What can Queen Máxima do to improve her favorite role after the ratings drama on SBS 6? Royalty expert Kemal Rijken thinks she should call a different kind of TV maker.
It must have come as a hammer blow to Queen Máxima and her PR team: SBS 6 broadcast a major interview with her on the evening after Christmas prime time, but no one was watching. Not surprising, because the channel was only allowed to ask her questions about debt problems, because that is something she is committed to.
Depressingly low
The SBS 6 viewer apparently has no interest in that at all and completely ignored the entire show. According to ratings authority Tina Nijkamp, it is inevitable that a crisis meeting has been held by the Government Information Service, because the Orange favorite that achieves such low ratings? Then of course something goes wrong.
Royal House expert Kemal Rijken, author of the book Monarchy, also finds it shocking. “Only 147,000 people took the time to tune in to Queen Máxima on SBS 6 on Christmas Day. Spoke with ex-VJ Tooske for 45 minutes about debt problems. That is a sad and disappointingly low number,” he writes X.
Heavy subject
Kemal is not surprised. “Most likely the viewing figures were so bad because of the subject: debt problems. The SBS viewer is not interested in such a heavy subject at all. I think that an error of judgment was made by both the RVD and SBS… Furthermore, the ‘Máxima effect’ seems to be over among the general public.”
What is the solution for Maxima? Call a different kind of TV maker than Tooske, he continues. “It might be an idea to make a real substantive documentary with and about her. With a top-level documentary maker, with interviews. As happens in Denmark. That would be groundbreaking. Food for thought.”
Fail
And the SBS 6 boss who approved this interview? Kemal should put him on the penalty bench. “It’s kind of how media logic works. If you are never allowed to interview an Oranje for a long time (SBS) and an opportunity comes, you take it, regardless of the subject. You still have to ask yourself whether it suits your target group. This may not have been done sufficiently…”
Máxima talking about debt problems is a joke anyway, he concludes. “Beats. The filthy rich Máxima who cares about ‘the poor in debt’ is unbelievable as a combination for many people. It could also be a reason for them not to want to listen to her story…”
Own series
Tina Nijkamp points it out The Telegraph that Máxima can simply wait until the drama series about her life starts on RTL’s Videoland. “That is exactly what our royal couple needs. One of the most expensive Dutch series ever has good actors and judging by the trailer it will look really beautiful.”
She says: “It is almost inevitable that this series will become one of the biggest viewing hits of 2024. Máxima said she would not watch it, but the royal couple will ultimately be so happy and grateful that Videoland has this series. Next year the popularity flag will be much better, that cannot be otherwise.”