Does VRT expect the humiliating fate of a government channel?

First they imposed cuts on the VRT, now Flemish ministers finance individual programs. Of Clever minds public broadcaster is pushing the boundaries.

Today at 03:00

Nowadays the VRT is a source of a lot of crisis news. Becoming the news itself is even more annoying for a media company than for other companies. In the run-up to elections and new government negotiations, things are downright bad for a public broadcaster. Parties that do not support the broadcaster are collectively in favor of winning. Which puts the nerves at the VRT on edge.

An internal row about a program that Prime Minister Jan Jambon liked is therefore worth attention. Makers and programmers in the VRT are becoming rebellious about how programs that suit political powers are being pushed from above. Clever minds must be one of those programs called,a quote that Jambon just used in its Flanders Technology & Innovation campaign. Internally, the message came from the VRT top that the program had to be broadcast before the elections. Jambon would help pay because the program strengthens its message. That comes close to programming based on political orders.

The code of silence that the VRT CEO installed leads to fear of voicing criticism. That fear now runs from low in the ranks to very high. Also because there are still layoffs as part of the savings. The management has incurred so much distrust, such as with the inexplicable cancellation of the Bart De Pauw documentary, that it has appointed someone itself to mediate with the staff. Those staff feel the channel’s face is changing due to the more commercial course. Meanwhile, the news service has been divided into camps after complaints about toxic leadership. In short, there is discord and distrust at all echelons.

Clever minds is the next step in what has been called ‘institutional financing’ at the VRT for years. It is indicative of the stronger political grip on the broadcaster. Successive Flemish governments have enforced cuts. This leads to creativity in financing, such as seeking money from administrations and cabinets for programs that match their goals. Due to the politicization of the Flemish administrations, this amounts to making programs in accordance with the logic of the government. In short, public broadcasting as a public institution is being stripped bare. Its deontology, procedures, quality requirements and critical internal discussion are pushed aside for direct orders.

Vlaams Belang may soon become dominant in the board of directors. That party wants to partly privatize the VRT and make the remaining news editors accountable every quarter. So there is something at stake. But already, a proud institution that is crucial to public democratic debate is being pushed, case by case, further into the humiliating position of government broadcaster.