Observed Signal · Jun 18, 2026 · Programming Announcement · Source: DWDL · Impact: 2/5 · Sentiment: Positive
RTL to Air 'Diese Ochsenknechts' on Sundays
Following RTL's takeover of Sky Deutschland, RTL will bring the Sky original reality series 'Diese Ochsenknechts' to free-to-air TV. DWDL reports the fifth season — which first aired on Sky in April and May — will receive its free-TV premiere on RTL from 5 July 2026, broadcast Sundays at 19:05. The show, produced by B28 Produktion, follows Natascha Ochsenknecht and family; Sky considers it one of its key in-house productions and has a spin-off titled 'Yeliz & Jimi'. RTL said the move aims to maximise exploitation of Sky's formats across the RTL Group's channels, and the takeover is expected to lead to more Sky content appearing on RTL platforms (RTL had already reintroduced Formula 1 after the acquisition).
Expansion of Sky-originated content onto RTL's free-TV schedule increases linear TV inventory and cross-platform content exploitation following RTL's Sky Deutschland takeover, relevant to broadcasters, advertisers and media buyers.
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Key Takeaways & Evidence Grounding
- RTL will air the fifth season of 'Diese Ochsenknechts' on free-to-air TV starting 2026-07-05, Sundays at 19:05.
- Season 5 originally premiered on Sky in April and May 2026; RTL will provide the free-TV premiere in July.
- 'Diese Ochsenknechts' is produced by B28 Produktion.
- RTL CEO Stephan Schmitter had previously announced bringing the Sky format to free TV after RTL's acquisition of Sky Deutschland.
- RTL plans to leverage Sky's formats across RTL Group channels following the Sky Deutschland takeover; Formula 1 was already returned to RTL's schedule.
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RTL premieres Sky’s 'Diese Ochsenknechts' free-to-air
RTL has begun broadcasting the former Sky original reality series 'Diese Ochsenknechts' on free-to-air television (Sundays at 19:05) while the show remains available on RTL+. The article uses the show’s fifth season and the Ochsenknecht family drama as a lens to discuss wider German broadcaster dynamics: a growing RTL–Sky partnership (including a planned joint weekend on 29 August for the Bundesliga opener), Sky’s pullback from local fiction production, RTLzwei’s commissioning of multiple new reality formats, and consolidation within ProSiebenSat.1 after the entry of MFE. The piece frames these programming moves as part of multi-platform content strategies, inventory reshuffling among linear channels and streaming services (RTL, RTL+, Sky, VOX, RTLzwei, Joyn, ProSiebenSat.1, Sat.1, kabel eins) and their implications for reach and monetisation.
RTL pulls 'Diese Ochsenknechts' from schedule
RTL has removed repeats of the fifth season of the Sky series 'Diese Ochsenknechts' from its Sunday evening free-TV schedule with immediate effect after low audience figures. The show, which has run for five seasons on Sky, aired on RTL in early July at 19:10 but saw viewership fall from 570,000 for the first episode to 410,000 for the most recent broadcast; the 14–49 market share dropped from 5.2% to 3.0%. RTL will instead run repeats of 'Versicherungsdetektive' (2020) in the coming weeks. All five episodes of 'Diese Ochsenknechts' remain available on Sky, Wow and RTL+ for on-demand viewing.
RTL brings 'Die Verräter' and 'Euphorie' to Sky
Following RTL's takeover of Sky Deutschland, the two broadcasters are expanding content exchange: the first season of the German series Euphorie will be available on Sky and Wow from July 7, 2026, and the first three seasons of the reality format Die Verräter will appear on Sky/Wow from July 15, 2026. Additionally, the fourth season of Die Verräter — details of which were previewed at the Screenforce Festival — will stream on Sky platforms alongside RTL+ from August 3, 2026, with a linear Free‑TV window on RTL to follow. Euphorie’s first season (eight episodes) was produced by Zeitsprung Pictures and originally published on RTL+ in October 2025. The article notes production credits and past participants in Die Verräter and references the original Israeli creators of the Euphorie format.
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