The majority of local broadcasters in the Netherlands receive insufficient financial support from the council. A good deal of the councils do not pass on the full amount that they receive from the government to support their local broadcaster. That’s according to Ilja Geukers from the Organisation of Local Broadcasters in the Netherlands (OLON).
Since 1 January the councils have a ‘duty of support’ for their local broadcaster enshrined in law. Ms Geukers says that “Before 1 January the amount was only advisory. The money was included in the local government budget, but there was no obligation to use it for its intended purpose. Thus the money could be used for anything.”
“Two thirds of the councils paid too little, or even nothing, to the local broadcaster, although there were positive exceptions, such as Venlo which actually paid a lot more than the official government figure”, said Ms Geukers. “Because the law was announced late, many councils didn’t take it into account when compiling their budgets, so we don’t know what the effect of the law is. But as an organisation we’re going to make sure that the broadcaster receive what they are legally entitled to.”
(Source: Radiofreak.nl)
