In New Television – Financieele Dagblad

Ferdinand Grapperhaus

Previously, you had Michel Pollentier, which filled his pee bottle in the control from a pump in his armpit with the urine of his support worker. Today, a little cyclist builds an auxiliary engine in the frame of his bike. If it continues like Lance Armstrong must again this summer just to join the Tour kryptonite in his bottle. Whether we see Valentino Rossi arrive at a 500cc engine first on Alpe d’Huez.

Sometimes I’d like to see a documentary series on the history of cheating in sport, with thorough analyzes where it led to. But I have therefore nothing to say about it, because what I see on TV broadcasters decide. And do not shoot. What we see now are broadcasters that compete with their own current affairs, talk shows, drama and quiz – not to mention all of his acquired foreign series. The Great British Bake Off his own TV show.

It’s a mystery to me why in our society still depillarized budget of € 700 million of taxpayers’ money that is spent on public broadcasting, is distributed over the broadcasting columns. Broadcasters have, as such, at this juncture little added value. It is salient that last year showed that memberships of broadcasters declining sharply since 2012 as a gift ban was introduced for new members. Either without free spoon we are not interested.

The proposal for the new media law has in any case perspective. Dutch Public Broadcasting has a central role in deciding on the use of broadcasting funds. Producers should it offer direct their programs. If we want there to a wide audience must always be back to see original and exciting programs, the starting point should be the creativity of artists and producers and not the pillar and salvation biased mindset broadcasters.

Onze creative television industry is also a top export product, so let’s encourage as much as possible. That the public broadcaster only information, culture and education should do and no entertainment or sport should emit more, I still find nonsense. It is not the type of program, but a strict selection quality and versatility.

And on the Internet, I can see everything. But there you have it: that so much money is going to television, a has-been-medium is not forward-looking. That money could be better invested in a public internet channel.

TV or the Internet, I look forward to that sports which informs me about the cheating culture of cycling, and teaches me how I as an amateur itself can screw an auxiliary engine in my frame.

Ferdinand Grapperhaus is professor and lawyer labor law.