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RTL9 is a French-language Luxembourgish television channel shown in Luxembourg, France, Monaco, French Speaking Africa and the French-speaking regions of Switzerland.

Key Information

History of the channel

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Télé-Luxembourg

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Monochrome Pye Test Card G as seen from a monoscope. Used on Télé-Luxembourg from 1955 until the early-1970s.[1]

On 1 July 1954, CLR (Compagnie Luxembourgeoise de Radiodiffusion) changed their name to CLT (Compagnie Luxembourgeoise de Télédiffusion), to state their new ambition: television. On 20 May 1953, the administrative council of la CLR authorised their president, Robert Tabouis, to sign a contract with the Luxembourg government to run a television channel. They obtained the authority of the Grand Duke to permit a state-run monopoly of the channel.

The achievement of the great works of the Villa Louvigny coincided with the start of the construction of a television antenna at Ginsterberg close to Dudelange, a site which assured good reception, due to its altitude of 430 metres (1,410 ft), and its location only 200 metres (yards) from the French border. The project showed the intention to broadcast eastwards towards France.

On 23 January 1955, the date of her 59th birthday, the Grand Duchess Charlotte I launched Télé-Luxembourg with her husband, Prince Félix, marking the official birth of television in Luxembourg. On screen, a young announcer stated that "Télé-Luxembourg will become a part of your family". The first show consisted of introductions to the channel. At the time no studio had been installed at Villa Louvigny. The shows were directed from the building situated at the foot of the Dudelange Radio Tower. This omni-directional transmitter allowed Télé Luxembourg to be well received at first, with a range of around 150 km (93 mi) around Luxembourg, Ardennes, Lorraine and as far as Reims and Mulhouse. Using a VHF channel of E-07 initially showing programmes at 625 lines, and renamed "canal Luxembourg" in France, the standard was kept at the "Belgium" 819 lines or "819 narrowband" used in Francophone Belgium. It used a narrower bandwidth than Radiodiffusion-Télévision Française (with the result that images appear a little less clear), but have the advantage of being able to cram a greater number of transmitters in the same zone, allowing the channel to be seen by French and Wallonian viewers as well as foreign viewers in Germany, Netherlands, and Dutch-speaking Belgium. They were the first private television channel in Europe. Their mission was to show inter-regional information in French in Luxembourg, Belgium and Lorraine.

Even with the addition of some high-ranking staff from RTF (for which RTF unsuccessfully complained against Tele-Luxembourg), such as Jacques Navadic and Robert Diligent, later of Journal de Télé-Luxembourg, the launch of the channel was hazardous, with few experienced staff, teams consisting of former radio technicians who had moved into television. The productions became more professional and from 1956 to 1957, the CLT built a tower towards the top of Villa Louvigny which became the offices and studios of Télé-Luxembourg. The channel, which was then broadcasting for thirty hours per week, eventually was becoming noticed by the viewing public, and became a part of the audiovisual landscape.

As well as the live programmes, such as L'École Buissonnière, there were reports from around the country and neighbouring Francophone regions on Journal de Télé-Luxembourg, and Télé-Luxembourg delivered key programmes from Paris Productions and foreign films and television series. Little by little, the channel created its identity, and marked its difference from the austerity of the national French and Belgian channels. It was marked out by its sense of levity (gameshows, soaps, and nightly films) and fun (strong presence of French presenters such as Pierre Bellemare and Georges de Caunes and announcers such as Anna-Vera). Advertising was present from the outset, but the presenters themselves delivered the messages live. The popular success was so high that their efforts were recognised by hosting the 7th Eurovision Song Contest in 1962 shown across Europe from the Villa Louvigny. This national event was shown live to every café in the country.

In 1969, the Belgian government moved the frequencies for radio relay to cable. Coditel installed a reception station in the Ardennes at Saint Hubert and broadcast a signal from Télé-Luxembourg via cable from Namur, Brutélé which was distributed to the periphery of Liège and Brussels. From then on, est Belgacom which was then able to sell this on to other television distributors. The development of cable in Belgium, and especially Francophone Belgium, meant that Télé-Luxembourg sat alongside the French channels (TF1, Antenne 2 and FR3). Télé-Luxembourg then drew its main revenue from Belgium.

This family-oriented direction was popular and led Jacques Navadic in the 1970s to become the head of the channel. The programming consisted of films, American serials, gameshows, and chatshows using the same presenters gave Télé-Luxembourg star status in Luxembourg, the East of France and Belgium, reinforced by their move to colour in 1972 : as well as the VHF 819 line transmitter (channel E-07) reconverting to 625 lines SECAM, two new UHF transmitters were launched at the Dudelange Radio Tower, one for channel 21 in SECAM for France, one on channel 27 on PAL for Belgium. Every day, at the start of the channel, the heraldic lion of Luxembourg appeared on the circles symbolising the radio waves and the name Télé-Luxembourg, followed by an image of the Dudelange transmitter, with the voice of Jacques Harvey announcing : "Here is Télé-Luxembourg, channels 7, 21 and 27, Dudelange transmitter, Grand Duchy of Luxembourg.". The game shows soon followed, with Coffre-fort presented by Michèle Etzel, under the slogan Vivement ce soir sur Télé-Luxembourg, and advertising based on car stickers which viewers were encouraged to place in their cars, with these cars then being filmed and broadcast on air.

