28 mrt 2024 om 16:41
The NPO has withdrawn the last two fines for Ongehoord Nederland. The NPO decided this after discussions with the aspiring broadcaster about how the collaboration should continue.
Ongehoord Nederland (ON!) received a total of three fines. The aspiring broadcaster would not adhere to the NPO’s journalistic code and would not be willing enough to cooperate. ON! does not have to pay the second and third fines after all.
The NPO previously asked then State Secretary Gunay Uslu (Media) for ON!’s permit! to withdraw. Uslu rejected this request. By withdrawing the sanctions, NPO Ongehoord Nederland wants to “give more room to meet the requirements imposed on all public broadcasters”.
Earlier this month it was announced that a conversation between the NPO and ON! was aborted prematurely because an argument had arisen. ON! boss Arnold Karskens and NPO general manager Frederieke Leeflang both accused each other of intimidation.
Penalties for spreading incorrect information will remain in place
ON! was charged for spreading incorrect information. a sanction had previously been imposed. It will remain standing. The procedure surrounding this sanction is now before the administrative judge.
The NPO emphasizes that it expects ON! continues to adhere to the journalistic code and “chooses an attitude that contributes to cooperation with all other parties within the public broadcaster”.
Karskens says that the decision “once again proves how hopeless the NPO’s mission was to get ON! out of the system”. He speaks of an “unjustified attack by the NPO on our broadcaster that has led to major reputational damage and cost hundreds of thousands of euros in legal defense.”
