VTM
VTM is the leading Flemish commercial television channel and the flagship television brand of DPG Media in Belgium.
Last updated August 31, 2026
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Overview
VTM, short for Vlaamse Televisie Maatschappij, is a Dutch-language commercial television channel serving Flanders, the northern and Dutch-speaking region of Belgium. It launched on 1 February 1989 after the Flemish broadcasting environment was opened to commercial television. The channel was the second commercial television station in Belgium, following the French-speaking RTL-TVI, and ended the long-standing dominance of the public broadcaster's two-channel system in Flanders. The channel was created by Vlaamse Televisie Maatschappij, a company founded on 27 October 1987 by nine publishing groups. The company received an 18-year operating licence after changes to Belgian advertising law and the 1988 Flemish Cable Decree made commercial television possible. Jan Merckx chaired the board, while Guido Depraetere was selected as program director and Mike Verdrengh as deputy director. The founders had limited television experience but pursued a programming model built around accessible entertainment, local production and adaptations of internationally successful formats. VTM quickly developed a distinctly Flemish identity. Its early schedule included local versions of game shows such as Familieraad, Rad van Fortuin and Waagstuk!, alongside locally produced entertainment and news. The weekly music chart program Tien om te zien was particularly influential: by concentrating on Flemish and Belgian music, it helped bring local artists and recordings into primetime television and is widely associated with the revival of the local music industry. This combination of familiar formats and domestic cultural content allowed VTM to compete effectively with public television. The channel's audience grew rapidly. The public broadcaster's principal channel, BRT(N) TV1, saw its share decline substantially after VTM's arrival, while VTM reached an audience share of about 36% in 1990 and more than 40% in 1993. It became the most popular channel in the Flemish market during the early 1990s and remains one of the principal television brands in Flanders. VTM later lost market leadership to VRT's Eén in 2004, following a period of costly investment and weaker advertising conditions, but returned to stronger performance after a major brand and programming refresh in 2008 and a further update in 2012. VTM has also served as the anchor of a wider commercial media portfolio. Its group has operated additional television channels, including VTM 2 and VTM 3, as well as earlier brands such as Ka2, VTMKzoom, VTM Kids, VTM 4, VTM Non-Stop and VTM Gold. Programs first shown on VTM may be repeated or extended across these sister services. DPG Media's Belgian activities have also included radio brands such as Qmusic and Joe, formerly known as JOEfm, while Radio BemBem was subsequently discontinued. The channel is distributed through cable, digital cable and IPTV in Flanders and Belgium, with satellite availability elsewhere in Europe. Its children’s programming has changed repeatedly: the TamTam strand was incorporated into the main VTM identity in 2008, VTM Kzoom launched in 2009 and became VTM Kids in 2018, and the dedicated children's channel closed in 2023 as the group placed greater emphasis on the VTM GO streaming service. VTM also operated a teletext service from 1996 until 2014, although page 888 continued to provide subtitles. VTM has undergone several visual identity changes. Its original logo used a VTM wordmark with red, yellow and green stripes and the slogan “VTM kleurt je dag.” A major orange identity was introduced in 2004, followed by a connected lowercase wordmark in 2008. On 20 September 2024, VTM introduced a separate-letter wordmark and a V monogram, accompanied by an update to VTM Nieuws. In 2025, the broader VTM channel family continued to align its branding, including a new VTM Kids logo.
