WNL boss Bert Huisjes has reacted with shock to statements made by NPO board chairman Frederieke Leeflang in the program Outside court. In it she spoke, among other things, about sexual misconduct. The broadcaster does not recognize this at all and calls those comments ‘patently untrue.’
In the program Outside court asked presenter Twan Huys about a response from NPO chairman Frederieke Leeflang to the abuses at Omroep WNL. Several former presenters told their stories and said that it was not pleasant to work. According to Huys, director Bert Huisjes had made very strange and unpleasant comments. And the presenter then repeated the statement of Fons van Westerloo, member of the Supervisory Board of WNL, who stated that ‘journalists are not wimps and everyone knows they can always come to me’.
Leeflang responded that she became very angry and extremely disappointed. She emphasized that “the women had had the courage to speak out.” “That takes a lot of effort. I hear that every day. If there is sexual misconduct. Because that’s partly what this was about. They experienced it that way.” This site previously published a story with WNL prominent figures who spoke out against Huisjes. However, this did not discuss sexual misconduct.
A spokesperson for the NPO responded to this site on Tuesday on behalf of Leeflang: “She made this comment in general to make the point how courageous and difficult it is for women to speak out about sexual misconduct. Then it also concerns sexism, pregnancy discrimination and sexually harassing comments. All these forms are examples of sexually transgressive behavior. That was partly what this was about and that behavior was experienced and described by the women. And that is what Frederieke Leeflang also says.”
The spokesperson further pointed to a text from the report of the Van Rijn committee: ‘In this study we use the term sexism to indicate expressions of transgressive behavior towards female colleagues in the work situation, and make a distinction between verbal and physical expressions.’
Huisjes responded in a short message to this site on Tuesday evening. In it he writes: ‘This is patently untrue. I am shocked that the chairman of the NPO makes these kinds of statements.’ Loek Hermans, chairman of the WNL Supervisory Board, could not be reached for comment.
Listen below to the AD Media Podcast in which Frederieke Leeflang’s statements are discussed in detail. You can find all our podcasts at ad.nl/podcasts.
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