RTL Group consolidates Belgian operation

RTL Group has agreed in principle with its co-shareholders in the group’s Belgian TV and radio operations to acquire their shares in RTL Belgium for cash and RTL Group treasury shares.

The move will take RTL Group’s shareholding in RTL Belgium to 100%. Currently, RTL Group is the controlling shareholder in RTL Belgium even without 100% ownership.
RTL Belgium operates three free-TV channels – RTL-TVI, a family, and general-interest service, Club RTL, which carries kids content, sports, classic movies and series, and youth-oriented Plug RTL, which focuses on fiction, youth culture and reality TV ­– all in French-speaking Belgium.

Last year, the RTL family of TV channels claimed a combined audience share of 34.5% in its key commercial target group, which it said was 14.9 percentage points ahead of the region’s public channels.

RTL Belgium also operates streaming service RTL Play and the news website RTLInfo.be, as well as radio stations comprise Bel RTL, Radio Contact and the digital station Mint.
Elmar Heggen, chief operating officer and deputy CEO of RTL Group, said: “After more than 30 years of successful cooperation with our co-shareholders, we have agreed to fully acquire RTL Belgium. This follows our strategy to consolidate across our European broadcasting footprint, wherever attractive opportunities arise. We will continue to invest in RTL Belgium and accelerate the transformation of the business, in particular via streaming services, advertising technology and data. We are looking forward to continuing the cooperation with our Belgian partners. They will remain closely associated with RTL Group.”