De Stanaard (English: The Standard) is a Flemish daily newspaper with a circulation of 80,696. The first edition appeared on 4 December 1918. In 1976 the paper nearly went bankrupt. Since then it has been owned by the Vlaamse Uitgeversmaatschappij (VUM). In 2004, the newspaper changed its format from broadsheet to tabloid. In the past it had a Christian democratic editorial outlook generally in line with the Christian-Democratic and Flemish party, in contrast to the Socialist Flemish daily De Morgen. Today De Standaard has evolved to a newspaper striving to publish all possible thoughts. As such, it also provides ample space to anti-catholic activists. But it's still generally considered as pro-Christian, pro-industry and pro-Flemish.