Posted: Wed., Mar. 5, 2003, 6:08am PT

Zeiler takes reins at RTL Group

Exec to also remain head of RTL Television

By Ed Meza

BERLIN -- Gerhard Zeiler, head of leading German web RTL Television, has been named the new chief exec of parent company and pan-European broadcaster RTL Group, replacing Didier Bellens who ankled last month.

Zeiler starts immediately but will remain in charge of RTL Television, commuting between Cologne and RTL Group's headquarters in Luxembourg.

This underscores parent company Bertelsmann's efforts to consolidate control over its cash cow, which provides more than 20% of its revenue. Bertelsmann, which owns 90% of RTL, reportedly wants to buy back the public shares and de-list the group.

The 48-year-old Austrian native has headed RTL Television since 1998 and enjoys closer ties to Bertelsmann than Bellens ever did. He sits on the board of RTL's French web M6, and is also a member of the Bertelsmann Foundation, which controls patriarch Reinhard Mohn's majority stake in the company.

"Heading the only really pan-European audiovisual group is a tremendous challenge," Zeiler said. "RTL Group has a wide range of assets … across a number of territories, which has helped it weather the current economic problems better than most of its peers. My task will be to secure and expand upon RTL Group's success."

RTL Group, which publishes its annual figures later this month, is expected to post pre-tax operating profits of around $460 million on revenues of $4.8 billion. Europe's largest broadcasting group owns 23 TV webs and 22 radio stations.

"We are delighted that Gerhard Zeiler has agreed to take this role because he brings a wealth of experience in the broadcasting industry as well as considerable international knowledge," said RTL Group chairman Juan Abello. "However, we also take this opportunity of acknowledging the enormous contribution of Didier Bellens in building such a successful business over the last three years."

Bellens, who now has the top job at Belgium's national telco Belgacom, had reportedly lost support within Bertelsmann after former topper Thomas Middelhoff ankled last year.

Zeiler began his career in government as press spokesman for Austrian chancellors Fred Sinowatz and Franz Vranitzky. He was chief exec of Austrian pubcaster ORF from 1994 to 1998 and also headed Germany's RTL 2 from 1992 to 1994 as well as Tele 5 from 1991 to 1992.