ON will broadcast the Ongehoord Nieuws program twice a week from mid-February.
Opinions and facts not separated
The investigation shows that the journalistic code of the NPO has been violated on various points in publications by Ongehoord Nederland. This concerns, among other things, violation of the code with regard to reliability and therefore passively and actively contributing to the dissemination of demonstrably incorrect information.
Also, incorrect information is not corrected and opinions are not sufficiently separated from factual information.
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Code
“Journalistic programs at the public broadcasters are not an open stage and the presenter is not a conduit”, says NPO Ombudsman Margo Smit. “That is now regularly the case at broadcaster ON.” Smit states in her report that she has ‘never before received so many requests for research into two specific programs from one broadcaster in such a short period of time’.
The journalistic code, which Ongehoord Nederland has signed, states that information must be reliable and must be checked. According to the Ombudsman, ON journalistic programs provide scope for demonstrably incorrect information.
This happens passively when a presenter does not ask further questions or does not contradict demonstrably incorrect information expressed by guests, and actively in presenters’ own texts or in reports with demonstrably incorrect comments and unquestioned allegations.
Opinions
According to the Ombudsman, the ON programs examined mainly contain the opinions of guests. “Creating an opinion program is not a license to lose sight of journalistic standards and agreements,” says Smit.
“In a journalistic production, public broadcasters should not be about ‘pleasant conversation’ or about giving free rein to opinions, but about reliably informing the public on the basis of facts. Broadcasters may be required to comply “They have all subscribed to the agreed standards in the journalistic code. They must also adhere to the values to be disseminated and jointly accepted described in the Media Act. Reliability is also part of this.”
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State Secretary Uslu: to NPO to take steps
State Secretary for Culture and Media Gunay Uslu says in a response that it is up to the NPO to take steps. She says she has faith in the system in which media organize and control themselves. “I will of course continue to follow this matter with interest, at an appropriate distance.”
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Sanctions
The Ombudsman also states that it is not clear to the public ‘what the journalistic norms and values are of the NPO, what consequences there are if they are ignored, and who can impose sanctions’. “This makes it clear how journalism is done for the public and with public money”. Organizations such as the NPO and the Media Authority can impose sanctions in case of violation.
The NPO says in a response that the conclusions of the ombudsman ‘really worry us’. They will study the Ombudsman’s ruling and will issue a possible sanction next week.
Arnold Karskens’ broadcaster was granted aspiring status in 2021 by the then media minister Arie Slob, on the condition that the broadcaster shared ‘the same ideas about independent journalism’ as other broadcasters within the NPO. Despite Slob’s conditions, the Ministry of Education, Culture and Science has announced in recent months that the content of the programs that Ongehoord Nederland makes is not supervised by the Ministry.
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D66 MP Sjoerd Sjoerdsma says in a response: “The ombudsman is very clear: Ongehoord Nederland violates the journalistic code and spreads incorrect information. That is serious.
Now it is up to the NPO and the Media Authority to take steps. I hope that happens soon.”
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