- published: 28 Oct 2015
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The Vlaamse Radio- en Televisieomroeporganisatie (Flemish Radio and Television Network Organization), or VRT, is a publicly funded broadcaster of radio and television in Flanders (northern part of Belgium).
Between 1960 until 1991, VRT was called BRT (Belgische Radio- en Televisieomroep). It is the successor of NIR (Belgisch Nationaal Instituut voor Radio-omroep), which was responsible for radio and television broadcasts from 1930 (and since 1953 for TV) until 1960. Politicians thought the name was no longer appropriate. BRT was only broadcasting Dutch language programs whereas RTBF was only broadcasting French language programs. That is why in 1991 the name BRTN (Belgische Radio- en Televisieomroep Nederlandstalige Uitzendingen) was introduced. When the statute of BRTN changed in 1998 the name was changed to VRT.
Following the ending of the TV monopoly and the creation of VTM, this reorganisation changed the public broadcaster into a dynamic and powerful service that is currently (2009) the market leader. Part of this success is the use of external production houses such as Woestijnvis that created successful formats such as The Mole (De mol) and Man bijt hond.