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RTL

Country	Croatia
Headquarters	Zagreb
Programming
Picture format	1080i HDTV
Ownership
Owner	RTL Hrvatska (CME)
Sister channels	RTL 2 RTL Kockica RTL Living RTL Crime RTL Passion RTL Adria RTL Croatia World
History
Launched	30 April 2004; 20 years ago (2004-04-30)
Links
Website	www.rtl.hr

RTL (previously known as RTL Televizija) is a Croatian free-to-air television network founded on 30 April 2004. It was owned by the RTL Group from 2004 to 2022. Since 1 June 2022, it is owned by the CME Group. It is the second commercial television network in Croatia that has a national concession, following Nova TV.

History

RTL began broadcasting on 30 April 2004 at 18:45 CET. The first broadcast of RTL's news program, RTL Vijesti, was hosted that day by Tomislav Jelinčić and Tanja Tomić. At the time of its launch, RTL was operated from one office which contained only 10 computers and 10 employees. Throughout the years, the network grew into a multi-medial platform with over 300 employees.

On 15 May 2014, RTL Group announced that Henning Tewes, managing director of news provider Enex, would be appointed chief executive officer (CEO) of RTL Hrvatska from 1 July 2014. Tewes succeeded Johannes Züll, who left the RTL Group to become president and CEO of Studio Hamburg. Following a proposal from Tewes, Ivan Lovreček, former editor-in-chief and member of the executive board of RTL Hrvatska, was promoted to deputy CEO of the company on 1 July 2014.

The blocks got a three-dimensional design on 16 September 2015. Mein RTL would be used in some idents.

On 12 November 2019, as part of a nationwide transition to the DVB-T2 broadcast standard among all Croatian broadcasters, the channel including with RTL 2, RTL Kockica, RTL Passion, RTL Living, and RTL Crime launched their HD feeds. A month later, on 20 December 2019, RTL debuted a new flat logo and graphics package that replaced the Phoenica font (used by RTL's parent channel in its on-air appearance) with the well-known FF DIN font. At this point, its slogan was "Više od Televizije" (English: More than Television).

On 15 September 2021, the German version of RTL was relaunched with a new multi-colored logo. It was confirmed that the new logo would debut in Croatia sometime in the near future, however this has not happened as of 2024.

On 14 February 2022, it was announced that RTL Group reached an agreement with Central European Media Enterprises for the sale of RTL Hrvatska. On 1 June 2022, the transaction of RTL Hrvatska to CME had been completed.

The channel celebrated 20 years of existence through April and May of 2024, featuring new ident bumpers with taglines such as "20 years of originality", "20 years ahead of everyone" and "20 years of changing lives." The bumpers featured RTL's most prominent television personalities, such as the news' and other program's hosts. A special two-part series titled 20 godina zajedno (transl. 20 Years Together) aired on 4 and 5 May. Hosted by Antonija Blaće, the special series looked back on the most memorable moments in RTL's history.

Programming

Original programming

Along with HRT and Nova TV, RTL is one of the three networks that air the largest amount of original television programming in Croatia. In recent years, the channel usually slots original series during the week in the evening, from around 17:00 CET, with the network's major shows airing in the prime time (20:15 to 22:00 CET). Earlier parts of the day are usually reserved for acquired programming and for re-runs of the shows from the previous day.

News programming

RTL broadcasts its own news program daily. Currently, the main news program titled RTL Danas (transl. RTL Today) airs its short news program at 16:30 CET every day excluding Friday, followed by the main news program airing daily from 19:00 to 20:15 CET. RTL Danas, which was previously known as RTL Vijesti (transl. RTL News), covers the most prominent political, cultural and other news of the day that are relevant in Croatia and in the world.

As of April 2015, a 30-minute late-night news program titled RTL Direkt airs Monday to Thursday, usually around 22:15 CET. Although Direkt mostly recaps political and other events featured in RTL Danas, it also focuses on covering popular culture, an example being a special episode aired 13 May 2024 which was dedicated to the review of the 2024 Eurovision Song Contest. Direkt usually features guests, varying from political persons, celebrities, experts in certain fields and other notable people. Its current host is Mojmira Pastorčić, who replaced Zoran Šprajc in 2022.

