Satire is not journalism, even if a satirical program is meticulous in the use of journalistic sources. This is stated by the ombudsman of the NPO in an explanation on its website in response to complaints about The Evening Show with Arjen Lubach, in particular because of an item about Forum for Democracy (FVD) in March.
“Journalists work at De Avondshow and part of what they do is actual journalistic work,” writes ombudsman Margo Smit. “For example, sources are sought, those sources are checked and a coherent story is made of it. So up to this point in the process you could still argue that Lubach and his editors make a journalistic product. But this is only the first stage of the production process. Because after the journalists, the pranksters come into action. They pour their own sauce over it and rewrite all the texts and provide the story with a new thread and witticisms.”
The final product that can be seen on television, with those jokes and witticisms, “can no longer be called journalism with the best will in the world.” The ombudsman adds that the same reasoning applies to a program such as Even Tot Hier or a New Year’s Eve conference by, for example, Youp van ‘t Hek, Peter Pannekoek or Claudia de Breij.
Forum for Democracy BV
There were also complainants who accused Lubach of libel against Forum for Democracy. “But they are not in the right place with the ombudsman for that either,” writes Smit. “In the Netherlands, only the court can rule on that.”
In the March broadcast, Arjen Lubach said, among other things, that new FVD council members must take mandatory courses. He also said that a number of FVD board members, including foreman Thierry Baudet, would have founded Forum voor Democratie BV and would earn money from it themselves. Furthermore, Lubach explained how Baudet earns from publishing his books. The leader of FVD was previously suspended for a week by the House of Representatives because he continues to refuse to pass on his additional functions, as prescribed by the rules.