08-02-2026, 04:28 PM
The genesis of multi-system television in Belgium in the 1950s and 1960s was the country's ethnic and cultural diversity. To maintain the independence of the various regions, it was necessary to tune into the "right" television station. At that time, Belgium was bombarded with various television signals across borders, as illustrated by the attached photo. Producing multi-system televisions was therefore necessary, but it also allowed for independence from neighboring electronics giants like Philips. Sony was thus entering a market dominated by the national company Barco. It's possible that a Sony television was cheaper than a Barco. The "Belgische radio en televisie. Handboek, Brussel 1980" states that Belgian television sets were 25% more expensive than foreign ones.
