A stalemate in contract negotiations between the Flemish public broadcaster VRT and one of its principal suppliers of programmes is a symptom of the crisis in the sector, which is expected to lead to a 13% job loss in independent production houses by this summer.  The VRT has asked Woestijnvis, which produces current hits such as Van vlees en bloed and De slimste mens ter wereld, as well as long-running favourites such as Man bijt hond, to review some of the terms of its existing contract, which runs until 2011. Neither side would discuss details, but the issue is costs: the public broadcaster wants to save €100 million by 2011. Part of that would come from a reduction of 10% in the cost of independent productions.