The sale still has to be approved by regulatory authorities in Germany and Austria but is expected to go through later this year.
German media conglomerate RTL Group will acquire The Walt Disney Company’s 50% share in free-to-air channel Super RTL, turning the German children’s and family channel into a 100% subsidiary.
It has since expanded to include Toggo for kids ages six to 13 and Toggolino for preschoolers, which together make up the bulk of Super RTL’s programming lineup.
A binding agreement for the transaction has been signed with the current joint venture partner, BVI Television Investments, a subsidiary of Walt Disney, according to parent company RTL Group. Financial details were not disclosed.
RTL Group now fully owns Super RTL, subject to approval from the German and Austrian competition authorities. The buyout from Disney is part of RTL’s plan to launch a streaming service called TV Now.
Across the continent, RTL Group is trying to consolidate its European broadcasting footprint. Its French broadcasting business, Groupe M6, acquired free-to-air TV network Gulli and five pay-TV channels from Lagardère in 2019.
Meanwhile, Super RTL has recently picked up a handful of new kids series of late, including ON Kids & Family’s Petronix Defenders, Boat Rocker’s Dino Ranch and 41 Entertainment’s S.M.A.S.H!.
