The French-speaking Belgian Council for Journalistic Ethics (CDJ) received a record 243 complaints in 2025, the highest number since the watchdog was established in 2009, according to its annual report published on Thursday.
The complaints targeted 243 journalistic productions and were submitted by 1,022 individuals, compared with 183 productions the previous year. The surge led to 90 formal investigations being opened, comfortably surpassing the previous record of 54 cases set in 2024.
According to the CDJ, the increase was partly driven by communication campaigns that explained the watchdog's role and encouraged members of the public to submit complaints. Social media activity and growing public scrutiny of journalism also contributed to the rise.
While a spike in complaints during 2024 was largely linked to election coverage, the watchdog said the 2025 increase reflected broader societal developments. The report points to growing political polarisation, both in Belgium and internationally, as well as online campaigns targeting specific media outlets and journalists.
Several high-profile broadcasts generated large numbers of complaints. Among them was a debate aired by RTBF titled "Police: Guilty or Victim?", broadcast shortly after the death of 11-year-old Fabian, who was fatally struck by a police vehicle during a chase in Brussels.
Other programmes that attracted significant criticism included an episode of LN24's "Bonsoir chez vous" focusing on the war in Gaza, and a segment on RTL-TVI's "Je vous dérange" entitled "Unemployed: All Fraudsters?".