On 30 July 1981, the Dudelange Radio Tower was totally destroyed after a collision with a Belgian military aircraft, and RTL Télé Luxembourg was off the air for a few hours, until the back-up systems were up and running. The French president, François Mitterrand in person authorised TDF to use the former VHF 819 line transmitters of TF1 in Lorraine to relay RTL Télé Luxembourg in colour until the rebuilding of the tower in Dudelange. However, the 819 line transmitter did not correctly show the programmes. The transmitter at Dudelange was rebuilt in 1983, replaced by an automatic pylon.

RTL Télé Luxembourg created entertainment shows and showed series before any other channels. (It was the first channel in Europe to show Dallas, before even TF1). A regular claim on the channel was that a programme was being broadcast "priority for RTL Television". This policy of "outreach" relied heavily on the personality of the presenters. Jacques Navadic, director of programmes, launched a search for a new presenter in 1977. On a memorable evening, entitled Dix en lice ?, the public, the channel, and a jury of celebrities (Michel Drucker, Jean Lefebvre, Thérèse Leduc, Jacques Navadic, Robert Diligent) chose Marylène Bergmann to become one of the emblematic faces of the channel. A generation of new faces were first seen on the channel: André Torrent, Philippe Goffin, Bibiane Godfroid, Michèle Etzel, Claude Rappé, Anouchka Sikorsky, Jean-Luc Bertrand and Georges Lang.

RTL Télévision

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Telefunken FuBK colour test card used by RTL Télévision from 1972 until 1991.

RTL Télé Luxembourg was renamed RTL Télévision in 1982, marking the emergence of the RTL brand. During the 1980s, RTL Télévision had reached their peak. Under the direction of the new programming director, Jean Stock, a clutch of programmes and presenters were successful: Le Train des jouets, Léo contre tous, Citron Grenadine, Tête à Tête, Stop Star, Le Coffre-fort, Fréquence JLB, Atoukado and many presenters.

On 4 March 1983, RTL Télévision launched a microwave between Brussels and Luxembourg. The antenna was split channel between UHF SECAM 21 (Luxembourg / Lorraine) and UHF PAL 27 (Belgium). It allowed the Belgian channel to show Belgian-specific programmes (JTL, presented by Jean-Charles De Keyser and entertainment) alongside programmes for viers in Luxembourg and Lorraine. RTL Télévision then moved to the bottom of Avenue Franklin Roosevelt in Brussels, and built a studio, allowing it to extend its coverage (as part of the compensation package from the Belgian government for the Dudelange accident) to cover all Belgian territory via cable television which meant rapid development in Belgium.

With considerable audience enlargement in Belgium, the channel is finally profitable, and the CLT creates RTL Plus on 2 January 1984 for the German market and shown on the VHF channel E-07, which meant the loss a large part of the French audience of RTL Télévision from the reception zone of channel 21 to Lorraine, to the disappointment of those from Alsace, South-Lorraine, and Champagne-Ardenne, who were no longer able to view the channel. Part of the financial and technical resources of RTL Télévision moved to RTL Plus, while the channel also lost staff in March 1987, when a number of technicians, journalists and presenters took part in the launch of M6, created for the French market (the sixth channel, launched after the collapse of the music channel TV6). In September of the same year, the Belgian channel of RTL Télévision became independent with the launch of RTL-TVi which produced all of its programmes in Brussels. A number of key presenters and creative team of RTL Télévision were involved in these channels. At the same time, the five first cable television channels began broadcast in France.

Deprived of its Belgian audience, and broadcasting to Luxembourg and Lorraine, RTL Télévision was finding great difficulty in positioning itself in the French market. The need for renewal was felt to be essential, and in 1988, RTL Télévision tried to redynamise itself with small touches, such as modifying its logo and graphics (the appearance of the RTL balloon), and signing stars such as Geneviève Guicheney (from FR3) and launching new faces Agnès Duperrin and Martin Igier who had just graduated from the École Supérieure de Journalisme in Lille to replace those who had joined M6 and RTL-TVI. On Christmas Eve 1987, Robert Diligent co-presented his last Journal Télévisé alongside Agnès Duperrin. Those responsible for the channel reorganised the programmes to have a new format which was attractive to the young and more suited to attracting a new audience base. An internal conflict escalated between the old and new generation, which stood in the way of new investment. RTL Télévision abandoned its public service mission in Luxembourg to RTL Hei Elei, a new channel created in Luxembourg at the demand of the government. This was the end of an era.

RTL TV

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To mark the end of the era, RTL Télévision became RTL TV in 1991, becoming the first channel of the CLT Group, while RTL Plus took over the name RTL Television in 1992.

RTL TV changed its format due to the new director of programmes, Hugues Durocher, to attract a younger and more urban public. Films and serials gradually supplemented the traditional programmes and presenters were replaced by a new generation: Agnès Duperrin, Laurent Lespinasse, Katia Schmidt, Thierry Guillaume, Nicolas Albrand, Véronique Buson, Jérôme Anthony, Virginie Schanté, Françoise Gaujour, Fabienne Égal and Charlotte Gomez made their first appearances.

