RTL Klub

Infobox Network
network_name = RTL Klub
network_
country = Flagicon|Hungary Hungary
network_type = General Interest
available = National; also available in flagcountry|Slovakia, flagcountry|Romania, and other neighbouring countries
owner = RTL Group
key_people = Dirk Gergens, CEO
Dr. Péter Kolosi, Programming Director
launch_date = October 6, 1997
website = [http://www.rtlklub.hu http://www.rtlklub.hu] |

RTL Klub is a television station (M-RTL Zrt.) owned by RTL Group and broadcast in Hungary. It was one of Hungary's first commercial TV channels and was only two days after the main rival TV2 to begin broadcasting.

About RTL Klub

Since its start RTL KLUB focuses to gain viewers from the urban population. The channel airs programs mostly for younger (18-49) people.

RTL and TV2 aired two similar major reality series simultaneously. While TV2 purchased the rights of "Big Brother" RTL KLUB produced its own series called "Való Világ". (Real World). Való Világ was on for 3 seasons. Since its second season the show was much more successful than the rival "Big Brother".

RTL is the most watched TV channel in Hungary thanks to the daily Hungarian soap opera 'Barátok közt' (Among Friends), which is the most watched TV programme in Hungary with more than 2 million viewers; the magazine show 'Fókusz' (Focus) and the game show 'Legyen Ön is milliomos' (Who wants to be a millionaire?). Millionaire is off the schedule from September 2007 after 7 years and will be replaced by A Széf ("The Safe").

From the fall/winter season of 2005-2006 RTL KLUB started to broadcast popular American TV Shows like Lost. The first episode of Lost had almost 2 million viewers, and 50% Share. This was a record. The next year Prison Break started with almost 1,6 million. Nowadays a TV Show at primetime (21:00) can reach 1,0-1,5 million viewers. At season 2006/2007 Prison Break was the most watched American series in Hungary.

The rival TV channel (TV2) broadcast such shows like Desperate Housewives (beaten by Prison Break), Heroes (beaten by Bones), 4400 and Numb3rs without success. NCIS and House are the only shows which has solid ratings.

From the Fall season of 2007 RTL Klub launched two new format with great success. Poker Face ran like a tournament for 6 weeks with an average 38-42% share. The other new show was "Csillag születik" which is a copy of the Got Talent format. Poker Face ended with the super final at 18 December and the time slot of it will be occupied by a new game show "A Széf" (Take It or Leave it).

RTL Klub is the licensed broadcaster of Formula One of Hungary.

hows on RTL Klub

Other series

Traveler, The Nine, Point Pleasant, E-Ring,Runaway, Joan of Arcadia, John Doe, , Tarzan, Dawson's Creek, Married… with Children, , Martial Law.

Previous Formats

* Survivor - A sziget: The licensed version of the famous hit reality show Survivor. RTL klub aired 2 seasons of it in 2003 and 2004. The first was a moderate success, but the second totally failed. The show wasn't as good as the American version. The casting and the editing were very weak. The main difference was that in the Hungarian version there was no jury. The winner was selected by a public vote (via SMS or phone calls).
* A kísértés: The licensed version of Temptation Island. The show had one season on RTL Klub in 2004 and had moderate ratings so wasn't renewed for a 2nd season.
* A rettegés foka: It is a licensed version of the American Fear Factor. It had two seasons but RTL hasn't decided if there will be a 3rd season or not.
* Legyen Ön is Milliomos: The licensed version of Who Wants to be a Millionaire. After 9 years and more than 1000 episodes the show was cancelled.
* Szeszélyes (capricious): This is a very long running show. It first aired in the 1980s on Hungarian national TV (m1). But in the 2000s the show was axed. In 2006 RTL Klub renewed it with limited success. The host of the show died of cancer on April 15, 2008. That's why the show was probably cancelled despite of the good ratings.

ister TV Channels

RTL Klub has many sister Channels. One of the owners of RTL Klub is "IKO Kábeltévé Kft." which also owns Cool TV, Film+, Sport Klub, Sport Klub+, DoQ, F&H, sorozat+, Poén!, Reflektor, Film+2. The 3 biggest is Cool TV, Film+ and Sport Klub. These 3 little cable channels cooperate with RTL Klub. For example these channels air reruns of RTL's shows or they change show presenters.

Cool TV

The target audience of Cool TV is 15-29 urban youths who love music, externals, clothes, trendy lifestyle and extravagance. The channel was launched in 2004 and it is available in the 46,7% of the country in 1,7 million households. It broadcasts 24/7. It airs such shows as:
* South Park (South Park)
* Married with Children (Egy rém rendes család)
* 24 (24)
* Footballer's Wives (Futbalista feleségek)
* The L Word (L)
* Queer as Folk (A fiúk a klubból)
* The Unit (Az egység)
* Dead Like Me (Haláli hullák)
* Weeds (Spangli)
* Skins (Skins)
* Desperate Housewives (Született feleségek)
* reruns of RTL Klub's series and reality programmes.

Film+

It was launched the same time as Cool TV. It airs B and C-Movies 24/7. It is very successful. It is the second most watched cable TV after Viasat 3. Because the succes of Film+ IKO launched Film+2.

Sport Klub

It was launched before the FIFA Football Word Cup 2006. RTL Klub purchased the broadcasting rights of the World Cup but it didn't have enough air space to air all of the matches. That's why Sport Klub was launched so anybody could see every match of the World Cup. Now Sport Klub airs various sport activities like: German football league, tennis, poker, NCAA, athletics, futsal, box and others. It airs less important matches from the English and the Spanish league because its main competitors, Sport1 and Sport2, have first pick of the matches.

External links

* [http://www.rtlklub.hu Official Site] (in Hungarian)