NOS director steps down after reports that he ignored miscondutct allegations

Gerard Timmer has stepped down as director of the broadcaster NOS with immediate effect. The decision follows an article in the Volkskrant stating that he ignored signals and reports of abuses and misconduct at BNNVARA when he was the director there.

Timmer always said he knew nothing about bullying, harassment, and other misconduct at programs like De Wereld Draait Door (DWDD) and Zembla. However, employees told the Volkskrant that he was well aware of reports and ignored them.

For example, under Timmer’s leadership, a deputy editor who reported abuses at Zembla got demoted, and the confidential counselor involved was removed from the Zembla file. Several BNNVARA executives told the newspaper that Timmer and his management discussed the misconduct committed by Matthijs van Nieuwkerk at DWDD but never intervened.

Timmer was supposed to lead a cultural change at NOS in the coming years. A report by the Van Rijn Committee on social security at public broadcasters showed that NOS employees reported bullying, harassment, sexual misconduct, and discrimination more often than average.

“The article compromises the credibility to lead the necessary changes that the public broadcaster and NOS stand for,” Timmer said in a statement published by NOS. “The discussion about my past should not get in the way of the process towards those changes,” he said. “In addition, a discussion surrounding my person should not stand in the way of NOS employees and NOS as a public news organization.”

The NOS supervisory board told the broadcaster that they regret but understand the departure of the “highly valued director.”