The channel aimed to restore the fundamentals of the channel and capitalise on the presenters and launched a vast publicity campaign under the slogan "l'esprit de famille". This slogan was repeated on air by presenters at the key shows on the air: Scrabble RTL with Thierry Guillaume and Véronique Buson, 40 minutes with Marylène Bergmann at the start of the evening, the 52-minute weekly RTL Santé presented by Agnès Duperrin, the female magazine F comme Femmes every lunchtime with Véronique Buson and Françoise Gaujour, the video shows of Music Family and Ligne Basket with Jérôme Anthony and Virginie Schanté and Galaxie with Thierry Guillaume, shown for the youth at the end of the afternoon and Wednesday afternoons and the job show Help!.

Refocussing on the public in Lorraine, RTL TV became more regionalised, and launched RTL Lorraine, which was separated from its big sister on cable and satellite with local shows (40 minutes en Lorraine, and other programmes on cable and satellite on Wednesday evenings) only available to the public in Lorraine via the radio transmitter on Channel 21 from the Dudelange Radio Tower.

RTL9

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In 1995, RTL TV marked their 40th anniversary with great ceremony in the grand auditorium of Villa Louvigny and officially renamed the channel RTL9 at the end of the night. The official reason for the change of name was a new youth focus to the channel (RTL9, c'est neuf !), but the CLT stated that the move was to avoid confusion with the Belgian channel, RTL-TVI and the German channel RTL Television.

In 1997, the CLT joined with the German audiovisual group UFA and so controlled production, broadcast, and rights for programmes. Faced with their Belgian and German cousins in direct competition in their countries, and with the increasing success of M6 in France, CLT-UFA faced questions regarding their audience in Lorraine and on French and Swiss cable. The new German-Luxembourger group was less attached to the heritage aspect than to the economic aspect of the company and urgent cost-cutting measures were undertaken. In December 1997, the group cut staff at the channel for economic reasons (RTL9 showed a loss of 50 million French francs) and on 3 March 1998, 65% of the capital of the channel was sold to AB Groupe, with CLT-UFA keeping the remaining 35%. A number of viewers deserted the channel, as did some of the key figureheads of the channel, led by Marylène Bergmann, who had been a presenter at the channel since 1977. Only Jean-Luc Bertrand, director of programmes, remained at the channel.

Reaching 650 000 homes on terrestrial channels in Lorraine and Luxembourg, 2.1 million homes via cable in France and Switzerland, 1.5 million via satellite contracts on the TPS satellite package, and via the CanalSat package, RTL9 is the number one channel in terms of relative audience for cable and satellite for the past ten years, and is the third most watched channel in Lorraine. Due to this, AB Groupe proposed that the channel should move to digital terrestrial television in France on 1 July 2002. The CSA refused, since the channel was a foreign channel, and therefore, it was not subject to the same obligations as its French rivals in terms of the broadcast of films and adverts, leading to unfair competition.

In 2005, RTL9 celebrated 50 years of broadcast with archive footage from between 1955 and 2005, but mostly from the RTL9 period, including a musical spectacular from Olympia in Paris presented by Jean-Luc Bertrand. In contrast to RTL-TVI which broadcast a documentary in March 2005 tracing the history of Télé-Luxembourg and the independence of the Belgian channel, or RTL Télé Lëtzebuerg which showed a documentary at the end of 2005 about the "T" in RTL, RTL9 did not show a similar programme, due to the loss of records when they moved offices in 1995. Instead, for the last week of December 2005, the programme of Jean-Luc Bertrand, Bienvenue chez vous, was taken over by former stars of the channel: Michèle Etzel, André Torrent, Jean Stock, Georges Lang and Marylène Bergmann, specially brought in to talk about their professional memories of the history of RTL Télévision.

Since 4 September 2006, RTL9 has renewed its graphic without changing its logo. The new graphic is 3D, created in-house, using the colours and the three shapes which form the channel's logo. A second event took place at the same time: the return of Marylène Bergmann after nine years away, to take over presenting duties on RTL-TVI, two days per week with her old co-presenter Jean-Luc Bertrand, on Bienvenue chez vous on RTL9 Lorraine.

From its foundation as the station of the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg, the RTL empire is still growing now shown in Germany, France, Belgium, the Netherlands, and Eastern Europe, covering 38 television channels and 29 radio stations in 2007.

In May 2008, AB changed RTL9, changing the regional name RTL9 Lorraine to RTL9 Est accompanied by a dedicated website.

In February 2009, AB rejuvenated the website of the channel with an emphasis on video content and the prominence of various departments of AB Groupe.

Since 16 September 2009, RTL9 have a Swiss feed with local ads.

On 1 June 2010, RTL9 passed in 16:9.[2] On 13 May 2014, RTL9 went on high definition on the Canalsat bouquet and in 2015 on Numericable and SFR. The channel is no longer broadcast in standard definition from this date on Astra.[3]

On 21 July 2017, Mediawan, through its audiovisual company AB Groupe, bought the 35% held by CLT-UFA and became its sole owner.

