Frederik Delaplace, CEO of VRT, will answer to the Flemish Parliament on Wednesday about yet another scandal at the public broadcaster. In previous incidents, he managed to escape, thanks to his (now resigned) guardian minister Benjamin Dalle (CD&V) and machinations by the N-VA and Vlaams Belang. But this time, the pressure is so great that he has to go to parliament. “A one-off,” VRT emphasized.
The ad hoc media committee that is being set up for this purpose will be faced by a CEO whose position has been considerably weakened in the meantime. Since the controversy over the cancellation of the Bart De Pauw documentary The Process No One Wanted scandals followed one another. From wanting to stop the acclaimed documentary God Forgottenabout toxic working conditions at the news service that even attracted the attention of the labor inspectorate, to making programs tailored to ministerial cabinets. This weekend, the controversial dismissal of the network manager of VRT1 and Canvas, Lotte Vermeir, and the departure of Content Director Ricus Jansegers, who were at loggerheads, were added to this. This was prompted by advice from a “bridge builder”, the Dutch organizational consultant Rob van Eijbergen, who spoke of “sectarian camps”.
Weak, but stubborn
“That Delaplace bit the dust in connection with The Process No One Wantedand admitted it, that did not weaken his position at the time,” says a well-placed source. “There was even less reason to saw off the legs of his chair then. But now you have new scandals. The question is how long before the jug bursts. The best thing would be for him to pull the plug himself, but he won’t do that. He is stubborn. But I think he is in a weak position.”
© Bart Dewaele
According to the insider, “the CEO hid behind the mediator’s report” to make the two leave. And in doing so, he positions himself as someone who takes decisive action, while the problems under his leadership have been dragging on for years. This criticism is expressed by various people within the VRT. It also points to the responsibility of his HR director and right-hand woman, Karen Donders.
Even within the management of the VRT, now shaken up by the departure of Jansegers, things are not going well. “The shop floor is divided, but so is the management,” says another well-informed source. “The management is not on the same page. They always agree on the big picture, but as soon as it comes to who is leading what, and especially the budgets that go with it, there is no consensus. Very emotional discussions follow. Delaplace has never made decisions about that.” This also means that the management team is constantly having to navigate turbulent waters.
Ready to listen
Within that team there would be a “triumvirate”, consisting of Delaplace, the now departing Jansegers, and Karen Donders, who is also seen as the political force and who frequents cabinets in search of money to make programs. According to our information, the Dutch mediator would also be critical in his report about the coercive style of the trio.
It is difficult to estimate the support for Delaplace among the staff. Depending on the source, it fluctuates from “very small” to “fifty-fifty”. The unions are not rejecting him for the time being. “His chair is wobbly and will continue to wobble for a while,” says Joke Kerkhofs of the ACOD. But he gets credit because he is prepared to listen to the unions’ grievances. “We feel that we can continue with him. Should he leave? Well, no. But we are not married to him either.”
Open VLD requests – again – audit of VRT
There is currently very little room for manoeuvre in politics, but no party is calling for Delaplace’s resignation. Although the CEO can expect a tough round of questions on Wednesday, says Flemish Parliament member Stephanie D’Hose (Open VLD). She will ask for an “independent and transparent” audit of the VRT, “with a clear end date and a conclusive explanation in parliament after the conclusions”. Last weekend, D’Hose says she received “more than thirty telephone calls from desperate VRT employees”. Media Minister Benjamin Dalle (CD&V), who was not in favour of an audit before the summer, does not want to comment now.
For the time being, no party, not even from the opposition, is asking for the CEO’s resignation. Even the PVDA wants Delaplace and the VRT management to first provide “more transparency” and “a clear commitment that there will be a cultural shift”.
Groen is also waiting for Delaplace’s answers. “But it is clear that the leadership crisis has deepened in recent days,” says Flemish Parliament member Bram Jaques. “The trust of a significant part of the staff is gone. We wonder how the CEO himself sees this turning out well.”
CD&V, Vooruit and the N-VA do not want to respond before the debate. (vdr)
The ACV, which voiced the fiercest criticism of the board, is not yet demanding his resignation. “The resignation of the CEO is not strategically relevant,” says exempted Carlos Van Hoeymissen. “We will determine our position on Thursday, after the media committee.”
This reluctance can possibly be partly explained by the Flemish government negotiations on the VRT subsidy, which are currently ongoing. Too much turbulence is not desirable in this respect.
Somehow, Delaplace always has timing on his side: the scandals at the VRT invariably surface at times when it is not opportune to send him packing. During the commotion this spring, the elections were approaching, parliament was about to go into recess, and there was little appetite to behead the VRT at that moment. This new crisis also comes at a special time, because it is the Flemish government that has to dismiss the CEO of the VRT, and that has not yet been formed. The composition of that government, and especially the party that is assigned the Media department, will be an important factor for Delaplace.
Fierce open letter
The CEO has apparently lost out to quite a few well-known names. “No, he can’t stay,” says a prominent screen face, who only wants to respond anonymously. “And I think every other face that signed the letter (an open letter from Phara de Aguirre expressing support for Lotte Vermeir, ed.) thinks the same way.” The letter was signed by, among others, Fien Germijns, Annemie Struyf, Bart Schols, Elisabeth Lucie Baeten and Linde Merckpoel.
The most outspoken was documentary maker Lidewij Nuitten, who on Monday spoke on social media about “dictatorial practices” and “a culture of fear”. She wrote: “How is it possible that CEO Delaplace is still in his chair?” Her post was liked by hundreds of people. However, many well-known names from within the VRT were not among them.
For this article I spoke The Standard with ten well-placed sources, both inside and outside the VRT.
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