The NPO wants to impose a financial sanction on broadcaster Ongehoord Nederland (ON!) because the journalistic code of the public broadcaster is systematically violated in the program Unheard of News, the NPO reported on Wednesday. Under the Media Act, the broadcaster’s budget can be reduced by a maximum of 15 percent.
The NPO had contact with Ongehoord Nederland on Wednesday about the intention. The broadcaster will now be given the opportunity to respond.
The board of directors of the NPO then decides whether a sanction will actually be imposed and, if so, how much money is involved. The final judgment will follow in the week of 27 June.
The NPO wants ON! sanctions after the ombudsman’s critical report. It stated that the broadcaster had violated the journalistic code of the NPO and allowed guests to make unfounded statements without a reply. “When a broadcaster violates the journalistic standard laid down in the code, this affects the integrity of the entire system,” said the NPO.
Unheard of Netherlands broadcaster Arnold Karskens reacted incensed to the news on Wednesday afternoon. He called the plan “a frontal attack on press freedom in the Netherlands”. Karskens had already made it clear earlier that he did not agree with the ombudsman’s conclusions. On the broadcast of Unheard of News from last Tuesday, the report was again mocked by the presenters.
NVJ does not think that freedom of the press is at stake
The Dutch Association of Journalists (NVJ) does not see the financial sanction as an attack on press freedom. This is what chairman Thomas Bruning says in response to Karskens’ reaction.
“I see no reason that the freedom of the press is at stake as a result. The broadcaster can continue broadcasting,” says Bruning. “Unheard of The Netherlands has endorsed the journalistic code of the NPO and the ombudsman has found that this code is not being complied with. On the basis of this, discussions are underway and measures may be taken.”
Bruning does state that it is important that the framework in which the sanction is imposed is good and that the NPO acts carefully in this regard. “Financial sanctions against broadcasters must be foreseeable. It must be clear that if you do not follow that code, what the consequences will be. That framework must be carefully examined by NPO and ON and if there is any doubt about this, Ongehoord Nederland can appealed. For now I see no reason to raise the storm flag.”
Ombudsman critical of program Unheard of News
According to ombudsman of the NPO Margo Smit, ON! violate the journalistic code on various points, including reliability. As a result, the broadcaster has passively and actively contributed to the dissemination of demonstrably incorrect information. Incorrect information is also not corrected and opinions are not sufficiently separated from facts.
“Journalistic programs at the public broadcasters are not an open stage and the presenter is not a conduit. That is now regularly the case with broadcaster ON!”, says Smit.
The ombudsman of the NPO received complaints about the first TV broadcast of ON! at the end of February. The broadcaster had just been introduced at the time: ON! aspiring broadcaster in the public broadcasting system. The complaints were mainly about incorrect content and misinformation.