RTBF
Public radio and television broadcaster for French-speaking Belgium.
RTBF at a glance
RTBF is a news & media website and one of the most visited sites in Belgium, currently ranked #4 in the country. It was founded in 1930 by Belgian State and is headquartered in Brussels, Belgium. Today RTBF is owned by French Community of Belgium. Our estimates put its audience at ≈ 16 million visits per month. The business earns money mainly through government funding, advertising. Its closest rivals include rtl.be, lesoir.be.
Traffic statistics
Traffic history
| Period | Visits | Change |
|---|---|---|
| Q1 | ≈ 15 million / month | +2% |
| Q2 | ≈ 15.5 million / month | +3% |
| Q3 | ≈ 16 million / month | +3% |
| Q4 | ≈ 17 million / month | +6% |
Traffic sources
- Direct37%
- Organic search34%
- Social18%
- News aggregators8%
- Email3%
Audience & demographics
- Men55%
- Women45%
- Age 35-4426%
- Age 45-5423%
- Age 25-3422%
The audience is concentrated in Belgium, skewing urban and mobile, with usage peaks in the evening hours.
Geographic reach
- Belgium86%
Home market
- Diaspora and neighbouring markets7%
- Europe3%
- North America2%
- Rest of world2%
SEO profile
- Estimated organic traffic
- ≈ 4.8 million visits / month
- Branded share of search
- High — brand terms lead the keyword profile
- Indexed pages
- Large — category, listing or article level
- Primary search market
- Belgium
Top organic keywords
| Keyword | Position | Volume | Traffic share |
|---|---|---|---|
| rtbf | 1 | Very high | Dominant |
| breaking news | Top 10 | High | — |
| today's headlines | Top 10 | High | — |
| live coverage | Top 10 | High | — |
Backlink profile
- Referring domains
- Tens of thousands
- Link profile
- News coverage, directories, blogs and partner sites
- Authority
- High within the Belgium web
Top referral sources
- News and media31%
- Directories and aggregators24%
- Blogs and forums20%
- Partner sites14%
- Other11%
Technology stack
Website technologies
Advertising & analytics technologies
Stack details are inferred from public front-end signals and engineering communications; internal systems may differ.
Mobile app statistics
Available in the local store
Available in the local store
- App share of traffic
- ≈ 79% mobile
- Position in country
- Among the leading news & media apps in Belgium
Company information
- Website
- rtbf.be
- Sector
- News & Media
- Owner
- French Community of Belgium
- Owner type
- Public service broadcaster
- Founders
- Belgian State
- Founded
- 1930
- Headquarters
- Brussels, Belgium
- Employees
- 2,000+
- Ownership
- French Community of Belgium controls the platform. Ownership details are based on public filings and press reporting.
- Revenue
- Undisclosed
- Languages
- French
- Top traffic sources
- direct, organic search, social
Financials
- Revenue
- Undisclosed
- Ownership
- Public service broadcaster
- Reporting
- Figures based on public filings, press reports and market estimates
Business model & revenue
RTBF operates a news and media publisher focused on Belgium. Public radio and television broadcaster for French-speaking Belgium. Revenue comes mainly from government funding, supported by the other lines listed below.
- Government Funding
- Advertising
Products & services
International presence
- Primary market
- Belgium
- Expansion
- Regional and diaspora audiences beyond the home market
Employee statistics
Customer statistics
Website rankings
- Country rank (Belgium)
- #4 in this index
- Sector rank
- Leading news & media site in Belgium
- Global rank
- 2400
Main competitors
Website comparisons
| Website | Monthly visits | Rank | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| rtl.be | ≈ 9.6 million / month | #5 class competitor | — |
| lesoir.be | ≈ 7.2 million / month | #6 class competitor | — |
What is RTBF?
RTBF (rtbf.be) is a news and media publisher serving users in Belgium. Public radio and television broadcaster for French-speaking Belgium. It ranks #4 among the most visited websites in the country in this index, within the news & media category.
Who owns RTBF?
The site is operated by French Community of Belgium, founded by Belgian State. The company was established in 1930 and is headquartered in Brussels, Belgium. It employs around 2,000+.
Traffic and audience
Traffic estimates place RTBF at roughly 16 million visits per month, about 0.5 million per day. Around 79% mobile of sessions come from mobile devices, and visitors view about 3.1 pages per visit with an average session of 3 min.
How RTBF makes money
Revenue comes primarily from government funding, alongside advertising.
Competitors in Belgium
Its closest rivals include rtl.be, lesoir.be.
Data and accuracy
Company facts are drawn from public sources. Traffic, revenue and audience figures are third-party estimates or sector benchmarks, marked with ≈ where modelled, and are reviewed periodically.
Company history & milestones
- 1930
RTBF is founded in Brussels, Belgium.
- Growth phase
Expands its news & media offering and moves to a mobile-first product.
- Today
Ranks #4 among the most visited websites in Belgium.
User reviews & ratings
| Source | Score | Reviews | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Google Play | ≈ 4.3 / 5 | — | Ratings from the local store listing |
| App Store | ≈ 4.5 / 5 | — | Ratings from the local store listing |
| Consumer review platforms | Mixed | — | Service and support are common themes |
App store ratings are solid, while consumer review platforms show the usual friction around support and service quality.
Pros & cons
Pros
- Broad daily news coverage with national reach
- Fast breaking-news publishing
- Free access to most articles
- Strong presence in search and social
Cons
- Heavy advertising load on article pages
- Editorial line criticised by parts of the audience
- Clickbait headlines on high-traffic sections
- Paywall limits on premium content
Key statistics
Frequently asked questions
Who owns RTBF?
RTBF is operated by French Community of Belgium. Public service broadcaster structure, based on public filings and press reporting.
Where is RTBF headquartered?
RTBF is headquartered in Brussels, Belgium.
When was RTBF founded?
RTBF was founded in 1930 by Belgian State.
How many employees does RTBF have?
RTBF employs approximately 2,000+ people.
What is RTBF's revenue?
RTBF's revenue: Undisclosed.
Who are RTBF's competitors?
Main competitors in Belgium include rtl.be, lesoir.be.
How does RTBF make money?
Mainly government funding, advertising.
Is RTBF publicly traded?
RTBF's ownership: Public service broadcaster.
How many visitors does RTBF get?
Third-party estimates place RTBF at roughly 16 million visits per month, mostly from Belgium, with 79% mobile traffic.
Is RTBF safe?
RTBF is an established news & media site founded in 1930 and ranked #4 in Belgium; use the official domain rtbf.be and HTTPS.
Popular searches
Data sources & confidence
- Company website and public announcementsrtbf.be
- Third-party traffic estimation providersSimilarweb-class estimates
Visit figures are modelled, not measured
- App store listingsApple App Store, Google Play
- Press and market coverageBelgium and international business media
- Data confidence
- Medium for company facts, medium-low for traffic and financial estimates. All modelled figures are rounded and marked with ≈.
- Last updated
- September 2026
Traffic, revenue and audience figures are third-party estimates or derived from sector benchmarks, and are reviewed periodically.
Social media profiles & statistics
Official brand account
Announcements and support
Community and campaigns
Company and hiring updates
Brand and product videos