They can call it whatever they want at RTL, but according to Johan Derksen there is only one conclusion possible: Peter van der Vorst has been ‘promoted’ by his new boss DPG Media.
The RTL Tonight debacle had been causing speculation for weeks about the future of Peter van der Vorst as channel boss of RTL 4. The bullet has now been set: yesterday it was announced that he is out and will be given some sort of hobby position at the new parent company DPG Media. He must ensure that there are more Dutch-Flemish productions.
Messed up
Peter gets a nice new director title, but Johan Derksen is not misled by that. He points out how Peter ruined the late evening of RTL 4. “He was promoted away, of course. Look, that Belgian can calculate so very well. From Thillo, yes,” he says at the table. Today Inside.
He continues: “There is no real reason for dismissal, because he has also done good things, but he has become a bit overconfident, and of course he has completely messed up that talk show.”
‘Very honest’
Wilfred Genee thinks that Peter has had a bad year. “And also with Lubach actually, if you are very honest, right? That has not been the success they had all hoped for. He will now have a position as a connector with Belgium.”
Johan: “Yes, but those are one of those forced positions to keep a hand over someone’s head, but then you really don’t have anything to say anymore, because they have a director in Belgium and in the Netherlands, and he hangs over it… Yes, just hang some distance away…”
End of show
Table guest Valentijn Driessen wonders whether Peter’s exit means the end of RTL Tonight. “Is that the end of that program?”
Johan then cynically: “I don’t know, because I hear from Beau that he is very satisfied with the program.”
Valentine: “Yes, that says enough…”
Nice weather
Media columnist Mark Koster from De Telegraaf also sees the opposite of a promotion. “Van der Vorst’s demotion, presented as a promotion, is classic. More salary, more status, but less freedom. That is the modus operandi, keep your mouth shut and earn money now, please. Write it down: it will be gone within a year,” he writes. X.
They are now playing well at RTL, media journalist Jef Willemsen also notes X. “Peter van der Vorst has been dismissed/promoted after years, pretty much the entire media is making a big splash… And RTL Boulevard? Those eh, they open with the start of the Top 2000 🤷♂️😅 #typical #priorities #club magazine.”