Today marks the official launch of RNW24, an experimental Internet-only radio station operated by the Dutch department of Radio Netherlands Worldwide. The format is simple - Dutch popular music, with news in Dutch every hour on the hour. For those interested in the music, the current playlist is displayed on the website.
on Mar 31st, 2008 at 00:44
I have a tremendous love of the Netherlands, its language and its music. The quality of RNW is undoubted, so I’m listening to RNW24 now and enjoying it.
The news was really clearly read and I am hearing many of my favourite tracks which I haven’t heard for years and lots of fantastic music that I haven’t heard before. As I write this, I am listening to a record called Zing, Vecht, Huil, Bit, Lach, Werk en Bewonder which I bought when it first came out, which was - err - a couple of years ago.
However, I’m not clear as to what the station is all about. As the news and the website are in Dutch , it would seem that the station is aimed at those of us who either are Dutch or speak the language so perhaps Andy could tell us a bit more, such as :
Why is RNW seemingly entering the world of commercial ( by which I do not infer advertisements ) broadcasting ?
What is the target audience ?
To what extent does it duplicate the service of 100%NL ?
My immediate reaction is PRACHTIG ! (splendid) RNW24 has itself one regular listener already.
on Mar 31st, 2008 at 09:44
The head of our Dutch Department, Peter Veenendaal, responds:
The station is aimed at Dutch expats and emigrants in broadband regions, who have a basic interest in Dutch news but don’t really care about extensive news & current affairs programmes. And then there are pensioners and people in old folk homes in Canada, Australia etc. We do not duplicate any other station. Our format is unique is a way that it mixes old and new Dutch products, not only in the Dutch language.
on Mar 31st, 2008 at 13:06
On saturdays RNW24 has replaced the NL-Top 20. Is this a new coorporation between Radio Rembrandt and RNW?
on Mar 31st, 2008 at 16:39
Well, thanks for the information.
I’m not too sure about the old folks listening in via the internet in their old peoples homes though. Even most young people are only just getting into that. Also, I think the music is a little too upbeat and modern for them. People in their seventies generally prefer music of the 1940’s.
on Apr 1st, 2008 at 12:26
FYI RNW and Radio Rembrandt share the same building.
There are more Dutch music outlets on the Internet such as RadioNL and BingoFM.