“the music and nothing else”
TRANSCRIPT
week 21 / 23 May 2013
Germany
Thomas Gottschalksigns exclusive contract with RTL Television
Luxembourg
A new website celebrates thehistory of legendary Radio Luxembourg
United States
Candice Gloverwins American Idol
Hungary
Dirk Gerkens is Hungary’s most influential media professional
“THE MUSIC AND NOTHING ELSE”Georges Lang celebrates 40 years of Les Nocturnes on RTL Radio
week 21 / 23 May 2013
Germany
WNew show formats with Thomas Gottschalk
Luxembourg
A colourful website dedicated to a colourful history
Luxembourg
RTL Group ‘connects’ in Brussels
North America
Candice Gloverwins American Idol
“THE MUSIC AND NOTHING ELSE”Georges Lang celebrates 40 years of Les Nocturnes on RTL Radio
CoverGeorges Lang
PublisherRTL Group
45, Bd Pierre FriedenL-1543 Luxembourg
Editor, Design, ProductionRTL Group
Corporate Communications & Marketing
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A colourful website dedicated to a colourful history RTL Groupp. 7–8
RTL Group ‘connects’ in Brussels
RTL Groupp. 9–10
New show formats with Thomas Gottschalk
RTL Televisionp. 11
Candice Gloverwins American Idol
FremantleMediaNorth America
p. 12
Hungary’s most infl uential media
professionals RTL Klub
p. 13
SHORTNEWS
p. 15
Big Picturep.14
“40 years of radio, 40 years of happiness live on RTL Radio”RTL Radiop.4–6
PEOPLE
p.16–17
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Georges Lang in the studio. Les Nocturnes airs Monday to Sunday from midnight to 3:00 and on Saturday from 1:00 to 3:00
“40 YEARS OF RADIO,
40 YEARS OF HAPPINESS LIVE ON RTL RADIO”
France – 23 May 2013
RTL Radio
On 22 May 2013, fans of the RTL Radio show
Les Nocturnes tuned in at around midnight and
settled in for the night to enjoy Georges Lang’s
selection of music. Nothing unusual there, you might
think – and certainly nothing unusual for fans who’ve been
listening for 40 years. Georges’ show first aired
on RTL Radio in May 1973. Backstage met him to test
his memory.
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An expert in rock n’ roll and pop music, Les Nocturnes – a show with 100,000 daily listeners on average – has been keeping night owls company for exactly 40 years now. The winningrecipe hasn’t changed over the time though: a healthy helping of pop rock, with a side of country, soul and a hint of the blues. Great tunes and a sprinkling of rare radio tidbits.
How it all started…Georges grew up in Metz, where there was a US military base at the time. To earn some money he used to babysit for American military families. Except he didn’t really babysit. He confesses: “I used to get the kids to bed early so I could listen to their parents’ records – the Platters, jazz, Ray Charles, he was my idol – I couldn’t afford my own records, and where could I buy such fantastic music, anyway?”
Georges has wanted to work in music since his early youth. “First I tried to play the guitar, but was no good. I started to study philosophy as well, but that was no use,” he says. “I longed to be in music, so I listened all the time to the radio, pirate radio, the English DJs on Radio Luxembourg playing the Beatles and the Animals. I said to the radio, to the DJs I was listening to, ‘one day I will do this, for longer than you’.” He has done what he set out to do: no radio presenter has ever been at the helm of their own show for so long.
On the search for his dream job, Georges Lang went to RTL Radio in Paris and asked for a job. They sent him back to Luxembourg to make a demo, and said they would call him. “I didn’t think they really would, but when they went to 24-hour broadcasting they offered me a late-night slot at 3:00,” he explains. “I did a show in November 1971. I didn’t imagine I’d be there for long, I was just happy to have a job. And from there it was on to Les Nocturnes 1973.”
