April 27, 2026, 12:27 pm | Read time: 3 minutes
Many people no longer watch TV solely through traditional cable. A major deal could now shake up the market and become interesting for you as well.
RTL has received permission to acquire Sky Deutschland. The EU Commission has approved the deal. This significantly expands RTL’s presence in the pay-TV and streaming business, moving it to third place among the largest streaming providers in Germany. Only Netflix and Amazon Prime Video are ahead. This could be exciting for you because RTL will not only gain more content. The competition in the TV market could also change.
Sky brings RTL new opportunities
Until now, RTL and Sky have been rivals in key areas, especially in sports rights, such as soccer or Formula 1. With the acquisition, these activities will be more consolidated. RTL will also gain additional platforms with Sky Deutschland. In addition to RTL+, Sky Q and Wow will be part of the company’s expanded offerings.
An especially interesting point is Sky Stream. This is highlighted by “dwdl.de.” The IPTV service will also go to RTL through the acquisition. This changes the company’s role in the traditional TV business. RTL has primarily been active as a broadcaster. With Sky Stream, RTL can also act as a TV provider in the future.
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Competition for MagentaTV, Waipu, and Zattoo
Sky Stream operates via a small hardware box and offers access to around 100 free-to-air channels for a monthly fee. This service competes with offerings like MagentaTV, Waipu TV, and Zattoo. At the same time, Sky Stream can also be an alternative to traditional cable connections. If RTL expands this offering, it could also become relevant for Vodafone.
However, it remains unclear how RTL will leverage this new position. The focus of the acquisition seems to be initially on the subscription business, where the company already has more than twelve million paying users. Whether the Cologne-based company has enough resources to push Sky Stream further into the market as a TV provider is still unknown.
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Sky Stream also brings conflicts
For RTL, Sky Stream is not just an opportunity. The service can also lead to a conflict of interest. Through the platform, RTL would also have to distribute programs from competitors like ProSiebenSat.1. At the same time, Sky Stream could help sell more pay-TV upgrades and thus increase subscription revenues.