RTL Group | Hamburg/Berlin, 10/10/2016

RTL Radio Center Berlin Manages a Triple Win

Awards rained down on RTL Radio Deutschland's Berlin Funkhaus studios last Thursday evening in Hamburg at the German Radio Prize awards presentation. The Berlin radio makers won the coveted trophy in three categories: RTL Deutschland's Hit-Radio's "Hans Blomberg Show" received the "Best Format" award. Arno Müller and Katja Desens of the Berlin station 104.6 RTL won for the second time for "Arno und die Morgencrew" – winning two awards is unprecedented in the history of the German Radio Prize. Finally, Carolin Kuhn of 105'5 Spreeradio was honored as "Best Newcomer".

For the seventh time, the best radio makers were honored with the German Radio Prize in Hamburg. International artists and celebrity guests from politics, the industry and public life participated in the gala, among them superstar Sting. Hans Blomberg of RTL Deutschland's Hit-Radio won the evening's first award. RTL Radio, the traditional Luxembourg program, has been produced under a new name at the RTL Radio Center Berlin for a year now. The presenter won in the top category "Best Format" for "Die Hans Blomberg Show". Blomberg convinced the Grimme jury, which selects the award winners, with his personality show about the big topics of the week. The show enjoys above-average listener participation. "It's a show in which the presenter takes his listeners seriously and involves them in the design of the program. In addition, it's a top-quality production with a good sense for music," praised the jury.

"Arno und die Morgencrew – Berlins lustigste Morgensendung" of 104.6 RTL has long been an award-winning show. Arno Müller and Katja Desens won the German Radio Prize for their morning show in 2014. This did not stop the Grimme jury from honoring the show – following another nomination last year – with the German Radio Prize in 2016, as well. The show has been around for 25 years and the two presenters have been working as a team for 22 years. This consistency is a rarity in the German radio market. The jury's conclusion: "25 years at a top level – the personalities of Arno Müller and Katja Desens are unique and among the capital's most popular presenters. They sound both warm-heartedly sympathetic and very professional."

Carolin Kuhn of 105'5 Spreeradio was also delighted: she won for "Best Newcomer". This category honors younger radio talents in the first five years of their professional activities. The jury likes how she manages to be intimate without getting too offensive. "In addition to solid training, it takes a station that trusts her and, above all, it takes empathetic intelligence. Carolin Kuhn's beautiful voice is icing on the cake!"

Stations from the RTL portfolio were the recipients of another award for "Best Program Campaign". For the first time, a joint award was given in a category – eight Hamburg radio stations, including Radio Hamburg and Hamburg Zwei, were honored for a campaign against xenophobia. The occasion was the so-called "Demo der Patrioten", a gathering of neo-Nazis, hooligans and racists. All of the stations read a text jointly – against agitation, hatred and violence and for a democratic and diversified coexistence in Hamburg. Afterwards, John Lennon's "Imagine" was played. The message: "We turn the radio on loud, open our windows and thus make a statement about the values of our city."

"My heartfelt congratulations to the award winners; I am very happy with the well-deserved recognition of these special achievements," says Gert Zimmer, CEO RTL Radio Deutschland. "The personalities of our stations are among the best radio makers in the country. The presenters and their teams are doing excellent work. I am pleased that this not only convinces the listeners but also the Grimme jury – year after year!"

The German Radio Prize honors extraordinary radio achievements. The renowned Grimme jury selects three finalists in each of the eleven categories from hundreds of submissions. The winners are announced annually during the gala in Hamburg. The founders of the German Radio Prize are the private radio stations in Germany and the radio programs of ARD and Deutschlandradio. The Grimme Institute, the Freie und Hansestadt Hamburg, the Radiozentrale – a joint platform of private and public fee-financed stations to strengthen radio as a medium – and the radio marketers AS&S Radio and RMS are the founders of the German Radio Prize.