Ferry Mingelen Retires

Political reporter Ferry Mingelen is going to stop working for the NOS. The 66-year-old famous reporter will retire on January 1, 2014. Almost thirty years he has been the face of political journalism. Last year, Mingelen reached the age of 65. The NOS decided then to let him work for one year more. It will be the end of his long career. Mingelen says that he thinks it is a shame that he has to stop just before the municipal elections of 2014. “I would have liked to work until the age of 67. The NOS would have made a good example, by following the plans of the government, to let people work longer. I really love my work and I could spend much more time working in The Hague. Unfortunately the NOS thinks it is important to have some new blood,” says Mingelen. “It is not a surprise because we are discussing it already for a while. Last week it became a fact. It’s a shame I was not able to extend my work for two years. But we made a compromise and now I was able to work one year longer.” Mingelen hopes that he can still be active in journalism. He thinks that, now everybody knows he will stop working for the NOS, it makes the way free to work for other broadcasters or programs. “I can imagine that people can use my experience.” Last year, Migenelen won the Anne Vondelingh Price. This is a price for political journalism. Mingelen received the price for his whole career. Mingelen already works since 1984 as a political journalist in The Hague. Before that he worked as a reporter for ‘Het Vrije Volk’ as a member of the editorial office of Trouw and he has been a European correspondent for GPD.