The VPRO is absolutely not happy with Janine Abbring, the nibbling ex-girlfriend and editor-in-chief of Arjen Lubach. “We are not thrilled with her choice to advertise.”
After Sander Schimmelpenninck and Özcan Akyol, Janine Abbring is now also advertising for the online pension bank Brand New Day. It raises eyebrows, because the woman who presented Zomergasten for six years is currently editor-in-chief of De Avondshow with Arjen Lubach. She now uses her reliable NPO image to cash in.
‘This is weird’
It is reprehensible, according to critics such as former KRO director Ton Verlind. This is simply not possible, he writes Speaking tube. “Wouldn’t it be strange if editor-in-chief Pieter Klok of de Volkskrant suddenly appeared in an insurance company’s advertisement? Whether political commentator Wouter de Winther would recommend investment products?”
No one would believe in their independence anymore, Ton writes. “But at the public broadcaster, which is already under a magnifying glass, it is possible and it does happen. Without embarrassment and in violation of the rules that state that public broadcasting may not serve the profit of third parties.”
Mouth-dead
Janine puts Arjen in a difficult position. “If the journalistic mores of de Volkskrant are followed, Abbring has silenced Arjen Lubach’s program in the lively discussion by accepting this job. [over het huidige pensioenstelsel].”
Janine herself does not see any problem; she wants to warn self-employed people otherwise. On NPO Radio 1: “I am self-employed and go from contract to contract, unlike former broadcast executives with big final salary schemes. I have to provide for my own pension. I noticed that many fellow self-employed people hardly think about their pension and have not arranged anything for it.”
VPRO not happy
The VPRO is not happy with the choice of Arjen’s editor-in-chief. “Janine Abbring is not employed by the VPRO. She works as a freelance program maker and presenter for several broadcasters and clients. The VPRO is not enthusiastic about this choice, but it is not inconsistent with the current contract.”
“We understand from Janine Abbring that it is contractually stipulated that affiliation with this pension provider will in no way influence her work for VPRO programs. In addition, Janine Abbring has recorded that she is free to report critically about this pension provider in all her work.”