The German broadcaster RTL will introduce a new text service using the Hybrid Broadcast Broadband TV (HbbTV) standard. It will launch the service, called HD Text, next year.
Despite its name, HD Text will also be available on regular SD broadcasts However, consumers will need a TV receiver or set-top box which is capable of handling CE-HTML.
Talking to the German website Digital Fernsehen, RTL Interactive CEO Tino Groß, said traditional teletext is still very popular with German viewers. Research shows that on a daily basis around 6.14 million people tune in the text service. During special occasions, such as weekends when RTL carries F1 racing, viewership tops 10 million per day.
After the introduction of the next HD Text service, RTL Deutschland will continue to broadcast traditional teletext for the foreseeable future. See also our story on HbbTV.
