Taking the Flemish Public Service Broadcasting institution VRT's news department as a case in point, this article analyses the impact of newsroom convergence and integration on perceptions of newsroom workers of their professional identity, the quality and professionalism of their work, and on the relationship between management and news workers. This was studied through a combination of in-depth interviews with key management figures and an online survey conducted with all VRT news workers, complemented by an analysis of relevant internal documents. Results point to certain tensions or collisions of convergence, all closely related to a clash between organizational and professional (medium-or programme-specific) culture: a collision between working for and identifying with separate cultural in-groups versus VRT News as a whole, between the impact of technological versus human factors and other contextual issues on the integration process, and between news managers and news workers.

Taking the re-introduction of revamped television station VIER in the Flemish television landscape as a case in point, this article wants to contribute to the discussion about the future of linear broadcast television in what is often considered as the post-linear era. It does so by means of an empirical analysis and evaluation of the current importance of two characteristics of linear television: scheduling and continuity techniques that are key in creating and maintaining channel identity. Analysis of a diachronic sample of television schedules and of evolving continuity techniques for Flemish television channels één, VTM and VT4/VIER and these channels’ evolving continuity techniques, combined with interviews with senior management and an analysis of audience ratings reveals that scheduling and continuity techniques remain top of mind of television management and still influence audience behaviour. At the same time, there are indications that these techniques are being adjusted to the non-linear, converging television and multiplatform media environment. Disucssion of the results aim to contribute to a better understanding of the potential of linear television in the post-linear era and of the shifting communicative relationship between broadcast media and their audiences throughout broadcast history.

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In search of the holy grail: analyzing press coverage regarding Flemish public service television’s cultural programmes In search of the holy grail: analyzing press coverage regarding Flemish public service television’s cultural programmes Historically, culture took up a central position in public service broadcasting, fitting its cultural-educational logic with a focus on high culture. Yet, in public service broadcasting’s move to a more competitive business logic in the late 1980s, culture took a back seat. This shift continues to be criticized, despite renewed attention to cultural programmes since 2005. Taking press criticism of cultural programmes of Flemish public service television in 2005-2012 as a case in point, this article analyses: What is criticised? Do authors see the cultural and television logic as compatible? In which journalistic genres/when is the criticism presented? Who are the critics? Results show that television formats and presenters are the most criticised topics. Cultural and television logics sometimes clash. Programmes are heavily anticipated as more than half of the articles (news articles, interviews and opinion pieces) appear before airing. Elite cultural stakeholders have a strong voice in the debate.