The greatest rock starsLes Nocturnes brought listeners the greatest rock stars on air for the fi rst time in France. Georges had a lot of friends and connections in the US who were sending him music. “It was an exciting time. All these stars came on as guests.” He remembers: “In London, David Bowie had just arrived from
California. He was totally jet-lagged but very cooperative. When I interviewed Bryan Adams at the Hilton in Amsterdam, by the end of the interview my car, which I’d left in front of the hotel, had been towed to the municipal pound. Elton John, Rod Stewart – they’ve become good friends, too.”
A new format: ‘free-form radio’With Les Nocturnes, Georges Lang introduced a new format to France – ‘free-form radio’. He explains: “I don’t plan anything in advance. When I arrive in the studio, I have no idea what will happen. I choose my fi rst record. I make radio that I enjoy, fi rst and foremost, but of course I keep thelisteners in mind, too.” A further peculiarity ofthe show is that it brings in younger listeners as well. “I say on air: ‘The music and nothing else’. The music is the most interesting part of the show,
Next >
Poster promoting 40 years of Les Nocturnes
“I SAID TO THE RADIO, TO THE DJS I WAS LISTENINGTO, ‘ONE DAY I WILL DO THIS, FOR LONGER THAN YOU’.”
“ELTON JOHN, ROD STEWART – THEY’VE BECOME GOOD FRIENDSTOO.”
“I MAKE RADIO THAT I ENJOY, FIRST AND FOREMOST, BUT OF COURSE I KEEP THE LISTENERS IN MIND, TOO.”
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not me. I am alone in the studio, but know the listeners are there – and maybe they’re alone too,” he continues. “Therefore, whether they are students or parents, they all tune in seeking a ‘refuge’.” Christopher Baldelli, CEO of RTL Group’s French radio stations, confi rms: “Night radio can be very emotive. Georges’ long-standing success is based on the wonderful relationship he has with those listeners.”
What about the next 40 years?When asked about his plans for the next 40 years, Georges Lang says: “I am still passionate. You can’t do it for this long without passion. I’ll think about the day I step down but I don’t plan to do so now. It’s been 40 years of radio, 40 years of happiness live on RTL Radio, and I would like to thank all the RTL listeners without whom Les Nocturnes would not have been possible.” Meanwhile, to celebrate 40 years of Les Nocturnes, Georges Lang will welcome live 40 listeners for 40 nights to share the intimacy of making late-night radio – many of them anonymous, but also some celebrities includingthe writer Guillaume Musso and the singers Alex Hepburn, Patrick Bruel and Johnny Hallyday.
...or Katie Melua
Georges Lang has met a lot of artists such as Lenny Kravitz...
THE 40 YEARS OF LES NOCTURNES BOXED SET
The exceptional longevity of Les Nocturnes gives Georges Lang an opportunity to return to the roots of his original programming: with a boxed set of four CDs (one per decade) containing the most iconic songs witha cast of famous artists. Over five hours of music, 64 full-length tracks, photographsfrom the various periods, with Georges Lang’s notes containing anecdotes about the rock stars he has met.
A CAREER SPANNING FOUR DECADES
1973: Les Nocturnes launches on RTL Radio1979: WRTL (on weekends) launches on RTL Radio1980: Georges hosts Citron Grenadine on RTL-TVI in Belgium1984: He produces Bonsoir les clips for Antenne 2 (now France 2)1987: He ceremoniously ‘opens the antenna’ upon the launch of M62013: Georges celebrates his 40th anniversary at the mike on Les Nocturnes
GEORGES LANG’S TOP FIVE FAVOURITE SONGS
1 Joe Brown, I Wrote A Song
2 Elton John, Tiny Dancer
3 Linda Ronstadt, Down So Low
4 Ray Charles, Come Rain Or Come Shine
5 Glan Campbell, There Is No Me Without You
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RTL Group has relaunched the Radioluxembourg.co.uk website in a new design and with brand-new content. It documents and celebrates the history of a legendary radio station. Luxembourg – 23 May 2013
The English service of Radio Luxembourg enchanted generations of listeners with its famous programmes and presenters, not only in the UK. Among these throngs of enthralled listeners, certain names stand out – like Keith Richards of Rolling Stones fame, who was strongly infl uenced by listening to Radio Luxembourg in his youth as he explains in his autobiography Life: “The record that really turned me on, like an explosion one night, listening to Radio Luxembourg on my little radio when I was supposed to be in bed and asleep, was Heartbreak Hotel. I’d never heard it before or anything like it. When I woke up the next day I was a different guy.”
