BERLIN/KÖLN (dpa-AFX) - For RTL, the external video platform YouTube is becoming more important for the playout of program content. RTL News Managing Director Martin Gradl said on Tuesday at a congress of the media authorities in Berlin that the first formats were on YouTube. He is convinced that more needs to be done there. Basically, you have to be where the users are. Perhaps we haven't done enough in recent years, he added self-critically. With its presence on YouTube, RTL hopes to reach an audience that no longer consumes linear television programs. Other media companies, including public broadcasters, are taking a similar approach. Gradl explained that "snackable content" - i.e. excerpts of program content - is a huge opportunity for traditional media brands - also to reach young people.

When asked, RTL Germany stated that it is active on YouTube with more than ten accounts. Over the past year, the company has expanded its offering to include original content in addition to clips from TV shows. "At the moment, the strategy includes accompanying content such as interviews with footballers, the weekly format "Voice of Washington" with USA correspondent and RTL Aktuell presenter Christopher Wittich, the weekly format "Good News" and studio formats such as reunion shows from reality programs."

ProSiebenSat.1 manager Henrik Pabst, who is responsible for all content on ProSieben, Sat.1 and the streaming platform Joyn, also spoke at the congress. Pabst said that the past weekend had shown that well-known faces such as entertainers Joko and Klaas could bring people back to linear TV. On Sunday, the duo dominated the program on ProSieben for 24 hours - the station had no influence. Pabst also said that the balancing act between entertainment and information was generally feasible. The symposium also dealt with 40 years of private broadcasting in Germany and media diversity. Pabst spoke out against over-regulation of private broadcasters and cited advertising as an important economic pillar as an example.

According to the media authorities, interest in news and its reach in Germany continued to decline in 2023. The regulators refer to a special evaluation on the topic of "Avoiding news avoidance! The heterogeneous needs of young people" from the long-term study Reuters Institute Digital News Report 2023. There is also a trend towards selective use of news, with an increased interest in positive and constructive content./rin/DP/ngu