Introduction

The Flemish Regulator for the Media is an external independent agency with a legal personality under public law.

In the Flemish Regulator for the Media there are two chambers:

  • a general chamber
  • a chamber for impartiality and the protection of minors

The general chamber is composed of five members, two magistrates, including the chairperson, and three media experts.

The chamber for impartiality and the protection of minors is composed of nine members, including the chairperson, of whom four are professional journalists. The chamber for impartiality and the protection of minors is extended with two experts with at least five years of professional experience in the fields of child psychology, child psychiatry or education and two experts, on the basis of their involvement in the interests of families and children.

Since 2008, VRM publishes a yearly report on media concentration in Flanders. VRM aims to make the report, written in Dutch, accessible for the international public. That’s why VRM chose to write an English guide for the 2019 version of the report. The document contains on the one hand a ‘manual’ for interpreting the Flemish report and on the other hand a translation of the main conclusions of the report.

Mission

The mission of the Flemish Regulator for the Media is to enforce the media regulations in the Flemish Community, settle disputes related to the media regulations and issue media recognition and licences in accordance with the regulations.