A COLOURFUL WEBSITE DEDICATEDTO A COLOURFUL HISTORY
RTL Group
The new website Radioluxembourg.co.uk
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The Radio Luxembourg phenomenon is cherished and remembered to this day, as shown by numerous references in news articles, and tribute sites and fan groups on the Web. Radio Luxembourg had a formative infl uence on generations of listeners and future musicians, even in Eastern Europe. “The Station of the Stars”, the famous “Two-O-Eight”, is still remembered today as THE popular European radio station of the 20th century.
A legend rememberedThe newly designed website, richly documented and illustrated with archive material, presents four main thematic sections: “History” which highlights important dates in the station’s history; “Presenters & DJs” which showcases some of its famous DJs including Stephen Williams, Barry Alldis and Bob Stewart; “The Station of the Stars” with the music stars who appeared regularly on air; and “Behind the Iron Curtain” which documents the major societal impact Radio Luxembourg had in Eastern Europe. A gallery with photographs, press articles, audio and video material rounds out the new website.
Additional content such as pictures and audio archives will be added on a regular basis – hopefully also including items submitted by the public following a call for archival material – to make the website as lively and attractive as possible. Visit Radioluxembourg.co.uk and embark on a journey through European radio history.
Take a walk down memory lane on Radioluxembourg.co.uk
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On 15 and 16 May 2013, Bertelsmann, NBC Universal and Grupo Planeta hosted their second ‘Lets Go Connected’ event in Brussels. RTL Group was represented both in the digital exhibits area and on panel discussions. Luxembourg – 21 May 2013
Around 200 representatives from government, business and associations gathered at Brussels’ Square Meeting Centre to discuss opportunities for media and content companies in the digital world and consider how business and politics can act in unison in the digital age.
On the evening of 15 May, after a welcoming address by the author Irvine Welsh, Bertelsmann CEO and RTL Group Executive Board Chairman Thomas Rabe gave a keynote on the economic potential of the creative industries. He said digitisation did not impinge upon Bertelsmann businesses but actually advances them. Rabe emphasized the many digital opportunities that are opening up for RTL Group and those which it is already using.
RTL Group presented some of these digital business models in the event’s exhibition area, where visitors and participants could learn more about catch-up TV, video-on-demand and second-screen services from RTL Now, M6 Replay and RTL à l’infi ni – an offer that was met with great interest.
The programme of the one-and-a-half-day event included several panel discussions on digital and media policy issues, hosted by the American author and journalist Robert Levine. In the fi rst panel discussion on “The importance of the media industry for a vibrant digital economy,” EU Justice Commissioner Viviane Reding, who was
RTL GROUP ‘CONNECTS’ IN BRUSSELS RTL Group
RTL Group showcase
Next >
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attending the event, spontaneously joined in with a plea for the creative industries, expressing her personal conviction that the debate should not be about machines, but content: Technology without content is useless, she said.
The participants on the “Territoriality matters – today’s cross-border reality in the audio visual world” panel included a representative from RTL Group in the person of Jamie Lynn, Executive Vice President Sales and Distribution EMEA at FremantleMedia Enterprises, who emphasised that rights holders are not interested in preventing cross-border access to content or prosecuting it; but he also asked for understanding that technology should be used to protect existing contracts and the resultant exclusivity.
In the fi nal panel on ‘Copyright protection’, Victoria Espinel, Intellectual Property Enforcement Coordinator for the US government, spoke live via video link from the White House to explain the Obama administration’s position on the current debates.
In addition, the organizers were able to present two exclusive studies on Europe’s progress in the fi elds of digitisation and territoriality.
