RTL+
{{Short description|European video on demand streaming service serving Germany and Hungary}}
{{redirect|TVNOW|the Irish magazine|TV Now}}
{{For-multi|the GermanTV channel originally known as RTL plus from 1984 to 1992|RTL (German TV channel)|the other German TV channel known as RTLplus from 2016 to 2021|RTLup}}
{{expand language|date=November 2021|langcode=de|otherarticle=RTL+}}
{{expand language|date=March 2023|langcode=hu|RTL+ (Magyarország, 2022)}}
{{Infobox website
| name = RTL+
| logo = RTL+ Logo 2021.svg
| screenshot =
| caption =
| collapsible =
| type = Streaming service
| launch_date = {{Plain list|
- 2007 (as RTLnow)
- 2016 (as TVNOW)
- 2021 (as RTL+)
}}
| predecessor = RTL Most (Hungary)
| area_served = Germany
Austria
Switzerland
Hungary
| key_people =
| parent = RTL Deutschland
RTL Magyarország
| owner = RTL Group
| url = {{URL|www.tvnow.de|www.rtlplus.de}}
{{URL|www.rtlplusz.hu}}
}}
RTL+ (formerly TVNOW in German-speaking countries, and RTL Most in Hungary) is a European video on demand streaming service belonging to RTL Deutschland and RTL Magyarország, in turn part of the Bertelsmann-owned RTL Group.
History
Its origins trace back to the launch of the 'RTLnow.de' portal in 2007.{{Cite web|url=https://www.techbook.de/streamen/anbieter/tvnow-wird-rtlplus|website=Techbook|title=Aus für TVNow! RTL setzt Streaming-Dienst neu auf|date=July 16, 2021|first=Rita|last=Deutschbein|language=de}}{{Cite web|url=https://mebucom.de/distribution/RTL_baut_Streaming-Dienst_TV_NOW_aus.html|title=RTL baut Streaming-Dienst TV NOW aus|access-date=November 4, 2021|language=de|website=Mebucom|date=13 December 2018 }} In 2016, all the video portals corresponding to the different channels of the TV network merged into TVNOW.{{Cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=2AAvEAAAQBAJ&pg=PA66|title=TV auf Abruf: Lösen Mediatheken das klassische Fernsehen ab?|first=Mario|last=Thieme|year=2021|isbn=978-3-8288-7682-8|publisher=Tectum Verlag|page=66}}
On November 4, 2021, TVNOW became RTL+.{{Cite web|url=https://www.n-tv.de/wirtschaft/Aus-TVNOW-wird-RTL-article22906368.html|website=NTV|title=Aus TVNOW wird RTL+|date=November 4, 2021|language=de}} At the time, TVNOW was providing a three-layered service (Free, Premium and Premium Duo), having about 2 million paid subscription users, making around 3.4 million users together with Dutch RTL branch Videoland.{{Cite web|url=https://variety.com/2021/streaming/global/bertelsmann-expands-netflix-competitor-rtl-plus-as-fremantle-revenues-soar-to-1-5-billion-1235104639/|website=Variety|first=Naman|last=Ramachandran|title=Bertelsmann Expands Netflix Competitor RTL Plus as Fremantle Revenues Soar to $1.5 Billion|date=November 4, 2021}}{{Cite web|url=https://www.imtest.de/tv-now-wird-rtl-plus/|website=Imtest|first=Markus|last=Fiedler|language=de|date=November 3, 2021|title=Mehr als nur ein neuer Name: Aus TV Now wird RTL+}}
On February 16, 2022, RTL Deutschland announced a cooperation with the U.S. media company Warner Bros. Discovery. In this context, series and movies from Warner as well as HBO Originals from the streaming provider HBO Max, which are not yet available in Germany, are to be successively integrated into the RTL+ portfolio, in some cases exclusively, starting in the first quarter of 2022.{{cite web|access-date=2022-02-16|date=2022-02-16|title=RTL Deutschland schließt umfangreichen exklusiven Film- und Seriendeal mit WarnerMedia|url=https://media.rtl.com/meldung/RTL-Deutschland-schliesst-umfangreichen-exklusiven-Film-und-Seriendeal-mit-WarnerMedia/|website=RTL Deutschland Media Hub|language=de}}
On November 16, 2022, RTL+ was launched in Hungary by RTL Magyarország, replacing RTL Most, in order to expand more with Hungarian content online.{{cite web|access-date=2023-03-17|date=2022-11-16|title=Megérkezett az RTL+, a legújabb magyar előfizetéses streamingszolgáltatás|url=https://rtl.hu/sorozatklub/2022/11/16/rtl-plusz-legujabb-magyar-elofizeteses-streaming-szolgaltatas|website=RTL Magyarország|language=hu}}
Following the redesign graphics of RTL in the Netherlands, rumors has said that the merger between RTL XL and Videoland to form RTL+, to expand Dutch content on the Internet. It will be in the Q3 2023.
References
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{{VOD services}}
Category:Internet properties established in 2007
Category:2007 establishments in Germany
Category:2022 establishments in Hungary
Category:Video on demand services
{{Germany-tv-stub}}