[NLm]

Very sad indeed. Used to watch Het Journaal quite a bit when BVN (a Dutch version of TV5) used to simulcast VRT’s 1pm & 7pm news and Martine was very much their figurehead.

A very cool, calm and reassuring presence on air.

Fortuitously, the latter part of one of her first bulletins from May 1978 exists - don’t know if it’s still the case now but potential journalists had to pass an intensive exam as part of the application process to join (what was) the BRT.

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Her last ever Journaal (30.11.2020) was extended to pay this tribute - just over two million viewers tuned in, the most watched news programme in VRT’s history.

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Welterusten, Martine.

Dank dat je bij ons was ("Thanks for being with us", her catch phrase at the end of Het Journaal)

She was acclaimed for her way of speaking Dutch, she presented Het Groot Dictee der Nederlandse Taal (a spelling contest) with her Dutch counterpart Philip Freriks (NOS Journaal). Here, you can find the edition of 2014, her final edition: www.npostart.nl