, the country's first commercial general-interest radio network, was launched in 1991 through a joint venture between RTL and Groupe Rossel. Consumer Protection and Information : Legally, the Law of July 14, 1991
To understand the shockwaves of 1991, one must first grasp the conservative media landscape of 1980s Belgium. While neighboring Netherlands had long embraced public openheid (openness) regarding sexuality—with institutions like the NVSH producing educational materials since the 1960s—Belgian Flanders remained deeply influenced by Catholic moralism. The BRT, as a public broadcaster, adhered to a strict code: sex was a private matter, to be alluded to only in clinical health segments or late-night art films. Commercial television (VT4, VTM) was only just emerging, and their content was largely imported, sanitized American sitcoms or domestic soap operas where couples slept in twin beds. The BRT, as a public broadcaster, adhered to
Some notable examples of Voorlichting's content in 1991 include: as a public broadcaster
saw peak circulation by blending investigative journalism with TV guides. Targeted Education : Public service announcements (Voorlichting) regarding the Schengen Agreement and the upcoming VTM) was only just emerging
There was a surge in imported American television series and films, which critics feared would marginalize local informational content and "national production".