Yesterday was quite a day for the Dutch Broadcast market. While Talpa where presenting their new channel in a glossy entourage on one side of the mediapark in Studio 21 (see de Mol’s ideas on crossmedia on http://www.talpa.tv.. PS. I like the story, but I didn’t not see it in the programming yet) … on the other side of the mediapark in Hilversum, Medy van der Laan situated in a packed basic room was in fierce discussion with employees of the NPS, the public broadcast channel that is put out of play by this state secretary of media. An odd choice to say the least, because she wants public broadcasting to be more about opinion and debate and less about amusemen and it is just the NPS that is taking care of the minor voice in the public debate. I have agreed with van der Laan on the necesarry changes for Public Broadcasting, where a lot of money is going to the management of the broadcasters and NOT to programmemakers. But I do not understand the choice to ban the NPS, which offers typical content for the public domain. It is just this minority voice that needs be protected.
KPN, in huge debts because of the high paid UMTS rights, still had 1 miljard Euro hidden somewhere to buy Telfort. I do not understand money flows in telecommunications! I really do not!