--- title: "RTL and Sky to cut around 500 jobs by 2027" publication: "MediaBias News" url: "https://mediabias.news/business/rtl-and-sky-to-cut-around-500-jobs-by-2027" api: "https://mediabias.news/api/v1/stories/rtl-and-sky-to-cut-around-500-jobs-by-2027" markdown: "https://mediabias.news/business/rtl-and-sky-to-cut-around-500-jobs-by-2027.md" audio: "https://mediabias.news/api/audio/rtl-and-sky-to-cut-around-500-jobs-by-2027" category: "Business & Economy" published: "2026-09-17T13:25:15.840Z" source_reported: "2026-09-17T12:53:20.631Z" updated: "2026-09-17T13:25:15.840Z" trust_score: 42 critic_score: 61 hype_score: 41 assessment_type: "coverage-and-source-reporting-analysis" fact_check_status: "not-performed" coverage_measured: "2026-09-17T13:15:47.596265+00:00" --- # RTL and Sky to cut around 500 jobs by 2027 *Job reductions follow RTL Group's acquisition of Sky Deutschland, with most cuts expected in 2026.* **Scores for the source reporting** (0-100, assessing the original journalism this article was written from, not this write-up): - Trust 42 of 100, higher is better. Central claim attributed to RTL; two independent outlets published full reports. - Craft 61 of 100, higher is better. Reports quote affected parties and name specific figures, dates, and places. - Hype 41 of 100, lower is better. Headlines promise job cuts, but the body details the process and rationale. Scored by MediaBias News; method at https://mediabias.news/methodology. **The short version** - RTL Deutschland and Sky will cut around 500 jobs by the end of 2027. - The majority of these job cuts are expected to occur in 2026. - RTL Group acquired Sky Deutschland this year, aiming for annual synergies of €250 million within three years. - RTL Deutschland previously announced the elimination of approximately 600 jobs at the end of last year. RTL Deutschland and Sky plan to reduce their combined workforce by approximately 500 employees by the end of 2027. The majority of these job cuts are expected to take place in 2026. RTL Group acquired Sky Deutschland this year, with the merger intended to strengthen its position in the streaming and TV markets and expand its subscription business. The company aims to achieve annual synergies of €250 million within three years, primarily through optimising content and costs, reducing duplicate structures, and creating more efficient decision-making processes. RTL stated that the job reductions will be handled in a socially responsible manner and in close cooperation with works councils. The company indicated that expiring contracts will not be renewed and open positions will not be refilled to avoid compulsory redundancies. The exact distribution of the 500 job cuts between RTL and Sky was not immediately disclosed. ## Previous job cuts This announcement follows previous job cuts at RTL Deutschland. At the end of last year, the company announced the elimination of around 600 jobs as part of a restructuring, citing a changing media market, difficult economic conditions, and weak TV advertising markets. ## What the coverage left out None of the left-rated reports mentioned the job cuts. The digests from the right-rated outlets did not specify how the approximately 500 job cuts would be distributed between RTL and Sky, nor did they detail the specific methods for achieving the €250 million in annual synergies beyond general optimisation and reduction of duplicate structures. ## Who covered it Shares of the 6 covering outlets with a published leaning rating: - Left: 17% (1) - Centre: 16% (1) - Right: 67% (4) 6 of 12 covering outlets carried no usable leaning rating and were excluded from those percentages. Coverage measured 2026-09-17T13:15:47.596265+00:00. **Coverage watch:** developing. Checked 2 times; 0 checks found a material change. Most recently checked 2026-09-17T13:45:19.406Z. ## How the sides framed it ### Left No separate framing summary. ### Centre - Der Tagesspiegel, the single centre-rated report, led with the headline "After the Merger of Both Stations: RTL Deutschland and Sky Cancel About 500 Jobs." It reported that around 500 jobs are to be cut by the end of 2027, with the majority in 2026. The report noted that the job cuts are intended to be socially compatible and that expiring contracts will not be extended and open positions will not be refilled to avoid compulsory redundancies. It also mentioned the planned annual synergies of €250 million and quoted Bertelsmann CEO Thomas Rabe's earlier statement about merging and streamlining companies. The report also referenced RTL Deutschland's