VRT presents new logo as market share increases

“VRT is a strong brand. It is our ambition for it to stay strong and evolve,” said CEO Paul Lembrechts. “Our mission is to remain relevant to all of Flemish society, to keep our position in the media world and to become a modern media company, ready for 2020.”

The new branding, he said, “will give everyone who works for us and with us a recognisable, VRT identity that connects us all.” Individual channel logos, such as Eén, Canvas and MNM, will remain the same, Lembrechts confirmed.

In related news, VRT’s annual report shows that the public broadcaster’s share of the market has increased in 2016, for both television and radio. Its websites, too, attracted more visitors.

VRT’s total market share stands at 64% compared to 62% in 2015. In terms of its TV channels – Eén, Canvas, Ketnet and Sporza – its share increased from 38.5% to 39.3%.

Eén is VRT’s most popular channel. Every day 2.8 million households tune in to one of VRT’s channels. VRT’s online news site deredactie.be has more than 270,000 unique visitors daily.

With nearly 29% of its listeners Radio 2 is VRT’s most popular radio station by far, followed by Studio Brussel, MNM and Radio 1. It also owns Klara, the classical music station.

The public broadcaster received 4,820 complaints in 2016, an increase of 3.4% on the previous year. The main reason was the end of the teletext service, but there were also complaints about a perceived lack of neutrality in news reporting and about excessive drinking in entertainment programmes.

Photo courtesy VRT