Pregnant with controversy - RTL Group€¦ · the RTL Group intranet week 22 And then there were a nanny, a paediatric nurse, a psychologist and Katja Kessler on the set to watch

Germany

Daniel Schuhmacher straightto number one

France

Journée de l’emploi collects 14,000 job offers

Luxembourg

A documentary on Radio Luxembourg 208

Spain

Grupo Antena 3 committedto the environment

Pregnant with controversyRTL Television starts a documentary on teenage pregnancies– and gets a lot of attention

week 22

28 May 2009

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COVER:Elvir and Nadine, a teenage couple taking part in Erwachsen auf Probe

the RTL Group intranetweek 22

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Germany - 28 May 2009

The Erwachsen auf Probe (The BabyBorrowers) documentary project gives teen-agers who wish to start a family an opportunityto learn family skills and take responsibility forchildren, their partner and themselves. In sevenepisodes, four teenage couples who wish tohave kids take part in a social ‘aptitude test’.

The teens are given a chance to experiencewhat it really means to have children. Thewomen wear an artificial pregnancy belly andtake prenatal classes, while the young men goto work. Later, the couples are given a ‘babydummy’, a puppy that gives them a firstglimpse of what it means taking responsibilityfor a real baby. Finally, they may be allowed totake care of a baby for four days, then atoddler, a schoolchild and a teenager nearlytheir own age.

Rarely in the history of German television has aformat been so roundly condemned before itwas even broadcast, and without critics everhaving watched the show. The format has beenthe subject of heated public debate for daysnow, with criticism centring on the fact that theteenagers take care of real babies for a certainperiod of time to find out whether they aresuited for parenthood. A number of politiciansand staff members at various associations forthe protection of children and youths see thevery idea – involving children in this type ofdocumentary – as an endangerment of thechild’s wellbeing. Some have even publiclydemanded that the broadcast be prohibited.The channel in its turn has repeatedly pointedto the topicality of the issue of teenagepregnancies, and to the many precautionary

measures taken during the shooting.RTL Television emphasised that the sameaspects of the concept which have now comeunder criticism were reviewed and taken intoaccount in good time before the production ofthe German adaptation of the format.

RTL Television CEO Anke Schäferkordt says:“We completely understand people’s concernabout children being removed from the care oftheir parents for several days. But we candefuse this concern 100 per cent: this was notthe case. The mothers were an integral elementin the production workflow, and were in theimmediate vicinity of their children the wholetime.”

The accusation of having exploited children byhaving them participate was countered not onlyby RTL Television, but also by the FSF(Freiwillige Selbstkontrolle Fernsehen e.V.), thevoluntary self-regulation association of theGerman TV industry. RTL had submitted allepisodes of the format to the FSF for advanceclearance. In its verdict, the organisationattests to the channel’s positive educational

“What does it mean tobe a teen parent?”On 3 June, RTL Television will start broadcas-ting the new reality TV format Erwachsen aufProbe. The show has been the subject of heated public debate before even going on air.Backstage spoke with Tom Sänger about thecriticism being levelled at it, and the formatitself.

Tamara and Basti

Anke Schäferkordt


intent, and concludes that at no time during theprogramme is human dignity violated,explained FSF reviewer Christina Heinen duringa debate on 22 May. Quite the opposite: itmakes it clear that babies and toddlers are notjust “sweet little things,” but personalities withphysical, communicative and social needs,concludes the FSF.

“RTL Television is fully aware of the manyrequirements such a programme has to meet.The show’s participants and our viewers areour priority, and so we won’t be able to pleaseall the critics who have expressed a negativeview,” says Schäferkordt. “We will broadcastErwachsen auf Probe as planned and are fullybehind the concept of the show.”