Visual identity (logos)

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  • Logo used from 2011 to 2023
    Logo used from 2011 to 2023
  • Logo used since 2023
    Logo used since 2023

Finance

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From 23 January 1995 to 2 March 1998, RTL9 was wholly owned by CLT SA, which became CLT-UFA SA in 1997. On 3 March 1998 the CLT-UFA Board of Directors decided, under pressure of the Groupe Bruxelles Lambert, to sell 65% of the capital of RTL9 to AB Groupe SA, with 2.25% of the capital held by the Banque Populaire de Lorraine.[4] RTL9 is now 65% owned by AB Luxembourg SA, a wholly owned subsidiary of AB Groupe SA, and 35% by CLT-UFA SA, a 99.7% subsidiary of RTL Group, which bought in 1998 the 2,25% of the Groupe Banque Populaire de Lorraine.

From 21 July 2017, Mediawan becomes the sole owner of the channel by purchasing the shares held by CLT-UFA.

Organisation

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Managers

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Presidents:

Director of broadcast:

  • Laurent Altide: since 3 March 1998

CEO:

Programme directors:

Director of programmes and special operations:

Directors of information:

Director of Marketing and Business Development:

Capital

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RTL9 is owned 97.75% by Mediawan Thematics (who acquired RTL Group's stake in 1998 and 2017), with 2.25% owned by Banque populaire Alsace Lorraine Champagne.

Headquarters

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The first headquarters of Télé-Luxembourg were based at Villa Louvigny in Luxembourg, a building flanked by an eight-storey tower, built in 1956–1957 by the CLT and housing the offices and studios of the channel. This address has become a legendary site in the audiovisual landscape. RTL Télévision and RTL TV stayed until 1990.

RTL Télévision moved to studios at 3, allée Saint-Symphorien, Metz at the end of 1990 to reach the public of Lorraine, but the final parts of the business remained at Villa Louvigny. In summer 1996, the television services at Villa Louvigny moved to new premises of the CLT named KB2 (KB1 was the building of the CLT dedicated to radio), built in Kirchberg, Luxembourg.

As the first cable and satellite channel in France, in 1995 RTL9 had a studio in Paris built at CNIT in la Défense until 1997.

Unfortunately, this move was not a success due to the declining fortunes of the channel, and people and materials were moved back to Metz and Luxembourg in December 1997, when RTL9 sold 65% of its capital to the AB Group.

This was the end of an era, and forty years of viewing was placed into the hands of the administrators.

In December 2005, the regional station left the Technopôle in Metz to move to 29 boulevard Saint-Symphorien, still in Metz.

Programmes

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RTL9 today is a TV station without any regional content, and is dedicated to recent cinema releases and to general entertainment consisting of numerous imports of recent popular US TV shows and of programmes from the AB Groupe catalogue.

Broadcast

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Transmission of RTL9 on the terrestrial UHF SECAM channel 21 from the Dudelange Radio Tower in the south of Luxembourg to the Lorraine region ended just after midnight on 1 January 2011. On 28 February 2011, digital TV transmission on channel 21 relaunched with a new TV station, "Air, l'autre télé".

RTL TV was shown on Télécom 2B satellite from 1992 until the end of 1994, but encrypted. A payment of 120 French francs was necessary to decrypt the signal via a decoder that costed 690 francs. At the end of December 1996, the new satellite package TPS launched the analogue signal, shown by the Télécom 2B satellite, to be shown via the Hot Bird satellite at 13° east until the start of 1998, when they would begin to broadcast in digital quality. On 26 December 2001, TPS gave up the exclusive rights for the satellite broadcast to RTL9 and the channel was then shown on CanalSat. AB Groupe, which has operated since April 1998, include it in their AB Sat satellite package.

In 2005, AB Groupe proposed to the CSA that the channel could be shown for free on Télévision Numérique Terrestre (TNT). It would have meant making the channel dedicated to "French fiction" and no longer showing films on Wednesday, Friday or Saturday nights, as the showing of films on these evenings is still banned in France. The project did not go forward, but AB got three other frequencies: TMC and NT1 for free-DTT, and AB1 for pay-DTT.

RTL9 is available with Canal+ and Bis Télévisions satellite packages, on Luxembourgish cable, French (Numericable), Swiss (UPC, Naxoo and Net+) and Lebanon (Cablevision), and on ADSL television packages.

It is also available on Molotov.tv and Watch it.

Timeline

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Chamber TV.dokUelzechtkanalNordliicht TVT.TVRTL 9RTL 9RTL 9RTL 9Den 2. RTLRTL Télé LëtzebuergRTL Télé Lëtzebuerg

See also

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References

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[edit]
Revisions and contributorsEdit on WikipediaRead on Wikipedia

RTL9

View on Grokipedia
from Grokipedia
RTL9 is a French-language commercial television channel specializing in cinema and general entertainment, broadcasting over 1,000 films annually across genres such as action, science fiction, comedy, and romance, alongside popular series and family-oriented programming. The channel traces its roots to Télé Luxembourg, Europe's second private broadcaster, which initiated experimental transmissions on January 23, 1955, from Dudelange, Luxembourg, with regular programming commencing on May 14, 1955, and targeting viewers in northeastern France, Luxembourg, and southern Belgium. Over the decades, it evolved through various iterations under the CLT (Compagnie Luxembourgeoise de Télédiffusion) umbrella, including names like RTL Télé Luxembourg and RTL Télévision, before relocating operations to Metz, France, in 1991 and rebranding as RTL9 in 1995. Since 1998, Groupe AB has held a stake in RTL9, following the acquisition of shares from , and in 2017, Groupe AB itself was fully acquired by for €270 million, integrating the channel into a broader portfolio of 16 thematic and generalist networks focused on French-speaking content production and distribution. Today, RTL9 operates as a and cable/satellite channel, emphasizing prime-time movie slots and series like and FBI: Most Wanted, while offering and replay services to enhance accessibility.

