According to the Flemish public broadcaster, TV stars' salaries are in line with market
The VRT pays its TV stars in line with the market. The Flemish public broadcaster says so in reaction to a series of articles by newpaper Het Laatste Nieuws about the remuneration of some well-known TV stars. Moreover, according to the broadcaster, figures are circulating that are not correct.
According to Het Laatste Nieuws the highest paid star is Tom Waes, who earns 700,000 euro gross a year. Other well-known stars such as Jeroen Meus, Ben Crabbé and Philippe Geubels earn at least 500,000 euro gross, and Niels Destadsbader 400,000 euro. The remuneration is based on exclusivity contracts, volume contracts and consultancy assignments.
According to VRT CEO Frederik Delaplace, the broadcaster pays in line with the market.
"The mission of the VRT is to reach a broad audience with strong programmes. We do this by, among other things, deploying TV and radio stars, unique talents who take the Flemish public in tow. The VRT pays them in line with the market and is also transparent about it."
"For reasons of privacy we will not go into the exact amounts, even if some figures that are not correct are circulating," Delaplace adds. "The VRT management takes the recommendations of Audit Flanders into account in everything relating to contracts, and focuses on rejuvenation, feminisation and diversity in its policy on screen presence."
Earlier it became known that six TV stars have exclusive contracts of more than 300,000 euro per year with the public broadcaster. This is also stated in the VRT annual report. In the top six of big earners, there is not a single woman, something which Siska Schoeters, radio and TV presenter at VRT, already denounced. The VRT has exclusivity contracts with nineteen screen or radio personalities, of whom only four are women.
Delaplace responded to this earlier, stating that "our screen personalities are not only not feminine enough, they are also not young and not diverse enough." The VRT is working on change, but that process needs time, according to the CEO.
(AHU)
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