Plans for the third channel are not official, but the commercial channels, meeting as the Private Broadcasters Federation (POF), fear they could include an expansion of Ketnet, the children's TV strand that shares the second channel with Canvas in the evening, and with Sporza if there are sports events of major Belgian interest. Ketnet is by far the ratings leader in children's TV, ahead of vtmkazoom and VT4's cartoon output. The POF considers an expansion of Ketnet as unfair competition and has counselled the VRT to consider other interest groups instead.

Other critics ask how it is possible for the VRT to consider starting up a new channel when it is already
under orders to cut €65 million in spending. It has already implemented large-scale redundancies, with 293 people leaving in the next few months.

Meanwhile, VRT CEO Sandra De Pretere last week told viewers of the programme Reyers Laat that the broadcaster would not be taking part in the bidding this year for rights to broadcast football matches. Her decision was later explained by the channel's sports manager, Luc Van Langenhove. "Apparently some people thought a few million would come falling out of the air, but the money just isn't there," he told De Morgen.

Pictured: Klumpies, one of the latest big Ketnet hits