BELGIUM: SATISFYING A HUNGER FOR FLEMISH FARE
Viewer demand for local product in the Dutch-speaking part of northern Belgium has resulted in a raft of new Flemish shows and the emergence of several new production companies. Among them is Woestijnvis (Desert Fish), which has been turning out a number of new and successful formats, including The Mole, a docusoap gameshow with elements of espionage and suspense.
© Television Europe, 3/1/2000
BELGIUM WINS THE GOLDEN ROSE OF MONTREUX
The Belgian television show De Mol (The Mole) won the Golden Rose of Montreux, one of the world’s most prestigious entertainment awards, a sort of international "Emmy." The win was a first for Belgium. Previous winners have included The Muppets, Mr. Bean, The Simpsons and Monty Python. The shows are judged on their creativity, quality and televisual originality.
The Golden Rose Award is a joint venture between the Swiss Broadcasting Corporation and the City of Montreux, Switzerland, under the patronage of the European Broadcasting Union. It is the only contest in the world to be exclusively devoted to light entertainment programs for television.
The Mole has been described as a new twist on the popular adventure game show genre. Ten contestants are subjected to several tests, individually or in teams. At the end of each episode the contestant with the lowest score drops out of the race. The mole of the title is a saboteur masquerading as one of the contestants. Unveiling the identity of the mole is part of the game. The Montreux jury praised the human touch of the show, together with its innovative and refreshing approach. The exceptional cohesion between the players and the production team was also cited.
The Mole is a production of "Woestijnvis" (Desert Fish) for Flemish Radio and Television. To date, two ten-week series have been produced. They were broadcast in Belgium in 1998 and 1999. The show was extremely popular: 1 of 3 Flemings were reported to have watched the program. The format has been sold to more than 40 countries.
© Belgium Today
