Many thanks to Jonathan Marks, who shares this article from the populist Dutch daily newspaper De Telegraaf on Saturday.
If you can’t read Dutch, here’s a link to the article via Google Translate.
I believe RNW has struggled with identity and purpose since abandoning all radio broadcasting and most programming in 2012. I’m still confused as to why they dropped The State We’re In; an award-winning program which had a loyal listenership and could have stood on its own.
I am a old listener’s of Radio Netherlands Worldwide. Time to time Visit your Web site at all times.
Thanks to all teams KBS.
Kanchan Kr Chatterjee
Natun Radio Listeners Club
RNW’s cuts were because of political reasons and was not because of management at RNW. Geert Wilders of the Freedom Party which has a coalition with the ruling Volkspartij voor Vriheid Democratie or VVD (People’s Party for Freedom and Democracy). Wilders had wanted to close down RNW. A deal was reached to reduce the budget. If the VVD had not agreed an election could have been called and the coalition would have fallen apart. The problem with it’s website is they don’t have a clear idea what to do. Just to give you an example. The head of the Chinese department at RNW: First. Does not speak Chinese, Second. Has never been to China, Third. Has no idea what is being published on the Chinese site (helanonline.cn). He only knows what they tell him. A few times I have found mistakes and editorializing. In 2012 I along with others said that would be gone in less than 6 years. Do they really think the Chinese care what the Netherlands says? The Chinese look at Holland as being just as important as Iceland. The media outlets they pay attention to are the BBCWS, VOA, FRI, DW and RA. Radio Netherlands never broadcast in Chinese and no one in China knows who they are.
The english website of RNW is pathetic. They post on average one article per month highlighting one of its projects on another language service and how successful it has been. While these are good projects/initiatives it doesn’t give me incentive to actually go and read the english language website because it doesn’t interest me to read PR releases.
As if this outcome could not have been more thoroughly predictable. I think the lesson of this unfortunate, likely ignominious end to RNW (that tracks the experiences in one way or another of many longtime international and national media institutions) is: By all means, embrace the new platforms, but – for heaven’s (and your own) sake – don’t rush or be rushed to precipitously abandon the older, more established ones.