Ongehoord Nederland (ON!) was fined because it did not adhere to the journalistic code of the NPO and spread incorrect information. The NPO previously asked then State Secretary Gunay Uslu (media, D66) for the permit of ON! to withdraw. Uslu rejected this request.
By withdrawing the sanctions, the NPO wants to give the broadcaster ‘more room to meet the requirements imposed on all public broadcasters’.
A third fine for ON! did remain standing. The purpose of this is ‘to have the court judge the scope of the NPO’s authority when making decisions based on the article in the Media Act about insufficient willingness to cooperate in the systematic disregard of the Journalistic Code’, the NPO reports. in a statement. This procedure is now before the administrative court.
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’.
ON! chairman Arnold Karskens said on Thursday that the decision ‘once again proves how hopeless the NPO’s mission was to get ON! to work out of the order’. 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’.
