Staff call for CEO to resign in wake of FM Brussel closure

The staff of Vlaamse-Brusselse Media (VBM) has collectively called for CEO Michel Tubbax’s (pictured) resignation, following the announcement of the closure of radio station FM Brussel at the end of this month. “Confidence is completely lost after what happened on Tuesday,” a spokesperson said. “The new strategy is absurd and will not be tolerated by staff.”

The board of directors of VBM, a non-profit news organisation representing Dutch-language media in the capital, including TV Brussel, Brussel Deze Week and brusselnieuws.be, decided earlier this week to shut down FM Brussel because of low ratings. At the same time, Brussel Deze Week editor Anne Brumagne was dismissed with no notice, with management saying she was “not managerial enough”.

“We are not against change, but we do not believe that the CEO appointed in November is the man to ensure the future of VBM,” staff said in a statement. “Michel Tubbax comes from advertising and has no journalistic experience whatsoever. In recent days, he has displayed the lack of any skill with the media.”

Sven Gatz, Flemish minister for culture, defended the board’s decision. “The reach of FM Brussel was not the widest of the four media of VBM,” he said. “In future, the focus will be on the digital aspects of the media organisation.”

The VMB website will be extended substantially, he said, while a possible co-operation with the free daily Metro is being explored.

He denied claims that FM Brussel was the victim of political score-settling. “I don’t agree that FM Brussel was too left-wing. Closing down a radio station is not an act of political revenge. The board of directors is made up of people of every political stripe, and the future prospects of VBM have all-party support.”