The Cabinet is likely to amend the law which describes, among other things, the structure of the broadcasting system. Secretary of State Gunay Uslu (Media) expects various investigations into the NPO to lead to this, he said during a House of Representatives debate on the media budget.
Among other things, the minister wants to examine the relationship between radio and television associations and non-profit organizations. It would be the first time in more than fifteen years that this so-called Media Act is changed. “There will be many roles, a lot to do,” said the secretary of state. He still can’t say what the law could change.
Wait for the investigation
The minister first wants to wait for a series of inquiries, including on the future of public broadcasting. An advisory board wants to develop criteria on how broadcasters can enter and leave the public system. Uslu is also awaiting the results of an investigation conducted by former minister Martin van Rijn’s commission on work culture at the NPO, following revelations about unsafe work culture on former talk show DWDD. He expects to be able to say more about the next steps in the summer of 2023.
Lucille Werner of the CDA believes the NPO has attracted too much power. According to the Member of Parliament, directors and genre managers now determine what to broadcast and how. You want the broadcasting associations to regain more of their say. According to Werner, they are more in touch with society and, according to her, can also improve the work culture if they get more influence.
Very big question
After the deputy’s comments on this, Uslu says she thinks it is a “very big issue” that has “the highest priority” for her and also requires a “change of the law”. The Secretary of State wants to do it carefully and therefore take it easy, he says to Werner’s request to hurry up.
Lisa Westerveld (GroenLinks) cites what attorney Egbert Dommering said in a report on the Media Act to indicate why she believes it needs to be changed. The law “resembles a broken vase whose fragments have been glued back together in every possible way,” reads the deputy. The law dates back to 1987 and has been revised several times since then, most recently in 2008.
Discussion
Over the past year, public service broadcasting has been a regular subject of debate. De Volkskrant recently revealed that the DWDD editorial team has had an unsafe work culture for years, largely caused by presenter Matthijs van Nieuwkerk. Ongehoord Nederland (ON!) has also been discredited several times. The young broadcaster would not adhere to journalistic principles and has repeatedly been accused of racism in broadcasts. Late last month, the NPO announced ON! want to impose a fine for the second time.
Source: BNR
Fernando Dowling is an author and political journalist who writes for 24 News Globe. He has a deep understanding of the political landscape and a passion for analyzing the latest political trends and news.
