Vlaamse Radio- en Televisieomroeporganisatie
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| Type | Broadcast radio, television and online |
|---|---|
| Country | Flanders (includes Brussels) |
| Availability | Belgium |
| Owner | Flemish Community |
Launch date |
1930 (radio) 1953 (television) |
Former names |
NIR (1930–1960), BRT (1960–1991), BRTN (1991–1998) |
Official website | www.vrt.be |
The Vlaamse Radio- en Televisieomroeporganisatie (Flemish Radio and Television Broadcasting Organization), or VRT, is the national public-service broadcaster for the Flemish Region and Community of Belgium.
It is the successor to the Nationaal Instituut voor de Radio-omroep (NIR; 1930–60), Belgische Radio- en Televisieomroep (BRT; 1960–1991), and Belgische Radio- en Televisieomroep Nederlandstalige Uitzendingen (BRTN; 1991–1998). The NIR (known as the INR in French) and BRT (RTB in French) had each been single state-owned entities with separate Dutch- and French-language production departments, but with the growing degree of federalism resulting from state reform in Belgium, BRT/RTB went their separate ways in 1977. The former French half changed its name to RTBF in 1977, while the Dutch side retained the BRT name until becoming BRTN in 1991. However, the two broadcasters share production facilities on Auguste Reyerslaan (French: Boulevard Auguste Reyers) in Brussels.
The final renaming to VRT, on 1 January 1998, followed a change in the organization's legal status: from being part of a semi-governmental entity (a parastatale in Belgian terminology) it had, on 16 April 1997, became a publicly owned corporation (NV van publiek recht) in its own right.
As successors to the NIR/INR, VRT and its counterpart in the French Community of Belgium, RTBF, are both members of the European Broadcasting Union (EBU) – an association of public broadcasters in the countries of Europe and the Mediterranean rim that, amongst other activities, organizes the annual Eurovision Song Contest.
With the ending of its television monopoly – marked by the creation of VTM, a commercial television company that initially captured more than half of VRT's audience – the public broadcaster has been compelled to fight back, and part of its successful response has been the use of external production houses such as Woestijnvis, the creator of such formats as The Mole (De mol) and Man bijt hond.
Television channels
Television channels are transmitted on:
- Astra satellite on TV Vlaanderen Digitaal, an encrypted pay satellite service.
- Cable: analog and digital on all Belgian and Dutch cable providers;
- DSL lines through IPTV to Belgacom customers;
- Satellite free-to-air worldwide as a participant in the Dutch/Flemish BVN channel
- Terrestrial digital using DVB-T in Flanders on Norkring's network.
Current channels
- Eén (Dutch for: one), the main channel, formerly known as VRT TV1. Started in 1953 on VHF channel 10. In PAL colour since 1971. In 1977 the transmission standard changed from Belgian 625 to European CCIR) standard.
- Canvas, the quality TV channel. Started in 1977.
- Ketnet, the children's channel. Formerly took up Canvas's channel from 6am to 8pm.
- Sporza, the sports channel. Sport programs (like cycling, football, tennis...) are aired under the Sporza name but on the channels of Eén, Canvas or Ketnet. During big sport events (like the Olympics) it is not uncommon for two or more channels to simultaneously air Sporza.
Former channels
- BRTN TV2 was launched on 26 April 1977 as BRT TV2. BRT(N) TV2 broadcast Terzake and Het Journaal 8 uur until Sunday, 30 November 1997, when TV2 ceased transmission. On Monday 1 December 1997, BRTN TV2 was split into two channels: BRTN Ketnet and BRTN Canvas. The two channels were part of BRTN until 1998 – Canvas and Ketnet are still broadcasting as part of VRT2.
- OP12 (Dutch for: 'on twelve)) was a channel used as backup in the event of primetime shortage. Mostly used for excess sport- and culture programs. It was discontinued in 2014.[1]
Radio channels
The VRT broadcasts radio channels in both analog format (FM and AM) and digital format (using DAB and DVB-T). All channels are also broadcast live over the Internet.
International broadcasting was done via VRT's Radio Vlaanderen Internationaal (RVi).
Analog and digital
- Radio 1 - news, information and cultural channel
- Radio 2 - popular music
- Klara - classical music channel (formerly Radio 3)
- Studio Brussel - young and alternative channel
- MNM - hit music (formerly radio Donna)
Digital-only channels
- Klara continuo - uninterrupted classical music
- Nieuws+ - latest news programme continuously repeated
- MNM Hits - uninterrupted popular music
They also have a TMC service transmitted on Radio 2.
See also
- List of radio stations in Belgium
- List of television stations in Belgium
- Bert De Graeve, former CEO
- Tony Mary, former CEO
References
- 16 April 'Belgian pubcaster to launch HD Channel' via Broadband TV News
External links
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Wikimedia Commons has media related to Vlaamse Radio- en Televisieomroeporganisatie. |
- Official website
- (English) news site of VRT
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Coordinates: 50°51′10″N 4°24′06″E / 50.85278°N 4.40167°E