Scripted series

RTL is known for Zabranjena ljubav, the first Croatian soap opera. It premiered in 2004 and aired over 800 episodes. RTL also aired various original drama and comedy series through the years.

• Zabranjena ljubav (2004–2011)
• Bibin svijet (2006–2011)
• Sudnica (2006)
• Krim Tim 2 (2007)
• Ne daj se, Nina (2007–2008)
• Moja 3 zida (2009)
• Instruktor (2010)
• Krv nije voda (2011–2022)
• Ruža vjetrova (2011–2013)
• Tajne (2013)
• Vatre ivanjske (2014)
• Horvatovi (2015)
• Prava žena (2016)
• Dragi susjedi (2018)
• Pogrešan čovjek (2018)
• Blago nama (2020–2022)
• San snova (2023–2024)
• Sjene prošlosti (2024)

Reality series

A large chunk of RTL's original programming consists of reality series, which are mostly Croatian adaptations of foreign reality show formats. In September 2004, RTL began airing Big Brother, its first reality series. The finale of the first season reached a record audience of 1.8 million viewers. The series went on to air seven seasons, concluding in May 2018.

The channel aired various dating reality series, the first being Scrolovka in 2004. Ljubav je na selu (transl. Love is at the Countryside), a Croatian iteration of Farmer Wants a Wife, premiered in September 2008, and is one of the longest-running Croatian reality series, having entered its seventeenth season in May 2024. RTL also aired Croatian iterations of other popular dating series such as Brak na prvu (Married at First Sight) and Gospodin Savršeni (The Bachelor).

Cooking and food-related reality series are also a part of RTL's staple programming. Večera za 5 (transl. Dinner for Five, based on Come Dine with Me), has been on air since 2007. The series was re-branded as Večera za 5 na selu (transl. Dinner for Five at the Countryside) from 2019 to 2022 until returning to its original title in 2023. It is the longest-running Croatian culinary series. In 2013, RTL aired an original cooking reality series format titled Tri, dva jedan - peci! (transl. Three, two, one - bake!), and later its spin-off Tri, dva jedan - kuhaj! (transl. Three, two, one - cook!), which premiered in 2014. Croatian versions of Ramsay's Kitchen Nightmares and Hell's Kitchen were also aired by the channel.

A part of the channel's programming has also been dedicated to talent-show singing reality series. Hrvatska traži zvijezdu (transl. Croatia's Star Search), was the second Croatian iteration of Idol, following Nova TV's 2004 Hrvatski Idol. It aired three seasons from 2009 to 2011. A reboot of the series titled Superstar premiered on RTL in September 2023.

Game show series

• Veto (2004, based on Das Quiz mit Jörg Pilawa)
• Fear Factor (2006–2007, based on Fear Factor)
• Kunolovac (2007)
• Pobjedi Šolu (2009, based on Schlag den Raab)
• Tog se nitko nije sjetio! (2013, based on Pointless)
• Tko će ga znati? (2013)
• Pet na Pet (2014–2018, based on Family Feud)
• Kolo sreće (2015–2020, based on The Wheel of Fortune)
• Direktor svemira (2021, based on Taskmaster)
• Ma lažeš! (2021)
• Dođi, pogodi, osvoji (2021–, based on The Price Is Right)

Other notable programming

• Sanja (2004, a talk-show hosted by Sanja Doležal)
• Exkluziv Tabloid (2004, a lifestyle and celebrity gossip series with spin-offs such as Exkluziv Fashion and Exkluziv Vikend)
• Galileo (2011–2015, an educational series)
• Studio 45 (2011–2014, a talk-show)
• InDizajn s Mirajnom Mikulec (2012–, an interior design series)
• Ludi bar (2019, a talk-show)
• Gradi(ona) (2021–, an exterior and interior design series)
• Stanje nacije (2022–, a political satire series hosted by Zoran Šprajc)
• Dosje Jarak (2023–, a true-crime documentary)

