Public service media in Flanders: A long way to heaven?

摘要

This paper investigates whether public broadcasting policy in Flanders is evolving into a public service media project, embracing the importance of services enhancing civic involvement. Firstly, several theoretical perspectives on the future role of public broadcasters are discussed. Secondly, a description of the public broadcaster's new media activities and an empirical analysis of the ongoing negotiations on a new management contract between public broadcaster VRT and the Flemish government follows. It is argued that public broadcasting policy in Flanders risks to move away from a genuine public service media project and this mainly due to declining political support and funding.