Rutger Castricum is not making the switch from his current broadcaster PowNed to the controversial broadcaster Ongehoord Nederland. “Never”, he says in conversation with the VARA guide.
There is a lot of controversy about the public broadcaster Ongehoord Nederland. According to critics such as columnist Max Pam, it is mainly a gathering place for ‘wappies’. What does PowNed star Rutger Castricum think? “I don’t feel like participating in the broadcaster’s opinion game,” he initially says in the VARA guide.
Rutger critical
Then Rutger gives his opinion. “I can say that I think it is good that broadcasters are added if a group in society does not feel represented by the public broadcaster. But then you have to abide by certain rules.”
According to Rutger, it is not for nothing that Ongehoord Nederland was called back by the NPO. “I have never been curtailed by the NPO. They have never said to me: that is not allowed. Not even in the days of PowNews when we were really on the edge. I think you have to stick to the basic rules.”
Right-wing broadcaster
Until the arrival of Ongehoord Nederland, PowNed was seen as a very right-wing broadcaster. “I do not agree with that. There you have that image story again,” he says, irritated.
He continues: “I am anarchist in it. I think all sides need to be addressed. We weren’t right-wing broadcasters to me. I don’t want to see it that way. In fact, I oppose that.”
No switch
Rutger therefore feels absolutely no sympathy for Ongehoord Nederland. “If they asked you, would you switch to Ongehoord Nederland?”, VARAgids asks him. Rutger replies: “Never.”
Why not? “Because of what I just said. I think we should expose all sides and not follow one flow, as ON does. Wilders and Baudet have put Ongehoord Nederland more or less together on the market and then you know what you are getting. I don’t like that, it’s not my style.”