Erwachsen auf Probe is the adaptation of aBBC format: The Baby Borrowers had asuccessful two-season run in the UK and isused by teachers for educational purposes tothis day. Still, prior to its broadcast, there werecontroversial discussions in the UK and US aswell. “There have been concerns recently aboutbabies and toddlers being used in reality TV,but it can be a really enjoyable experience forthem if the producers are doing their jobproperly,” explains Richard McKerrow,Executive Producer of the BBC’s BabyBorrowers, on the BBC’s website. “Some of thecriticism was that Baby Borrowers might begiving off the message that it’s okay to giveyour baby to a stranger. This wasn’t the case atall. We wanted to encourage teenagers to thinkseriously about whether they were ready to beparents, and whether they were with the rightpartner, too.” In the US, the network NBC setup an online forum for parents who had madetheir children or babies available for the showto explain their side of things in sometimeshighly personal reports.

Backstage asked Tom Sänger, Head ofEntertainment at RTL Television, how he feelsabout the criticism and what implications it hasfor the format and the channel.

Erwachsen auf Probe has engenderedcontroversial discussions in Germanybefore even going on air. How hasthe criticism of the show affected youpersonally?I was concerned about its vehemence and lackof objectivity. I am happy to enter into adiscussion – if it remains objective and aboveall, factual.

Can you tell us about the production of theformat? Was it really as dangerous for theparticipating children as the critics claim? No, the children’s well-being was the toppriority during production and was never atrisk.

The critics’ main accusation is that we separa-ted infants from their parents for four days. Thatis simply incorrect. The fact is that the motherswere an integral element in the productionworkflow and were therefore always immedia-tely at hand. The 7- to 14-month-old children,their parents and the teens spent a total ofthree days with each other. Shooting only tookplace for several hours on these days. Therewas only a single incidence when a pair of babytwins stayed overnight with a teenage couple,including the nanny. The parents were rightnext door in the neighbouring house (includingsound and video monitoring). All three of theother children spent every night with their realparents.

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Tom Sänger

Tamara and Basti practicing with a puppet


And then there were a nanny, a paediatricnurse, a psychologist and Katja Kessler on theset to watch out as well. So it was really a kindof ‘supervised babysitting’. In reality, parentshave far less control over what happens duringbabysitting or at a nursery than duringErwachsen auf Probe.

The second accusation was that the babieswere ‘taken from their mothers’ arms and justgiven to teenage strangers’.

The fact is that the parents, their children andthe teenagers got to know each other andfamiliarise themselves with each other; all theexperts were present at all times to offerguidance and assistance as needed. Accordingto the mothers and experts, the children got agreat deal more positive attention than in theirnormal everyday routine. The parents madetheir decision freely and without receiving ahigh compensation.

On 22 May, you invited critics and journaliststo Cologne for a screening of the show. Howdo you feel it went? We shared our thoughts and agreed to workmore closely with organisations such as theChild Protection Agency – and at an earlierstage – in future.

An association in Lower Saxony has filedcharges against RTL Television for bodilyharm and maltreatment of dependents.What is your reaction to this?We are not worried, since we fully met all ourresponsibilities during production.

What do you personally expect from theprogramme?First of all, that its content be the main focus: inthis documentary, RTL Television addresses avery topical social issue: teenage pregnancy.Unfortunately, many teenagers are not matureenough to start a family. The Erwachsen aufProbe project is an aptitude test for teenagerswho want to have kids, in which they learnfamily skills and take responsibility for children,their partner and themselves.

Like the BBC, which published a ‘Teacher’sPack’ to accompany The Baby Borrowers,RTL Television plans to create classroommaterials for schools as well.

A format like Erwachsen auf Probe reachestoday’s teenagers because the documentaryspeaks their language and addresses theconcerns and worries of their peers, in a formatthat appeals to teenagers and which theyunderstand.

Will you re-edit the programme in the wakeof all this criticism?All of the aspects, arguments and points ofcriticism have been considered again in ourinternal review of the already-completed series.However, many of them are requirements wenaturally considered in advance already, sincewe were very aware of our responsibilities fromthe beginning.

