Metadata: Archives of the RTB
Collection
- Country:
- Belgium
- Holding institution:
- National Archives of Belgium
- Holding institution (official language):
- Archives Générales du Royaume
- Postal address:
- Ruisbroekstraat 2-6 / Rue de Ruysbroeck 2-6, 1000 Brussel
- Phone number:
- +32 (0)2 513 76 80
- Web address:
- http://www.arch.be/
- Email:
- archives.generales@arch.be
- Reference number:
- NAB-Brussels-Archives de la RTB
- Title:
- Archives of the RTB
- Title (official language):
- Archives de la RTB
- Creator/accumulator:
- Vlaamse Radio- en Televisieomroeporganisatie; Radio-Télévision belge de la Communauté française
- Date(s):
- 1928/1985
- Extent:
- 350 linear metres
- Scope and content:
- This fonds contains two files relevant for our guide. The first is a general file titled “File related to the Jewish broadcasts” (1949-1966), the second is titled “Folders of the broadcasts of Jewish religion and Jewish teaching” (“fardes des émissions de culte et de doctrine israélite”), and contains the texts of these broadcasts (dated 1971).
- Administrative/biographical history:
- The Belgisch Nationaal instituut voor Radio-Omroep (Belgian National Institute for Radio Broadcasting)(NIR) was created in 1930 as a public institution, based on the model of the BBC. The institute, having received a de facto monopoly on radio broadcasts, partly took over the staff and broadcasting infrastructure of private radio stations. The first television programs were broadcast in 1953. During the Second World War, the installations of the NIR were used by the occupier for the propaganda of Sender Brüssel. The Belgische Nationale Radio-omroep (BNRO), created in 1942 by the exile government, broadcasted from London. After the Liberation the BNRO merged with the NIR. The ‘communautarisation’ of the Belgian state also heavily influenced the structure of the public broadcasting organisation. From 1937, there were independent directorates for the broadcasts in Dutch and French, with common administrative bodies. In 1960, the NIR was split up in three institutions: the Instituut van de Nederlandse Uitzendingen (BRT) (Dutch broadcasts), Instituut van de Franse Uitzendingen (RTB) (French broadcasts) and Instituut van de Gemeenschappelijke Diensten (IGD) (common services). The IGD was gradually phased out and eventually dissolved in 1977, the date of the definitive separation of the public broadcasting organisation. From the late 1970s onwards, individual broadcasting decrees for the two institutions were passed; the French-speaking RTBF and the Dutch-speaking BRT/BRTN/VRT went their separate way. Since the late 1980s, the public broadcasting institutions are faced with competition from private broadcasters. Today, RTBF and VRT are highly autonomous although they are financed by their respective Communities. Their relationship with the government is defined in administrative agreements with the Vlaamse Gemeenschap and the Communauté française respectively. Both public broadcasters are located in Brussels at the Reyerslaan (since 1968); before that they were based at the iconic Flagey building (1938-1968). Relevant for the present guide are the so-called ‘uitzendingen door derden’ (broadcasts by third parties), existing since the 1950s. Judaism (as an officially recognised religion) is one of the religious and philosophical communities receiving airtime on public broadcasting. (J. Derwael, Archief van de Belgische Radio en Televisie. Instituut van de Nederlandse Uitzendingen en rechtsvoorgangers, I 503, Brussel, ARA-AGR, 2011.)
- Subject terms:
- Orthodox Judaism
- Radio and television
- Finding aids:
- F. Plisnier, Inventaire des Archives de la RTB, Bruxelles, ARA-AGR.
- Yerusha Network member:
- State Archives of Belgium
