Dutch commercial broadcaster RTL Nederland is to merge its media assets with Talpa Network to create a new company with the ability to take on the global streamers.
Talpa will take a 30 per cent stake in RTL Nederland while also contributing assets from its TV, radio, print, digital and ecommerce divisions. RTL Group will hold the remaining 70 per cent.
Sven Sauvé, CEO of RTL Nederland, will lead the new company.
The deal, which has been approved by the boards of directors of both parties, is subject to approval from the competition authorities and is expected to be completed in the first half of 2022.
Thomas Rabe, CEO of RTL Group: “The merger of RTL Nederland and Talpa Network is, after the proposed merger of Groupe TF1 and Groupe M6 in France, the second major step to scale up our European broadcasting activities. The new cross-media group will have the scale, resources and creativity to compete in the Netherlands with global technology platforms in investing in attractive ‘premium’ content, offering the most advanced addressable advertising and expanding Videoland, the leading streaming service for Dutch viewers.”
John de Mol, owner of Talpa Network, added: “I started Talpa Network to build a strong Dutch media company that can compete with the growing global platforms, to maintain local content. That’s exactly what this step lets us do. And I am pleased that the deal creates a strong Dutch company that not only guarantees high-quality Dutch content, but can also compete with the American and Chinese technology players.”
