RTL boss Peter van der Vorst will not make an offer for the Meilandjes because of their sympathy for the PVV. “Culturally the differences are simply too great,” says TV expert Victor Vlam.
The Meilandjes are stopping their Chateau Meiland program. They have said that they will only return to TV if a really nice format comes along. According to Johnny de Mol, this is just a way to extract more money from the TV bosses in Hilversum. Are they now very vulgarly trying to play RTL and Talpa against each other?
Peter in left corner
TV critic Victor Vlam thinks that RTL boss Peter van der Vorst is not interested at all. “I don’t see that happening immediately, because one of the things you see a lot in the current media landscape is that channels are increasingly getting a clearer profile. The cultural differences between the channels have become more pronounced lately.”
He continues in the podcast Victor Indicates TV: “RTL is more in the left corner and SBS is more in the right corner. This is relevant, because Erica Meiland sits in the municipal council on behalf of a party that has problems with asylum seekers’ centers, so it is more in the PVV corner. She has also excluded her support for the PVV in the past.”
Problems at RTL
If the Meilandjes and RTL do do business with each other, it will sooner or later cause problems, according to Victor. “Then there is a very good chance that this will cause problems at RTL at some point. If you have any doubts about that, just ask Gerard Joling, who saw an entire series canceled: Joling and the Foreigners.”
He continues: “These are things that can happen, but it can also be much more subtle, for example someone from RTL asking you: ‘Would you not like to make too many political statements in the near future?’”
Promotional plans
Erica may then be required to take a step back at a political level, according to Victor. “Because that disrupts RTL’s promotional plans. Things like that would be much less likely to happen at SBS, because they simply fit in much better culturally.”
The Meilandjes also do not fit in with the rest of the RTL programming, he says. “That means they will be in front of Lubach. I think there is very little overlap between the Lubach audience and the Meiland audience.”
Not a good train
These are ‘really two completely different target groups’, says Victor. “That’s why, from an RTL perspective, you can really doubt whether this is the best program for that channel. I don’t think that’s a good idea.”
He concludes: “I don’t see them going to RTL at all. That’s just not going to happen. I think they’ll keep the option open, that’s always good for your negotiating position, but culturally the differences are just too great.”