Matthijs van Nieuwkerk returns to television. This shows the opportunism of the media world.
Commercial broadcaster RTL could not wait to embrace former celebrity Van Nieuwkerk of the public broadcaster. The media world is just as opportunistic as football, see how quickly sinner Marc Overmars got a new job.
After Van Nieuwkerk’s transgressive behavior at The world goes on a committee started working. It examines the entire public broadcaster. The report will be available at the end of January, committee chairman Van Rijn said on Friday. He was unpleasantly surprised by the announced return of Van Nieuwkerk on TV.
RTL director Peter van der Vorst said he had waited long enough. Van Nieuwkerk has taken a good look in the mirror, according to Van der Vorst. He refers to an interview in NRC from a few months ago. What did Van Nieuwkerk say when asked whether a return to TV was in the cards? “Honestly? I just don’t know yet.” He refers to the Van Rijn committee, “important for everyone involved. Piano piano .”
For those who don’t speak Italian very well, with piano piano Van Nieuwkerk means ‘quietly’. In fact, he says, first let’s wait for the report from the Van Rijn committee. He couldn’t muster that patience. And that feels uncomfortable. Van der Vorst says that the commercial broadcaster will adopt Van Rijn’s advice. But what if it says that he should no longer appear on TV? Or something else impossible?
Van Nieuwkerk brings about the same discomfort that still hangs around Overmars. As director, the once celebrated footballer led Ajax to the European top. He left through the back door after it became apparent that he had misbehaved. Most striking were the many dick pics he sent to female employees.
Ajax launched an investigation into the inappropriate behavior, but Overmars soon turned up at the Belgian football club Antwerp. As if nothing had happened. A big middle finger to all those people he had damaged. Van Nieuwkerk does the same by not waiting for Van Rijn’s report. Piano piano Well, that wasn’t such bad advice.