History

Launch as Télé-Luxembourg (1955–1972)

Télé-Luxembourg was founded on January 23, 1955, when Grand Duchess Charlotte inaugurated the channel on her 59th birthday, establishing it as Europe's second private television broadcaster after Monaco's Télé Monte Carlo. The Compagnie Luxembourgeoise de Télédiffusion (CLT), formed the previous year, operated the station under a government concession that supported its launch as a commercial venture. Initial broadcasts were in black and white, with experimental transmissions beginning on the inauguration date from the transmitter, targeting audiences in , northeastern , and southern . Regular programming commenced on May 14, 1955, following the official opening of the facilities, marking the start of consistent operations from studios that would later relocate to Villa Louvigny in by 1956. Early programming emphasized French-language content to appeal to the cross-border audience, featuring news bulletins, cultural programs, and live events such as sports and performances. These broadcasts, transmitted via the Radio Tower, quickly gained popularity in the region, providing entertainment and information to viewers without access to other private channels. By the late , the schedule had expanded to daily transmissions, incorporating limited Luxembourgish-language segments starting in 1969 with the program Hei Elei Kuck Elei. The channel's initial funding relied on , supplemented by the government's , which enabled its commercial model and infrastructure development, including enhancements to the Marnach medium-wave transmitter by 1956. A significant technical milestone occurred on October 15, 1972, when Télé-Luxembourg introduced , upgrading its signal transmission from the Dudelange tower and improving visual quality for its growing viewership in and . This transition aligned with broader European advancements in broadcasting technology and paved the way for further expansions, eventually leading to the rebranding as RTL Télévision.

Expansion and Rebranding to RTL Télévision (1972–1995)

During the early 1970s, Télé Luxembourg underwent significant technical advancements that expanded its reach across borders. On 15 October 1972, the channel initiated color broadcasting, which markedly increased its appeal and viewership in North-East France and southern Belgium. Just days later, on 19 October, new longwave transmitters were brought online at Beidweiler, with the existing Junglinster facility serving as a backup, thereby improving signal reliability and coverage for international audiences. Corporate developments further supported this growth. In April 1973, Audiofina was established as a key investor, acquiring 54.63% of Compagnie Luxembourgeoise de Télédiffusion (CLT) shares by 1974, providing substantial financial backing for operational expansion. On 4 December 1975, RTL Productions was founded in , laying the groundwork for enhanced in-house content creation and production capabilities that would define future programming strategies. A pivotal rebranding occurred in January 1982, when Télé Luxembourg was renamed RTL Télévision, aligning it more closely with the emerging RTL brand identity across Europe. This change coincided with direct access to the Belgian cable network, facilitating broader distribution and solidifying its position as a cross-border commercial broadcaster targeting French-speaking viewers. The 1980s saw continued group-level expansion, including the 2 January 1984 launch of RTL Plus, a German-language channel in partnership with UFA, which diversified RTL's portfolio and amplified its European influence while supporting infrastructure investments for the core French service. In 1991, the channel relocated its studios and operations to Metz, France. By the mid-1990s, these efforts had positioned RTL Télévision as a mature entity, setting the stage for subsequent evolutions in the multilingual broadcasting landscape.

Transition to RTL9 and Ownership Shifts (1995–present)

In 1995, marking its 40th anniversary since the launch of Télé-Luxembourg, the channel underwent a significant from RTL TV to RTL9 to distinguish itself from other RTL-branded networks and target a younger demographic with refreshed programming and the "RTL9, c’est neuf!" This shift aimed to modernize the channel's identity while maintaining its roots in the pioneering Luxembourg-based broadcaster. Ownership changes began in 1998 when AB Groupe acquired a 65% stake in RTL9 from CLT-UFA, with the remaining 35% held by CLT-UFA, allowing AB Groupe to influence strategic direction while leveraging synergies in content production. The channel faced financial challenges in the late and , prompting major restructuring efforts including cost-cutting measures to address economic difficulties and declining revenues in the European TV market. In 2017, AB Groupe completed its full ownership by purchasing the remaining 35% stake from (formerly CLT-UFA), solidifying control amid the digital transition without major operational disruptions. AB Groupe was subsequently rebranded as in 2018 following its acquisition by , integrating RTL9 into a broader portfolio of thematic channels focused on entertainment and cinema. By 2023, RTL9 adjusted its programming to include more daytime series, modernizing its visual identity to appeal to contemporary viewers while emphasizing cinema and entertainment. As of 2025, RTL9 remains under full ownership by (with a minor 2.25% stake held by Banque Populaire Champagne), maintaining stable operations and a focus on French-speaking markets in and without significant ownership shifts or interruptions.

