The association was founded in 1925 as the Vereeniging van Arbeiders Radio Amateurs[1] (Association of Worker Radio Amateurs).[2] The name was changed to Omroepvereniging VARA in 1957 and is no longer an acronym.
VARA originally focused on labour and socialism. In the era of Dutch pillarization, the association had close links to the Social Democratic Workers Party and its successor, the Labour Party.[3] For many years VARA's chairmen, such as Marcel van Dam and André Kloos, were prominent members of the party. Although the connection between the two organizations loosened, affinities remain, such as a large overlap between their respective support bases.[citation needed]
On 7 March 2002, VARA adopted its final logo which consists of a red cube bearing an exclamation mark alongside the word "VARA" in its new, trademark font.[4][citation needed]
On 1 January 2014, VARA was merged with BNN to form BNN-VARA.[5]
Alfred J. Kwak (1989–1991), an animated children's television series
Pipo de Clown (1958–1964 and 1970–1980), a children's television series
Miscellaneous
On 5 June 1964, during The Beatles' world tour of that year, VARA organized and recorded for television a Beatles concert in the Treslong Café Restaurant in Hillegom as part of the group's three-day visit to the Netherlands. VARA broadcast a complete summary of the Beatles' visit to the country three days later, on 8 June 1964.[6]
References
^The word vereeniging is an antiquated spelling; today this word is spelled vereniging.
^The visualization of the three day visit showed: * arrival at Schiphol Airport - young women wearing Volendamfolk costumes welcoming, offering tulips and traditional Dutch hats. * the concert at Treslong. * a roundtrip by boat through the canals of Amsterdam. The Beatles visiting the red light district De Wallen was not shown. * arrival at De Doelen Hotel in Amsterdam. * the concert at the Veilinghallen in Blokker. * the group waving goodbye while boarding a plane at Schiphol Airport on their way to their next destination, Hongkong.
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