The NPO has decided to withdraw the second and third fines imposed on aspiring broadcaster Ongehoord Nederland. The NPO reported this on Thursday. The decision follows from discussions between the NPO and Ongehoord Nederland about how cooperation within the system should continue.
Last modified: March 29, 2024, 8:04 AM
The NPO previously asked then State Secretary Gunay Uslu (Media) for ON!’s permit! to withdraw. But Uslu rejected this request.
By withdrawing the sanctions, the NPO Ongehoord Nederland wants to “give more room to meet the requirements imposed on all public broadcasters”.
ON! received the second fine because, according to the NPO, the broadcaster did not want to cooperate sufficiently. The third fine was imposed because ON! according to the NPO would not adhere to the NPO journalistic code and would spread incorrect information.
‘Let the judge decide’
A first sanction was previously imposed on ON! for this offense. This sanction will remain in place. 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.”
