Nostalgia corner: tenth anniversary of Radio Netherlands closure

29 June 2022 marks the tenth anniversary of the closure of Radio Netherlands Worldwide, the international broadcaster that broadcast programmes across the world in Dutch, English and six other languages. The broadcaster launched in April 1947, with shortwave its mainstay distribution system for most of its life.

 

In 2011, the Dutch government decided to drastically reduce funding for Radio Netherlands’ international services, cutting its operational budget from EUR46m to just EUR14m, and to focus on promoting media freedom through a new organisations RNW Media, rather than serving audiences directly.

 

You can listen to a 20′ programme made by former Radio Netherlands Programme Director Jonathan Marks (pictured right) on the day of the closure here.

For those of us who grew up listening to programmes from Hilversum, the closure of the station was a sad day – and Jonathan’s recording brings back many memories.