Jeroen Pauw is causing quite a bit of annoyance with the announcement of his television debate, which has exactly the form that Prime Minister Mark Rutte wants. Nieuwsuur star Jeroen Wollaars is also not amused.
Many right-wing voters feel abandoned by Prime Minister Mark Rutte’s VVD. They divert to parties on the right flank, such as BBB and JA21. And not entirely coincidentally, the Prime Minister consistently refuses to enter into debate with the political leaders of those parties. He wants to make it a duel with the ‘left wing’ GroenLinks and PvdA.
Jeroen pleases Rutte
Where RTL has chosen not to respond to Rutte’s demands and to cancel their debate, the prime minister ends up in a comfortable bed with Jeroen Pauw. The presenter will come on Sunday 12 March, prime time on NPO 1, with Pauw’s Election Debate: Linksom or Rechtsom. In it, the prime minister only debates with those two left-wing parties.
Investigative journalist Kim van Keken finds it very bad. “The VVD wants a duel against ‘the left cloud’, or at least the parties that the VVD chooses on the left and Pauw facilitates that once again,” she tweets.
Revenue model
Thriller writer Roel Janssen points to Jeroen’s double cap. “It is one way or another the revenue model of TVBV, Jeroen Pauw’s TV production company, which is allowed to present its own format.”
Kim to that: “This. Especially this too.”
It’s just a nonsense debate, Kim thinks. “As if GroenLinks voters suddenly start voting VVD after this debate or vice versa. The only thing you achieve with this debate is free PR for the VVD, GroenLinks and the PvdA. (…) Everything for the ratings, and after me the deluge. Zero responsibility is taken.”
Debate on demand
Op1 star Thomas van Groningen reacts cynically. “Did someone order a political duel?”
Welmoed Vlieger, who works for the Omtzigt Group, is annoyed. “It’s rather embarrassing how BNNVARA willingly lends itself here to the transparent frame of a ‘two battle’ between parties who like to lend each other a hand in this way. This is certainly not good for journalism – and more broadly: democracy.
SP star Peter Kwint: “It is quite embarrassing that such a large part of the parliamentary press, which has to critically question power, puts its feet up like any other cat in heat because the campaign teams have ordered a duel.”
And RTL Boulevard great Luuk Ikink: “Because the elections are apparently between three (2?) parties, nice and clear.. ?”
News hour pissed off
The well-known journalist Ton F. van Dijk, former broadcaster boss of NPO 1, thinks this is not possible. “Rutte devises a strategy in which there is an imaginary conflict with the ‘left cloud’. And the public broadcaster facilitates that and effortlessly goes along with this carefully devised frame. Doesn’t seem like a journalistic job to me.”
Then Nieuwsuur star Jeroen Wollaars makes himself heard. He adds: “And programs it directly opposite the program that organizes prize-winning political debates on the same NPO and is now competing in-house.”
Jeroen, of course, points to the acclaimed debates in Nieuwsuur. What should we do with Jeroen Pauw? Former D66 member Kees Verhoeven: “Jeroen Pauw as a debate leader is so 2019. Rather let him work on his golf career quietly.”
