Geert Wilders, the potential new Prime Minister of our country, thinks that after all the Matthijs terror and scandals at the NPO, it is time to close things down. “Get rid of it!”
It is no secret that Geert Wilders hates public broadcasting. He is now using the current stream of scandals at the NPO to move towards far-reaching cuts – or better yet: closure. The leader of PVV, who is in the middle of formation negotiations, gives Hilversum another scare…
‘Abolish the entire NPO!’
Wilders has a message X posted in which he clearly shows what he thinks about the Matthijs van Nieuwkerk terror and other misconduct within the broadcasting system. “How right and wonderful it would be to abolish public broadcasting altogether.”
There is a good chance that there will be major cuts in the NPO, because all forming parties are critical of the broadcasting system. Wilders is by far the most critical and there are few other positions on which fellow party leaders can accommodate him, so he will probably be able to win most of this point with ease.
Startled reactions
So they at the Mediapark are not at all happy with this message from Wilders. “Geert, I know you want this. But why would you think it is ‘justified’,” asks EenVandaag reporter Marc Belinfante.
Journalist Ton F. van Dijk, former channel boss of Nederland 1, writes: “He does not want to govern. He is addicted to the wave of populism he loves to surf.”
Bluntly
It is too simplistic, says former politician Geert Dales. “Behind that text should have been: …and to be replaced by a public broadcaster without all those associations, foundations and other legal entities, each with an office, director, department heads, editors, supervisory boards and other money-consuming overhead.”
Ton: “Yes, there should indeed have been something behind it. The broadcasters still have millions of members, more than political parties, be careful what you wish for. Only SBS?”
Not even
Nieuwsuur face Arjan Noorlander is hopeful that Wilders cannot push this through: