RTL faces scrutiny in its home country
Luxembourg’s largest media company and sole national TV station, RTL, faces criticism. The activist art collective Richtung22 alleges inconsistencies in RTL’s operations, such as hidden ads, plagiarism and violations of public service duties. In a satirical theatre play, the group also highlights untransparent procedures in the government’s allocation of subsidies.
RTL receives €15 million euros annually, more than any other media company in Luxembourg. The collective accuses the media ministry of nepotism and ignoring that RTL isn’t fulfilling the terms of the funding agreement. These terms include certain public service missions which the ministry allocated to RTL without issuing a public call, Richtung22 claims.
RTL (Radio Television Luxembourg) holds a monopoly in Luxembourg and has been documenting every grand ducal wedding and each major accident in the country. The subsidy scheme makes it almost impossible for competitors to emerge. Since 2000, the RTL Group has belonged to the German company Bertelsmann.