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Katja Kessler, book author and mother of four, is the expert of the programme

Katja Kessler with the parents and their babies


ChartbreakerDaniel Schuhmacher, the winner of season sixof Deutschland sucht den Superstar, has gonestraight to number one in the single charts withhis new release Anything But Love.Germany - 27 May 2009

The singer from Pfullendorf in the German stateof Baden-Württemberg has ousted Lady Gagafrom first place, where Poker Face held strongfor eleven weeks. In fact, Schuhmacher’s singlehas sold more units in a single week than anyother single this year, the market research com-pany Media Control reported on 26 May inBaden-Baden.

On 9 May, Schuhmacher had emerged as thewinner of season six of Deutschland sucht denSuperstar following an exciting finale, with50.47 per cent of viewers phoning and textingin their votes for him. This week’s number threein the single charts is Mark Medlock with hissingle Mamacita. Medlock was the winner ofseason four of Deutschland sucht denSuperstar.

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Daniel Schuhmacher

The new single Anything but love


A special birthday presentJust in time for its tenth anniversary, the news website N-TV.de has been given a makeover. The completely revised portal has been online since 25 May.Germany - 25 May 2009

N-TV.de first went live in May 1999. At the time,N-TV was the first TV channel to offer all of itsprogramming as live-streams on the Internet.Just two years later, in May 2001, N-TV.de wonthe Grimme Online Award. Several faceliftslater, N-TV.de is once again given a new front-end in May 2009: this time with even morenews and even more videos.

The new N-TV.de has improved user promptingand a clearer structure. The site’s design ismore contemporary, brighter, friendlier andmodelled after N-TV’s on-air design. There iseven stronger linking between texts, picturesand videos on the new site, and the new

N-TV.de packs a great deal of information intoa small space, keeping its headlines short andto-the-point. The launch of the new portal isaccompanied by a marketing campaign focu-sing on TV spots and under the heading ‘All theimportant news in five minutes’.

N-TV.de is one of Germany’s most successfulnews sites, registering as many as 21.2 millionVisits and 154 million Page Impressions permonth (IVW). The AGOF survey indicates thateach month, an average 1.2 million UniqueVisitors visit the website, which is updatedround the clock by a 40-strong team of editors.

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Visit

N-TV.de

The new N-TV.de website


Surprising finaleOn 20 May, folk singer Kris Allen was chosen aswinner of the eighth season of FremantleMediaNorth America produced American Idol.United States - 22 May 2009

Kris Allen, a student from Arkansas, won theeighth season of American Idol on 20 May,dealing an unexpected defeat to singing rivalAdam Lambert on the popular US televisionshow. “It feels good, but Adam deserves this,”Allen said to Ryan Seacrest, the presenter ofAmerican Idol. “I don’t even know what to feelright now, this is crazy.”

28 million viewers tuned in to watch the finaleon Fox and a record high of nearly 100 millionvotes were cast in the finale. Averagely,26.3 million viewers followed the contestantsthrough the eighth season of American Idol,thus still making it the most watched primetime programme in the US this season. Allen’swin guarantees him a recording contract. Of thetwo finalists, Allen was more clean-cut. Adevout Christian from Arkansas, he was anewly married college student before landingon American Idol.

Widely considered the frontrunner since early inthe season, Lambert dazzled audiences andthe show’s celebrity judges with his off-the-charts vocal range and dramatic flair. With hisfalsetto singing style, black nail polish anddaring wardrobe, Lambert earned thenickname “Glambert.” Entertainment Weeklymagazine even dubbed him “The most excitingAmerican Idol contestant in years.” Thelow-key Allen, meanwhile, was often called adark horse in the competition. On Tuesdaynight’s final performance show, Idol judgeSimon Cowell admitted that he had doubtedwhether Allen actually belonged in the finale.

American Idol has produced a wide range ofmusic stars from among its winners and losers,including country singer Carrie Underwood,Grammy winner Kelly Clarkson, rocker ChrisDaughtry and Oscar winner Jennifer Hudson.

