Mediengruppe RTL Deutschland and Gruner + Jahr to develop joint growth strategy

(PRESS RELEASE) COLOGNE/ HAMBURG, 10-Feb-2021 — /EuropaWire/ — Mediengruppe RTL Deutschland announces plans of working with Gruner + Jahr even more closely in the future. Workshops are now being organized by both companies for representatives of their respective top managements, to examine various options with an open-ended approach and mindset. The aim is not only to cooperate even more closely in various fields but also to develop a joint growth strategy, building on an already intensified cooperation. The partnership ranges from the joint staging of their strong brands, to journalistic and editorial exchange, to the development of new formats.

“It is gratifying to see how successfully Mediengruppe RTL Deutschland and Gruner + Jahr have been working together for several years,” said Bertelsmann CEO Thomas Rabe, welcoming the companies’ initiative. “The important thing now is that we tap into shared potential and encourage even more growth.” Rabe sees Mediengruppe RTL and G+J’s decision as being consistent with Bertelsmann’s strategy, and explains: “Bertelsmann must find its own responses to the competition with the global tech platforms. Alone and on their own, our businesses will hardly survive this competition long-term. Our answer is therefore: more collaboration, to add size, resources and competence.” This is the reason, he says, that Bertelsmann began creating alliances and partnerships a few years ago.

Mediengruppe RTL and Gruner + Jahr are represented in these alliances, and also cooperate bilaterally beyond this. The G+J magazine “Stern”, for example, and Mediengruppe RTL’s news magazines exchange editorial news and stories. “Gala” and “RTL Exclusiv” also cooperate closely. In the Audio Alliance, the partners work together on further developing the growing medium of podcasts. In addition, the two media companies operate the “Greenhouse” innovation lab in Hamburg. Mediengruppe RTL even launched its own pay-TV channel in 2014 under the name of G+J’s renowned reportage magazine: “Geo Television.”

Media contact:

Andreas Grafemeyer
Head of the Press Office
Phone: +49 (0) 52 41 80 24 66

SOURCE: Bertelsmann SE & Co. KGaA