Humberto Tan cannot understand the fact that Janine Abbring of the VPRO is being reprimanded for cheating, while Theo Maassen is spared. “Nothing happens!”
Theo Maassen’s wife states that he commits domestic violence and broke her nose. His former mistress Angela is a whistleblower in this case and states that his wife is not the only victim; for example, an ex-girlfriend is said to have suffered a head injury from the comedian. Yet the VPRO is not yet putting him aside.
Humberto surprised
Humberto Tan discusses it last night in his talk show Humberto in response to the report on misconduct at the NPO. “Can I give a practical example? A case. A presenter. We are going to anonymize him. A presenter is accused of assaulting his wife. A colleague is in an advertisement at the same broadcaster.”
That female colleague in advertising, Janine Abbring, has been reprimanded, Humberto emphasizes. “The presenter, who is accused of beating his wife, does not do anything about it. That’s this week. At the same broadcaster. At the public broadcaster. How do we deal with that? We can read that report, but this is what happens in practice.”
‘Nothing happens’
It’s incredible, says Humberto. “And I’m not saying that the presenter did it, but the vehemence with which people react to an advertisement or to an alleged assault, I think that’s quite something.”
Tina Nijkamp then states that there is also dissatisfaction about this within the VPRO itself. “I also understand that there are two camps within the VPRO and that there is a lot of discussion about whether he can stay with Zomergasten.”
Humberto: “Nothing happens at all.”
Silence
Tina agrees. “No that’s right. They are very quiet.”
Even Jan Slagter doesn’t think it’s possible. “And that’s not good either.”
Humberto: “That is about public broadcasting.”
Jan: “Then you have to be honest and just come out and say what exactly is going on and what you are going to do about it, but the fact that everyone is keeping quiet about it… I was in a meeting with all the broadcasters – it was like happened and it had just come out – but no one is saying anything about it.”
Beating your wife
Humberto is starting to lose his faith in the NPO. “Then this report makes no sense whatsoever!”
Integrity researcher Marjan Olfers: “It’s about: what value does the VPRO strive for? I’m really surprised that hitting your wife… I often look at the United States too. It would have immediately led to dismissal or at least suspension. Even if it is only in research.”
She thinks that this is appropriate here. “From: you have to wait a while now, until the investigation has been completed. That is why this research is so important. Then at least you know, also about him: did that happen or not? Until then, you give the signal: we don’t like hitting women.”
‘Can’t stay on’
Private boss Evert Santegoeds, who revealed the story about Theo, expects that VPRO will ultimately be unable to escape it. “It can hardly be that nothing at all happens in Hilversum. That everyone ignores this and he will soon be sitting in that enormous setting of Zomergasten again,” he says in the podcast Strictly Private.
He continues: “You cannot separate this from someone’s personality. Precisely Zomergasten hangs on the presenter. He should now avoid certain topics because everyone knows what happens at home. Then you have an unhealthy working situation and as a VPRO you should not want that.”