Thorsten Braun From RTL2: “Without Strong Content, Every Community Remains Empty”

Mr. Braun, you have been in office for a few months now. What was the first project at RTL2 that you tackled and what distinguishes your vision for the channel from that of your predecessors?

Thorsten Braun: In developing the strategy further, I am focusing primarily on the business models. Linear TV and streaming follow different logics and reach different target groups. This realization was already established at the broadcaster before I took over. I am now trying to find concrete answers to the question as quickly as possible: How will our business work in the future? In doing so, we are being as honest as possible with ourselves.

The first visible sign of this is that we will focus on the 30-59 audience in linear TV in future. Even with this target group, we will still be one of the youngest channels. In streaming, the 14-49 reference target group will continue to fit, and RTLZWEI is the young channel it has always been perceived as.

This does not mean that we will make completely different programs in the future. To a large extent, this is a planning task, bringing content to the right place at the right time. TV will remain our economic basis and a strong reach driver for many years to come if we align ourselves better with the viewing habits of 30+. But the real growth area is streaming.

Narrative arcs and long-term storytelling: reality TV is close to real life

RTL2 is considered the “Home of Reality”. In a world where reality takes place on social media every second: What must reality TV feel like in 2026 to still be relevant?

Braun: Social media and TV serve different needs. Instagram and TikTok are instant gratification. We accompany people over a longer period of time, with developments, breaks and consequences. There are no long narrative arcs in social media. Reality TV is therefore closer to real life in this respect.

The same applies here: linear reality works differently to streaming. TV is broader and more connecting, streaming can be more pointed and radical.

Where do you see new growth areas for RTL2?

Braun: Above all in streaming – but not as a platform, but as a content supplier. We want to be the preferred license partner for every moving image provider with which we can achieve reach. The playing field is very broad, from classic streaming to YouTube, fast channels and social media to vertical dramas, which we are also considering.

That is why we are very open to partnerships of all kinds – from co-productions and distribution partners to new revenue models. As an independent player, RTLZWEI has always been and remains particularly flexible in its choice of strategies and cooperations.

Formats such as “Berlin – Tag & Nacht” were pioneers in community loyalty. How important are “closed communities” (e.g. broadcast channels, Discord) for loyalty to your program brands today?

Braun: Important – but they are not the starting point. When content is relevant, communities are created automatically. Often more intensive in streaming, broader in linear TV. Closed communities are then the next stage: they extend stories and turn viewers into fans. This bond opens up further commercial opportunities, such as merchandising and events. “GRIP – Das Motorevent”, for example, celebrates its tenth anniversary in 2026. Without strong content, every community remains empty.

Which RTL2 format do you prefer to watch yourself to switch off – without “CEO glasses”?

Braun: Currently our social documentaries. Because they show very directly what we are interested in: real life realities, not staged reality. That’s sometimes uncomfortable – but that’s exactly why it’s relevant. I also really love our selection of feature films.

Which marketing strategies and cooperations are particularly important for RTL2?

Braun: RTLZWEI is a TV station, media brand and content provider at the same time. These roles are currently being redefined and rebalanced because usage is becoming so fragmented. It’s about developing and marketing content in such a way that it works on the platforms where the target groups are. Any partnership that helps us to do this is welcome.

A good example is our collaboration with TikTok around “Battle of the Reality All-Stars”: live formats, creator collaborations, our own content hubs – in other words, not just simple playout, but a genuine extension of the format into the platform.

To what extent are you experimenting with new forms of advertising? Which ones promise particular success? Which ones remain tried and tested?

Braun: El Cartel Brothers is responsible for marketing – and it does so consciously. What we see together: The most commercially interesting models are created where content and advertising move closer together.

These can be integrations or new models in which content is developed and financed together with partners – such as the comedy show “Nightwash”, which RTLZWEI has brought back to the screen together with Banijay and the sponsor Ecover.

Short distances, quick decisions and diversity are what make Bavaria a media location

RTL2 is based in Grünwald near Munich. What is the “spirit” of the Bavarian media location for a company that broadcasts nationwide and in the entire DACH region?

Braun: Grünwald combines optimal location factors with something like a sense of home – an atmosphere that promotes a sense of community and our specific way of working: short distances, close cooperation, quick decisions.

How important is the exchange with the Bavarian media industry? Do you use local synergies for innovations in content creation?

Braun: Very important – because many things are only created in a network. Of course, we have strong connections with our largest shareholder and competitor in Cologne, but as an independent media company, we benefit greatly from the diversity and quality of the media landscape in Munich and beyond.

If we look ahead to the next one or two years: What will be the most important topic for the industry?

Braun: The transition of business models in the midst of an incredibly dynamic market that is largely driven by the large US platforms. Cooperation is the order of the day in order to preserve our diverse domestic media landscape – including cooperation from politicians. They must do more than ever before to ensure a level playing field. There is much more at stake than the balance sheets of a few companies.

What changes or projects will shape RTL2 in the future? Where do you see the channel in five years?

Braun: Our project is the separation of content and distribution: how do we manage to develop content in such a way that it works for different target groups and platforms without becoming arbitrary? In five years, I see RTLZWEI as the largest licensing partner for German-language video content. As a strong media brand that works regardless of the playout channel.