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Adam Lambert

Kris Allen


One day on air: 14,000job offersDrawing on the success of its two first JobCreation Days (“Journées pour l’emploi”), RTL Radio France repeated its initiative onMonday with a positive show of solidarity.France - 27 May 2009

According to the station’s Editor-in-Chief,Hervé Béroud, the objective of these JobCreation Days is to “make connections, tobring together those who are looking for workwith those who are offering work, thus helpingto combat pessimism during the crisis. Jobseekers found work by consulting theemployment offers posted on RTL.fr andcompany bosses found the employee that theyhad not yet managed to recruit. It’s trulysatisfying for all of us at RTL.”

Backstage had devoted its weekly newsletter of7 May to the subject and interviewed Directorof Information Jacques Esnous, who hadannounced: “We intend to repeat the initiativeand devote one day every last Monday of themonth. It’s really important for us to maintainour efforts over the long term, because our goalreally was not to pull off a media coup: theissue is too serious for that. Our approachappeals to citizens, and when I say that we area radio station of the people, to me that meansa radio station that serves citizens and is intouch with their concerns. At the end of May,we will stage the next Job Creation Day, focus-sing on jobs for young people, because peopleunder 26 years of age are paying a heavy pricefor the crisis in France.”

Last Monday, once again, RTL Radio France’sfull machinery swung into action: not just theeditorial team, as you might expect, but alsothe people in charge of entertainment program-mes and the radio station’s online activities.

Throughout the day, company bosses couldpost their job openings on the RTL RadioFrance website and by phone. And the recordwas beaten with almost 14,000 job offersposted.

The employment offers are highly varied:positions in marketing, sales, labour, corporateand hotel management as well as surgicaldentistry are waiting to be filled, along withmore specialised positions or obscurepositions, such as genealogist, goat breederand domestic culinary consultant.

Thanks to this day, recruiters and job seekersfound what they were looking for. And so, anelectrician from Créteil will now be able tohonour a EUR 250,000 contract that he thoughthe was condemned to turn down due to a lackof manpower. On Monday, he found the candi-date he was looking for on RTL Radio France.The manager of a sewing enterprise wholearned of an employee’s resignation one daybefore found a replacement in the record timeof half an hour. As for young people, vocationalcontracts, alternating or apprenticeshipcontracts and summer training programmeswill allow them to quickly find an occupation.

The Job Creation Days held on 23 March, 27April and 25 May made it possible to collectmore than 31,000 employment positions to befilled (6,000, 11,000 and 14,000 offers respecti-vely).

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“The sound of freedom”A Polish TV Team honours legendary Radio Luxembourg 208 with a documentaryabout the station, which was broadcast in Aprilon TVP Polonia and TVP 1.Luxembourg - 25 May 2009

The preparations for the movie began a yearand a half ago with an idea for a report onPolish youth in the 1950s and ‘60s. Duringthose years, time, Radio Luxembourg 208 roseto cult status among Polish people. A lot ofdocumentaries have since been producedabout that generation, but none explicitly aboutRadio Luxembourg 208.

“Sundays at 23:00 – that was what we wouldwait for all week and afterwards we woulddiscuss it before Maths and Russian lessons,”says Andrezj Sródka, who was a teenager atthe time. There was a kind of “Luxomania”, hesays. Almost all young people listened to RadioLuxembourg 208, and in the 1960s,Luxembourg’s DJs practically held rock-starstatus.

In researching their material, the team led byPiotr Boruszkowski and Zbigniew Sabat, thedocumentary’s co-directors, traced the radiostation’s history from London to Luxembourg.They interviewed Benny Brown, DJ at RadioLuxembourg, and David “Kid” Jensen, a RadioLuxembourg DJ in the ‘60s and ‘70s, as well asmany Polish opinion leaders, to show thestation’s importance and influence on thePolish youth during those Communist days.