Organization and Ownership

Corporate Structure and Capital

RTL9 is operated by RTL 9 s.a. & Cie s.e.c.s., a société en commandite par actions established as the primary legal entity responsible for the channel's broadcasting activities. Since 2017, this entity has been fully integrated into , the thematic television division of the broader Group, following the acquisition of Groupe AB (rebranded under ) and the completion of its purchase of the remaining minority stake in RTL9 from . The capital structure reflects majority ownership by (97.75%), with a minority stake of 2.25% held by Banque Populaire Alsace Lorraine Champagne, ensuring stable financial backing within the Luxembourgish framework. RTL9 maintains close ties to the Group ecosystem, sharing resources with sister channels such as AB1 and , but operates without independent subsidiaries of its own. As a commercial broadcaster, RTL 9 s.a. & Cie s.e.c.s. complies with Luxembourgish regulations governing audiovisual media, including those overseen by the Ministry of State for and content standards.

Leadership and Headquarters

RTL9 operates under the oversight of its parent company, , where Pierre-Antoine Capton serves as Chairman and CEO, guiding the strategic and operational framework for its thematic channels including RTL9. During the AB Groupe era following its acquisition in 1998, Claude Berda held the position of Chairman and CEO, shaping the channel's direction until Mediawan's takeover of AB in 2017. Current day-to-day management includes key figures such as Laurent Altide, who acts as Directeur d'Antenne responsible for programming decisions. The headquarters of RTL9 trace their origins to Villa Louvigny in central , where operations began in 1955 as part of the early Télé-Luxembourg setup. In 1991, the channel relocated its studios to , , at 3 Allée Saint-Symphorien, to better serve the audience and facilitate production activities including newsrooms and control rooms. The siège social remains at 43 Boulevard Pierre Frieden, L-1543 . RTL9 employs a compact team centered on production coordination, content acquisition, and distribution logistics, without dedicated on-site studios for generating at its headquarters, instead leveraging external partnerships and studios in for such needs. As a -registered broadcaster, RTL9's daily operations adhere to the country's Media Law of 27 July 1991, which regulates services, mandates content diversity, and enforces advertising limits to protect . Proposed updates in the draft Bill of Law n°8625 submitted in September 2025 aim to extend oversight to digital and on-demand platforms while maintaining core protections for traditional broadcasting. RTL9, owned predominantly by , aligns its practices with this framework to ensure compliant transmission across cable, , and online platforms.

Financial Overview

RTL9's primary revenue streams consist of advertising sales, teleshopping operations, and distribution fees from cable, satellite, and IPTV platforms. As a commercial television channel available free-to-air and on cable/satellite, it generates income through targeted ad placements during prime-time programming and dedicated teleshopping blocks, supplemented by retransmission fees negotiated with distributors. Historically, RTL9 faced significant financial challenges in the late , recording losses of 60 million French francs in 1996 and nearly 80 million in 1997, which prompted staff reductions and a major ownership restructuring. These deficits, equivalent to approximately 9.15 million and 12.2 million euros respectively, stemmed from high operational costs amid a competitive cable market and limited audience penetration at the time. Following the 1998 acquisition of a controlling stake by Groupe AB and subsequent full ownership consolidation by in 2017, the channel achieved financial stabilization through cost efficiencies and audience expansion. As of 2005, RTL9's annual budget was estimated in the range of 25 to 30 million euros, reflecting its niche focus on entertainment and films without the scale of major broadcasters. The channel receives no public subsidies, relying entirely on commercial partnerships and market-driven revenues to sustain operations. Recent performance underscores its niche viability, with Médiamétrie data for the period from 4 September 2023 to 18 February 2024 showing a 1% share of total daily audience (PDA) among all French TV channels and 9% within thematic categories, positioning it as the top-viewed thematic channel with 11.6 million unique viewers over four weeks. Updated data for January to June 2024 indicates RTL9 holding an 8.1% PDA within thematic channels, maintaining its leading position. As of July 2025, it achieved 6.5% within thematics, further supporting revenue growth via enhanced advertising appeal and partnerships, contributing to overall financial recovery under Mediawan's oversight.

Programming

Film and Cinema Focus

RTL9 has established itself as a premier destination for cinematic content in French-speaking markets, broadcasting over 1,000 films annually across a diverse array of genres including action, science-fiction, comedy, war, and romance. This extensive programming underscores the channel's commitment to film as its foundational offering, with a particular emphasis on recent theatrical releases scheduled prominently in evening slots to capture peak audience engagement. Themed film blocks, such as horror marathons or franchise specials like those featuring the Scream series or Terminator films, further enhance these evening lineups, creating dedicated viewing experiences that draw viewers during prime time hours starting around 20:55. In 2025, RTL9 introduced Ciné ou Canapé 2025 Saison 4, an interactive format allowing viewers to vote on film selections. Central to RTL9's cinematic identity is its longstanding slogan, "," adopted in 2022 to highlight the channel's daily dedication to high-quality movie broadcasts. This branding reflects strategic partnerships with major studios, including Universal, , Warner, Paramount, , and New Agency, which secure rights to blockbuster titles and ensure a steady influx of contemporary hits. Unlike channels that invest in original productions, RTL9 does not create its own films, instead relying exclusively on acquired catalogs from entities like AB Groupe—now integrated under —and international distributors to curate its library. This approach allows the channel to prioritize licensed acquisitions that align with audience preferences for accessible, entertainment-driven viewing. While films form the core of RTL9's schedule, the channel integrates select series briefly to complement its cinematic focus, providing transitional entertainment without overshadowing movie premieres. This balanced strategy maintains RTL9's reputation as a go-to platform for film enthusiasts seeking reliable, genre-spanning options in the evenings.