Acquired programming

The channel mostly acquires English-language programming, as well as a smaller chunk of regional (Serbian or Slovene) programming. Throughout 2000s and early 2010s, RTL aired popular American sitcoms such as Family Matters (1989–1998), Full House (1987–1994), How I Met Your Mother (2005–2014), Malcolm in the Middle (2000–2005), Step by Step (1991–1997), and The Nanny (1993–1998). During this period, Spanish-language telenovelas were also popular on the channel, including Dame Chocolate (2007) and El Rostro de Analía (2008–2009), until Turkish series such as Muhteşem Yüzyıl (2011–2014) took over in the early 2010s. Most of such programs were moved to RTL 2 after its launch in 2011, and later to RTL Passion. Serbian series that aired on the channel include Južni vetar (2022) and Toma (2023–2024).

Before launching RTL Kockica in 2014, the channel also focused on programming for children, airing animated series every day in the morning. Croatian dubs of series such as Ben 10 (2005–2008), Dexter's Laboratory (1995–2003), PopPixie (2011), Strawberry Shortcake (2003), and Trollz (2005) premiered on RTL. The Croatian dub of SpongeBob SquarePants (2000–) also originally premiered RTL, before the series was moved to Nickelodeon with its Croatian-language audio launch in 2011. The channel occasionally featured a programming block titled Disney dan (transl. Disney Day), airing popular Disney movies such as Finding Nemo (2003) and Frozen (2013).

Sports

Throughout all of its daily news programs, RTL Televizija has broadcast daily sports news throughout all of its daily news programs. The Croatian national football team used to broadcast its away matches there between 2004 and 2007. Since 2008, HRT has been broadcasting these matches once again.

RTL Televizija occasionally also broadcast boxing bouts and the highlights of the Red Bull Air Race events. They also bought the TV rights for all the matches of the 2009 World Men's Handball Championship, which was held in Croatia. This proved to be a big hit to Croatia's public broadcaster HRT, who even threatened to take legal action against RTL after they refused to sell them the rights to broadcast the match highlights during their news programs.

Streaming

RTL launched its streaming service RTL Play on 12 January 2018. It was a free ad-supported service that offered access to RTL's programming, as well as a livestream of RTL's channels. A paid Play Premium option was also available; it featured access to locked content and programming exclusive to the service, such as new episodes of the scripted drama series Krv nije voda.

In July 2023, RTL announced that RTL Play is getting replaced with Voyo, a subscription-based video on demand over-the-top service. Voyo launched on 27 August, offering subscribers an access to new episodes of RTL's both original and acquired television series 24 hours prior to their television broadcast. The service also focuses on offering exclusive acquired programming that has not been broadcast on RTL.

Viewership

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Audience and advertising share

