Flanders hosted the study visit for a number of reasons. First of all, there is in Flanders a wide variety of independent print media and broadcasters, including the public broadcaster VRT. Moreover, some legislative and institutional standards in the media sphere in Flanders may be useful for further reforms in the media field in Ukraine.  

According to Viktoria Syumar, Head of Ukrainian Parliamentary Committee on Freedom of Speech and Information Policy, “Flanders understands very well the challenges faced by Ukraine and has succeeded in implementing solutions based on quality content produced by mass media, public broadcasting and media literacy. All these issues are on agenda for Ukraine: how to launch the public broadcasting and make it number one news channel, how to implement media literacy and to guarantee a reduction of media ownership concentration by the means of providing the transparency of media ownership”.

The public broadcaster (Flemish radio and TV VRT, www.vrt.be) is the biggest broadcaster in Flanders and consists of five national radio stations and three TV-channels (één, Canvas та Ketnet). Some programs go on air through web-pages of numerous networks and channels. VRT possesses the biggest part on the TV market. Regarding the radio, the part of VRT counts 61.48% represented by five radio-networks.  The overall percentage of the Flemish consuming all the products of VRT is 96, 9% a month (15,4% get information via iPads and   19,1% via smartphones). The public broadcasting content is in vast part represented online and VRT plays a key role in research and development of new media.

Every five years the public broadcaster agrees a contract on the management with the Flemish government. The contract on management regulates the conditions of services provision and financing of the public broadcasting. Contracts on management also include provisions on diverse content quotas, journalism ethics, investigative reporting, media literacy, access to content, collaboration and social responsibility.  

Flemish Regulatory Body on Media supervises the compliance with the norms of media law in the Flemish community, disposal of disputes, as well as issuance of licenses in accordance with the legislative norms. The regulatory body monitors the implementation of the contract on the management by public broadcasters and issues a report. The regulator evaluates the concentration in media ownership. It has developed the practice of reporting and publishes its annual report on media groups, data on media concentration and events aimed to stimulate the diversity of media.

 The Ukrainian delegation was interested in Flanders experience of the government regulation of communications provided for in a decree on government communication with public. Also it was interesting to learn how the Union of journalists of Flanders and the Ministry of Interior issue press cards to journalists.

Moreover, the participants learned about the system of media self-regulation which is successfully functioning in Flanders. The Flemish Council on Journalism includes all types of mass media and considers complaints in connection with the media, for instance: inaccurate coverage, violation of the right to privacy etc.