Media of Belgium MNO's Proximus and Mobistar offer digital television over mobile phone (DVB-H). In 1997, 4.72 million televisions were owned nationwide. Public television in Belgium is controlled by the VRT for the Dutch-speaking region (Flanders and Brussels) the RTBF for the French-speaking region (Wallonia and Brussels) and the BRF for the German community in Belgium. Numerous private operators exist. The main competitors in the Flanders and Brussels regions are VMMa and SBS Belgium. VMMa is a joint venture of De Persgroep and Roularta Media Group. The main competitors in the Wallonia and Brussels regions are RTL Group and AB Groupe. Next to
Royal Academy of Science, Letters and Fine Arts of Belgium an independent solely Dutch-speaking Flemish academy while the Royal Academy of Belgium remained a bilingual institution hosting members both from the north and from the south of the country. The bilingual status of the Royal Academy however caused difficulties over the course of the years which ultimately were resolved in 1971 by splitting the Royal Academy into an independent solely Dutch-speaking entity and an independent solely French-speaking entity. The law of 1 July 1971 put both academies in linguistic equality: henceforth their own lingua franca is used (respectively the French and the Dutch) and they bear the same denomination. In