VRT journalist transferred due to affair

20 September 2005

BRUSSELS — Radio journalist Greet op de Beeck will be transferred to the television news service of public broadcaster VRT in response to revelations she is having an affair with Deputy Prime Minister Patrick Dewael.

Op de Beeck will start working with the broadcaster’s cultural department, which was established to streamline and strengthen reporting on cultural affairs. The department is under leadership of Martine Tanghe.

The radio journalist had earlier been placed on non-active duty by the VRT editors-in-chief council after her relationship with the married Dewael was made public.

Due to ethical issues, it was decided that Op de Beeck could no longer work in the political editorial department of the radio news service.

A suitable solution was sought for Op de Beeck, who was subsequently offered a position at the VRT classic music station Klara.

However, the VRT news desk did not want to lose such a “respectable and promising journalist”. Op de Beeck also wanted to continue working with the news service.

In exchange, Op de Beeck was forced to swap from radio to television, but will be able to continue pursuing her journalistic career within the VRT cultural department.

The establishment of the cultural desk within the broadcaster’s news service is part of a new policy at VRT, which needs to meet demands for more art and culture on the public broadcast network.

Op de Beeck was not available for comment on Monday.

Subject: Belgian news