Marcus Wolter - Managing Director of 9Live
Marcus Wolter, born in 1968 in Hamburg. Completed compulsory military service and then studied social sciences in Hamburg (1988-92). Parallel to studies, founded his own music publishing company, which was in the top 20 in 1996. 1993, producer of "VIVA" for the production company MME, discovered Stefan Raab, Heike Makatsch, Aleksandra Bechtel, and others. 1996, managing director of the Sony label Hossa. 1999, producer for Brainpool, developed the pilot for "TV Total" with Stefan Raab. At 9Live since 2001. First, as program director. Then, as general manager since 2003. And now, as managing director since October 2005.
Focus areas: Development of 9Live as leading brand for interactive television in Germany. Wolter is responsible for the systematic development and implementation of interactive programming ideas and is primarily responsible for the success of 9Live as the first advertising-independent business model. 9Live is one of the most profitable special-interest broadcasters in Europe. It is the most successful TV innovation of the past several years and has permanently changed the TV market.
9Live: On its way to becoming a truly interactive, customer-focused broadcaster9Live is the leading brand for interactive programming and one of the fastest-growing television broadcasters in Germany. The Munich-based station produces 14 hours of its own live programming plus some four hours of call-in TV for ProSieben, Sat.1 and kabel eins each day. 9Live is considered the most successful TV innovation of the past several years.
On the way to becoming a truly interactive, customer-focused broadcaster.
In 2005, 9Live was the first free-TV broadcaster to launch its own bonus program, which it calls “9Live Gold”. Under the program, viewers can register as customers. Each time they call in to 9Live, members receive valuable points, or “Goldies,” that they can redeem for attractive 9Live brand products. According to Marcus Wolter, managing director of 9Live, “With more than 450,000 members by the end of 2005, 9Live Gold is Germany’s biggest TV club in free TV.”
“9Live Gold” is the next major interactive TV revolution. “The bonus program is the next step toward positioning 9Live as Germany’s No. 1 truly interactive broadcaster.” The key here is to continue to systematically develop the 9Live brand. Wolter says, “Establishing real customer relationships between viewers and a free-TV broadcaster is the way to the future. And for us, it’s where our future growth lies. We want to expand the possibilities for interaction. Because we have real contact with our viewers, we are better equipped to address their wants and needs.”
With its interactive business model, 9Live (previously TM3, which was founded in 1995) has changed the TV market permanently since its launch on September 1, 2001. The channel turned a profit for the first time in its 7-year history in May 2002 and thus achieved the fastest turnaround in the history of German television.
9Live is the pioneer of a new broadcasting generation in transaction television. Most of its revenues come from viewer interaction over the telephone. This business design makes 9Live largely independent of advertising and has since been copied by many broadcasters.
