Coen Swijnenberg thinks that Radio 538 should watch out for the disastrous 3FM scenario. “That there is too much messing around and listeners lose their grip on the station,” he says.
It’s over for Coen Swijnenberg and Sander Lantinga: their daily radio show comes to an end today after eighteen years. It is a bitter pill for the gentlemen, but Radio 538 thinks that the keelhauling of Coen and Sander as a daily duo is necessary to turn the tide of declining listening figures.
3FM scenario
The exit of Coen and Sander follows shortly after Frank Dane was taken out of the morning rush hour. In no time, Radio 538 has changed beyond recognition and that is an enormous risk, according to Coen. He points out that 3FM completely collapsed when prominent DJs – Giel Beelen, Gerard Ekdom and ironically Coen and Sander themselves – left.
Coen in the AD: “I understand that something has to be done, but I think it’s a dangerous choice. You have to watch out for a 3FM scenario. That there is too much messing around and listeners lose their grip with the station.”
‘This is not stable’
Colleague Sander also fears the recognizability of 538. “I think Radio 538 would benefit more from stability. Last December, the morning schedule changed, then the day, and now the afternoon. I sincerely hope that it will pay off, but of course this doesn’t look very stable to the listener.”
Coen thinks they should have been given just a little more time. “We knew it wasn’t going well with 538. But actually we were just in the winning mood again. Corona was behind us. The evening rush hour was full again. The listening numbers went up.”
538-exit
Finally, the gentlemen confess that they have considered leaving Radio 538. “Yes,” says Coen.
“Eventually you start having conversations and we came to this. Solo further and Friday together,” Sander added, pointing to their consolation prize.
Coen says he is in a sentimental mood today: