Jan Hofer and Pinar Atalay
This is how RTL starts its news offensive
Jan Hofer and Pinar Atalay are the new faces at RTL.
© TVNOW / Jörg Carstensen / MG RTL D / Morris Mac Matzen
RTL relies on a fresh brand strategy that also includes new faces. Jan Hofer and Pinar Atalay strengthen the news team.
New faces, new brand strategy, new image. RTL is significantly expanding its range of information – by two hours a day. New to the news team are, among others, the long-time “Tagesschau” head spokesman Jan Hofer (71) and Pinar Atalay (43), who was part of the regular moderation team for ARD “Tagesthemen” until May.
New “RTL Direkt” format from August 16
Today, August 16, Hofer will present the new program “RTL direkt” for the first time (also at TVNow), which is broadcast live from Berlin every Monday to Thursday at 10:15 p.m. Atalay will join in the autumn and, alternating with Hofer, will take over the moderation for one week per month.
The aim of the new format is to combine “various elements from live reports and talk to audience participation and satire,” explains Lothar Keller, editor-in-chief of “RTL direkt”, in a press release. The station not only wants to keep viewers up to date, but also to entertain them. The focus is always on the question: “What is moving Germany today?”
In the first edition of the 20-minute broadcast, Hofer Green Chancellor candidate Annalena Baerbock (40) is received. Among other things, it should be about the start of postal voting. Hofer also speaks to the politician about the current election campaign.
Atalay on “RTL Aktuell”
Atalay, who switched to RTL in August, will also run “RTL Aktuell” from September. She joins the team consisting of Peter Kloeppel (62), Charlotte Maihoff (38) and Anna Fleichhauer (34), which has been presenting two issues of the format every day at 4:45 p.m. and 6:45 p.m. since August 2nd.
One of the first projects for Atalay is an election triad by RTL and ntv, which she will host together with Kloeppel on August 29th. An open exchange of blows is expected between the Chancellor candidates Armin Laschet (60, CDU), Olaf Scholz (63, SPD) and Chancellor candidate Baerbock. The whole thing is shown at prime time.
In addition to the new “RTL Aktuell” edition, there are also other changes. “Punkt 12 – Das RTL-Mittagsjournal” was extended by one hour to 3 p.m. at the beginning of July. Another issue of “Explosiv” was added at the beginning of August. “Explosiv Stories” runs daily at 5 pm, “Explosiv – Das Magazin” on the known slot at 6 pm. The permanent moderation team includes Jana Azizi (31), Elena Bruhn (42) and Leonie Koch.