In view of a new digital strategy, the Flemish Minister of Media (Benjamin Dalle) has indicated that he does not wish to renew the partnership with BVN broadcaster after 1 July 2021. As a result, as from 1 July 2021, BVN will become a 100% Dutch broadcaster with more room for programmes of NPO, the Dutch public service broadcaster. BVN will continue to be available around the world online and largely via satellite. The termination of the partnership between Flanders and BVN will, however, partially affect the satellite distribution, as well as the VRT programme offering on BVN.
Satellite distribution via Eutelsat 113WA and Astra 19.2 continues:
BVN will still be available in the overseas territories belonging to the Kingdom of the Netherlands, but also elsewhere in Central and South America and a large part of the United States via the Eutelsat 113WA satellite. Furthermore, BVN will continue to be available via the Astra 19.2 satellite throughout Europe and the neighbouring territories in North Africa and South-West Asia. The “ reception page ” shows, by way of footprints, the exact areas where these satellites can be received.
Up till now, the high costs of satellite distribution could be shared with Flanders, but as the Flemish financial contribution, will be discontinued, we will, unfortunately, be forced to cut back on several expensive satellite contracts. Some of you may already experience the impact there of from 1 May 2021.
When choosing what satellites can be continued based on a smaller budget, we have ave decided, in consultation with the Ministry of Education, Culture and Science, to give priority to the overseas territories belonging to the Kingdom of the Netherlands. In addition, it has been opted to maintain satellite coverage in Europe, where most Dutch emigrants live.
The following satellites will stop transmitting BVN in the short term:
- SES-5 (in Central and Southern Africa) as from 1 May 2021
- AsiaSat 5 (in Asia) as from 1 July 2021
- Optus D2 (in Oceania) as from 1 July 2021
- Galaxy 19 (in Canada, United States and Central America) as from 1 July 2021
- Multichoice/DStv (in Southern Africa) as from 1 November 2021.
If you watch via the Galaxy 19 satellite, your location may offer BVN via the Eutelsat 113WA.
You can check the exact reception area of the Eutelsat in this footprint.
BVN via cable:
If you watch BVN via cable, and your cable provider receives the BVN signal through one of the satellites that are discontinued, your cable provider will most likely not be able to continue to transmit BVN.
BVN worldwide online:
The BVN TV channel is offered online around the world, free of charge. This means that you do not have to pay any subscription fees or to log in. You can find the BVN livestream at www.bvn.tv/bvnlive. Or download the free BVN app for Android and iOS.
VRT programmes on BVN until 1 July 2021:
The VRT programmes will continue to be part of the BVN programming until 1 July 2021. After that, Flemish citizens abroad can watch and listen to the VRT offering via VRT NU, VRT NWS, and the VRT radio apps. Flemish TV viewers within Europe who still wish to watch the VRT offering via satellite can take out a subscription from TV Vlaanderen.
Just as all Dutch-language viewers around the world, Flemish TV viewers can continue to watch the NPO programmes via the BVN website and app (free, no login or subscription required). We regret that the BVN service will be reduced. We realize that the internet quality is not sufficient everywhere in the world to be able to view BVN online, so that some of you may have no, or insufficient, access to BVN once the satellites are discontinued. We wish to express our thanks to those viewers for their loyalty.
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