Dutch public broadcaster Nederlandse Publieke Omroep has announced that it will axe several channels. Radio stations Campus Radio, an education channel for radio staffers, and NPO Soul & Jazz, as well as TV channels NPO2 Extra and BVN, will be shut down in 2026. In addition, about 80 full-time positions are expected to go. At press time, NPO employed about 500 people.
The broadcaster submitted the plans to the Dutch Minister of Education, Culture and Science on Thursday, Sept. 18.
TV programs aired on BVN and NPO2 Extra will continue to be available on the streaming platform NPO Start. To compensate for the closure of NPO Soul & Jazz, NPO says it will add more jazz and soul programming to other radio channels. The broadcaster also intends to give new radio talent airtime on its existing channels and its streaming service, NPO Luister, once Campus Radio goes off the air.
Pressure to reduce spending
Earlier this year, the minister’s cabinet instructed NPO to cut its budget by 156 million euros by 2027. As a first step, NPO has already decided to reduce program expenses by about 20 million euros in 2026.
“We deeply regret having to make these choices,” said NPO president Lucien Brouwer. “This will have an impact on our staff and the audience, but we must take responsibility — this is the next step towards a future-proof organization.”
“We know that loyal radio listeners and makers will be affected by the decision,” added Jurre Bosman, director of audio and video. “NPO Soul & Jazz and NPO Campus Radio are two unique channels, and their contribution has been very valuable to the public radio landscape. However, we will continue to invest in a new generation of radio talent, offering them airtime on our signature channels like 3FM, FunX, NPO Klassiek and NPO Radio 2. The new channel NPO Blend will feature more soul music, and other channels will carry jazz podcasts.”
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