Super RTL aborts Nickelodeon merger
September 17, 2024
RTL, the German broadcaster, and Paramount have withdrawn their bid to merge Super RTL, the children’s television network, with Nickelodeon, according to Reuters.
The German cartel office said the withdrawal had occurred after it informed the companies that it intended to prohibit the planned merger.
Super RTL, belonging to Bertelsmann’s RTL Group, first announced in April that it had agreed a deal to acquire Nickelodeon series in Germany. Under the agreement, Super RTL would have acquired a rights package to bring current and upcoming series from Nickelodeon, owned by Paramount Global, to its schedule.
German cartel office President Andreas Mundt said its intention to prohibit the merger was mainly due to the limited space for advertising targeted at children aged three to 13, commenting: “There are only a very limited number of companies that offer advertising space specifically aimed at children, above all RTL with its relevant TV programme.”