Just like the UK has its own government funded TV channel, the BBC, we have something similar over here in Belgium, called the VRT. Obviously it receives way less funding, so whenever they made their own TV series, they had to count every penny, and typically they’d show you endless reruns afterwards, wanting to squeeze every cent out of their initial investment.
While this has made the VRT an easy mark for jokes, surprisingly this approach has worked out for them in other ways, with some of these beloved series having been repeated so often, that it has seeped into our national conciousness and identity. One of these sitcoms originated in the 1990s and early 2000s. It showed a football club, somehow losing every match they played. The stories mainly centered around the team members and their wives going about their day, when some kind of misunderstanding leads a comedic situation, which needs to be resolved by the end of the episode. In Dutch it’s called, “FC De Kampioenen”, translated, “FC The Champions”.
It has enjoyed massive popularity around these parts, for decades. Which is why it came as a surprise, when the folks over at the VRT decided to stop airing some of the episodes, citing it doesn’t fit our current values and norms anymore.
Now, that shouldn’t be much of a surprise. The material used to be fine back then. It aimed to please everyone, going for wholesome television. Makes sense, as it couldn’t afford much edginess being state-funded and all. However, things have changed massively in thirty years time. This series has turned into a time capsule of sorts, showing what life was like back then. Turns out, it’s not just our technology which has changed, it’s also our idea of what’s right and what’s wrong.
Guess what? Some of those old punchlines just don’t fly anymore, which is why the VRT decided to stop showing certain episodes. Some say that’s censorship. I’d beg to differ. Imagine you cracked a joke amongst your friends. And while they all laughed politely, you know the truth, your joke fell flat. Later, one of your pals comes up to you, explaining why the joke rubbed them the wrong way. What’s your next move? I mean, it’s obvious, right? Change your approach.
In this case, the solution seems pretty clear. Stop airing these episodes on nationwide TV. Instead, stash them in the online vault for those who are hell-bent on watching them. Slap a disclaimer at the beginning of the episode and be done with it.
Just one more thing…
Remember why the VRT needed to show endless reruns all the time? Yeah, they lacked the necessary funding to do much else, right? Well, I recently read this article, and it showed the salaries they paid some of their hosts: Tom Waes, Philippe Geubels, Niels Destadsbader etc. We’re talking six figure salaries. Which is quite a lot for a TV channel, best known for cutting expenses all the time.
I’m not saying these hosts don’t deserve their salary. Let them have it all, and then some. But you can’t have it both ways. Either there’s enough money or there isn’t.
This is the same state-funded TV channel, by the way, which tends to push out the mainstream narrative that everyone just needs to suck it up, and work longer. The thing is, you can’t push the retirement age further back, saying we just don’t have the money, while also paying Tom Waes seven hundred big ones. Hey Tom, still love you, just make sure they don’t push my retirement age back to eighty.
I guess I’m feeling a bit like Jon Stewart did when he sat down with Crossfire on CNN years ago: a sense of letdown with the media. So, let’s turn our attention to the present , shall we, and let’s leave ancient sitcoms where they belong. Food for thought, my friends.
Kind regards
Vincent J. Dancet