Schosser says ‘Auf Wiedersehen’ to Super RTL

At the end of this month, German kids programmer Susanne Schosser will end an eight-year run as program director of Super RTL to head up content strategy at EM.TV. Channel CEO Claude Schmit was initially surprised by Schosser’s resignation, but expects her new position to be the perfect vehicle for her passion for producing kids shows. In her new role, Schosser will be responsible for EM.Entertainment and pay-TV platform Junior.TV, focusing on production, program acquisitions and domestic sales.

There was no word at press time about who will be tapped to take over the programming reins at Super RTL, but Schmit says it may involve an internal hire. He adds that whoever accepts the position will need to focus on strengthening Super RTL’s prime-time airspace, which hasn’t performed as well as the daytime schedule of late.

Denmark’s TV2 goes up on the block

After much speculation, the Danish government has finally begun selling off part of its stake in publicly funded broadcaster TV2. In May 2004, the European Commission ruled the station should reimburse the state of Denmark for US$107 million after a formal investigation showed that TV2 received more compensation generated from license fees and loans than it needed to fulfill its public mission.

Media companies including Nordic TV and newspaper operator MTG (Viasat), broadcaster SBS and publishing group Egmont have stepped up to bid on between 51% and 66% of the government’s majority share. The sale should help rejuvenate the channel’s kids broadcasting strategy, which has been in limbo since rumors of privatization began to surface as early as 2003.