RTL Germany CEO Schmitter Addresses Ofarim Scandal and Company Restructuring

Stephan Schmitter, the managing director of RTL Deutschland, recently discussed the company's challenges and controversies in an interview with Thomas Lückerath, founder of the trade service 'dwdl'. RTL Deutschland is undergoing a transformation from a traditional broadcaster to a streaming platform, while dealing with issues in its linear programming and the integration of Sky. Despite generating revenue of 2.54 billion euros and a profit of 287 million euros last year, the company reduced its workforce by 600 positions, affecting one in ten employees. Schmitter described the restructuring as proceeding calmly and professionally, thanking staff for their cooperation. He also commented on the recent 'Dschungelcamp' season and its winner, Gil Ofarim, acknowledging that RTL could have handled certain aspects better. Specifically, he noted that in one or two episodes, there were heightened claims where the network followed its usual approach of letting participants narrate and discuss issues, leaving viewers to form their own opinions. Schmitter admitted that, in hindsight, it would have been preferable to clarify facts directly during live broadcasts rather than only in follow-up segments. This relates to Ofarim's revival of a 2021 controversy in which he falsely alleged antisemitic remarks by a hotel employee in Leipzig, a situation RTL was criticized for exploiting. The interview highlights Schmitter's tendency to downplay negative events, framing them in a positive light amid ongoing corporate changes.