RTL II slashes jobs and pivots to streaming amid ad revenue decline
RTL II is making major changes to its business as TV advertising revenue continues to fall. CEO Thorsten Braun has announced job cuts and a shift in strategy to focus more on streaming growth. The broadcaster will also adjust its linear TV programming to target a specific age group. Braun confirmed that RTL II will reduce its workforce to stay competitive in a volatile market. While the exact number of job losses remains undisclosed, the company has agreed with its works council to explore voluntary solutions first. The move follows a broader trend in German media, with ProSiebenSat.1 cutting 430 jobs in a restructuring programme launched in May 2023.
The broadcaster will now separate its linear TV and streaming operations to boost growth in digital viewing. Braun is even prepared to accept financial losses on high-quality reality shows if they help expand RTL II's streaming audience. New FAST channels featuring popular brands like Grip, The Geissens, and The Wollnys are also planned.
In linear TV, RTL II will focus more on viewers aged 30 to 59. The changes come as RTL Group as a whole plans to eliminate around 600 positions across all divisions due to declining ad revenue. The restructuring aims to secure RTL II's long-term financial stability while adapting to shifting viewer habits. Job cuts and strategic adjustments in programming will shape the broadcaster's future direction. The company has not yet revealed specific details about the scale or timing of the reductions.
Read also:
- American teenagers taking up farming roles previously filled by immigrants, a concept revisited from 1965's labor market shift.
- Weekly affairs in the German Federal Parliament (Bundestag)
- Landslide claims seven lives, injures six individuals while they work to restore a water channel in the northern region of Pakistan
- Escalating conflict in Sudan has prompted the United Nations to announce a critical gender crisis, highlighting the disproportionate impact of the ongoing violence on women and girls.
