The Omroepvereniging VARA (), the VARA Broadcasting Association, was a Dutch public broadcasting association primarily operating in the fields of television, radio, publishing and interactive media. It was a member of Netherlands Public Broadcasting. History The association was founded in 1925 as the Vereeniging van Arbeiders Radio Amateurs (Association of Worker Radio Amateurs). 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. 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. 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. On 1 January 2014, VARA was merged with BNN to form BNN-VARA. Programming Selection of domestic programmes 2 voor 12 (1971-1981 and 1991-present), a quiz show hosted most recently by Astrid Joosten Kassa (1989–present) Kinderen geen bezwaar (2004–2013) Kinderen voor Kinderen (1980–present) Mike and Thomas Show (2005-2009), a panel game show Pauw & Witteman (2006-2014), a live programme about current events, presented by Jeroen Pauw and Paul Witteman Sonja (1983–2006), a talk show hosted by Sonja Barend De Wereld Draait Door (2005–2020), a live programme about current events, hosted by Matthijs van Nieuwkerk Various programmes with Paul de Leeuw Zeg 'ns Aaa (1981-1993), popular Dutch sitcom 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. References External links Dutch public broadcasting organisations Netherlands Public Broadcasting Dutch-language television networks Television channels and stations established in 1957 Radio stations established in 1925 Dutch companies established in 1925