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Sister channels

References

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2. ^ Dziadul, Chris (1 June 2022). "CME acquires RTL Croatia". broadbandtvnews.com. Broadband TV News. Archived from the original on 5 December 2022. Retrieved 13 December 2024.
3. ^ "RTL danas slavi 20. rođendan: Gledateljima će se odužiti na poseban način!" [RTL is celebrating its 20th birthday today: The viewers will be repaid in a special way!]. net.hr (in Croatian). 30 April 2024. Archived from the original on 23 May 2024. Retrieved 25 May 2024. Prije točno 20 godina, 30. travnja 2004. godine u 18:45 sati započelo je emitiranje programa RTL-a. [Exactly 20 years ago, on April 30, 2004, at 6:45 p.m., the broadcasting of the RTL program began.]
4. Belošević, Nikolina (30 April 2018). "Pogledajte kako su izgledale prve vijesti RTL-a prije točno 14 godina" [See how the first RTL news looked exactly 14 years ago]. tportal.hr (in Croatian). Archived from the original on 15 August 2018. Retrieved 25 May 2024.
5. Gajnik, Mateja (30 January 2018). "S RTL-a, nakon 13 godina, odlazi zamjenik šefa Uprave Ivan Lovreček" [Deputy Head of Management Ivan Lovreček is leaving RTL after 13 years]. telegram.hr. Telegram. Archived from the original on 4 March 2018. Retrieved 13 December 2024. Lovreček je 2005. promoviran u dnevnog urednika informativnog programa, a 2007. imenovan je glavnim urednikom. Dvije godine kasnije postao je članom Uprave, a u srpnju 2014. zamjenikom predsjednika Uprave RTL Hrvatska. [Lovreček was promoted to daily news editor in 2005, and was appointed editor-in-chief in 2007. Two years later, he became a member of the Management Board, and in July 2014, Deputy Chairman of the Management Board of RTL Croatia.]
6. "RTL Hrvatska od ovog tjedna započela odašiljanje HD programa u DVB-T2 HEVC na području cijele Republike..." [RTL Croatia started broadcasting HD programs in DVB-T2 HEVC throughout the Republic of Croatia this week...]. rtl.hr. 15 November 2019. Archived from the original on 25 May 2024. Retrieved 13 December 2024.
7. "RTL DOBIVA NOVI VIZUALNI IDENTITET Kreirali su ga gledatelji, novi slogan je - 'Više od televizije'". Jutarnji list. 18 December 2019. Archived from the original on 1 November 2020.
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11. "RTL Direkt". 2024. Archived from the original on 12 December 2024. Retrieved 13 December 2024.
12. "Post by rtldirekt". Instagram (in Croatian). 13 May 2024. Retrieved 25 May 2024. Upravo zato večeras stiže posebno izdanje Direkta o Eurosongu, jednoj pjesmi i jednom pjevaču koji je osvojio Hrvatsku. [That's why a special edition of Direkt is coming tonight, about one song and one singer that conquered Croatia.]
13. "Zoran Šprajc nakon sedam godina napušta RTL Direkt, poznato je i tko će ga naslijediti u emisiji" [Zoran Šprajc is leaving RTL Direkt after 7 years, it's been revealed who's replacing him]. Večernji list (in Croatian). 20 January 2022. Retrieved 25 May 2024.
14. Miletić, Tomislav (13 April 2008). "Nakon 805 epizoda došao kraj "Zabranjenoj ljubavi"" [After 805 episodes, "Zabranjena ljubav" came to an end]. 24sata (in Croatian). Archived from the original on 25 May 2024. Retrieved 25 May 2024.
15. "RTL je s gledateljima već 20 godina: Ovo su projekti koji su pomicali granice i obarali rekorde!" [RTL has been with viewers for 20 years: These are projects that pushed boundaries and broke records!]. rtl.hr (in Croatian). RTL. 18 April 2024. Retrieved 25 May 2024.
16. Ludban, Helena (22 May 2024). "FOTO Ovo su farmeri koji će u 17. sezoni 'Ljubav je na selu' tražiti ljubav: Stižu i neka poznata lica" [PHOTO These are the farmers who will be looking for love in the 17th season of 'Ljubav je na selu': Some famous faces are also coming]. 24sata.hr (in Croatian). 24sata. Retrieved 25 May 2024.
17. "Antonija Blaće najavila četvrtu sezonu showa 'Gospodin Savršeni': 'Cure su jako zanimljive, a gledatelje očekuje novost'". Večernji list. 22 October 2024. Archived from the original on 25 November 2024. Retrieved 25 November 2024.
18. "Nova sezona slasnog showa Večera za 5 na selu' počinje 27. siječnja na RTL-u!" [The new season of the delicious show "Večera za 5 na selu" starts on January 27 on RTL!]. rtl.hr (in Croatian). RTL. 20 January 2020. Archived from the original on 25 May 2024. Retrieved 25 May 2024. Najdugovječnija kulinarska emisija i u jedanaestoj će sezoni gledatelje odvesti na ukusno gastro putovanje kroz Hrvatsku. [The longest-running culinary show will take viewers on a delicious gastronomic journey through Croatia in its eleventh season.]