Series and Entertainment Shows

RTL9's series programming emphasizes ongoing narratives and cult favorites, with a focus on daily episodes to engage viewers in serialized storytelling. The channel airs new episodes of the American soap opera Top Models on weekdays, typically in the late afternoon or early evening slot around 18:00, allowing audiences to follow the dramatic arcs of fashion industry intrigue and personal relationships. This daily scheduling supports continuous engagement, while rediffusions of classic episodes fill weekend and off-peak times. Among its key offerings, RTL9 features action-packed series like Alerte Cobra, a long-running German centered on high-speed highway chases and crime-solving, broadcast in multiple daily slots such as mornings and late nights to cater to varied viewing habits. The channel also includes French imports such as Les Mystères de l'Amour, a romantic drama exploring love and family dynamics, positioned as part of its mix of acquired international content. Cult classics like Stargate SG-1, with its science-fiction adventures involving interstellar exploration, have been highlighted in past schedules, underscoring RTL9's emphasis on enduring fan favorites through rediffusions. Entertainment shows on RTL9 remain limited in original production, relying primarily on acquired formats and rediffusions to complement its series lineup. Following a programming overhaul in 2023, the channel shifted toward incorporating more premium U.S. series like Dr. House and in afternoon blocks, enhancing its appeal without altering the prime-time film dominance. Original content includes investigative formats such as Enquête Chrono, airing midday to provide factual on diverse topics. This approach prioritizes accessible, repeat-viewable programming over new creations. The series and shows target a family-oriented audience, blending light drama and adventure themes suitable for multi-generational viewing, with a core demographic of women aged 30-49 and broader appeal to those 15-49. Action and adventure elements in titles like Alerte Cobra add excitement for younger viewers, while romantic narratives in Top Models and Les Mystères de l'Amour attract family discussions. Overall, RTL9's strategy fosters loyalty through consistent episodic delivery and thematic variety.

Daytime and Teleshopping Content

RTL9's daytime programming, airing from approximately 06:00 to 18:00, primarily consists of rediffusions of older series and short-form content to fill non-prime time hours with low-cost, familiar material. Typical offerings include episodes of crime dramas such as Inspecteur Lewis, , New York Police Judiciaire, Alerte Cobra, and Une femme d'honneur, alongside lighter fare like the short-form series Pep's or , which run in brief segments of 4–7 minutes each. This schedule emphasizes reruns to maintain viewer engagement without substantial original production, serving as a bridge to the channel's evening cinema-focused content. In 2023, RTL9 adjusted its daytime schedule by increasing the volume of series episodes in the morning hours, particularly enhancing blocks of and New York Police Judiciaire, to improve audience retention and engagement during off-peak times. This shift aligns with the channel's overall philosophy of using economical, pre-existing content as filler to support its core evening programming, ensuring while appealing to a broad, casual viewership.

Broadcast and Technical Details

Distribution Platforms and Availability

RTL9 is primarily distributed in , , , , the French-speaking regions of , French-speaking , , French overseas territories, and . In these markets, the channel targets French-speaking audiences through a mix of traditional broadcast and digital platforms, with encrypted feeds ensuring controlled access, particularly for international and overseas viewers. No transmission is offered in core European markets, positioning RTL9 as a subscription-based service. In , RTL9 is widely available via cable through providers like (formerly Numericable), IPTV/ADSL services from Orange (channel 34), Free (channel 69), and , as well as subscription packages from Canal+. Satellite distribution occurs primarily through Canalsat on the 13F satellite at 13.0°E, using the frequency 11900 H in 8PSK modulation, encrypted with Viaccess and other systems. In , the channel remains accessible on local cable networks, while in and the French-speaking Swiss regions, it is carried on major cable operators. For international reach, RTL9 is included in Canal+ packages across French-speaking , , French overseas territories such as the and , and (channel 98), providing encrypted and IPTV options tailored to regional providers. Streaming is available directly on the official website at live-replay.rtl9.com, offering live broadcasts and on-demand replays accessible via web browsers and compatible apps, without geographic restrictions beyond standard . Analog terrestrial broadcasting of RTL9 ended in Luxembourg on June 30, 2010, coinciding with the nationwide transition to (TNT), after which the channel shifted exclusively to cable, , and digital platforms. HD upgrades have since enhanced availability on these distribution methods, improving viewing quality across supported regions.

