The NTR should become a task broadcaster with the NOS in the reform of public broadcasting. If that fails, the NTR, together with other broadcasters, must form a broadcasting house, Culture Minister Eppo Bruins writes to the House of Representatives.
That the NTR merges with the NOS is the first option, Bruins writes. If the NTR merges with other broadcasters, it is “with the promise that the NTR will have a full place in the new order”.
A broad majority in the House of Representatives voted last month for the continuation of the NTR. That happened after Bruins’ initial plans stated that the task broadcaster would disappear. According to those plans, the programs would be divided among the newly established broadcasting houses.
The reform of public broadcasting is led by a former interim director of the NTR, Meindert Landsmeer. According to Bruins, he has a lot of experience with media reforms. Landsmeer was previously also interim media director at KRO-NCRV.
Landsmeer works at the company 3Rivers, which advises media. He has until October 1 to propose a reform. The intention is for the current broadcasters to merge into four or five broadcasting houses. These broadcasting houses will be foundations without members.
Bruins’ initial plans were immediately met with much criticism, partly because of the scrapping of the NTR. The reform is intended, among other things, to make broadcasters more decisive, but also to implement a cut. By merging into broadcasting houses, there will be fewer board members, because that is now arranged per broadcaster.
In addition, the minimum number of members disappears because members disappear altogether. The current broadcasters will continue to exist. After the reform, no new broadcasters can join. What happens to aspiring broadcasters Ongehoord Nederland and Omroep ZWART is not yet known.