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RTL 4

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RTL 4
CountryNetherlands
Luxembourg
Broadcast areaNetherlands
Luxembourg
HeadquartersHilversum, Netherlands
Programming
Picture format1080i HDTV
(downscaled to 16:9 576i for the SDTV feed)
Ownership
OwnerRTL Group
ParentRTL Nederland (2004-present)
Holland Media Groep (1997-2004)
RTL 4 S.A. (1990-1997)
Sister channelsRTL 5
RTL 7
RTL 8
RTL Z
RTL Lounge
RTL Crime
RTL Telekids
History
Launched2 October 1989; 35 years ago (1989-10-02)
Former namesRTL Véronique (1989-1990)
RTL4 Veronique (1990)
Links
Websitertl4.nl
Availability
Terrestrial
DigitenneChannel 4 (HD)
DTT (Luxembourg)498 MHz (SD)
Streaming media
Ziggo GOZiggoGO.tv (Europe only)
KPN iTV OnlineWatch live (Europe only)

RTL 4 (Radio Télévision Luxembourg 4) is a Dutch free TV channel; it is the most-watched commercial station in the country, popular especially with those aged between 20 and 49.[1] RTL 4 is a general entertainment channel with infotainment, television drama, talk shows, game shows, news and talent shows. It is owned by RTL Nederland, a subsidiary of RTL Group. The station has three sister TV channels: RTL 5, RTL 7 and RTL 8, and four thematic TV channels: RTL Z, RTL Lounge, RTL Crime and RTL Telekids.

Officially RTL 4 - along with RTL 5, RTL 7 and RTL 8 - is headquartered in Hilversum, broadcasting under a Luxembourg TV license. This allows them to avoid more strict control by the Dutch media authorities as Luxembourg's television watchdog is less strict. Despite being intended for Dutch audiences, RTL 4 is encrypted on the Dutch DVB-T Digitenne platform but free-to-air in Luxembourg.

History

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It originally launched on the Astra 1A satellite as RTL Véronique on 2 October 1989,[2] before re-branding as RTL 4 the next year.[3] 1, 2 and 3 were already used by the Netherlands' public broadcasters. It was one of the first private commercial broadcaster in the Netherlands. Officially, it still broadcasts from Luxembourg. Private broadcasters were not allowed in the Netherlands until 1992.[4] The encryption system employed by both RTL 4 and 5 analogue services while on the Astra 1A and 1C satellites was Luxcrypt. This standard was employed to protect the distribution rights sold by foreign studios to RTL.[5]

RTL 4 broadcasts the first and the longest running soap of the Netherlands, Goede tijden, slechte tijden (since 1 October 1990).[6]

Logo from 2005 until 2013

RTL 4's latest radical change of programming was on 18 August 2007 when RTL obtained the football rights (Eredivisie), but lost the rights to the NOS the following year. In 2008, RTL 4 went back to its roots as a family entertainment channel[7] with programmes such as Idols, X Factor, Dancing with the Stars and Dancing on Ice. That year RTL 4 also launched Ik hou van Holland, a quiz show around and about the Netherlands with Linda de Mol.[8]

Logo from 2013 until 2016

From 2009, talent shows have played a major role in the programming of RTL 4, the X Factor has been rescheduled successfully to Friday night with higher ratings in Season 2 (2009) and Season 3 (2010) on Fridays. In 2010, RTL 4 bought the rights for broadcasting Holland's Got Talent from SBS 6[9] and created together with pioneer John de Mol their own talent show The Voice of Holland in the Autumn of that same year.[10] The Voice of Holland became a huge hit on Dutch television with ratings around 3 million viewers every Friday Night.[11] In 2012, yet another new talent show started, Beat the Best.[12]

RTL 4 also owns the rights for the soaps As the World Turns and The Bold and the Beautiful. In January 2007, RTL sold the rights for B&B to SBS6, but repurchased the rights in December 2010. With more money and space to buy other TV shows, RTL 4 bought the rights for the first season of the successful drama show Brothers & Sisters[13] and took over CSI: Miami from sister channel RTL 5.[14]