RTL Group had every reason to be satisfi ed with the interest participants from all sectors showed in its digital business models. The event was coordinated on the part of RTL Group by Rhys Noelke, VP Business Development, and his team.
Irvine Welsh gave a welcoming address
RTL à l’infi ni on the TV screen
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RTL Television and Thomas Gottschalk are continuing their cooperation. Germany – 22 May 2013
The agreement provides exclusivity for RTL Television withregard to Germany’s major private and public broadcasters, and covers the hosting of various event-scale shows to be broadcast during prime time.
Frank Hoffmann, Programme Managing Director at RTL Television, says: “After some very inspiring talks withThomas Gottschalk, we have together developed several custom-tailored programmes for him. We are pleased to bepresenting several Gottschalk highlights to enrich the upcoming TV season.” Thomas Gottschalk: “RTL knows about entertainment, and I too now realise that viewers don’t want me on a small stage, nor in front of it: they want a big show. And they will be getting several of them.”
RTL Television will provide full details about the new shows in good time before the broadcast.
NEW SHOW FORMATSWITH THOMAS GOTTSCHALK
RTL Television
Thomas Gottschalk
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On Thursday 17 May, the twelfth season of American Idol came to an end and Candice Glover (23) was crowned the winner during a live two-hour fi nale on Fox. North America – 22 May 2013
Candice Glover from St Helena Island, South Carolina, edged out fellow female fi nalist Kree Harrison, 22, from Woodville, Texas to win the coveted American Idol title. On Wednesday night’s fi nal performance show, Candice and Kree each sang three songs to impress the judges but, most importantly, win over the public.
The live broadcast from the Nokia Theatre in downtown Los Angeles featured performances by the reunited Top 10 fi nalists, and a star-studded ‘who’s who’ of the music world. Mariah Carey, Keith Urban and Randy Jackson stepped out from behind the judges’ table to give the audience a special performance. In addition, the two-hour show included performances by Jennifer Lopez and Pitbull, Carly Rae Jepsen, Jennifer Hudson, Jessie J, Emeli Sandé and Aretha Franklin, among others.
Glover’s winning single I Am Beautiful is available for download exclusively on the American Idol website and I-Tunes. Glover will release her debut album this summer on 19 Recordings/Interscope Records.
American Idol is produced by FremantleMedia North America and 19 Entertainment, a division of Core Media Group.
CANDICE GLOVER WINS AMERICAN IDOL FremantleMedia North America
Candice Glover (left) performs with Jennifer Hudson
Candice Glover and Kree Harrison: American Idol 2013 fi nalists
Mariah Carey takes to the American Idol stage DID YOU KNOW?
Glover joins the ranks of other Idol winners including famous faces like Kelly Clarkson, Fantasia Barrino, Carrie Underwood, Jordin Sparks and Phillip Phillips.
American Idol returns this summer for another hit tour to showcase the season’s talented Top Finalists. The 40-show concert tour launches on Saturday 29 June in St. Louis, Missouri.
Summer auditions for season 13 of American Idol kick off in July in Salt Lake City.
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Marketing & Media magazine once again announced its annual listing of the most infl uential personalities of Hungary’s media landscape. For the sixth time in a row, Dirk Gerkens, CEO of RTL Hungary, tops the list.Hungary – 21 May 2013
The new ranking was published at the conference “Media Hungary” this May in a special issue of the magazine. The list is being compiled by a professional jury made of media professionals. Dirk Gerkens, the CEO of RTL Hungary tops the list every year since the fi rst ranking was published.
Gabriella Vidus, Managing Director of R-time, RTL Hungary’s advertising sales house, came in fourth on the list. Programming Director of RTL Hungary, Peter Kolosi, ranks tenth, while Ákos Róbert, Chief Operating Offi cer of RTL Hungary takes 19th place.
With 4 representatives on the list, RTL Hungary is again the company with the most employees on the list of the top 50.
HUNGARY’S MOST INFLUENTIALMEDIA PROFESSIONALS
RTL Hungary
Dirk Gerkens, CEO of RTL Hungary
Simon Cowell outnumbered by women
Fox announced the new jury line-up for the third season of the US version of The X Factor. Simon Cowell and Demi Lovato will be joined by former Destiny’s Child, Kelly Rowland,
and contemporary Latin artist, Paulina Rubio.
