Sunday evening, first part of the evening: the producers would be damned to win this golden slot in the program schedule of the VRT, the Flemish public radio and television channel. It was precisely during this first part of the evening, New Year’s Day, that the Één channel [du groupe VRT] launched the series in ten episodes The story of Flanders, “The history of Flanders”. For Flemish television, this is one of the most prestigious projects.
For the government of the region too. Its logo also sits prominently in the end credits as a funding organization. Which seems a bit strange: could this be the government version of the story? The fact is that this series stems from the coalition agreement of the executive, which, after the 2019 elections, announced the forthcoming elaboration of a “Flemish cannon” : “a list of anchor points” aiming to “to present our Flemish history and culture to the general public”. The text of the agreement further stated that “the VRT also contributes to the Flemish identity”.
A very political series
Producer De Mensen saw it as an invitation, and The History of Flanders was born. Although the VRT insists on its editorial independence, the political intervention in this production is glaring.
How much did the VRT pay for this series? If the budget is secret, we know that De Mensen declared 3,436,522 euros of “eligible costs” with the support mechanism for audiovisual production. More than a third of this sum is covered by funds specially allocated by the Flemish government; if we add the usual subsidies, a good two-thirds of the series are financed.
Which raises a double question: could the VRT, this notoriously penniless organization, have paid for this series out of pocket? And if not, does this mean that the Flemish government can exert direct influence on the programs of the public media?
Vertigo of globalization
Production house De Mensen has bought the rights to the TV series from Danish media DR The history of Denmark [“Histoire du Danemark”, 2017]which also gave rise to the Dutch version,
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Source of the article
The standard (Bruxelles)
Launched in 1918, the reference newspaper of the Flemish establishment gradually distanced itself from the Catholic world as well as from the Flemish movement – and, more particularly, from the Flemish Social-Christian Party, in power in Belgium from 1945 to 1999.
From its first issue, on December 4, 1918, the upper part of the cover presented the cross drawing the letters AVV–Presale (“Everything for Flanders, Flanders for Christ”, “Everything for Flanders, Flanders for Christ”). This mention disappeared in 1999, in order to renovate and rejuvenate the readership.
The standardwhich proposes to provide information “reliable, independent and of quality”, undertook a major overhaul in 2007: it reduced its format, modernized its graphic identity and adapted to the digital context.
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