Culture under pressure at public broadcasting: Task force warns

The cultural programming of public broadcasting is at risk of being drastically reduced in the coming years. The Cultural and Creative Sector Task Force — a partnership of more than a hundred industry and professional organisations, including partners of Nieuw Geneco — warns of the consequences.

From 2027 onwards, dozens of radio and television titles will disappear; channels such as NPO 2 Extra and NPO Soul & Jazz may be discontinued, reports Kunsten ’92. In a letter to the House of Representatives, the Taskforce warns that this will result in the loss of an essential part of the cultural sector: ‘Those who undermine the foundations now will soon lose the ability to pass on culture, language and stories to new generations’. Public broadcasting should be the place for genres that are not driven by market logic, but the space for genres without direct commercial value is shrinking.
It is crucial that art and culture remain accessible, and public broadcasting plays an important role in this. In order to fulfil this task, the letter argues for:

• Guaranteed space on public broadcasting for culture in all its forms.
• A visible and recognisable public platform for cultural programming.
• A structural budget for culture as part of the public media remit in all its forms, and a transitional budget until the launch of the broadcasting houses in 2029.
• Fair pay for creators and artists, as a condition for guaranteeing quality and diversity

Read the article by Kunsten 92′ and the letter to parliament here.