TV programmes in Belgium: listings, TV magazines and catch-up services

Belgian TV listings can be found in the magazines Moustique, Ciné-Télé-Revue, Télépro and Humo, on the RTBF, RTL, VRT and VTM websites, and in the guides of set-top boxes and catch-up platforms such as Auvio or VRT MAX.

A broadcasting landscape split between two communities

Belgian television follows the language border: RTBF and RTL Belgium serve French speakers, VRT and DPG Media with VTM serve Dutch speakers, and BRF in Eupen serves German speakers. Each community therefore has its own schedules and TV guide.

What do La Une, Tipik and La Trois broadcast?

RTBF, the public broadcaster of the Wallonia-Brussels Federation, runs La Une for news and major entertainment, Tipik, formerly La Deux, aimed at young adults and sport, and La Trois, devoted to culture and to children's programmes during the day.

RTL-TVI, Club RTL and Plug RTL

The most-watched private channel in Wallonia and Brussels, RTL-TVI schedules the 7 pm news, series and entertainment shows. Club RTL focuses on sport and films, while Plug RTL concentrates on reality TV and series for a younger audience.

Flemish schedules on VRT and VTM

In Flanders, VRT 1, formerly één, and VRT Canvas make up the public offer, with Ketnet for children. DPG Media runs VTM and its spin-off channels, while Play4 and Play5 round out the commercial line-up, also covered on our page on the Flemish press online.

Local television: news from close to home

BX1 in Brussels, Télésambre in Charleroi, RTC in Liège, Canal C in Namur and TV Lux in Luxembourg province broadcast regional news and local matches. Their shorter schedules can be checked on their websites and in providers' packages.

TV magazines, a Belgian tradition

Moustique, Ciné-Télé-Revue and Télépro publish weekly listings for Belgian and French channels, with reviews and interviews. In Flanders, Humo combines TV listings with cultural journalism, while TV Familie and Dag Allemaal mix schedules with celebrity news.

Why do French channels appear in Belgian listings?

French-speaking viewers watch a lot of TF1, France 2, France 5, M6 and Arte, all carried by Proximus, VOO and Orange. Belgian guides therefore include their evening line-ups, and French broadcasting news is covered on our page about the press of France.

Auvio, RTLplay, VRT MAX and VTM GO

Catch-up viewing has become central: Auvio for RTBF, RTLplay for RTL Belgium, VRT MAX for VRT and VTM GO for DPG Media offer live streams and on-demand shows. Free registration is usually required, and some content is restricted to Belgium.

LN24 and the news channels

Launched in Brussels in 2019, LN24 is a private 24-hour news channel in French. It complements the RTBF and RTL-TVI bulletins, while in Flanders television news comes mainly through the VRT NWS bulletin and the one on VTM Nieuws.

Who regulates the programmes?

The Conseil supérieur de l'audiovisuel oversees broadcasters in the Wallonia-Brussels Federation, and the Vlaamse Regulator voor de Media those in Flanders. They monitor age ratings, quota compliance and pluralism, particularly during election campaigns.

Sport on Belgian television

Red Devils matches, the Tour de France, the Flemish cycling classics and the Jupiler Pro League shape a large part of the schedules. League rights are shared between channels and pay platforms, a subject followed on our page on the Belgian sports press.

Checking the schedule before setting a recording

Times printed in a magazine can change after an overrunning sports event or a special news edition. The electronic programme guide on a Proximus Pickx, Telenet or VOO set-top box remains the most up-to-date reference for the evening.

Watching Belgian television from abroad

1. Create a free account on Auvio, RTLplay, VRT MAX or VTM GO to access news bulletins and catch-up programmes.
2. Check the day's schedule on the channel's website rather than in a printed magazine, which often goes to press several days before broadcast.
3. Watch the RTBF 7.30 pm news or the 7 pm bulletin on RTL-TVI for a French-language round-up, or VRT NWS on the Flemish side.
4. Check whether a programme can be viewed outside Belgium, as films, foreign series and matches are often blocked for rights reasons.
5. Subscribe to the digital edition of Moustique, Télépro or Humo if you want the week's reviews and picks.
6. Convert times from Brussels time, which follows Central European Time and switches to summer time.

TV guides and catch-up: ways to access them

Key facts about Belgian television

• Public broadcasters: RTBF (French), VRT (Dutch), BRF (German)
• Private groups: RTL Belgium and DPG Media
• Regulators: CSA for the Wallonia-Brussels Federation, VRM for Flanders
• TV magazines: Moustique, Ciné-Télé-Revue, Télépro, Humo
• Main providers: Proximus, VOO, Telenet, Orange
• Time zone: Central European Time

Pitfalls with Belgian TV listings

• Relying on a printed schedule on election night or during an overrunning match, when channels change their timings live.
• Mixing up old and current channel names, such as La Deux now Tipik or één now VRT 1, when searching for a programme.
• Assuming a catch-up programme stays online indefinitely, when its availability depends on the rights the channel has acquired.
• Installing an unofficial app promising free Belgian channels, which often streams illegally and exposes you to malware.
• Assuming a French programme shown on TF1 airs at the same time on a Belgian channel that has bought the rights.

Your questions about the Belgian TV guide