From 23 to 25 October 2024, more than 300 speakers from science, technology, politics and media came together at the Medientage München 2024 (Media Days Munich) conference. Under the motto “Realities”, the event focused on the relevance and social responsibility of the media industry in a world influenced by artificial intelligence.

Bavarian prime minister Dr. Markus Söder and world leading AI expert Henry Ajder were among the speakers who opened the 38th edition of the Media Days. Both emphasised the rapid advancement of Generative AI, which makes it increasingly difficult to distinguish between reality and deep fakes. “This technology is here to stay, and it is changing our industries” said Henry Ajder, pointing out how crucial it is for the media industry to provide orientation, foster community, and defend credibility in this tension-filled environment.

The future of TV and streaming 

Given rising costs and tighter budgets, the competition in the TV and streaming market has intensified. How does this affect programming strategies, investments, and creative power?

Inga Leschek, Chief Content Officer at RTL Deutschland, explained during the TV summit how a talent like Stefan Raab helps to boost the growth of RTL+. In this context, Inga announced a new live event show with Stefan Raab and German entertainer Michael “Bully” Herbig called Stefan & Bully gegen irgendson Schnulli, set to air on 21 December on flagship channel RTL.

Henning Nieslony, RTL Deutschland’s Chief Streaming Officer, joined the panel ’Next Gen Streaming: the future of the German streaming market’, in which he highlighted the unique selling proposition of RTL+ as Germany’s first multimedia app, bundling video, music, podcasts, audiobooks and magazine content in one single app. In order to deepen Group-wide cooperation in technology, advertising sales and content, Henning also explained how RTL+ in Germany is joining forces with Bedrock by migrating to the Bedrock technology platform by early 2026.

Quality journalism: Between aspiration and reality

The journalism summit explored the question of how media can rebuild and maintain trust in a world where democracy is under pressure and where the distinction between truth and fake news is increasingly opaque. Gregor Peter Schmitz, Chairman of the Editorial Board of Stern, Geo and Capital at RTL Deutschland, and Sonja Schwetje, Managing Director Programming at NTV and Editor-in-Chief Business News and Networks at RTL News, shared their views on building bridges and promoting constructive dialogue even in polarised parts of society. Transparency is key to rebuild trust in journalism.

’TV Meets Social’

The influencer culture on social media is thriving and platforms like TikTok, Instagram and Twitch are shaping the stars of the future. In an interview with Petra Schwegler from Medien.Bayern, We Are Era CEO Tobias Schiwek shared valuable insights into his work and experiences with influencers. He discussed how collaborations between traditional media companies and online personalities are reshaping the visual media landscape and emphasised the increasing synergies that arise from these partnerships. Influencers represent authenticity and relatability, acting as brand ambassadors who bring their own communities along, creating significant synergy potential.

The three-day event was full of inspiration, insights, and thought-provoking questions. In addition to the speakers mentioned above, several other executives from across RTL Group joined the stages at Media Days Munich: Maximilian Orgonyi, Chief Strategy & Transformation Officer at RTL Deutschland, Laura Bäck, Director of Social Media at RTL Deutschland, Frank Robens, Executive Vice President Sports at RTL Deutschland, Christian Schalt, Chief Digital Content Officer at RTL Radio Deutschland, Leonard Ottinger, Managing Director of the RTL School of Journalism and Stefanie Jäckel, Chief Strategy Officer at Ad Alliance.

To round things up, everyone came together to network and celebrate during the ’Nacht der Medien’ (Media Night), which took place at the BMW World in Munich. The evening event combined business talks with good music, drinks and dancing. One of the highlights: special guest and musician Leony performed live and fired up the crowd.