RTL and ProSiebenSat.1 confirm online catch-up TV plan

German broadcasters RTL and ProSiebenSat.1 have confirmed plans to launch a joint internet TV service. The service will see content offered online seven days after its initial broadcast. The two companies have applied for approval from the European Commission.

The joint venture company’s offering is open to German and Austrian private and public TV channels. The platform is intended to enable providers to make content, including series, films, shows or news broadcasts, available online via a central, web-based offering. Internet users will be able to retrieve content free of charge seven days after TV transmission. Individual TV channels will continue to be responsible for marketing the content.

German public broadcasters ARD and ZDF have separately developed an online catch-up platform called Mediathek, which offers a range of programmes online after their initial broadcast.

“For the first time, the new platform will give internet users the ability to retrieve time-shifted TV content via a central and clearly organised internet platform tailored to the German and Austrian markets. The platform will strengthen competition in the German and Austrian market and is intended to help to put participating TV channels in a strong position to compete with international internet offerings,” ProSiebenSat.1 spokesman Julian Geist said.