Das Wichtigste in Kürze
- Format: Gastvortrag im Rahmen der CBS Guest Lecture Series
- Referentin: Uta Schmitto
- Position: Teamlead Promotionplanung und Ad Coordination
- Unternehmen: RTL Germany (RTL Group / Bertelsmann)
- Branche: Medien & Entertainment
- Themenfokus: Multi-Plattform-Strategie, digitale Transformation, Werbe- und Streaming-Geschaeftsmodell
- Praxisbeispiel: RTLs Wandel vom linearen Fernsehsender zum streaming-orientierten Medien-Oekosystem
- Praxisbezug: Der Vortrag zeigt, wie reale Unternehmensperspektiven systematisch in die Studienprogramme der CBS integriert werden.
More Than Television: Inside Europe's Leading Entertainment Brand
Real-world insights from industry are a central element of the study concept at CBS. Through the CBS Guest Lecture Series, executives and experts regularly share insights into current developments in business and markets.
As part of this series, CBS welcomed Uta Schmitto, Team Lead Promotion Planning and Ad Coordination at RTL Germany, to campus. She introduced RTL as a dynamic,multi-platform media powerhouse that is — in her own words — "more than you think".
RTL Germany is part of Bertelsmann,one of the world's largest media, services, and education companies with around75,000 employees across 50 countries. As Europe's largest commercial broadcaster, RTL Group unites TV, streaming, radio, and digital media under onestrong, recognisable identity — making it highly relevant for students in the CBS NXT GEN programme interested in careers across media, marketing, and digital business.
Scale and Reach: Europe's Largest Commercial Broadcaster
Uta Schmitto opened with an impressive overview of RTL's scale. With 52 TV channels, 6 streaming services,and 40 radio stations across Europe, RTL reaches tens of millions of viewers,listeners, readers, and digital users every day. In Germany alone, RTL employs over 7,000 people spanning journalism, technology, data science,marketing, and more.
The numbers tell a clear story:RTL is not just a television company. It is a comprehensive media ecosystem with significant digital reach — including millions of podcast downloads and streaming subscribers — and a presence that extends well beyond traditional broadcast.
Business Model: Advertising, Streaming, and Content Licensing
RTL's business model is driven primarily by advertising revenues, complemented by content licensing,distribution deals, and rapidly growing subscription income through streaming.Uta provided students with a clear view of how the company balances the revenue streams while navigating the shift from linear television to on-demand consumption.
This multi-revenue approachreflects a broader industry reality: traditional broadcast advertising remains strong, while streaming profitability is accelerating. For students studying business, marketing, or media management, RTL's model offers a concrete example of how legacy companies adapt their commercial structures in a digitally disrupted environment.
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Innovation and Transformation: AI, Streaming, and Local Storytelling
A central theme of the lecture was RTL's strategic ambition to become a national media champion. Uta outlined how the company is combining linear TV with streaming investment,actively pursuing AI integration, and accelerating digital growth across its portfolio.
RTL's commitment to strong local storytelling — producing must-see content that resonates deeply with national audiences — is paired with a broader push toward technology and data-drivendecision-making. The company also pursues concrete sustainability goals, aiming to achieve climate neutrality by 2030, while maintaining a strong focus on diversity, independent journalism, and social impact initiatives.
Academic Supervision and Close Collaboration
The guest lecture was hosted aspart of the CBS Guest Lecture Series by Prof. Dr. Ulrich Anders, who facilitated the session and guided the subsequent discussion with students.
Special thanks go to Uta Schmitto and RTL Germany for sharing such rich insights into one of Europe's leading media and entertainment companies with the CBS community.
Real-World Business Experience Embedded in the Curriculum
The guest lecture by RTL exemplifies the concept of practice-oriented learning at CBS.
Across our business programmes, the integration of real-world business practice is systematically embedded through:
- Business Projects addressing real strategic and operational challenges from partner companies
- Regular guest lectures by executives and industry experts
- Conventions providing space for interdisciplinary learning and practice-oriented leadership experiences
- Case studies and simulation games addressing typical business challenges
- Mandatory internships for applying academic knowledge in a corporate context
- Dual study formats with continuous integration into company structures
- A network of more than 1,300 partner companies across various industries
This structured integration enables students not only to analyse business challenges analytically, but to develop well-founded decisions under real market conditions.
Anyone who chooses to study at CBS not only receives a scientifically grounded education but also gains the opportunity to build confidence in a professional environment at an early stage — working in teams, engaging with genuine decision-makers, and operating under real business conditions.
With events like this, CBS underlines its commitment to systematically embedding practice-oriented learning in its programmes and preparing students for leadership and expert roles in the digital economy.
Conclusion: Media Transformation in Practice
The guest lecture by Uta Schmitto demonstrated how a company like RTL navigates the complex intersection of technology, content, and commerce in a rapidly evolving media landscape.
The event offered students valuable insights into multi-platform media strategy and a realistic picture of working in the entertainment and media industry.
