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IRIS 2000-8:1/21 [BE] National Frequencies for Commercial Radio Stations and Plan for the VRT Regarding E-Services, Digital Television and the Internet.

The Flemish Minister responsible for the media has recently made public the results of a study on the technical possibilities of allocating radio frequencies for two commercial radio stations in the Flemish Community. After a coordination procedure of the new available radio frequencies and after modification of some provisions of the Flemish Broadcasting Decree by Parliament, the Vlaams Commissariaat voor de Media (Flemish Media Authority) will be in a position to allocate the new radio licences and FM-frequencies. The commercial TV-broadcasters VTM and VT4 already have showed strong interest...

IRIS 2000-8:1/8 [BE] Demand for a European Ban on TV-Advertising Immediately Before and After Children's Programmes

Since 1991 the Flemish Broadcasting legislation, with some modifications, stipulates a ban on advertising immediately before and after children's programmes. In a time period of 5 minutes before and after programmes targetting children under 12, no advertising or sponsorship messages are allowed. For many years the commercial broadcasting organisation VTM and its second channel Kanaal 2 have been opposed to this provision of the Broadcasting Decree and have sought the abrogation of the 5-minute rule. A decree proposed in the Flemish Parliament some months ago, however, went in the opposite direction...

IRIS 2000-8:1/7 [BE] RTBF Pulls Out of Canal+ Belgique

The RTBF has been a shareholder in Canal+ Belgique ever since its launch in 1989. Indeed it was a requirement that all pay television companies were to allow the RTBF (either directly or through one of its subsidiaries) a capital holding of at least 26% or a blocking minority holding. At the end of 1999 it was announced that the Defi Group, one of the other Belgian shareholders in Canal+ Belgique, had sold its holding in the channel. The RTBF was then tempted to sell its holding at a comparable price in order to make extremely useful capital gains. In May 2000, Canal+ Benelux BV acquired the...

IRIS 2000-7:1/8 [BE] Hidden Camera Infringes Right to Image

In a ruling of 19 May 2000, the Brussels Court of First Instance dealt with a case involving a hidden camera. On 2 October 1998 the applicant, Mrs P., had attended the recording of a talk-show on Flemish TV channel VTM, entitled "I'm looking for a millionaire", which concerned people attracted by money. Once the recording was officially over, the studio audience, including Mrs P., and the programme guests, including one man who was supposed to be a millionaire, had been invited by VTM for a drink. It was then that, by means of a hidden camera. Mrs P. had been filmed in conversation with the supposed...

IRIS 2000-6:1/11 [BE] State Council and Flemish Media Authority VT4 Take Action concerning

On 17 February 1999 the Vlaams Commissariaat voor de Media (the Flemish Media Authority) decided that although VT4 operates under an ITC-licence in application of the British Broadcasting Act, VT4 in reality is established in the Flemish Community. VT4 was given until 15 September 1999 to request a licence as a Flemish broadcasting organisation and to conform to the media legislation of the Flemish Community (see IRIS 1999-3: 11 and IRIS 1999-6: 13). The decision of the Media Authority resulted from a complaint by VTM, the Flemish commercial TV-broadcaster, against VT4. At the request of VT4 the...