Dutch Cabinet votes in favour of new media law

The Dutch Cabinet has given its approval to the new draft media law proposed by Deputy Minister for Culture and the Media Medy van der Laan. The Deputy Minister says that the law has been kept “as simple as possible.”

Under the new law, from 2008 Public Broadcasting in the Netherlands will consist of just one foundation - NOS. The various other broadcasting foundations will become “licence holders” and will each be given specific tasks to fulfil within the system. One organisation, NPS, which has the task of making cultural and multicultural programmes, will disappear entirely, and is expected to be absorbed into NOS.

Each broadcaster will have its tasks split into two categories - a commercial side and a public side. The two must be clearly separated. The Dutch Media Authority (Commissariaat van de Media) will be reponsible for ensuring that the public broadcasting activities conform to the rules.

Under the proposed media law, at least 40 percent of the production budget must be allocated to external producers. These may be independent, but can also be related to the broadcaster’s own commercial activities. To ensure that the broadcasters have broad public support, only organisations with a membership of at least 50,000 will be allowed to enter the public broadcasting arena. This is designed to prevent a commercial organisation from sneaking in and getting programmes on the air that promote its own narrow interests.

The new media law has been the subject of much debate for a long time. Mrs Van der Laan wants the public broadcasters to focus more on news, opinion, social debate and culture. Many broadcasters, and some politicians, fear this will mean that entertainment programmes will gradually disappear from the public networks.

The draft media law will shortly be presented to the Dutch parliament for debate. Mrs Van der Laan says she’s confident that it will be positively received.

Source: Media Network Weblog, 25 May 2006