Parties from left to right want to tinker with public broadcasting, talks of cutbacks

Hilversum is keeping an eye on November 22: there is a good chance that politicians will tinker with public broadcasting in the Netherlands after the elections. This is because the newly elected Tweede Kamer will be discussing the far-reaching proposals of the advisory committee that has been looking into the future of the broadcasting system. The VVD is also considering cuts and Pieter Omtzigt's party (Nieuw Sociaal Contract), which is well ahead in the polls, wants to abolish one of the three television channels.

Led by former politician Pieter van Geel (CDA), the advisory committee has made 50 recommendations that would significantly change the broadcasting system if they were all implemented. Not every recommendation has been greeted with enthusiasm in the broadcasting world. However, several broadcasting executives also fear that the advisory report will end up in a drawer and that the problems they see in public broadcasting will not be solved.

A tour of the ANP by the NSC, VVD, GroenLinks-PvdA, and D66 shows that at least the parties think that it is time to have a proper discussion about public broadcasting.

VVD MP Pim van Strien, for example, believes that public broadcasting should become more future-proof, transparent, and efficient and return to its "core tasks" of investigative journalism, education, culture, and sport. As far as his party is concerned, this also includes a cutback of approximately 400 million euros, as can be concluded from the calculations of the Central Planning Bureau (CPB).

The NSC does not interpret the fact that the party wants to cut an NPO channel as a reduction. In its program, the new party says it wants to use the money thus saved for productions "in the field of news, background, history, film, art, and culture".

"My children don't understand this discussion," says Mohammed Mohandis (GroenLinks-PvdA) about the plan to abolish a broadcaster with which he also disagrees. After all, the younger generations hardly ever watch "linear" television on any channel, he explains. It is therefore much more important to think about how public broadcasting can remain relevant alongside platforms such as YouTube and Netflix. The politician thinks that public broadcasting already does a lot for little money and therefore sees no reason for cuts.

The VVD, NSC, GroenLinks-PvdA, and D66 agree that important decisions on the future of broadcasters should no longer be taken by the Cabinet, as recommended by the advisory body. This is now happening at Ongehoord Nederland. To her discomfort, outgoing State Secretary Gunay Uslu (Media) has until next month to decide whether she will comply with the NPO's request to withdraw the provisional recognition of the much-criticized broadcaster. "The basic principle of the democratic rule of law is that journalists judge politicians and politicians judge journalists as little as possible," says Joost Sneller (D66).

The consultants suggest setting up an independent body to oversee public broadcasting and decide independently whether broadcasters should be allowed to enter or leave the system. The politicians interviewed believe that it is still too early to say whether they necessarily consider this to be the best solution. VVD and GL-PvdA want to wait for the discussion between the MPs and the advisory body.