The current Dutch public broadcasting system is outdated and must be changed. That concludes the Media Authority in a report published on Tuesday (pdf) drawn up at the request of the cabinet. The media system has worked well for a long time, “but now threatens to miss out on social, technological and market developments,” according to the regulator.
At the moment, the current media system is still subdivided into certain broadcasters, each of which belongs to its own ‘pillar’ in society, a division that was made more than a hundred years ago. But, according to the commissioner, society has changed to such an extent that it “no longer has any clear currents”.
Inaccessible to new creators
According to the commissariat, without the necessary reforms, there will be more and more loose broadcasting organizations that have little social ties. The emphasis is now on the central role of the organizations, but should be more on the content. This system is very difficult to access for new creators from outside the media system. They must first manifest themselves as a broadcasting association and recruit members. In this way, young people threaten to drop out, says the commissioner.
A new system should be an ‘open system’ with a broad and independent media offer and with a direct social connection. This means that makers, for example, consult the public about certain choices. In addition, the responsibility for a public media must be placed centrally with the NPO, according to the Media Authority. “A central director can respond more decisively to developments and changing needs in society.”
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