The VRT will then broadcast the documentary ‘The trial that nobody wanted’ about the Bart De Pauw case. The public broadcaster reports this. CEO Frederik Delaplace recently decided to postpone the broadcast of the documentary, due to an imminent apology from the TV maker. However, that decision provoked a flood of criticism.
Delaplace made the decision to remove the documentary from the broadcast schedule because Bart De Pauw wanted to apologize to the victims, but many parties did not understand that decision. “There has been a lot of commotion in recent days about the postponement of the documentary about the De Pauw case,” said a press release from the VRT.
“We attempted, with the best intentions, to create the circumstances in the De Pauw case that made rapprochement possible between the perpetrator and the victims. Temporarily postponing the linear broadcast of the series ‘The trial that no one wanted’ seemed to us to be a defensible decision. For the first time, effective steps have been taken that can lead to the most important thing missing in this case: a sincere ‘sorry’ and authentic sense of guilt. That is not insignificant, because the smallest opportunity to reach a rapprochement in this matter deserves to be seized.”
Fuss
However, that decision provoked a lot of criticism. About 200 people from the cultural sector had sent an open letter to Media Minister Benjamin Dalle (CD&V) in recent days. In it they criticized Delaplace’s “unilateral” decision. The signatories – including actresses, TV makers and a number of VRT faces – also accused the CEO of having “a double agenda”.
VRT CEO Frederik Delaplace. — © BART DEWAELE
The VRT therefore apologizes for the perception created by Delaplace’s decision. “We have tried to focus on the importance of women in this matter, as we have always done in recent years,” it said. “That was our intention. Unfortunately, this is not how the postponement of the linear broadcast of the series came across to many. The impression was created that conditions were attached to any discussions, and that VRT supported those conditions. That was not our approach, but we understand that it came across that way to many. That was a major error of judgment. We wish to expressly apologize for this. We could have avoided that dent in mutual trust. We should have explained our decision much better and we should have involved the victims in this case sooner and better.”
Broadcast
That is why it was decided to broadcast the documentary after all. “In recent days it has become apparent that by postponing the series indefinitely we have achieved exactly the opposite of what we intended,” the VRT said. “Our initiative now seems to stand in the way of further steps towards a ‘mea culpa’ and threatens to nip the original intentions in the bud. In these circumstances, further postponement of the linear broadcast no longer makes sense. VRT will therefore broadcast ‘The process that no one wanted’ from tomorrow evening, Wednesday March 27, on VRT CANVAS.”
“We hope that this can restore confidence in VRT’s intentions, and that at the same time the discussions that have started can continue in peace,” it said. If this is useful, VRT will provide all the help necessary. The public broadcaster will at all times remain committed to the fight against abuse of power and transgressive behavior.”
Minister Dalle himself is satisfied with VRT’s decision to still broadcast the documentary, he reports on X. “It provides the clarity that was needed, in the interests of the women involved,” he said.