Das Wichtigste in Kürze
- Format: Gastvortrag im Rahmen der CBS Guest Lecture Series
- Referentin: Uta Schmitto
- Position: Teamlead Promotionplanung und Ad Coordination
- Unternehmen: RTL Germany (RTL Group / Bertelsmann)
- Branche: Medien & Entertainment
- Themenfokus: Multi-Plattform-Strategie, digitale Transformation, Werbe- und Streaming-Geschaeftsmodell
- Praxisbeispiel: RTLs Wandel vom linearen Fernsehsender zum streaming-orientierten Medien-Oekosystem
- Praxisbezug: Der Vortrag zeigt, wie reale Unternehmensperspektiven systematisch in die Studienprogramme der CBS integriert werden.
More Than Television: Inside Europe's Leading Entertainment Brand
Real-world insights from industry are a central element of the study concept at CBS. Through the CBS Guest Lecture Series, executives and experts regularly share insights into current developments in business and markets.
As part of this series, CBS welcomed Uta Schmitto, Team Lead Promotion Planning and Ad Coordination at RTL Germany, to campus. She introduced RTL as a dynamic,multi-platform media powerhouse that is — in her own words — "more than you think".
RTL Germany is part of Bertelsmann,one of the world's largest media, services, and education companies with around75,000 employees across 50 countries. As Europe's largest commercial broadcaster, RTL Group unites TV, streaming, radio, and digital media under onestrong, recognisable identity — making it highly relevant for students in the CBS NXT GEN programme interested in careers across media, marketing, and digital business.
Scale and Reach: Europe's Largest Commercial Broadcaster
Uta Schmitto opened with an impressive overview of RTL's scale. With 52 TV channels, 6 streaming services,and 40 radio stations across Europe, RTL reaches tens of millions of viewers,listeners, readers, and digital users every day. In Germany alone, RTL employs over 7,000 people spanning journalism, technology, data science,marketing, and more.
The numbers tell a clear story:RTL is not just a television company. It is a comprehensive media ecosystem with significant digital reach — including millions of podcast downloads and streaming subscribers — and a presence that extends well beyond traditional broadcast.
Business Model: Advertising, Streaming, and Content Licensing
RTL's business model is driven primarily by advertising revenues, complemented by content licensing,distribution deals, and rapidly growing subscription income through streaming.Uta provided students with a clear view of how the company balances the revenue streams while navigating the shift from linear television to on-demand consumption.
This multi-revenue approachreflects a broader industry reality: traditional broadcast advertising remains strong, while streaming profitability is accelerating. For students studying business, marketing, or media management, RTL's model offers a concrete example of how legacy companies adapt their commercial structures in a digitally disrupted environment.
{{call-to-action}}
Innovation and Transformation: AI, Streaming, and Local Storytelling
A central theme of the lecture was RTL's strategic ambition to become a national media champion. Uta outlined how the company is combining linear TV with streaming investment,actively pursuing AI integration, and accelerating digital growth across its portfolio.
RTL's commitment to strong local storytelling — producing must-see content that resonates deeply with national audiences — is paired with a broader push toward technology and data-drivendecision-making. The company also pursues concrete sustainability goals, aiming to achieve climate neutrality by 2030, while maintaining a strong focus on diversity, independent journalism, and social impact initiatives.
Academic Supervision and Close Collaboration
The guest lecture was hosted aspart of the CBS Guest Lecture Series by Prof. Dr. Ulrich Anders, who facilitated the session and guided the subsequent discussion with students.
Special thanks go to Uta Schmitto and RTL Germany for sharing such rich insights into one of Europe's leading media and entertainment companies with the CBS community.
Real-World Business Experience Embedded in the Curriculum
The guest lecture by RTL exemplifies the concept of practice-oriented learning at CBS.
Across our business programmes, the integration of real-world business practice is systematically embedded through:
- Business Projects addressing real strategic and operational challenges from partner companies
- Regular guest lectures by executives and industry experts
- Conventions providing space for interdisciplinary learning and practice-oriented leadership experiences
- Case studies and simulation games addressing typical business challenges
- Mandatory internships for applying academic knowledge in a corporate context
- Dual study formats with continuous integration into company structures
- A network of more than 1,300 partner companies across various industries
This structured integration enables students not only to analyse business challenges analytically, but to develop well-founded decisions under real market conditions.
Anyone who chooses to study at CBS not only receives a scientifically grounded education but also gains the opportunity to build confidence in a professional environment at an early stage — working in teams, engaging with genuine decision-makers, and operating under real business conditions.
With events like this, CBS underlines its commitment to systematically embedding practice-oriented learning in its programmes and preparing students for leadership and expert roles in the digital economy.
Conclusion: Media Transformation in Practice
The guest lecture by Uta Schmitto demonstrated how a company like RTL navigates the complex intersection of technology, content, and commerce in a rapidly evolving media landscape.
The event offered students valuable insights into multi-platform media strategy and a realistic picture of working in the entertainment and media industry.
