Editing RTL Group (section)

===Growth and stock market launch===
CLT-UFA not only grew organically but also increased in size due to a number of acquisitions.<ref>{{Cite magazine|title=CLT-UFA im Kaufrausch|language=de|magazine=Der Spiegel|date=3 January 2000|access-date=15 June 2020|url=https://www.spiegel.de/spiegel/print/d-15348764.html}}</ref> In the year 2000, Bertelsmann and Pearson announced plans to merge their television, radio, and production activities.<ref>{{Cite news|title=Bertelsmann und Pearson besiegeln Allianz.|newspaper=Die Welt|language=de|date=8 April 2000|page=13}}</ref> The two companies joined forces to create RTL Group, Europe's leading network of television channels and radio stations with a global content business,<ref>{{Cite news|author=Andreas Uhlig|title=Gründung eines europäischen Fernsehgiganten Kooperation von Bertelsmann und Pearson.|newspaper=Neue Zürcher Zeitung|date=8 April 2000|page=25|language=de}}</ref> which was rebranded FremantleMedia in 2001 (now called Fremantle).<ref>{{Cite news|author=Jason Deans|title=Pearson TV revives Thames TV brand|newspaper=The Guardian|date=21 August 2001|access-date=3 July 2020|url=https://www.theguardian.com/media/2001/aug/21/pearson.broadcasting|language=en}}</ref> This merger was designed to provide a strong European response to U.S. media dominance.<ref>{{Cite magazine|author=Gunhild Freese|title=Die europäische Antwort|magazine=Die Zeit|date=13 April 2000|access-date=15 June 2020|url=https://www.zeit.de/2000/16/200016.bertelsmann_.xml/komplettansicht|language=de}}</ref>

RTL Group was first listed on the [[London Stock Exchange]]<ref>{{Cite news|language=de|title=RTL Group ab 26. Juli an der Börse Europäischer Medienkonzern um Bertelsmann und Pearson TV.|newspaper=Der Tagesspiegel|date=6 July 2000|page=24}}</ref> on 26 July 2000.<ref name="2000-07-27">{{Cite news|author=Doris Grass|title=Schwacher Börsenstart von RTL Group|language=de|newspaper=Financial Times Deutschland|date=27 July 2000|page=17}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|author=G. Friedrich, S. Spohr|title=Baywatch in London|language=de|newspaper=Telebörse|date=13 July 2000|page=49}}</ref> The existing shell of Audiofina,<ref>{{Cite news|author=Andreas Grafemeyer|title=Börsengänge werden nicht zur Regel.|language=de|newspaper=Börsen-Zeitung|date=18 January 2001|page=10}}</ref> which was already a listed company, was used to simplify the administrative effort involved in the [[stock market]] launch.<ref>{{Cite news|author=Lutz Meier|language=de|title=RTL Group ist Londoner Börse|newspaper=Financial Times Deutschland|date=5 July 2000|page=5}}</ref> The issue price of the RTL Group share was calculated based on the closing prices of Audiofina in Luxembourg and Brussels.<ref>{{Cite news|language=de|author=Andreas Hoffbauer|title=RTL Group holt sich Kapital an der Börse.|newspaper=Handelsblatt|date=6 July 2000|page=15}}</ref> The RTL Group share consequently replaced the Audiofina listing.<ref name="2000-07-27" />