European entertainment network RTL Group and North-American online video company BroadbandTV announced strategic partnership

• BroadbandTV is YouTube’s fifth largest Multi-Channel Network, managing more than 7,800 channels and generating around 800 million video views per month
• Investment accelerates RTL Group’s expansion strategy in the online video market
• Partnership positions BroadbandTV as a powerhouse in the online video space and significantly boosts RTL Group’s presence and expertise in the digital distribution space

Luxembourg/Vancouver, 27-6-2013 — /europawire.eu/ — RTL Group, the leading European entertainment network, and Vancouver-based online video company BroadbandTV today announced that they have formed a strategic partnership. RTL Group’s initial investment of €27 million (US-$36 million) is part of a planned series of investments in the company. The business partnership between the two companies creates a new platform for RTL Group’s digital strategy and allows the management team of BroadbandTV, led by Founder and CEO Shahrzad Rafati, to accelerate its global growth strategy.

Founded in 2005, BroadbandTV first entered the online video market with a creative solution for helping large media organisations benefit from a new revenue stream: the company’s innovative technology   detects videos which had been uploaded by fans on YouTube, and offers the organisations that own the IP a tool for monetising the content. BroadbandTV has since expanded its portfolio to include tools for the management, optimisation, protection and monetisation of video content, and its target audiences to include media companies, content creators and advertisers.

BroadbandTV now works with more than 7,800 independent channel partners through its network brands VISO and TGN. The company drives success for content creators of all sizes, from independent video entrepreneurs such as Element Animation, to well-established media brands such as Discovery Communications. The number of video views to BroadbandTV sites grew by 169 per cent year-on-year, reaching 2.1 billion views in the first quarter of 2013 alone.

Guillaume de Posch, Co-CEO of RTL Group, says: “As the leading European entertainment network, RTL Group is committed to becoming a major player in all segments of the rapidly growing online video market, and is ideally positioned to do so. Our major broadcasters have built leading catch-up TV services, while RTL Group’s global content arm, FremantleMedia, has become the highest-rated TV producer on YouTube, with 135 channels currently generating 400 million video views per month. Today, we are delighted to announce a partnership with BroadbandTV and Shahrzad Rafati that will further our development. Broadband TV is one of the most innovative companies in the YouTube ecosystem. RTL Group’s track record of allowing our businesses to be run autonomously by entrepreneurs means that BroadbandTV can maintain its culture and flexibility, while benefitting from our strong investment and partnership to drive continued growth.”

Shahrzad Rafati, Founder and CEO of BroadbandTV, says: “BroadbandTV has been on a rapid growth trajectory since we began, and that pace will only accelerate with our partnership with RTL Group. We are thrilled to have the powerful resources of RTL Group behind us. In addition to the competitive advantage for BroadbandTV, our customers and partners will benefit greatly from RTL Group’s global reach, advertising sales and expertise in producing amazing content. Our skill sets are complementary and we share mutual goals. Together, we have defined an ambitious growth plan fuelled by investments in technology, advertising sales, content, international expansion and talent. We have a shared vision to achieve market leadership in the digital space. Above all, what inspires me about this new partnership is that, even more than ever, it will enable content owners and creators across the globe to achieve their ambitious goals, which is one of the key reasons for BroadbandTV’s existence.”

Following the transaction, RTL Group holds a 51 per cent shareholding in BroadbandTV. In addition, RTL Group will appoint three members to the Board of BroadbandTV. RTL Group’s operations and BroadbandTV will explore joint business opportunities in areas such as development of original content and advertising sales, further strengthening RTL Group’s position in the online video market.

For further information please contact:

About RTL Group
RTL Group is the leading European entertainment network, with interests in 53 television channels and 28 radio stations in ten countries and content production throughout the world. The television portfolio of Europe’s largest broadcaster includes RTL Television in Germany, M6 in France, the RTL channels in the Netherlands, Belgium, Luxembourg, Croatia, Hungary and Antena 3 in Spain – the company also operates the joint venture channel Big RTL Thrill in India and has interests in National Media Group in Russia. RTL Group’s flagship radio station is RTL in France, and it also owns or has interests in other stations in France, Germany, Belgium, the Netherlands, Spain and Luxembourg. RTL Group’s content production arm, FremantleMedia, is one of the largest international creators, producers and distributors of multi-genre content outside the US. With operations in 22 countries, FremantleMedia’s comprehensive global network creates over 9,200 hours of programming a year and distributes over 20,000 hours of content worldwide.

About Broadband TV
BroadbandTV (BBTV) is an innovative media and technology company that drives success for online video creators by leveraging its proprietary technology and massive online reach. BBTV is one of the world’s largest entertainment networks on YouTube with over 7,800 network partners amassing 800 million+ impressions per month. The company lives by its core values of Creativity, Collaboration, Care and Drive to foster entrepreneurship amongst independent content creators, and to advance the online video industry.