“Radio Luxembourg 208 was totally differentfrom Radiofonia, the national Polish radiostation. It was lively, it was targeted at youngaudiences, it was up-to-date, and it playedcontemporary music,” remembers Polish TVand radio host, Wojciech Mann.

Looking back, Andrzej Sródka says: “RadioLuxembourg had great appeal for youngpeople going to Grammar School. We didn’thave any other possibilities. There were no LPs,or only very occasional ones. Everything washard to get. It was practically impossible totravel to Western Europe.”

David “Kid” Jensen said that on a visit toPoland 40 years later, he met a man whorecognised him by his voice. The strangerexpressed his gratitude, saying that “for us youwere the sound of freedom.” RadioLuxembourg 208 stopped broadcasting on thenight of 31 December 1992. The station wasshut down mainly due to lack of audience andadvertisers. Now, Polish TV honours the radiostation with a documentary.

Watched even by Polish juveniles together withtheir parents who drifted back to the old daysthe reactions to the documentary were all overpositive. It is a piece that cherishes “the soundof freedom” for a young generation which wasstuck in the Communism.

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Benny Brown


Demanding a sense of responsibilityGrupo Antena 3 companies are adding a clauseto their contracts that obligates suppliers tosocially and environmentally responsibleconduct.Spain - 26 May 2009

Essentially, Grupo Antena 3 companies areserviced by two different types of suppliers:production companies and distributors deliverprogramming content, while other companiessupply consumables and services. Accordingto the recently published CorporateResponsibility Report, as part of theircontracts, suppliers now pledge that they treatemployees equally, do not discriminate, andcomply with occupational safety standards. Atthe same time, they undertake to minimise theirimpact on the environment and maximise theirecological efficiency.

“We understand CR to be the ability to buildtrust in the society in which we carry out ouractivities,” explains Grupo Antena 3 CEO SilvioGonzález in the report. “That can only be

achieved through broadcasting responsiblecontents and advertising, taking care of ouremployees, promoting social projects, andrespect for the environment.”

Grupo Antena 3 itself puts the above poli-cies into practice and is very committedto this. The initiatives have alreadyshown some effect: paper use hasbeen cut by a good 10 per cent or875,000 pages since 2006; the use ofprinter/toner cartridges has droppedfrom 1,186 in 2006 to 925 in 2008.During the same period, the number offluorescent tubes used was reduced bymore than 40 per cent, and CO2 emissionswere cut by 24 per cent in a single year.

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Silvio González

Download the full

CR-Report on

Backstage

CR clause in contracts with production companies“Within the framework of the Corporate Responsibility policy of Grupo Antena 3 companies, andthe commitment of Antena 3 Television to the same, the production company declares that inthe performances of its functions, it will promote equal opportunity among its employees; will notdiscriminate on the basis of age, sex, religion, race, or similar criteria, and guarantee the safety ofits employees in their workplace. Similary, the production company declares that in theproduction of its programmes, it will adopt an approach in favour of sustainbility and seek tominimize environmental impacts and maximise energy saving and the efficient use of rawmaterials (eco-efficiency).

In addition, the production company and Antena 3 Television will jointly study the possibility ofincluding content in the production which is expressly related to the recognition and promotionof universal values which form a part of Grupo Antena 3’s Corporate Responsibility policy suchas: the protection of young people and children, individual liberty, the fight against racism, etc. aswell as facilitate the accessing of content by those with disabilities.”


Dirk Gerkens still number one inHungarian mediaDirk Gerkens, CEO of RTL Klub, is the most influential person in Hungarian media, according to a Top 50 ranking published byMarketing and Media.Hungary - 28 May 2009

Despite the economic downturn which has hitthe Hungarian media industry, RTL Klub’smanagers remain the most influential people inthe advertising sector. The special issue aboutthe top 50 most influential people in Hungarianmedia was published by Marketing and Mediafor the second time, and confirms the CEO ofRTL Klub in his top rank.

