RTL (German TV channel)

RTL
CountryGermany
Broadcast areaNational
Also distributed in:
Austria
Switzerland
France
Italy
Belgium
Luxembourg
Liechtenstein
Netherlands
Turkey
Poland
Romania
Hungary
Israel
Denmark
HeadquartersCologne, Germany
Programming
Language(s)German
Picture format2160p UHDTV
(downscaled to 1080i and 576i for the HDTV and SDTV feeds respectively)
Ownership
OwnerRTL Group
ParentRTL Deutschland
Sister channelsVOX
n-tv
Super RTL
RTL Zwei
Nitro
RTLup
VOXup
RTL Crime
RTL Living
RTL Passion
GEO Television
History
Launched2 January 1984; 40 years ago (1984-01-02)
Former namesRTL plus (1984–1992)
RTL Television (1992–2004)
Links
Websitewww.rtl.de
Availability
Terrestrial
Digital terrestrial televisionChannel numbers vary
Streaming media
Ziggo GO (Netherlands)ZiggoGO.tv
RTL LIVERTL
RTL Up
RTL Crime
RTL Passion
RTL Living

RTL (from Radio Télévision Luxembourg), formerly RTL plus and RTL Television, is a German-language free-to-air television channel owned by RTL Deutschland, headquartered in Cologne. Founded as an offshoot of the German-language radio programme Radio Luxemburg, RTL is considered a full-service broadcaster under the Medienstaatsvertrag (Interstate Media Treaty) and is the largest private television network in Germany. As of August 2010, RTL employs some 500 permanent staff, having outsourced its news and technical departments.

In September 2021, Mediengruppe RTL Deutschland (RTL Germany Media Group) was renamed RTL Deutschland. As part of the rebrand, both the group and the channel received new logos and branding.