Press Release | Gütersloh, 06/27/2025

RTL Group to Acquire Sky Deutschland – A Milestone in Bertelsmann’s Boost+ Strategy

• Move strengthens RTL Deutschland as national media champion
• 11.5 million subscribers across RTL+, Sky, and Wow
• Transaction covers Germany, Austria, and Switzerland
• Thomas Rabe: “Strong sense of responsibility for Germanyas a business location”
• Transaction subject to regulatory approvals

Gütersloh, June 27, 2025 – Bertelsmann is advancing the implementation of its Boost+ strategy. The acquisition of Sky Deutschland by RTL Group, announced today and subject to regulatory approval, will significantly strengthen RTL Deutschland’s position as a national media champion in Germany, Austria, and German-speaking Switzerland. With around 11.5 million paying streaming subscribers, the company will now be on par with major U.S. competitors in the German market. Most recently, Sky Deutschland reported annual revenues of around €2 billion.

Thomas Rabe, Chairman and CEO of Bertelsmann, said: “The planned combination of RTL Deutschland and Sky is a milestone – both for Bertelsmann and for the European media industry. Given its 190-year history, Bertelsmann feels a strong sense of responsibility for Germany as a business location – and following this transaction, Germany will once again be our largest market.” Rabe continued: “At the same time, this acquisition is a step on the path toward strengthening European media markets – an absolute necessity in the competition with global tech and streaming platforms.”

The acquisition of Sky Deutschland is part of the Bertelsmann Boost+ program, which includes three focus areas beyond “Boost”: “Next” – building new businesses with long-term revenue potential of around €1 billion; “Regional Boost” – expanding operations in high-growth regions such as India, Mexico, and Latin America; and in the case of the Sky DACH acquisition, “Break-Out” – joining forces with other companies to create synergies and expand the value chain.

In total, Bertelsmann plans to invest up to €8 billion in the Boost program by 2026. Since the launch of Boost in 2021, the company had already invested €5.4 billion worldwide as of December 31, 2024 – including €1.1 billion in Germany and an additional €1.7 billion in other European countries.

About Bertelsmann
Bertelsmann is a media, services, and education company with about 75,000 employees that operates in some 50 countries around the world. It includes the entertainment group RTL Group, the trade book publisher Penguin Random House, the music company BMG, the service provider Arvato Group, Bertelsmann Marketing Services, the Bertelsmann Education Group, and Bertelsmann Investments, an international network of funds. The company generated revenues of €19 billion in the 2024 financial year. Bertelsmann stands for creativity and entrepreneurship. This combination promotes first-class media content and innovative service solutions that inspire customers around the world.