previous announcement of around 600 job cuts at the end of last year. ### Right - The four right-rated reports focused on the job cuts following the merger. Handelsblatt's headline stated, "Media Group: RTL Germany and Sky Delete About 500 Jobs." Welt reported, "Television: RTL and Sky Paint About 500 Digits," and noted that RTL wants to remove most jobs in 2026 and save €250 million per year. Focus.de's headline was "After Sky-Fusion: RTL Cuts Another 500 Positions," and it mentioned RTL Deutschland had already announced over 600 job cuts by the end of 2025. Bild reported exclusively that RTL CEO Stephan Schmitter informed employees of the 500 job reductions by the end of the year. **Provisional coverage gap:** left. The watch is not closed, so this is not yet a settled blindspot finding. ## Factuality profile of the covering outlets These are published factuality ratings of the outlets, not a verdict on whether this story or its claims are true. - mixed: 1 - high: 3 - unknown: 6 - veryHigh: 2 ## Verification scope This page compares coverage and scores the source reporting. It is not a ClaimReview verdict on whether the underlying event or claim is true. ## Original reporting this was written from - [Welt](https://welt.de/wirtschaft/article6aabdef1fc82e30f94af33be/fernsehen-rtl-und-sky-streichen-rund-500-stellen.html) — Television: RTL and Sky Paint About 500 Digits - [Zeit Online](https://zeit.de/news/2026-09/17/rtl-deutschland-und-sky-streichen-rund-500-stellen) — Media: RTL Germany and Sky Delete About 500 Jobs - [Der Tagesspiegel](https://tagesspiegel.de/gesellschaft/medien/dpa-rtl-deutschland-und-sky-streichen-rund-500-stellen-16065973.html) — After the Merger of Both Stations: RTL Deutschland and Sky Cancel About 500 Jobs - [Handelsblatt](https://handelsblatt.com/unternehmen/handel-konsumgueter/medienkonzern-rtl-deutschland-und-sky-streichen-rund-500-stellen/100255393.html) — Media Group: RTL Germany and Sky Delete About 500 Jobs - [horizont.net](https://horizont.net/medien/nachrichten/tv-krise-rtl-deutschland-und-sky-streichen-rund-500-stellen-235876) — TV Crisis: RTL Germany and Sky Cancel About 500 Jobs - [wiwo.de](https://wiwo.de/unternehmen/dienstleister/medien-rtl-deutschland-und-sky-streichen-rund-500-stellen/100255389.html) — Media: RTL Germany and Sky Delete About 500 Jobs - [focus.de](https://focus.de/kultur/kino-tv/nach-sky-fusion-rtl-streicht-nochmal-500-stellen_3b178fef-5b94-4df2-a1e2-2131b53cb371.html) — After Sky-Fusion: RTL Cuts Another 500 Positions - [noz.de](https://noz.de/deutschland-welt/panorama/artikel/rtl-und-sky-500-stellen-wegen-zusammenarbeit-gestrichen-51445298) — After Merger: RTL and Sky Dismantle 500 Jobs - [onetz.de](https://onetz.de/deutschland-welt/rtl-deutschland-sky-streichen-rund-500-stellen-id5503992.html) — RTL Germany and Sky Delete About 500 Jobs - [inFranken.de](https://infranken.de/ueberregional/newsticker-national/eilmeldungen/rtl-deutschland-und-sky-streichen-rund-500-stellen-art-6396607) — RTL Germany and Sky Delete About 500 Jobs - [Bild](https://bild.de/unterhaltung/tv-fernsehformate/der-sender-verkuendete-es-am-vormittag-rtl-und-sky-bauen-500-stellen-ab-6aabc823a9420481bd214adb) — How BILD Learns Exclusively: RTL and Sky Dismantle 500 Jobs - [turi2](https://turi2.de/aktuell/rtl-deutschland-baut-nach-der-sky-uebernahme-weitere-500-arbeitsplaetze-ab) — RTL Germany Is Dismantling Another 500 Jobs After the Sky Takeover. ## Questions **How many jobs will be cut at RTL Deutschland and Sky?** RTL Deutschland and Sky plan to cut around 500 jobs by the end of 2027. The majority of these reductions are expected to occur in 2026, as part of the integration following RTL Group's acquisition of Sky Deutschland. **What are the financial goals of the merger?** The merger aims to achieve annual synergies of €250 million within three years. These savings are expected to come from optimising content and costs, reducing duplicate structures, and creating more efficient decision-making processes. **Have there been job cuts at RTL Deutschland before?** Yes, RTL Deutschland previously announced the elimination of approximately 600 jobs at the end of last year as part of a restructuring. This was attributed to changes in the media market, economic conditions, and advertising revenue. --- MediaBias News — https://mediabias.news. Reproduced from https://mediabias.news/business/rtl-and-sky-to-cut-around-500-jobs-by-2027. Please cite as: MediaBias News, "RTL and Sky to cut around 500 jobs by 2027", https://mediabias.news/business/rtl-and-sky-to-cut-around-500-jobs-by-2027