph O'Halloran

| 06 January 2016




RTL is to launch the first globally available German TV station with a general interest entertainment programming targeting German-speaking expats and travellers.



Set for launch on 18 January, the new RTL International pay-TV channel will be transmitted in high definition (HD) and the programming offer will comprise almost exclusively the currently successful shows running on Germany’s market leader, which for the first time can be viewed by Germans overseas. This includes genres such as live news, magazines soaps and series.

Initial launch territories will include Canada, Australia, Southern Africa (with South Africa and Namibia), Israel and Georgia. The channel will be unveiled in the US in February on satellite, cable, IP and over-the-top (OTT) platforms. Distribution will be gradually and continuously expanded, and as of the second quarter 2016 also available via an app and through online video.

Partners already lined up for the channel’s premiere include Bell in Canada, Charter Communications in the USA, Deukom and Satelio for South Africa, FlipTV in Australia and Caucasus Online in Georgia.

Commenting on the launch, Stefan Sporn, general manager international distribution, RTL International, said: “There is a lot of interest in RTL International being expressed by the platforms all over the world because the station offers a unique opportunity to reach German expats with its premium German content. We look forward to this launch but also to the enormous potential opening up to us over the next few months to target even more platform partners so that we can reach even more people with our unique TV brands.”