Kelly
Simon
Demi
Paulina
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The daily (media) lives of families and childrenSuper RTL / IP Deutschland
At the ‘Kinderwelten’ (Children’s Worlds) trade conference in Cologne, IP Deutschland and Super RTL presented the latest research results regarding the use of media by children and families.Gemany – 17 May 2013
What water are we really drinking?M6
Just about everywhere on the planet there are increasing water shortages, due to a lack of resources or more frequent droughts. On Sunday, 19 May 2013 at 20:50, M6 aired the fi fth edition of the newsmagazine Capital Terre, dedicated to water – a programme that gathered 2.9 million viewers.France – 21 May 2013
An incredible opportunity for amateur DJsGroupe M6 / Fun Radio
Following the success of the fi rst edition, the M6 Mobile DJ Experience returns. The contest allows the best amateur DJs to compete for a chance to mix at Starfl oor, the dance fl oor event of the year.France – 22 May 2013
SHORT NEWS 1/1
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PEOPLE
FREDERIKPLEITGEN
RTL TelevisionGermany – 22 May 2013
In future, CNN correspondent Frederik Pleitgen will strengthen the presenting team of the RTL Nachtjournal news magazine on RTL Television.
Frederik Pleitgen, Berlin correspondent of the leading international news channel CNN, will also work for RTL Television in future. In addition to his work at CNN, the 36-year-old will host RTL Nachtjournal for one week a month. Pleitgen succeeds Christoph Lang, who took over management of the RTL studio in Munich earlier this year.
RTL Television’s Editor-in-Chief Peter Kloeppel: “We are delighted to have an accomplished, full-blooded journalist joining our team in the person of Frederik Pleitgen. He has extensive international experience of covering crises, and viewers will also benefi t from his excellent knowledge of the Berlin political scene during our upcoming intensive coverage of the German parliamentary election campaign. Fred was our fi rst-choice candidate, and CNN has kindly made him available to us for fi ve days a month.”
Pleitgen adds: “I’m thrilled to be working for a brand of RTL’s stature while also continuing to fulfi l my role as a correspondent for the leading international news channel, CNN. In particular, the coverage of the upcoming elections is of national and international signifi cance. I look forward to doing my work with a passion, for the viewers of both channels.”
Frederik Pleitgen was born in Cologne. After his studies, including a year at the New York University School of Journalism, he worked for N-TV. From 2000 to early 2006, he worked as a reporter and Managing Editor for Mediengruppe RTL Deutschland’s news channels. Since late 2006, he has been Berlin correspondent for CNN, reporting on political, cultural and economic issues in Germany. In addition, he travels extensively as a foreign correspondent and to work on documentaries.
Frederik Pleitgen
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Michael Duderstädt Nina Gerhardt
PEOPLE
NINA GERHARDT
MICHAELDUDERSTÄDT
RTL Radio DeutschlandGermany – 23 May 2013
Nina Gerhardt will succeed Duderstädt from September 2013. Gerhardt comes to RTL Radio Deutschland from the National Association of German Newspaper Publishers, where she has served as advisor to the Chief Executive Offi cer and as media policy adviser since 2007.
Says Zimmer: “We are pleased that, in Nina Gerhardt, we have been able to win such a knowledgeable and well-connected communications specialist for our company and for the radio genre.”
On 1 July 2013, the RTL Radio Deutschland’s head of Media Policy and Communications, Michael Duderstädt, is leaving to join the Gema royalty collecting society as Director, Political Communications.
Michael Duderstädt has worked in his present role at RTL Radio Deutschland since March 2007. RTL Radio Deutschland CEO Gert Zimmer comments on the upcoming change: “Michael Duderstädt has very successfully embedded RTL Radio Deutschland’smedia policy concerns in federal and state politics over the past six years. We regret his departure and thank him for his excellent work. “
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