| VTM | |
| Country: | Belgium |
| Language: | Dutch |
| Owner: | DPG Media |
| Sister Channels: | VTM 2 VTM 3 VTM 4 VTM Gold VTM Non-Stop |
| Online Serv 1: | VTM Go |
| Online Chan 1: | Watch live (Belgium only) |
VTM or Vlaamse Televisie Maatschappij (English: Flemish Television Company) is the main commercial television station in Flanders (the Dutch-speaking northern region of Belgium) and forms part of a network of channels owned by DPG Media (formerly Medialaan).
It was launched on 1 February 1989 as the second commercial television channel in Belgium after the French-speaking RTL-TVI, and quickly became the most popular TV channel in the Flemish part of Belgium. Early programming consisted of local versions of game shows like 'Rad Van Fortuin' (Wheel of Fortune) or 'Waagstuk!' (Jeopardy!). The channel is also considered to have been instrumental in the rebirth of the local music industry as it was the first TV channel to promote local music through its primetime TV show 'Tien om te zien' (Ten to see), a weekly chart show with only local music productions.
The channel's focus on local music and local versions of international TV formats quickly allowed it to outperform public television in 1989 and the early 1990s. Average marketshare went up to over 40% in 1993. Currently VTM is still the Flemish commercial market leader and the 2nd biggest channel in Flanders. It can be received on cable, digital cable, IPTV in Flanders and Belgium and by satellite in Europe.
Parent company DPG Group also operates sister channels, including VTMKzoom (children's), as well as VTM 2 and VTM 3. Many programs originally aired on VTM may later rerun on these other channels. The broadcaster also owns two radio stations: Q-music and JOEfm. It also formerly owned the now defunct Radio BemBem. In 2005 there were talks about MEDIALAAN, VTM's former owner, buying the Flemish part of Canal Plus from Telenet but this fell through. In 2006 rumours spread that the RTL Group would buy 50% of MEDIALAAN, but VTM as well as RTL denied those plans.
In 2004, VTM lost its market dominance back to the public broadcaster VRT's flagship channel één. After its big rebrand in 2008 and the latest smaller rebrand in 2012, VTM regained strength with popular shows.
For several years, VTM broadcast a kids' strand called TamTam, competing with VRT's Ketnet. It featured programmes such as Teletubbies Everywhere and Miffy for little children and shows such as SimsalaGrimm, Tweety and Sylvester Mysteries, Schuif Af and Kids Top 20 for older kids. During VTM's latest rebrand on 29 February 2008, the channel decided to do away with the TamTam brand. The programming block is now broadcast under the VTM brand.
VTM Kids was the kids channel of VTM. It aired between 6am and 6pm. There was also a channel called VTM Kids+ which aired 24/7 and was a digital only channel. The VTM Kids brand started on 1 October 2009.
VTM started a teletext service on 1 February 1996 which was stopped on 1 November 2014. The page 888 is still available for subtitles.[2]