Omroepvereniging VARA
The Omroepvereniging VARA, the VARA Broadcasting Association, was a Dutch public broadcasting association primarily operating in the fields of television, radio, publishing and interactive media. It was a member of Netherlands Public Broadcasting.
History
The association was founded in 1925 as the Vereeniging van Arbeiders Radio Amateurs. The name was changed to Omroepvereniging VARA in 1957 and is no longer an acronym.VARA originally focused on labour and socialism. In the era of Dutch pillarization, the association had close links to the Social Democratic Workers Party and its successor, the Labour Party. For many years VARA's chairmen, such as Marcel van Dam and André Kloos, were prominent members of the party. Although the connection between the two organizations loosened, affinities remain, such as a large overlap between their respective support bases.
On 7 March 2002, VARA adopted its final logo which consists of a red cube bearing an exclamation mark alongside the word "VARA" in its new, trademark font.
On 1 January 2014, VARA was merged with BNN to form BNN-VARA.
Programming
Selection of domestic programmes
2 voor 12, a quiz show hosted most recently by Astrid JoostenKassa Kinderen geen bezwaar Kinderen voor Kinderen Mike and Thomas Show, a panel game showPauw & Witteman, a live programme about current events, presented by Jeroen Pauw and Paul WittemanSonja, a talk show hosted by Sonja BarendDe Wereld Draait Door, a live programme about current events, hosted by Matthijs van Nieuwkerk- Various programmes with Paul de LeeuwZeg 'ns Aaa, popular Dutch sitcom Alfred J. Kwak, an animated children's television seriesPipo de Clown, a children's television series