Gerkens wasn’t the only RTL Executive on thelist. Tamás Rákosi, owner of IKO Telekomwhich holds 31 per cent of the market-leadingHungarian commercial broadcaster, is 6th,while Commercial Director Gabriella Vidus is atnumber ten, which also makes her the mostinfluential woman in Hungarian Media. DeputyCEO Ákos Róbert came in 11th, and RTL Klub’sProgramming Director, Péter Kolosi, is 14th onthe list.

The biweekly magazine’s editorial team andboard members again voted for people theyconsider to be the most influential in Hungary’smedia sector. The results were published at theMedia Hungary Conference in Tihany onTuesday 26 May.

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Dirk Gerkens

Gabriella Vidus


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Search for the UK’s Junior ApprenticeTalkback Thames and BBC announced that Junior Apprentice is coming to BBC 1with Sir Alan Sugar at its helm.United Kingdom - 26 May 2009

Children’s birthday parties with Toggo Super RTL and McDonald’s have teamed up to offer the perfect children’s birthday party,with exciting games, colourful decorations, presents and meals.Germany - 25 May 2009

Record audience for Britain’s Got TalentOn 25 May, the semi-final of Britain’s Got Talent turned out to be the most-watchedepisode of the show ever – almost two thirds of the British TV audience tuned in.United Kingdom - 27 May 2009

Pop rock chordsStarting 13 June, Philippe Manœuvre, one of the biggest names in rock music inFrance and a judge on M6’s Nouvelle Star, will take RTL Radio France listeners on ajourney of (re)discovery through the greatest pop music on Sundays throughout thesummer.France - 28 May 2009

A double hitOn 26 May, 4 million viewers tuned in to M6 for the quarterfinals of Nouvelle Star –representing a total audience share of 16.6 per cent. At 23:05, W9 took over withNouvelle Star ça continue: with 540,000 viewers and a total audience share of 4.8per cent, the channel saw its best audience ever in this time slot.France - 28 May 2009


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People

Business structure changes Germany - 22 May 2009

Markus Steinhoff (40) is taking over as Head ofSuper RTL’s Business Development depart-ment with immediate effect.

In this role he is responsible for all activities inthe field of business development as well asSuper RTL’s German and international consul-ting operations. He reports to the GeneralSecretary Jan Paulus. Steinhoff previouslyserved as the channel’s Marketing Manager forMerchandising and as Head of Consulting.

Claude Schmit, Super RTL Managing Director,says: “In future, Business Development will becentrally run as an administrative departmentthat is part of the General Secretariat unit. Weare taking this step to do justice to the increa-singly changing media landscape into account.It is becoming more and more important forSuper RTL to develop new lines of business toensure its long-term market leadership in thechildren’s entertainment market. MarkusSteinhoff is an experienced man with a goodfeel for new subjects and lucrative businessfields.”

Markus Steinhoff


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People

Keith Hindle appointedCEO for the AmericasUnited Kingdom - 26 May 2009

FremantleMedia Enterprises (FME) has appoin-ted Keith Hindle to CEO for the Americas aspart of its strategic shift toward a more regionalfocus to create a structure that will allow FMEto move the business forward across its inter-national programme distribution, home enter-tainment, licensing and new media activities.

As part of his new role, Keith Hindle willdevelop, set and implement a strategy forFME’s Americas businesses, which includeoperations in the USA, Canada, Brazil, LatinAmerica and the Caribbean. Reporting directlyto David Ellender, Global CEO ofFremantleMedia Enterprises, Keith will work toincrease FremantleMedia’s position in theAmericas as a highly creative, successful pro-duction rights expansion company, as well asfurther FME’s position within distribution anddevelopment.

“Keith is an exceptional leader with a trackrecord that demonstrates excellent creativemanagement and business skills. His visionand understanding of the world of rightsexpansion will help build and develop a morediversified and regional business strategy in theAmericas,” comments David Ellender.

