Public broadcasters have existed in most Western and Northern European countries since the 1920s. They are part of our democratic societies. Even when criticised, there is a societal consensus on their contribution to information, education and entertainment. Equally so, there is a discussion on the economic impact of public broadcasters, negatively, but increasingly, also positively. This policy brief presents some of the key findings from a report on the economic contribution of public broadcaster VRT to the Flemish economy. The study was commissioned by Vlaamse Radio-en Televisieomroeporganisatie (VRT) and carried out by imec-SMIT, Vrije Universiteit Brussel, in collaboration with Flanders Business School of KU Leuven. The research took place from January until November 2018 and is based on a combination of qualitative and quantitative research methods. The findings of the study have been presented to the VRT Board of Governors and were shared with the Flemish Parliament on 6 December 2018. The findings presented are those of the researchers.
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