Media journalist Mark Koster understands that Op1 has been given permission to continue until July 2024. But what happens after that? Victor Vlam: “They are working on a replacement.”
Jeroen Pauw is involved behind the scenes in the talk show Op1 and he told me just before the weekend that there no green light yet is to continue with the program. The broadcasts will run until the end of this year. “These commitments go into calendar years, so there must be clarity about the future in October.”
Through to July 2024
According to media journalist Mark Koster, there is now a green light. “From Op1-tamtam: MAX, WNL and EO will continue until July 2024. Tijs van de Brink and Sven Kockelmann are allowed to go at election time,” he writes Twitter.
According to media connoisseur Victor Vlam, what will happen after that summer is still highly uncertain. He understands that an Op1 replacement is being worked on. “We can be the first to report the news here that there is quite a big new development on this front,” he says in the podcast The Communicados.
Op1 replacement
BNNVARA is writing a proposal for a program that will replace Op1, says Victor. “It would be sometime in 2024 that the NPO will at least be offered an alternative to the late night nalk show that can be seen daily on NPO 1. That is something they make together with Jeroen Pauw as co-producer.”
That is remarkable, continues Victor. “Because he is of course also the co-producer of Op1. People like Peter Kee, who was a political editor at Op1 and left there, would also be involved. And Herman Meijer, who comes from BNNVARA and has now switched to Op1 as editor-in-chief, could originally also play a role in that.”
Lord and master
According to Victor, it is not unexpected. BNNVARA recently angrily left Op1. “BNNVARA’s idea is: guys, we were once lord and master in the late evening with Pauw & Witteman, later with Pauw, this was our time slot. This is a way for that broadcaster to eventually regain that time slot.”
Co-host Lars Duursma: “Yes, the ultimate revenge too. Because yes, they got into a fight there on that lock. The ultimate revenge against the people who are still in it is: we take you off the tube, because we have a competitor. A competitor who, according to the NPO, may also be better than Op1. In short: get rid of Op1.”
Not yet confirmed
Has this news already been confirmed? Victor: “This has not been officially confirmed by BNNVARA. Of course we did ask. I understand that they don’t want to talk about that, but according to our information it is really true that they are working on this.”
Why would Jeroen work on an Op1 replacement himself? “Jeroen Pauw of course sold TVBV in 2018. And how it works in the television world when you sell a production company, you only receive the full purchase price after a number of years. Usually after five years. And then you have to meet certain turnover obligations…”
If Op1 goes off the tube, it would be nice if you had a replacement to boost sales, he wants to say. “It really is betting on two horses. It’s really bizarre. Yes, no, absolutely yes. Yes, I think that’s crazy too, to be honest.”