Prior to his new role, Keith served as ExecutiveVice President Licensing, FME Americas wherehe supervised the branded entertainment,interactive, consumer products and live enter-tainment activities of FremantleMedia brands inthe Americas, including sponsorships ofAmerican Idol. Keith and his team also helpedgrow the company’s online and telephonyactivities, which include brands such as ThePrice Is Right and Family Feud and launchedthe company’s live event business and digitalcontent channel, Atomic Wedgie. Prior tojoining FME, Keith held various positions atTime Warner, Unilever and Shell Oil.

Keith Hindle


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People

Key appointments to the programmingdepartment United Kingdom - 25 May 2009

Andrew O’Connell, Donna Taberer, and NanWhittingham – all currently at Sky 1, 2 and 3 –are joining Five in leading positions in theprogramming department.

Andrew O’Connell, currently the Commi-ssioning Editor for Factual Programming at Sky1, 2 and 3, is to be the broadcaster’s new Headof Factual. Donna Taberer, currentlyCommissioning Editor Entertainment andFeatures, Sky 1, 2 and 3, will become Head ofEntertainment. Nan Whittingham, currentlyDeputy Director of Production at Sky 1, 2 and3, is to become Head of Production at Five.

Five’s Channel Controller, Richard Woolfe,says: “My vision is to put this channel on themap and with these three brilliant Heads joiningthe programming team I believe we will makeFive the destination channel it deserves to be.All three have tremendous track records in pro-ducing and commissioning award-winningseries that grab the audience’s attention andwill ensure Five’s programming is impossible toignore.”

At Sky Andrew O’Connell has been responsiblefor such series as the multi-award winningRoss Kemp on Gangs or Who Killed Diana? Hejoined Sky One in 2005, after working as a free-lance Series Producer and Producer/Directoron shows such as The House of ObsessiveCompulsives and Lethal Weapons.

Donna Taberer has been at Sky since 2006where she has commissioned such series asNoel’s Christmas Presents, Sky’s top ratingshow in 2007 and second highest in 2008. Priorto joining Sky, Donna worked at the BBC for 16years in a variety of roles, most recently asDeputy Controller, BBC Factual and Learning,in which she was responsible for programmesranging across factual entertainment, journa-lism, live events, features, documentaries andleisure. During her time at the BBC, Donna alsoheld a number of key management roles andproduced and executive-produced a range ofhigh-profile outside broadcasts and documen-taries as well as overseeing series in the consu-mer, crime and cookery genres.

Nan Whittingham joined Sky in April 2007 asDeputy Director of Production working acrossSky output, mainly on Entertainment andFactual Entertainment programmes includingAre You Smarter than a 10 Year Old andHairspray: The School Musical. Prior to joiningSky, Nan worked at a range of production com-panies including ten years at Talkback Thamesas a Production Executive working on a rangeof series including The Apprentice and HowClean is Your House?


People

Communications ChiefGabriela Leibl to leaveVOXGermany - 28 May 2009

Gabriela Leibl (43), Head of Press andCommunications at Vox since 1995, is leavingthe company on 1 June 2009 to work as a free-lance in the communications sector.

Sonja Harnisch (37), who has served as a pressofficer at Vox since 2001, will take over the inte-rim management of the department until thevacancy has been filled.

Vox’s Managing Director Frank Hoffmann says:“Gabi Leibl has rendered very valuable servicesto Vox – both in management and in communi-cations. It is therefore important to us that shewill continue to provide support to us in hernew role as consultant.”

Leibl served as Vox’s spokesperson for 14years and has accompanied the broadcasterthrough some turbulent times. She handledcommunications during the channel’s shift from‘event television’ to popular ‘series broadcas-ter’, known for such cult series as Ally McBealand CSI, and during Vox’s corporate changes,such as the change in shareholders in 2000,when the channel became part of what is nowMediengruppe RTL Deutschland.

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Gabriela Leibl

Sonja Harnisch

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Pregnant with controversy - RTL Group€¦ · the RTL Group intranet week 22 And then there were a nanny, a paediatric nurse, a psychologist and Katja Kessler on the set to watch