Rolf den Otter writes: A bizarre situation has developed in the Netherlands. Everywhere in the world, classical broadcasters are shutting down, because of falling listening figures. In the Netherlands however, the Concertzender, which many of you might know because of its splendid Internet channels, has to shut down because it has become too popular!
Dutch Public radio hosts the Concertzender, and working with 150 volunteers and a handful of paid staff members, it operates on a budget of 500.000 euro a year. Cable companies in the Netherlands are now opting to carry the Concertzender, instead of the non-classical Radio 6 (operating on a budget many times of the Concertzender!!). Instead of looking for a good solution, the co-ordinator of Radio 6 just wants to pull the plug from the Concertzender.
To make things even weirder, a message explaining the situation with a call for support had to be removed from the homepage !!! The call was mirrored on another site, and a small flood of support letters came in, prompting the board of management of Dutch Public Broadcasting to postpone the decision.
Because the Concertzender has also a large international following, international listeners are invited to send an email to mening@concertzender.nl and write something like: “Please don’t pull the plug from the Concertzender”, giving your own reason(s).
More information in English about the Concertzender is available on this page. And there are also some YouTube videos (in English) about the situation, produced by Rolf den Otter. Please forward this message to your “music friends” all over the world.
on Nov 16th, 2008 at 14:30
It is a bloody shame that PO will pull the Concertzender plug.
For only half a million keeping such a station on air is almost for free.
The point is that Concertzender does not contribute to the popularity of the PO and also does not make a young and (sexy) swinging impression.
CZ also dont deal with the nasty audience attractive commercial stations as R538 or Sky.
PO always had a policy to wipe out commercial station starting in 1965 with the Launch of Hilversum 3 to block Pirate Radio Veronica.
Just another proof that PO is more concerned about itself than the public.
on Nov 16th, 2008 at 20:05
Please, leave Concertzender along! We want more good music and less of the commercially supported garbage.