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Regional and local newspapers in Belgium
The Belgian regional press rests on the local editions of Sudinfo and L'Avenir in Wallonia, on the Gazet van Antwerpen, Het Belang van Limburg and Het Nieuwsblad in Flanders, on the Grenz-Echo in Eupen and on local television, almost all online.
City newspapers born in the nineteenth century
Before the big groups, every Belgian town had its own local sheets. La Meuse has appeared in Liège since 1856, the Gazet van Antwerpen since 1891, and many titles from Charleroi, Mons or Tournai merged through successive takeovers to form today's regional networks.
Sudinfo, a network of Walloon and Brussels editions
The Rossel group brings together under the Sudinfo brand La Meuse, La Nouvelle Gazette, La Province in Mons, Nord Éclair in western Hainaut and La Capitale in Brussels. Each edition keeps its local pages while sharing the network's general and sports news.
L'Avenir, from Namur to Belgian Luxembourg
Heir to Vers l'Avenir, the daily L'Avenir, taken over by the IPM group in 2020, runs editions by area: Namur, Luxembourg, Walloon Brabant, Huy-Waremme, Entre-Sambre-et-Meuse or Basse-Sambre. It remains the reference for municipal news across a large part of Wallonia.
Antwerp and Limburg, strongholds of provincial dailies
In Flanders, the Gazet van Antwerpen covers the city and province of Antwerp, while Het Belang van Limburg, published in Hasselt, closely follows Genk, Tongeren and Sint-Truiden. Both titles belong to Mediahuis, which also publishes Het Nieuwsblad.
Regional editions of Het Nieuwsblad and HLN
Het Nieuwsblad and Het Laatste Nieuws offer pages of their own for Ghent, Bruges, Kortrijk, Leuven or Mechelen. On their websites, you simply choose a municipality to get its local news, described in more detail in the Flemish press and its titles.
Grenz-Echo and BRF in the East Cantons
In Eupen, the Grenz-Echo is the daily of the German-speaking Community, and BRF provides public radio and television in German. Sankt Vith, Malmedy and neighbouring municipalities find their news there, presented on the page about the German-language press of Belgium.
Local television in Wallonia and Brussels
The Wallonia-Brussels Federation has a dozen local television stations, including RTC in Liège, Télé MB in Mons, Canal C in Namur, TV Lux, Notélé in Tournai and BX1 in Brussels. Their bulletins, often free online, cover council meetings and local events.
ATV, TV Limburg and the Flemish regional channels
In Flanders, ATV in Antwerp, TV Limburg, Focus-WTV in West Flanders or AVS in Ghent broadcast daily regional bulletins. Their websites and apps, partly funded by the Flemish Region, offer videos and articles about the municipalities in their area.
Brussels between BX1, Bruzz and La Capitale
The bilingual capital has BX1 for French speakers and Bruzz, a Dutch-language outlet that also offers content in English and French. La Capitale, the Brussels edition of Sudinfo, and the Brussels pages of Le Soir complete the news on the nineteen municipalities.
Door-to-door papers and free weeklies
Free weeklies delivered to letterboxes, such as Vlan in Brussels and Wallonia, mix classified ads with municipal news. The page on the free press in Belgium lists these titles, which are useful for following life in a neighbourhood.
How to find news about a specific municipality?
Type the name of the municipality on the Sudinfo, L'Avenir, Het Nieuwsblad or HLN website: each newsroom has local pages. Add the local television station and the newsletter published by the municipal administration to complete the picture.
Local subscriptions and fact-checking
Most regional editions reserve their local articles for subscribers, while local TV stations remain free. Before sharing a crime story read in a Facebook group in Charleroi or Hasselt, compare it with the regional press and the local police statement.
Following news from a Belgian region abroad
- Identify the province and language community of the municipality you are interested in before choosing a newspaper.
- Choose the right local edition: Sudinfo or L'Avenir in Wallonia, Gazet van Antwerpen, Het Belang van Limburg or Het Nieuwsblad in Flanders.
- Add the area's local television station, such as RTC, Canal C, ATV or TV Limburg, for free video bulletins.
- In the regional daily's app, turn on notifications limited to your municipality or province.
- Also check the municipal administration's website for roadworks, local elections and council decisions.
- Always check the date of a local article, as regional editions keep years of archives online.
Belgian regional press: access and prices
| Type of outlet | Access | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Sudinfo and L'Avenir editions | Paid subscription, variable price | Local articles often reserved for subscribers |
| Gazet van Antwerpen, Het Belang van Limburg | Paid subscription, variable price | Digital plans with a PDF edition |
| Walloon and Flemish local television | Free | Partly funded by public authorities |
| Grenz-Echo | Paid subscription | German-language daily, indicative price in euros |
| Door-to-door weeklies | Free | Letterbox delivery and an online version |
| Municipal and provincial websites | Free | Official information, without journalistic work |
Good to know about Belgium's regional press
- Three languages: French in Wallonia, Dutch in Flanders, German in the East Cantons, bilingual Brussels
- Main networks: Sudinfo (Rossel), L'Avenir (IPM), Mediahuis and DPG Media in Flanders
- German-language daily: Grenz-Echo, in Eupen
- Local television: RTC, Télé MB, Canal C, BX1, ATV, TV Limburg, Focus-WTV
- News agency: Belga, used by every edition
- Time zone: UTC+1, UTC+2 in summer; currency: euro
Common pitfalls with Belgian regional news
- Confusing the province of Luxembourg, in Wallonia, with the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg when reading an edition of L'Avenir or TV Lux.
- Searching for Liège under the same name in the Flemish press, which writes Luik, or Mons, which becomes Bergen there.
- Spreading a rumour read in a local social media group without waiting for confirmation from the regional press or the police.
- Treating a municipal newsletter as an independent source, when it is published by the ruling council majority.
- Sharing an old article about local roadworks or flooding without checking its publication date.
Questions about Belgian regional newspapers
Which newspapers cover Antwerp and Limburg?
The Gazet van Antwerpen follows the city and province of Antwerp, while Het Belang van Limburg covers Hasselt, Genk and the rest of Limburg. The regional channels ATV and TV Limburg complement these two dailies with free video news bulletins.
Can local television stations be watched online?
Yes, most Walloon, Brussels and Flemish local stations publish their bulletins and reports free of charge on their websites and apps. Some also stream live, which is useful for following a municipal election or a major event.
Is there a regional daily in German?
Yes, the Grenz-Echo, published in Eupen, covers news from the German-speaking Community and the East Cantons. BRF completes the offer there with public radio and television in the German language.
What is the difference between regional and national press in Belgium?
National dailies such as Le Soir or De Standaard mainly follow federal and regional politics, while regional titles focus on municipalities, local incidents, amateur sport and the community life of their province.