Three weeks ago fury erupted at Radio Netherlands following a leak of the McKinsey Report into efficiency in Dutch public broadcasting, as the closure of RNW appeared to be one recommendation of the report.
Now the report is out, Radio Netherlands is no happier. One cost saving suggested is indeed the scrapping of both the Dutch and foreign language services of Radio Netherlands. “Internet is, after all, sufficient and the role of Radio Netherlands for non-Dutch listeners could easily be taken over by embassies and other agencies,” says the report.
Radio Netherlands points out that it is an autonomous organization that doesn’t come under the umbrella of domestic public broadcasting and that recommending changes to the core tasks of the Dutch international service was outside the remit of the McKinsey Report.
The broadcaster says that if McKinsey’s researchers had delved deeper, they would have discovered that Dutch expatriates would not be so well informed without the specifically targeted programming it provides. They would also have found out that, while satellite and Internet make an important contribution, shortwave remains indispensable for the time being. The McKinsey researchers would also have learned that only the independent and highly respected Radio Netherlands can fulfil the role of giving listeners in other languages “a true picture of The Netherlands.”
On the basis of an earlier study, Radio Netherlands has already embarked on a modernization and cost-saving plan that involves more partnerships, more focus on The Netherlands, and a rationalized use of shortwave. This plan will produce cost savings of around 10 per cent. As for the McKinsey report, Radio Netherlands concludes that it is of such a poor standard that it cannot be taken seriously.