Technical Specifications and Upgrades

RTL9 currently broadcasts in HDTV format, which is downscaled to standard definition (SD) for compatibility with legacy receivers and certain distribution platforms. This hybrid approach ensures broad while leveraging high-definition capabilities where supported. The channel employs MPEG-4 video encoding for its HD feed and maintains a 16:9 across both HD and SD versions. Audio transmission is primarily in , with select programming incorporating for enhanced immersion. The channel's technological evolution began with the introduction of color broadcasting on October 15, 1972, under its former name Télé Luxembourg, marking a significant from black-and-white transmissions and expanding its appeal in neighboring regions. A key milestone in the digital era occurred in 2010, when RTL9 transitioned to full digital production and adopted the 16:9 format, improving visual quality and aligning with modern viewing standards. The full switch to high definition was completed between 2014 and 2015, with the HD launch on May 13, 2014, via satellite providers like Canalsat, enabling sharper imagery and better detail for film-centric content. As of 2025, RTL9 has not adopted 4K ultra-high-definition broadcasting, prioritizing a reliable SD/HD hybrid model to maintain compatibility across diverse and cable infrastructures in and beyond. This strategic focus supports widespread availability without alienating viewers on older equipment.

Broadcast Timeline

RTL9, originally launched as Télé Luxembourg, began broadcasting on 23 1955 with experimental transmissions from a VHF terrestrial transmitter in , Luxembourg, marking the start of the country's first private television service aimed at French-speaking audiences in Luxembourg, Belgium, and northeastern . Regular programming commenced on 14 May 1955, establishing it as Europe's second private broadcaster after the UK's ITV. On 15 October 1972, the channel introduced broadcasts, transitioning from black-and-white to enhance visual quality and align with international standards, which significantly boosted viewership in its core markets. This upgrade was part of broader efforts by the Compagnie Luxembourgeoise de Télédiffusion (CLT) to modernize its facilities. Following a tragic incident on 30 July 1981, when a collided with the Radio Tower, destroying it and halting transmissions, the tower was rebuilt by 1983 with improved structural design to extend coverage across greater distances, particularly into and . The rebuild ensured more reliable signal propagation and supported expanded audience reach. During the , RTL9 shifted its primary distribution from terrestrial VHF/UHF to cable and platforms, capitalizing on the of European broadcasting markets and the rise of pay-TV services like Canal+ in . This transition, accelerated after its rebranding from RTL TV to RTL9 in , positioned it as one of the first channels targeting French audiences via non-terrestrial means, reducing reliance on Luxembourg's limited geographic footprint. Ownership changes, including partial stakes by French groups, influenced this strategic pivot toward pan-European delivery. The channel's analog terrestrial broadcasts concluded on June 30, 2010, with the shutdown of its UHF Channel 21 signal from , aligning with Luxembourg's full digital switchover and freeing spectrum for mobile services, though RTL9 had already emphasized cable and availability. RTL9 launched its high-definition () feed on 13 May 2014 for French viewers via and cable providers, followed by broader rollout in 2015, offering upgraded picture quality for its film and series content to compete in the growing HD market. This technical upgrade improved viewer experience without altering core programming. In 2023, RTL9 underwent a graphics refresh, introducing a purple color scheme in its on-air presentation and idents to emphasize its cinematic focus, modernizing the visual identity while maintaining brand continuity.[](https://logos.f fandom.com/wiki/RTL9)

Visual Identity and Branding

Logo Evolution

RTL9's visual identity originated with the launch of Télé-Luxembourg on January 23, 1955. Over the subsequent decades, the logo underwent variations to align with ownership changes and expansions; by 1972, it incorporated "RTL" alongside "Télé Luxembourg", and from 1982 to 1991, it used "RTL Télévision". Between 1991 and 1995, the logo featured "RTL TV", supporting the channel's focus on the French cable market while maintaining ties to its Luxembourg roots. Marking its 40th anniversary, RTL9 introduced its first dedicated on January 23, 1995, from RTL TV to RTL9 to attract a younger demographic with the "RTL9, c'est neuf!" (RTL9, it's new!). This logo remained in use until 2006. In 2006, RTL9 updated its to a more modern and dynamic design, coinciding with an internal graphics renewal. This design persisted through color evolutions until a major refresh on August 29, 2011, which replaced previous geometric elements with triangular plaques in vibrant colors to enhance the channel's entertainment focus. From May 29, 2023, RTL9 unveiled its current logo, an evolution of the design in a sleek, modern font with a harmonious color scheme to underscore its cinematic positioning. This update, symbolizing strategic renewal under ownership, maintains heritage while enhancing visual cohesion for digital platforms. As of November 2025, this remains the current logo.

Graphics and Slogans

RTL9's on-air have undergone several updates to align with its evolving identity as a cinema-focused channel. In , coinciding with the from RTL TV to RTL9, the channel introduced youth-oriented visuals to attract a predominantly young demographic, featuring energetic elements that emphasized modernity and entertainment. A significant refresh occurred in 2023, when RTL9 launched a new habillage on May 29, featuring dynamic transitions tailored for film intros and commercial bumps, incorporating animations that highlight cinematic themes and improve viewer during programming breaks. This package integrates seamlessly with the channel's content, using cinema-themed motifs to reinforce its film-centric positioning. The remains the core visual anchor, providing continuity across these updates. Over the years, RTL9 has employed various slogans to encapsulate its programming . In the , following the 1995 rebrand, it used "RTL9, c'est neuf" to underscore its fresh, innovative approach. From 1999 to , the "Regardez, c'est de la télé !" emphasized accessible . Prior to 2023, "RTL9, la chaîne du cinéma" highlighted its dedication to movies, a theme carried forward in the current "Du grand cinéma chaque soir," which promotes nightly broadcasts (as of November 2025).

References

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