Omroepvereniging VPRO

Type	Public broadcaster
Country	Netherlands
Founded	29 May 1926 (1926-05-29)
Former names	Vrijzinnig Protestantse Radio Omroep
Official website	www.vpro.nl

The VPRO (stylized vPro; originally an acronym for Vrijzinnig Protestantse Radio Omroep, lit. 'Liberal Protestant Radio Broadcaster') is a Dutch public broadcaster, which forms a part of the Dutch public broadcasting system. Founded in 1926 as a liberal Protestant broadcasting organization, it gradually became more social liberal than Protestant in the 1950s and 1960s, and the original meaning of the acronym was eventually dropped.

In 1967, VPRO was the first broadcaster in the Netherlands to show a nude woman – Phil Bloom – on national television.^[1] The VPRO is known for sometimes producing avant-garde programs, documentaries and films. The target audience of the VPRO consists mainly of highly educated and creative people (e.g. artists, designers, scientists).^[2]

Like all Dutch public broadcasters, VPRO does not have its own television channel.^[3] VPRO often collaborates with foreign broadcasting organizations such as WDR, the BBC and Arte.

Logos

Programming

Television

• Backlight (Tegenlicht)
• Beagle: In Darwin's wake (2009–2010)
• Draadstaal (2007–2009)
• Het Gat van Nederland (1972–1974)
• Hoepla (1967)
• De Hokjesman (2013–2016)
• Holland Sport (2003–2011)
• Van Kooten en de Bie (1974–1998)
• Metropolis TV – the program sees correspondents from around the world reporting on life and culture in other countries. In 2010, the program was honored with a Tegel Award.^[4]
• Missie Aarde (2015)
• Noorderlicht
• Pingu
• Toren C
• Villa Achterwerk
• Zomergasten
• Zondag met Lubach
• De Avondshow met Arjen Lubach
• De dagshow met Keo

Radio

• 3voor12
• Argos
• Het Gebouw
• The John Peel Show (1984–1986)
• OVT
• Radio Bergeijk
• Villa 65
• White Noise, Dave Clarke's weekly Techno show on 3FM (2006–2012)

Documentaries

• Big Fun in the Big Town, a 1986 documentary about Hip Hop Music, presented by Marcel Vanthilt, which has become a cult classic. It is credited with popularising hiphop in the Netherlands and was made available on DVD in 2012.
• A Glorious Accident, a 1993 documentary featuring several prominent scientists and philosophers, hosted by Wim Kayzer.

Radio sessions

• Pink Floyd's performance at the Concertgebouw in 1969, as part of their The Man and The Journey Tour, was recorded and broadcast on VPRO. This broadcast was heavily bootlegged in the following years but finally saw an official release in the 2016 box set The Early Years 1965–1972.
• Alternative rock band Nirvana played a VPRO session in 1991 that was released on various bootlegs.
• Post-rock band Godspeed You! Black Emperor played a VPRO session in 1998 featuring songs Moya and Steve Reich.