Play4 is launching new programs, including ‘We are from Nienof!’, about the elections in Ninove

Play4 is launching new programs, including ‘We are from Nienof!’, about the elections in Ninove | TV

This fall, it is no coincidence that Play is zooming in on Ninove. “Ninove will be the Flemish city that will be watched with suspicion during the municipal elections in 2024: not only in Belgium itself, the international press is also watching with great interest what is going to happen in Ninove. The big question is how the political cards will be shuffled there,” says Diederik Van den Abeele, creator of the series.

The far-right party Forza Ninove, led by leader Guy D’haesleer, received no less than 40 percent of the votes in the previous municipal elections in 2018. “If Forza Ninove obtains 42.5 percent of the votes, it will have an absolute majority of seats in the municipal council and can govern alone. Forza Ninove wants to make history,” said an earlier interview.

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Guy D’haeseleer © Claudia Van den Houte

Play’s program director is also enthusiastic. “For ‘Shalom everyone!’ Diederik penetrated deeply into the Jewish community of Antwerp,” says Annick Bongers. “In Ninove, he will further immerse himself in the local community in the coming months, in order to offer a unique insight into the ins and outs of this city, in the run-up to what will be a historic election on October 13, 2024.”

We are from Nienof!, later this fall on GoPlay and Play4.

‘The election table’

The European, federal and regional elections are also approaching. On June 9, 2024, Belgians will go to the polls. That is why Gert Verhulst will debate with a political leader from Monday, May 27, in seven episodes of ‘The election table’, in addition to the daily broadcast of ‘Gert’s table’.

The presenter is always assisted by three table jumpers: Alexander De Croo (Open VLD), Petra De Sutter (Green), Sammy Mahdi (CD&V), Raoul Hedebouw (PvdA), Melissa Depraetere (Vooruit), Tom Van Grieken (Vlaams Belang) and Put Bart De Wever (N-VA) on the grid. The political debates will conclude on Thursday, June 6: that evening, Gert will gather all the table jumpers around the table and ask them to show their true colors in an extra-long season finale of ‘Gert’s table’.

‘The election table’, from Monday to Thursday evening, from May 27 to June 5 around 10 pm at GoPlay and Play4.

Despite the success, program director at Play Media quits

In addition to the new programs, there is also other news to report, because program director Annick Bongers is quitting after ten years at Play Media. She announced this on Wednesday. Bongers is taking six months to recuperate and does not yet have a new job. Three men will replace her.

Bongers started her career in 1995 with reporter Paul Jambers. In 1997 she became one of the first employees of production house Woestijnvis. After the takeover of SBS Belgium (VT4 and VijfTV) by Woestijnvis, she became network manager in 2014 and program director two years later.

During those ten years, Bongers breathed new life into the ratings cannon ‘De Mol’, she took the risk to launch a talk show with Gert Verhulst and James Cooke on a boat and she continuously looked for the right positioning for the Play channels in a competitive market, which had to deal with the rise of streaming services and viewers who watch TV less and less linearly.

Bongers will remain program director until the elections in June and will then take the time to think about what challenge she wants to take on, within or outside Play Media. Martijn Bal will be in charge of all Play content, Ken Ceulemans will be in charge of the program strategy and Kristof Demasure will be responsible for the current strategy and deontology.