Logo from 2016 until 2023

Television host Peter van der Vorst has been appointed Content and Marketing Director of RTL Nederland. He started on 1 March 2019.[15] In late 2024, RTL renamed the kids block that is since 2023 on RTL 4 to Videoland Kids, and then it shows programs such as Thomas and Friends, Efteling trilogy: the cgi late 2000s series Sprookjesboom, the 5 minute preschool program jokie, and Sprookjes van Klaas Vaak, and Ernst, Bobbie en de Rest, a late 90s adventure tv series based on the modern Ernst en Bobbie plays. The Fien en Teun universe, and the reboot of the show that is broadcast on NPO since 2010: Woozle and Pip

Radio

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From May 1991 until September 2006, the station has had several accompanying radio stations, such as RTL 4 Radio, RTL Radio, RTL Rock Radio, Happy RTL,[16] and RTL FM.[17] Between June 2007 and 1 January 2012 RTL Nederland owned Radio 538, one of the largest radio stations of the Netherlands.[18][19]

Notable television presenters

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Teletext

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RTL 4 offered a teletext service which stopped on 1 April 2017. The pages 888/889 are still available for subtitles.[20]

References

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  1. ^ "Jaarrapport 2018" (PDF). Stichting Kijk Onderzoek.[permanent dead link‍]
  2. ^ "ASTRA Benelux leidt vakhandel de juiste weg en zet in op HD". SatelliteMagazine.com. Retrieved 24 November 2012.
  3. ^ "RTL 4: Dé familiezender van Nederland". RTL Nederland. Retrieved 24 November 2012.
  4. ^ Jan Auke Brink. "De commerciële doorbraak: Op de Nederlandse radio & televisie". Nationaal Historisch Museum. Retrieved 24 November 2012.
  5. ^ "Codering RTL 5 wekt verzet". de Volkskrant. 26 May 1994.
  6. ^ "Over GTST". gtstfanclub.nl. 8 January 2011. Retrieved 24 November 2012.
  7. ^ "Bert Habets: 'RTL 4 wordt weer familiezender'". Mediacourant.nl. 21 January 2008.
  8. ^ Marcel Frost (17 January 2008). "Linda de Mol houdt van Holland". De Telegraaf. Archived from the original on 20 June 2008.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: bot: original URL status unknown (link)
  9. ^ Marcel Frost (3 May 2012). "Robert ten Brink nieuwe presentator Holland's Got Talent". Mediacourant.nl.
  10. ^ Herman Roggeveen (17 August 2010). "John de Mol: Kijker wordt uit stoel geblazen door The Voice". zappen.blog.nl.
  11. ^ Jory Vijfschaft (22 September 2012). "The Voice met dik 3 miljoen kijkers ver voor op concurrentie". Televizier.nl.
  12. ^ "Weer nieuwe talentenshow RTL4, met Gordon en Chantal Janzen". Mediajournaal.nl. 19 April 2012. Archived from the original on 30 June 2017. Retrieved 24 November 2012.
  13. ^ "Nieuwe kwaliteitsserie 'Brothers And Sisters' vanaf 4 april primetime bij RTL 4". RTL Nederland. 2 February 2007.
  14. ^ "Misdaadserie CSI Miami verhuist naar RTL 4". Mediacourant.nl. 17 April 2007.
  15. ^ Robert Briel (12 February 2019). "RTL Nederland appoints Peter van der Vorst". BroadbandTVNews.com.
  16. ^ "RTL Radio". Radiopedia.nl. Retrieved November 24, 2012.
  17. ^ "RTL FM". Beeldengeluidwiki.nl. Retrieved November 24, 2012.
  18. ^ Jarco Kriek (January 2, 2012). "Talpa weer eigenaar van Radio 538". Totaal TV.
  19. ^ Redacteuren, een Onzer (July 28, 2011). "Talpa koopt Radio 538 terug". NRC. NRC Handelsblad.
  20. ^ "RTL Text". winacties.rtl.nl.
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