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VTM, Play, and VRT end Kastaars! after four editions

The award show Kastaars!, an initiative by VTM, VRT, and Play, will cease to exist due to financial considerations.

28 August 2026Tagblick Newsdesk

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Archive photo: VTM, Play, and VRT end Kastaars! after four editions — Archive photoPhoto: Mlvdbos - Gédéon · Wikimedia Commons · CC BY-SA 4.0

VTM, VRT, and Play have jointly decided to end the award show Kastaars! after four editions. This decision comes after an evaluation of costs and the increasingly shrinking budgets within the Flemish media sector.

According to reports from various sources, organizing Kastaars! has proven to be too costly. It's noted that the Flemish broadcasters choose to invest their resources directly into creators rather than in an expensive award show.

Kastaars! was intended to celebrate the Flemish television sector. Despite the success of previous editions, the financial pressure has become too high for the initiators.

The decision to stop the award show is a direct response to the challenges faced by the Flemish media, according to a statement from the parties involved. Organizing the show requires a significant commitment of people and resources each year, which is no longer sustainable.

The termination of Kastaars! is seen as a signal within the sector of the challenges media companies are currently experiencing. This situation forces broadcasters to seek alternative investments.

Sources have confirmed that there are no plans to launch an alternative award show in the future, although the possibility of other initiatives remains open.

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