The Flemish government has reached agreement on a new strategy for VRT for the next five years. The Flemish public broadcaster will launch a full national TV network aimed at teens. Currently two services share the second channel - Ketnet (mainly for children) up to 2000, and from 2000 Canvas (with news, science, history and sport). From 2013, these will become two separate networks, and Ketnet will expand to show programmes aimed at teenagers after 2000. Canvas will also be available for more hours per day, providing an improved service to seniors who are not so eager to stay up for late night programmes.
Rival commercial channels are not happy about VRT’s plan to enter the youth market. Peter Quaghebeur, general manager of the Femish Media Society (VMMa) which represents the commercial broadcasters, said: “VRT has no need for a third channel. They already have a market share of more than forty percent.”
The advent of a third television channel for VRT has been mooted for some time. “We have already protested against it from the beginning, but the Flemish government clearly did not take into account the concerns of the commercial broadcasters,” says Mr Quaghebeur. There are already two commercial networks aimed at teens.
Besides the third television channel, VRT is also getting a bigger budget. From 2012 the VRT will receive 293.4 million euros a year. This is 18 million euros more than at present.
Radio Vlaanderen Internationaal (RVi), the Flemish Worldwide service, will disappear, but as an alternative Radio 1 and Radio 2 will be broadcast worldwide via satellite, and all radio channels will also be available worldwide via the Internet. It’s not yet clear exactly when RVi will close.
(Sources: RS/RadioWereld.NL)
on Jul 18th, 2011 at 14:36
The question is, will they close 927 AM.
on Jul 18th, 2011 at 17:11
A better question might be, will anybody even notice?
on Jul 18th, 2011 at 17:48
The press release from VRT says they will also develop a plan to inform non-Dutch speakers (presumably living in Flanders) about Flemish current affairs and culture. They have already been experimenting with this for years since RVI English closed. http://www.deredactie.be/cm/vrtnieuws.english
on Jul 18th, 2011 at 17:58
I see the English version of the page is different. It says the expat service will launch at the end of the year. http://www.deredactie.be/cm/vrtnieuws.english/news/110716_VRT_third_channel
on Jan 8th, 2012 at 12:11
The claim that the VRT radio channels will be on the satellite worldwide is incorrect.They will only available on the Astra satellite for Europe.For outside Europe,stuff it,only VRT radio1 will be on the satellite.I believe RVI and the AM transmitters had to close to save money for the new kids tv channel the VRT wants to start.When visiting the RVI studios I got the impression eventually they would be culled.Over the years since 1980 I noticed a slow degrading of RVI ,cuts and cuts until there was basically nothing left of it.the VRT beancounters let rvi die a slow death.Nowadays the VRT is more interested in market share as if they were a commercial entity.
on Jan 8th, 2012 at 13:41
Yes, at the moment only Radio 1 is being broadcast worldwide on satellite. Details are on this page: http://www.vrt.be/ontvangst-buiten-vlaanderen-radio-satelliet