RTL Klub
 |
|
| Type | General interest |
|---|---|
| Country | Hungary |
| Availability | National; also available in Serbia, Romania, and other neighbouring countries |
| Headquarters | Budapest, Hungary |
| Owner | RTL Group |
| Parent | Bertelsmann |
|
Key people
|
Gabriella Vidus, CEO Dr. Péter Kolosi, Programming Director |
|
Launch date
|
October 7, 1997 |
|
Picture format
|
1080i (HD) 576i (SD) |
|
Official website
|
http://www.rtlklub.hu |
RTL Klub is a television station (M-RTL Zrt.) owned by RTL Group and broadcast in Hungary. It was one of Hungary's first commercial TV channels and was only three days after the main rival TV2 to begin broadcasting.
Since its start, RTL Klub has focused to gain viewers from the urban population. The channel airs programs mostly for a younger (18–49) audience.
RTL and TV2 aired two similar major reality series simultaneously. While TV2 purchased the rights of Big Brother, RTL Klub produced its own series called Való Világ (Real World). Való Világ had three seasons between 2002 and 2004. Since its second season the show has been much more successful than the rival Big Brother.
RTL is the most watched TV channel in Hungary since 2002, thanks to the daily Hungarian soap opera Barátok közt (Among Friends), which is the most watched TV programme in Hungary with more than 2 million viewers; the tabloid magazine Fókusz (Focus) and the game show Legyen Ön is milliomos (Who Wants to Be a Millionaire?). Millionaire is off the schedule from September 2007 after seven years and has replaced by A Széf (Take It Or Leave It).
From the fall-winter season of 2005–2006, RTL Klub has started to broadcast popular American TV shows like Lost. The first episode of Lost had almost 2 million viewers, and a 50% share. This was a record. The next year Prison Break started with almost 1.6 million. Nowadays a TV show at prime time (21:00) can reach 1–1.5 million viewers. In season 2006–2007 Prison Break was the most watched American series in Hungary.
From the fall season of 2007, RTL Klub has launched two new formats with great success. Poker Face ran like a tournament for six weeks with an average 38–42% share. The other new show was Csillag születik, the Hungarian version of the RTL Got Talent format. Poker Face ended with the super final at 18 December and the time slot of it will be occupied by the new game show A Széf (Take It or Leave it).
RTL Klub was the only licensed broadcaster of Formula One in Hungary from 2001 until 2011. After 10 years RTL decided not to renew the licence for Formula 1. The reason was that they wanted to concentrate mainly for the prime time programs because of the shrinking advertising market.
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Wikipedia