History
VTM's origins lie in the liberalisation of Belgium's broadcasting environment during the 1980s. Until the creation of the commercial channel, BRT's two television services held a practical monopoly in Flanders. Changes to Belgian television advertising rules, including a 1981 demonopolisation provision, and the Flemish Cable Decree of 1988 created the legal conditions for a commercial Flemish broadcaster. Vlaamse Televisie Maatschappij was founded on 27 October 1987 by nine publishing groups, each initially holding an equal share of approximately 11.1 percent. Jan Merckx became chairman of the board. The publishers needed television specialists to turn the new licence into an operating broadcaster. They selected a plan prepared by Guido Depraetere, who became program director, with Mike Verdrengh as deputy director. In 1988, the company received an 18-year licence to establish a commercial television service in Flanders. VTM's first broadcast took place on 1 February 1989. From its first months, VTM relied on a mixture of accessible local programming and Flemish versions of established international formats. Early programs included Familieraad, Rad van Fortuin and Waagstuk!, adapted respectively from recognizable quiz and game-show concepts. The channel also developed news, entertainment and music programming aimed at a broad regional audience. Its weekly chart show Tien om te zien focused on local music productions and helped increase the visibility of Flemish performers. VTM consequently became associated not only with commercial television but also with the revitalisation of the local popular-music industry. The channel's competitive impact was immediate. BRT(N) TV1's audience share, reported at 57 percent in 1988, fell to 29 percent in 1990, while VTM reached approximately 36 percent of the Flemish audience in 1990. Its share exceeded 40 percent in 1993, making VTM the dominant television channel in Flanders during the early 1990s. The broadcaster's success established the viability of commercial television in the Dutch-speaking Belgian market and altered the programming strategies of the public broadcaster. VTM expanded its portfolio with Ka2 on 31 January 1995. The second channel later underwent several name changes as the group adjusted its portfolio. Expansion and investment created financial pressure in the mid-1990s. In 1996, heavy spending and expensive prestige programming coincided with lower advertising income and operational difficulties. Following internal changes, the company returned to profitability in 1998. The broadcaster continued to develop specialist programming and channel brands. Its TamTam strand offered children's programs for different age groups and competed with the public broadcaster's Ketnet. On 29 February 2008, VTM discontinued TamTam as a separate identity and carried the children's content under the VTM brand. VTM launched the VTM Kzoom children's channel on 1 October 2009; the service later became VTM Kids on 22 December 2018. Children's programming also returned to the main VTM schedule in morning blocks, initially on weekends from 2015 and daily from 2017. The dedicated VTM Kids channel closed in 2023 as the group shifted emphasis toward VTM GO. VTM's market position changed over time. It lost first place to VRT's Eén in 2004, after a period marked by high investment and weaker advertising performance. A major visual and strategic rebrand in 2008, followed by a smaller update in 2012, helped the channel regain strength through popular entertainment and other high-reach programming. VTM remained the leading commercial television brand in Flanders and is generally described as the market's second-largest individual channel. The brand became part of a broader media house that later operated under DPG Media. Sister services have included VTM 2, VTM 3, VTM 4, VTM Non-Stop, VTM Gold and earlier brands such as VTMKzoom. The wider group has also operated the Qmusic and Joe radio stations, as well as the now-defunct Radio BemBem. VTM content can be distributed by cable, digital cable, IPTV and satellite, and the group has increasingly used VTM GO for digital viewing. VTM's visual identity has changed several times. The original uppercase wordmark used red, yellow and green stripes and was linked to the slogan “VTM kleurt je dag.” In 2004 the channel adopted a single-colour orange identity and a new wordmark. In 2008 the letters became lowercase and connected, expressing the idea of bringing viewers together. On 20 September 2024, VTM introduced a separated-letter wordmark and a V monogram designed to strengthen recognition across platforms. The update coincided with a refresh of VTM Nieuws. In 2025, the broader VTM family continued to align its visual system, including an updated VTM Kids logo.
- 2025
VTM channel family rebrand
[1]The VTM family was rebranded, including a VTM Kids logo update on 1 April 2025.
- 2024
New VTM identity unveiled
[1]VTM introduced a separated-letter wordmark and V monogram on 20 September 2024.
- 2023
Dedicated VTM Kids channel closes
[1]The dedicated children's channel closed as the group placed more emphasis on VTM GO and other digital distribution.
- 2018
VTM Kzoom becomes VTM Kids
[1]The children's channel changed its name to VTM Kids on 22 December 2018.
- 2014
Teletext service ends
[1]VTM discontinued its general teletext service on 1 November 2014, while subtitle page 888 remained available.
- 2009
VTM Kzoom launches
[1]A dedicated children's channel began operating on 1 October 2009.
- 2008
Major rebrand
[1]A major identity and programming refresh introduced a connected lowercase wordmark and helped restore the channel's competitive strength.
- 2004
Orange visual identity introduced
[1]VTM replaced its original striped identity with a one-colour orange design and a new wordmark.
- 1998
Return to profitability
[1]After financial pressure in the mid-1990s, internal changes helped the company return to profit.
- 1995
Second channel launches
[1]Ka2 launched on 31 January 1995 and later evolved through several brand names.
Products and positioning
A mass-market Flemish commercial broadcaster combining locally produced entertainment, news, music and adaptations of international formats. VTM positions itself as a broadly accessible, distinctly Flemish alternative to public-service television and as the flagship brand of DPG Media's Belgian television portfolio.
