Belgium

[BE] Flemish Community: Flemish Council for Disputes Admonishes VRT for Disrespecting Journalistic Ethics

IRIS 1999-1:1/25

Dirk Voorhoof

Human Rights Centre, Ghent University and Legal Human Academy

The Flemish Council for Disputes in radio and television ( Vlaamse Geschillenraad voor radio en televisie) has for the first time found a breach of journalistic ethics by a Flemish broadcasting organisation. VRT, the public broadcasting organisation, is considered to have infringed the duty of impartiality in a news programme, in this case a news programme for the younger generation. The litigious Studio.Ket programme reported on a shop where clothes for priests and objects Catholic worship were sold.

After a complaint from the head of the Press and Information Office of the Conference of Bishops, the Council decided that the contribution in the Studio.Ket programme was not impartial and ridiculed in a provocative way the Catholic faith. According to the Council improper sexual associations were made, as well as unmannered, obscene gestures. As a matter of fact, the reporting on that shop was not impartial because the reporter clearly showed a negative attitude to the shop(keeper), all kinds of negative gestures and an attitude of disapproval. VRT has been admonished by the Council of Disputes.