NOS News•today, 10:38•Amended today, 11:05
The outgoing cabinet wants to extend the license (concession) of the Dutch Public Broadcasting (NPO) for two years. Sources in The Hague confirm reporting about this from RTL. The decision is in line with a recommendation from the Public Broadcasting Advisory Board.
That advisory board, led by former politician Pieter van Geel, released a critical report in September. It states that public broadcasting needs to be overhauled, that everything must be adjusted and that time must be taken for this.
The current concession expires on December 31, 2026, which is too soon to amend the Media Act and establish a Public Media Authority, for example, Van Geel states in his report. The cabinet appears to be accepting this and will decide in the Council of Ministers tomorrow to extend the current concession.
‘Six broadcasters’
Normally, the Dutch Public Broadcaster submits a concession policy plan once every five years. It states what will be seen and heard on public TV and radio channels in the coming years. The cabinet assesses that plan and decides whether or not to issue a permit for five years. That process will now be moved forward two years.
The Van Geel council recommends, among other things, that the NPO should only consist of a maximum of six member broadcasters. There are now ten: AVROTROS, BNNVARA, KRO-NCRV, MAX, Ongehoord Nederland, PowNed, EO, VPRO, WNL and Zwart. In addition, NOS, NTR and HUMAN fall under the Dutch Public Broadcasting Service.
The parties now forming also want to thoroughly reform public broadcasting. The PVV wrote in its election manifesto that the entire NPO must be abolished, the other three parties go less far. The VVD wants to make cuts. As far as the NSC is concerned, a television network is disappearing. And the BBB talks about “guaranteing press freedom and cooperation between national and regional broadcasters.”
