Convergence urged
Bertelsmann blends broadband, TV units
Television holding company the RTL Group is acquiring the Bertelsmann Broadband Group from the Bertelsmann eCommerce Group. The RTL Group is owned by Bertelsmann, Pearson and GBL.
The Bertelsmann Broadband Group will be integrated into the RTL NewMedia division, which is a subsidiary of RTL Television in Cologne.
Company said it expects the move to strengthen the RTL Group in interactive content and TV and to lead to closer collaboration between Bertelsmann Broadband and RTL Group as well as to parallel development of interactive television and e-commerce activities.
Meanwhile, the e-commerce team from the Broadband Group will be integrated into the newly established BeBroadband Group, which is devoted to the development of e-commerce services.
The bundling of Bertelsmann's new-media and traditional activities, such as publishing, music and now television, is high up on the agenda of company CEO Thomas Middelhoff.
The announcement comes hot on the heels of news that RTL has struck an agreement with cable operator Primacom under which the latter will distribute RTL NewMedia channels and product via its cable systems.