19. "SuperStar na RTL-u kreće već iduće subote, a među kandidatima je i tiktoker Marin Novaković" [SuperStar premieres next Saturday on RTL, and Tiktoker Marin Novaković is among the candidates]. zena.net.hr. 16 September 2023. Archived from the original on 1 October 2023. Retrieved 29 June 2024.
20. "Sjećate se talk showa 'Sanja'? Kod Sanje Doležal čak se i jedan par vjenčao" [Do you remember the talk show 'Sanja'? One couple even got married on Sanja Doležal's show]. RTL. 5 May 2024. Archived from the original on 7 May 2024. Retrieved 13 December 2024.
21. "'Dosje Jarak' se vratio na platformu Voyo i donosi priču o najstrašnijem ubojici u povijesti Hrvatske!" ["Dosje Jarak" is back on the platform Voyo and it brings the story of the most terrible murderer in the history of Croatia!]. rtl.hr (in Croatian). RTL. 28 October 2024. Archived from the original on 11 November 2024. Retrieved 11 November 2024.
22. Šimić, Nikola (26 March 2013). "VIDEO: gdje su nestale RTL-ove poslijepodnevne humoristične serije?" [VIDEO: Where have RTL's afternoon sitcom series gone?]. ziher.hr (in Croatian). Archived from the original on 25 May 2024. Retrieved 25 May 2024.
23. "VIDEO: 'Sulejman Veličanstveni' vraća se na RTL!" [VIDEO: 'Sulejman Veličanstveni' returns to RTL!]. rtl.hr (in Croatian). RTL. 5 September 2013. Archived from the original on 23 February 2024. Retrieved 25 May 2024.
24. "Novi Disney dan! Cjelodnevno veselje za čitavu obitelj idućeg vikenda na RTL-u!" [New Disney Day! All-day fun for the whole family next weekend on RTL!]. rtl.hr (in Croatian). RTL. 3 May 2021. Archived from the original on 25 May 2024. Retrieved 25 May 2024.
25. "RTL: Super je da nas HRT tuži jer krše zakon zadnjih pet godina" [RTL: It's great that HRT is suing us because they've been breaking the law for the last five years]. Index.hr (in Croatian). 16 January 2009. Archived from the original on 5 August 2021. Retrieved 25 May 2024.
26. "EKSKLUZIVNO: Samo na RTLplayu pratite prvu utakmicu rukometnog prvenstva između Švedske i Islanda" [EXCLUSIVE: Watch the first match of the handball championship between Sweden and Iceland only on RTLplay]. rtl.hr (in Croatian). RTL. 12 January 2018. Archived from the original on 23 June 2024. Retrieved 23 June 2024.
27. "'Tata iz ormara' – nova epizoda 'Krv nije voda' čeka vas na PLAY Premiumu!" ["Dad from the Closet" – the new episode "Krv nije voda" is waiting for you on PLAY Premium!]. rtl.hr (in Croatian). RTL. 20 May 2022. Archived from the original on 28 November 2022. Retrieved 24 June 2024.
28. "RTL predstavlja Voyo! Stiže jedinstvena streaming platforma: Gledajte prije emitiranja na TV-u, i to bez reklama!" [RTL presents Voyo! A unique streaming platform is coming: Watch ahead of television broadcast, without commercials!]. net.hr (in Croatian). 31 July 2023. Archived from the original on 30 September 2023. Retrieved 24 June 2024.
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30. Hlušička, Darko (2 January 2011). "Još dva 16:9 programa: RTL 2 i Doma TV krenuli s emitiranjem" [Two more 16:9 programs: RTL 2 and Doma TV start broadcasting]. hdtelevizija.com (in Croatian). Archived from the original on 26 February 2024. Retrieved 13 December 2024.
31. Car, Maja (4 January 2024). "Za najmlađe starta novi TV kanal - razigrana Kockica" (in Croatian). Večernji list. Retrieved 13 December 2024.
32. "Od 18 sati krenuli RTL Crime, Passion i Living!". rtl.hr (in Croatian). 12 March 2015. Archived from the original on 26 March 2024.
33. "Program RTL-a od sada dostupan na još dva kontinenta i u gotovo 500 tisuća novih kućanstava!". 11 July 2016. Archived from the original on 25 September 2022.
34. "RTL je od danas bogatiji za još jedan kanal - RTL Adriju!". rtl.hr (in Croatian). 24 February 2020. Archived from the original on 30 May 2023.

External links

• Official website (in Croatian)

• Television channels in Croatia
• Television channels in North Macedonia
• Central European Media Enterprises
• Television channels and stations established in 2004
• 2004 establishments in Croatia
• Mass media in Zagreb
• Croatian-language television stations