Editing VPRO (section)

=== 1950s to present ===
In 1951, [[Television in the Netherlands|television was introduced in the Netherlands]]. The broadcasting companies [[AVRO|A.V.R.O]], [[Katholieke Radio Omroep|K.R.O]], N.C.R.V and [[Omroepvereniging VARA|V.A.R.A]] were the first broadcasting companies to start broadcasting on television, and together they founded the [[Nederlandse Omroep Stichting|Nederlandse Televisie Stichting]] (NTS). The V.P.R.O became a member of the NTS in 1952 and has also been making television programs since then.

The V.P.R.O. underwent a cultural shift in the late 1960s. Due to the change in mentality that arose in the Netherlands in the 1960s, a new generation of programme makers joined the broadcaster who were supporters of the [[flower power]] movement. They managed to convince the broadcaster's board and the members of the V.P.R.O. to distance themselves from Protestantism and to become a progressive broadcaster. The name of the broadcaster was changed to VPRO, which meant that the broadcaster distanced itself from the original abbreviation.
[[File:VPRO VARA RVU NPS gebouw 1.JPG|thumb|Shared headquarters of the broadcasters VPRO, [[Omroepvereniging VARA|VARA]], RVU and [[Nederlandse Programma Stichting|NPS]] in 2007. Nowadays the broadcasters [[Omroep NTR|NTR]], [[BNNVARA]] and [[Humanistische Omroep|HUMAN]] are located in the same building as the VPRO.]]
In 1984, the VPRO achieved B status, because the broadcaster had enough members (in the Netherlands, a public broadcaster must have enough members for airtime). Partly due to the amendment of the Omroepwet, the VPRO was able to grow into a large, established broadcaster. This was because the broadcaster gained many members, which allowed it to achieve A status in 1991.

In 2010, the public broadcasters in the Netherlands had to make cutbacks due to the policy of the [[First Rutte cabinet|Rutte I cabinet]]. Because less money was given to the broadcasters, some broadcasters decided to work together or merge. In 2011, the VPRO was in talks with the AVRO about a possible merger of both broadcasters.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2011-05-06 |title=TROS en AVRO willen fuseren |url=https://nos.nl/nieuwsuur/artikel/238410-tros-en-avro-willen-fuseren |access-date=2025-01-11 |website=nos.nl |language=nl}}</ref> In 2011, VPRO announced that it did not want to merge with AVRO, because it wanted to remain independent. Since 2016, VPRO has been working with humanist broadcaster [[Humanistische Omroep|Omroep HUMAN]]. Since 2016, the broadcasters have been producing radio and television programs together. In 2021, VPRO and HUMAN decided to work together in the collaborative organization VPRO-HUMAN. In 2022, VPRO-HUMAN was recognized by Minister [[Arie Slob]] of Education and Culture.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Minister Slob verleent erkenning aan VPRO-HUMAN |url=https://www.vpro.nl/lees/nieuws-vpro/2021/minister-slob-verleent-erkenning-aan-vpro-human.html |access-date=2025-01-11 |website=VPRO |language=nl}}</ref>
[[File:PhilBloomTrouw1967.jpg|thumb|305x305px|Model [[Phil Bloom]] reads the [[Trouw]] newspaper naked in the television program ''Hoepla'' (1967).]]