The news about the departure of editor-in-chief Carlo van Lienden creates terrible uncertainty at TV flop RTL Tonight, says media critic Victor Vlam. “There is no support whatsoever.”
Albert Verlinde spoke highly of the RTL leadership in the Televizier special of Today Inside. He thought it was great that Peter van der Vorst allowed the team to muddle through despite the very poor viewing figures. Yet you can wonder — rhetorically — whether the TV boss is really that gallant. Isn’t he actually causing much more damage by muddling through?
Great dissatisfaction
The first victim has now fallen: editor-in-chief Carlo van Lienden is out. But does it still make sense to appoint a successor for those few remaining months – everyone knows that RTL Tonight will be off the air before Christmas?
Host Renze Klamer and his team have no idea which direction RTL wants to go. “There is great dissatisfaction behind the scenes at RTL Tonight, I hear from a source around that program,” says TV critic Victor Vlam on X.
Kane’s manager
RTL Tonight is no longer in charge. “After the announcement of the departure of editor-in-chief Carlo van Lienden on Wednesday, he has hardly appeared in the editorial office.”
Why is that so? Carlo is probably just busy with his other hobbies, says Victor. “Van Lienden is also Kane’s manager – and seems to be mainly concerned with that. Meanwhile, both RTL and Endemol leave the team completely to their fate. No message, no visit, no support. There is total uncertainty in the editorial office.”
Big promises
It is really painful how everyone is left to their fate, says Victor. “Many employees were brought to this project at the time with great promises, often out of loyalty to the presenters. Now they work with a format of an editor-in-chief who has already half left.”
Story boss Guido den Aantrekker responds briefly but powerfully: “Ship adrift. Where is the ship owner?”