RTL Television, Germany’s most-watched commercial television channel, intends to launch a dedicated 24 hour news network. During the presentation of last year’s financial figures in Cologne last week managing director Gerhard Zeiler said that he is be prepared to make a bet “that there’ll be a news channel within two to three years with RTL’s participation”, adding that “this is a very important strategic move”.

RTL’s editor-in-chief Hans Mahr pointed out that the regular news broadcasts on RTL’s main channel were already market leader in the target group of 14-49 years ahead of main competitors ARD, ZDF, Sat 1 and Pro Sieben. “We have to exploit that competency”. However, Zeiler conceded that a final decision still has to be made.

RTL’s news channel would directly compete with n-tv in which CNN owns a major stake and N24, Pro Sieben’s news channel that launched in January. CNN itself has a daily German window on cable networks. Euronews is also available in the German language and was recently given carriage within ZDF’s digital multiplex on the Astra satellite. RTL had initially planned to launch a news channel in cooperation with partners in 1996. Talks were held with CNN and US-based networks ABC, CBS and Fox News. However, in November 1997 the project was scrapped and RTL decided to create an extensive branded news service on AOL Germany instead. Zeiler didn’t reveal whether the second attempt to start a news channel would be based on a pay-TV or free-to-air concept.

In 1999, RTL was audience market leader with an average 14.8 per cent share. The channel created a pre-tax profit of DM368 million (€188m) – the highest figure ever during RTL’s 16 year history. “For 2000 we expect a profit between DM 380 and 390 million,” Zeiler said.

The channel’s highlights this year will be blockbuster movies such as Titanic, Lost World and Air Force One and live coverage of the Champions League which returns to RTL after a short intermezzo at women’s channel TM3. The Cologne-based general interest channel will also profit from a closer coordination concerning programme scheduling and acquisition between RTL family members RTL, RTL II, Super RTL and Vox.