“BOOS Investigates Allegations of Sexual Transgressions in RTL Program, Earns Award Nomination”

Presenter Tim Hofman, together with the editors of BOOS, investigated possible transgressive behavior in the RTL program. The video has been viewed more than 10 million times.

In the episode coaches Ali B and Marco Borsato, bandleader Jeroen Rietbergen and a director are accused by several women of sexually transgressive behaviour.

Hofman called making the episode a “huge task” and a “really slow process.” That’s what he said when receiving the award. During the making, the editors had little awareness of the major consequences that the broadcast would have.

“I have to say, we haven’t had the time to do it that way at all,” said Hofman.

Ali B continued

The Public Prosecution Service (OM) investigated the allegations and announced earlier this month that former coach Ali B and former band leader Rietbergen are being prosecuted for sexual acts related to the TV program.

The investigation against Borsato around The Voice is dropped due to a lack of evidence. There is still another sex investigation against him, which is not related to the talent show.

In March, the results of a study that producer ITV had commissioned came out. This showed that there was an atmosphere of inappropriate behavior around The Voice of Holland. The atmosphere was said to have been “flirty, physical and cuddly.”

Other nominees

In addition to BOOS, Volkskrant journalists Abel Bormans, Maud Effting and Willem Feenstra were also nominated with their article ‘Many an editor was ground in the successful TV machine of DWDD’.

In the article, dozens of former employees tell their story about alleged transgressive behavior and an unhealthy work culture, where employees were humiliated, among other things.

According to the newspaper, presenter Matthijs van Nieuwkerk is also guilty of this. The NPO decided to start an independent investigation into the work culture at the program.

The third nomination was for NRC journalists Claudia Kammer and Derk Stokmans. She chanced upon their article ‘How Wiebes lost the confidence of the Groningen people’, about the approach of the former Minister of Economic Affairs, Eric Wiebes, to the Groningen gas dossier.

The awards were presented today in the Koninklijke Schouwburg in The Hague.