VRT
The Flemish Radio and Television Broadcasting Organisation (Vlaamse Radio- en Televisieomroeporganisatie, VRT) is the public service broadcaster for the Flemish Community in Belgium. Its institutional history reflects the country’s evolving media landscape: it began as NIR (Nationaal Instituut voor de Radio-omroep) between 1930 and 1960, transitioned into BRT (Belgische Radio- en Televisieomroep) from 1960 to 1991, and was subsequently rebranded as BRTN (Belgische Radio- en Televisieomroep Nederlandstalige Uitzendingen) until 1998, when it assumed its current name, VRT. Today, VRT operates four national television channels and five radio networks.
In 2018, VRT partnered with the Flemish public investment company Participatiemaatschappij Vlaanderen (PMV) to establish Media-Invest Vlaanderen, a venture capital fund designed to finance promising companies in the Flemish media and audiovisual sector. Both partners hold an equal stake in the fund, reflecting VRT’s broader strategy of combining public service obligations with support for innovation and sectoral growth.
Media assets
Television: VRT1, Canvas, Ketnet, Sporza
Radio: Radio 1, Radio 2, Klara, Studio Brussel, MNM
State Media Matrix Typology
Independent State-Funded and State-Managed (ISFM)
Ownership and governance
The renaming of the broadcaster to VRT in 1998 coincided with significant legal reform. Its status was changed from that of a semi-governmental entity into a naamloze vennootschap van publiek recht (public limited liability company under public law), giving the organisation greater legal and operational autonomy while maintaining public ownership.
VRT is overseen by a Board of Directors comprising 12 members appointed by the Flemish Government. These appointments broadly mirror the political balance within the Flemish Parliament, embedding political representation within its governance model. To support the Board’s supervisory role, three permanent committees are in place, focusing respectively on financial oversight, strategic planning, and remuneration policies.
Frederik Delaplace serves as CEO of VRT, supported by a team of managing directors: Karen Donders (Public Mission, Talent & Organisation), Tom Peeters (Connections), Lieven Vermaele (Partnerships & Operations), Stijn Lehaen (Technology & Infrastructure), Liesbet Vrieleman (Acting Content), and Griet De Craen (Acting Information).
Source of funding and budget
VRT’s budget is derived primarily from state subsidies complemented by commercial revenue from activities such as programme sales, sponsorship, and digital services.
In 2021, VRT operated with a budget of €447 million, of which €270 million came from state subsidies, just over 60% of its funding. In 2022, the budget increased slightly to €456 million, with €271 million in subsidies. In 2023, the budget reached €486.6 million, supported by €285 million in state contributions.
In recent years, VRT has undergone cost-cutting reforms, including staff reductions, to generate savings of around €25 million. These measures were part of a broader restructuring plan aimed at ensuring financial sustainability in an increasingly competitive and digitalised media landscape.
In 2024 and early 2025, budgetary debates around VRT intensified. The Flemish Government called for efficiency gains and stricter performance metrics, while VRT management warned against excessive cuts that could compromise its public service mission. Discussions also touched on the long-term funding model, with growing political pressure from some parties to reduce state dependency and increase reliance on own revenues.
In 2024, VRT’s total budget reached €508.9m, with €304.4m from the Flemish Government, equivalent to roughly 60% of funding. The remainder was generated through advertising (€84.9m), distribution/licensing (€47.8m), sponsorship and partnerships, content sales, and other income. Government rules continue to restrict mid-roll advertising on VRT Max, though the broadcaster has been allowed to slightly expand its sponsorship capacity.
Editorial independence
Unlike some other European public broadcasters, VRT does not operate under direct political instruction or censorship. The Flemish Government does not impose obligations that would compel a pro-government editorial line. Two independent content analyses, conducted in May 2021 and March 2024 for this project, confirmed that VRT has consistently upheld its editorial independence. No evidence has been found of state authorities interfering with the broadcaster’s editorial agenda.
VRT safeguards its independence through a robust set of internal statutes and codes of ethics. Its editorial statute explicitly enshrines autonomy in journalistic decision-making. The broadcaster is also affiliated with the Journalism Council (Raad voor de Journalistiek), Belgium’s media self-regulatory body, whose members adhere to a professional code of ethics.
Internally, several mechanisms oversee editorial integrity. An ethical advisory council, comprising 11 members elected by VRT’s staff, is empowered to advise the editorial leadership on ethical matters, whether at management’s request or on its own initiative.
In addition, the broadcaster maintains an ombudsman’s office to respond to complaints and ensure compliance with editorial rules. Tim Pauwels held this role from 2017 until January 2023, when he was succeeded by Bert Lauwers, who continues to serve as VRT’s news ombudsman as of June 2025.
August 2025