General-interest television channel · 1989
VTM
VTM is the group's flagship Dutch-language commercial television channel in Flanders. Its schedule combines locally produced entertainment, news, reality and factual programming, music, sports or event coverage where acquired, and Flemish adaptations of internationally known formats. It is distributed through cable, digital cable and IPTV in Belgium, with satellite availability in Europe.
Television news
VTM Nieuws
VTM Nieuws is VTM's news offering and an important part of the channel's general-interest positioning. It provides news programming within the commercial broadcaster's schedule and received a visual refresh alongside the wider VTM identity update announced in September 2024.
Music television
Tien om te zien
Tien om te zien was VTM's weekly chart program dedicated to local music productions. By placing Flemish and Belgian performers in a prominent television slot, the program became one of the channel's most culturally distinctive offerings and contributed to the renewed visibility of the local music industry.
Streaming and digital television service
VTM GO
VTM GO is the group's digital viewing destination and has become increasingly important for distributing VTM content. The move toward VTM GO accompanied the closure of the dedicated VTM Kids channel in 2023, reflecting a shift from linear specialist channels toward digital access.
Children's television · 2009
VTM Kids
VTM Kids was the children's television brand associated with VTM. It developed from VTM Kzoom, which launched in 2009 and was renamed in 2018. Children's programming also appeared in morning blocks on the main VTM channel. The dedicated channel closed in 2023, while the brand received a further logo update in 2025.
General-interest television channel · 1995
Ka2
Ka2 was VTM's second television channel, launched in January 1995. It was part of the broadcaster's expansion beyond its flagship service and subsequently underwent several renamings as the group's channel portfolio developed.
Marketing campaigns
- 2024VTM identity refresh
Flanders · Belgium
VTM unveiled a new wordmark with separated letters and a V monogram on 20 September 2024. The change was designed to improve recognition across the network and coincided with a visual refresh for VTM Nieuws.
Outcome. The new identity became the basis for subsequent alignment across the VTM channel family.
- 2008Connected-wordmark rebrand
Flanders · Belgium
VTM introduced a lowercase connected wordmark during a major rebrand. The design expressed the idea of bringing people together to watch the channel and accompanied a programming-led effort to rebuild momentum after losing market leadership.
Outcome. The rebrand was followed by stronger performance and popular programming.
- 1989VTM kleurt je dag
Flanders · Belgium
VTM's launch-era positioning used the slogan “VTM kleurt je dag,” or “VTM colours your day,” alongside a striped red, yellow and green logo. The identity emphasized accessible, lively programming and gave the new commercial broadcaster a recognizable Flemish presence.
Outcome. The launch identity became associated with VTM's first fifteen years and its rapid rise in the Flemish market.
Brand decisions
2024
Adopt a new network identityOtherBackground
VTM sought a more recognizable identity across television and its wider channel family.
Action taken
The channel introduced a separated-letter wordmark and V monogram, together with a refresh of VTM Nieuws.
Aftermath
The new design provided the basis for continued brand alignment across VTM services.
2023
Shift children's distribution toward digital viewingStrategyBackground
The group was placing greater emphasis on VTM GO and digital access to programming.
Action taken
The dedicated VTM Kids channel was closed, with children's content increasingly handled through other VTM services and digital distribution.
Aftermath
The VTM portfolio moved further away from a standalone linear children's channel model.
2008
Refresh the VTM brand and scheduleStrategyBackground
VTM had lost market dominance to the public broadcaster's Eén in 2004 and was seeking to restore audience strength.
Action taken
The channel introduced a major visual rebrand and adjusted its programming and brand architecture, including the discontinuation of the separate TamTam children's identity.
Aftermath
VTM regained strength with popular shows and remained the leading commercial channel in Flanders.
1995
Launch a second television channelProduct launchBackground
After establishing a strong flagship service, VTM sought to broaden its portfolio and address additional viewing segments.
Action taken
The group launched Ka2 on 31 January 1995.
Aftermath
Ka2 later underwent several name changes as the channel portfolio was reorganized.
1988
Establish a Flemish commercial television channelStrategyBackground
Legal changes and the Flemish Cable Decree opened a route for commercial television in a market previously dominated by public broadcasting.
Action taken
Vlaamse Televisie Maatschappij accepted an 18-year licence and prepared VTM for launch using locally produced programming and adapted international formats.
Aftermath
VTM launched in February 1989 and rapidly became a major force in Flemish television.
Sources2 sources
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