HILVERSUM, Netherlands — During the first week of October, local public broadcasting in the Netherlands celebrated its 50th anniversary. Among the highlights were a visit by Dutch King Willem-Alexander to local public station DTV Nieuws in Oss and a festive edition of the Local Media Awards and Inspiration Days.
The Dutch public broadcast system consists of three layers: The national broadcaster (Netherlandse Publieke Omroep — NPO), provincial stations (Regionale Publieke Omroep — RPO) and local public broadcasters, represented by Nederlandse Lokale Publieke Omroepen (NLPO). The body coordinates about 220 broadcasters to improve the sector’s professionalization and production quality. NLPO also coordinated the 50th anniversary celebrations.
Local broadcasting began in 1971 when a station in Melick-Herkenbosch-Vlodrop initiated trial TV broadcasts on the local cable network without any legislation. “Three years later — 50 years ago — the government started experimenting with local broadcasts. It was the start of the legal local public broadcast era,” explained Bast Booister, project manager with NLPO. “Six local broadcasters went on air, first with cable TV. Radio came in later.”
Initially, the local stations had a limited government budget and were supported by the better-financed national public broadcasters. Today, they are financed by the Ministry of Home Affairs budget through local authorities.
Each local authority’s city council decides on the budgets available for its local public broadcasters. “The city council plays a crucial role because it also advises on the broadcast license with the Media Commission,” continued Booister. “Today, we have 342 local authorities. Their local broadcasters inform each community with local news and information.” In addition, all Dutch public broadcasters must comply with information, culture and education standards and meet the statutory requirements of local media content.
We must persuade [the government] that the local public broadcasters remain a valuable third layer in the national broadcast system.
Sven Keizer, executive director with RTV NOF
Until a few years ago, local public broadcasters were operated mainly by volunteer workers. In 2022, after some pilots and one-time grants, professionalization rapidly took hold. In collaboration with the Journalism Incentive Fund, the government provided the necessary budget, supporting local initiatives with a maximum subsidy of €500,000 per application. “This subsidy allows local public broadcasters to focus on their mission with professional journalists,” added Booister.
“In 2027, the 342 local licenses will reduce to 80,” explained Booister. “The plan is to pool back-end resources to focus on local journalism in the front end. By joining forces, the requirements of the local media program will be easier to meet. NLPO has six consultants who are assisting the local stations in the process.”
Transition to DAB+
The Ministry of Education, Culture and Sciences has provided a budget to transition local public broadcasters to digital broadcasting. Michael Wesselink, project manager with NLPO, said that NLPO is negotiating a collective solution for DAB+. “Public and commercial local broadcasters share Layer 6 (57 allotments, each with a capacity for 18 licenses), where they can apply for a program channel.” NLPO met with the Ministry on the technical parameters and conditions. A few stations conducted early-stage DAB+ pilots and NLPO took their comments as “lessons learned” for the full DAB+ rollout.
To qualify for a subsidy, local stations can choose one of the two operators NPLO has designated — Broadcast Partners or Radio Netwerk Nederland. The collective service agreement covers the implementation of DAB+, 24/7 management and maintenance service for the broadcasters who will pay a flat fee, subsidized by the government.
At press time, some 95% of the local public broadcasters had applied for a license, and the first were approved on Aug. 31. “Before the end of the year, broadcasters must decide whether to be part of the group purchase or invest individually,” said Wesselink.
Powered by passionate volunteers
RTV NOF is a typical Dutch local public broadcaster. It started with radio broadcasts. The station aired in 1986 as Lokale Omroep Noord-Oost Friesland (LONOF). “The local cable company allowed us to have a mobile radio studio on their site and provided us with broadcast frequencies on their network and FM,” remembered Sven Keizer, executive director with RTV NOF. “In 2006, the name changed to RTV NOF, and today, we serve the Dantumadiel, Noardeast-Fryslân, Achtkarspelen and Tytsjerksteradiel municipalities — some 125,000 people.”
Most of RTV NOF’s collaborators were — and still are — passionate volunteers. Over the years, many have moved to regional or national broadcasters. “Our mission is to serve the local community — the four municipalities — to connect and inform on news, sports and culture,” said Keizer.
“Today, we have some 140 staff, and thanks to the joint subsidies of the Journalism Stimulation Fund and the Ministry of Education, Culture and Science, seven are on the payroll.”
RTV NOF’s on-air landscape is based on a Wheatstone platform consisting of an E-6 digital console and IP-88 series input/output blades. The station also uses a Caliope Media OnAir Radio suite playout system, seven Shure SM7 broadcast microphones and Tieline codec technology to connect reporters with the on-air studio.
“In 2010, we added visual radio content and upgraded the setup in 2023,” continued Keizer.
“We edit our interviews for social media, and we have the ambition, equipment and content to serve as many platforms as possible, including a dedicated team of young content makers for TikTok.”
Today, RTV NOF airs on five FM frequencies, three cable networks, online and, since Sept. 1, on DAB+.
“We were one of the first local public broadcasters to implement DAB+,” said a proud Keizer.
“We opted for Radio Netwerk Nederland as the DAB+ operator. We decided not to wait for the outcome of the government subsidy negotiated by NLPO and invested ourselves in the project.” Radio, TV and online channels carry local commercial advertising.
The main challenge for RTV NOF is the financing of their broadcast project. “Getting government subsidy is our main concern.
We must persuade them that the local public broadcasters remain a valuable third layer in the national broadcast system, alongside the national and provincial stations,” concluded Keizer.
Based in Antwerp, Belgium, the author began hosting a weekly program at a local radio station in 1980. He then joined the Dutch-language national broadcaster VRT as a reporter and music programmer. Since 1985, he has been a freelance writer for various publications, including the national press, industry publications and magazines.
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