RTL Credits YouTube Strategy and ‘Cobra 11’ for Subscriber Growth and New Revenue

At Mipcom in Cannes this week, RTL Deutschland unveiled the successes of its strategic partnership with YouTube, revealing that the platform has revitalized its long-running action series “Cobra 11” and opened significant new revenue streams. Stephan Schmitter, chief executive of RTL Deutschland, presented alongside Pedro Pina, YouTube’s VP for EMEA, to discuss how traditional broadcasters can collaborate with the video giant rather than view it solely as a competitor.

Schmitter noted that RTL uploaded over 200 full episodes of “Cobra 11” to YouTube approximately a year ago. Despite the show having aired since 1996 and already been sold to more than 120 countries, the move generated 30 million views. The strategy appears to have effectively targeted a demographic that linear reruns were missing: 83% of the YouTube viewers are men with an average age of 30. Consequently, the broadcaster saw a 123% increase in first video views on its streaming service RTL+ and a 26% rise in subscriptions directly linked to the series.

“Our theory was that young men today also love big stunts, flying cars, big explosions and the German Autobahn, where there are no speed limits,” Schmitter explained. “They discover, or rediscover, the show. And if they want new episodes, more flying cars and explosions, they have to go to RTL+.”

Beyond driving subscriptions, the partnership has proven lucrative for advertising. RTL’s sales arm, Ad Alliance, now packages inventory across linear channels, RTL+, Sky, and YouTube, offering advertisers a comprehensive 360-degree proposition. Schmitter highlighted that the content performs well on large screens, making it easy for viewers to switch between platforms. This approach has resulted in additional revenue, with Schmitter citing near “double-digit millions” in earnings for the year.

Pina argued that legacy broadcasters should embrace this synergy. He pointed to France Télévisions as another example of success, where the broadcaster’s news channel franceinfo achieved 110 million YouTube views in September—eight times more than the previous year. “All in all, it is a self-reinforcing partnership that can only produce value,” Pina said, noting that the model breathes new life into established intellectual property.

The collaboration also extends to news content. RTL has made its news channel, NTV, available on YouTube alongside shorter videos and creator-produced content. Schmitter emphasized the importance of this reach during a period of political polarization in Germany, particularly with the far-right AfD party gaining ground. “I think for us it’s important, and also for our role in the democratic system, to reach everybody,” he said. Pina echoed this sentiment, stating that as traditional players lean into YouTube, it allows a broader cross-section of voices to be heard, which he described as beneficial for democracy.