Text of report by Cambridge-based independent Broadband TV News website, on 15 October
The Belgian French language public broadcaster RTBF has said that in order to save money it will close its international channel RTBF Sat and replace it with a new service to be called RTBF La Trois (3).
However, the replacement channel will only be distributed nationally and no longer be available to an international audience. Until now, RTBF Sat was distributed unencrypted via the Eutelsat Hot Bird with a mix of programming from the two national channels. No date for the switch-off has been announced.
RTBF La Trois will concentrate on programming for young viewers and will also bring a selection of movies in their original version with subtitles in French. There will be no advertising on the new channel, which will be distributed via the DTT network, cable and IPTV platforms in the country. It seems likely that the Belgian French language DTH platform TeleSat will also acquire the distribution rights to the new channel.
(Source: Broadband TV News website, Cambridge, in English 15 Oct 09 via BBC Monitoring)
on Oct 15th, 2009 at 16:33
/start sarcasm
Belgium is still very much a “united” country, because RVI, the Flemish counterpart of RTBf International, will probably announce the same stupid decision. Both regional governments will of course continue their narrow cultural navel-gazing on satellite and on the internet.
/stop sarcasm
Henk, Flanders, Belgium
on Oct 18th, 2009 at 15:10
Readers of this blog may also find it of interest that RTBF will abolish its transmissions on shortwave as well. See, amongs other reports,
http://tele.premiere.fr/News-Tele/RTBF-Sat-la-chaine-satellitaire-passe-a-la-trappe/(gid)/2087155
This particular decision has indeed been taken by VRT as well, they will end their shortwave transmissions via the Krasny Bor (Russia) and Skelton (UK) facilities next Saturday.
on Oct 18th, 2009 at 15:33
And these steps belong to a package of cost saving measures that will come into force on 1 Jan 2010. So apparently RTBF Sat will disappear and 9970 kHz go silent at yearend.
http://www.tuner.be/actu.asp?id=142704&content=home