Radio Netherlands Worldwide will be getting the funding from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs starting in 2013 amounting to €14 million that will be set aside in the ministry’s annual budget for ‘freedom of speech’ – providing independent information for countries where public access to information is poor. The decision was announced by foreign minister Uri Rosenthal following recent Cabinet meeting.
The minister said he was confident that RNW in its new form had a future. Last week, the cabinet decided that RNW must scrap its other two core tasks: informing Dutch people abroad and providing a realistic image of the Netherlands. However, at the time it was not yet clear how radical the cuts to the RNW budget would be.
In an interview, the minister said that the earmarked budget of 14 million euros should be adequate for that task. Nearly half the amount – six million euros – will come from the development cooperation budget.
Minister Rosenthal also said there was no need for concern regarding RNW’s editorial independence. He pointed out that he had always put great emphasis on the importance of free and independent media, and it would be very strange “if RNW were now to be placed under a ministry’s tutelage.”
RNW itself says the cabinet’s plans are not realistic. The organisation spoke of an ‘unprecedented decimation’ which would see about 250 people lose their jobs.
The coalition agreement states that Radio Netherlands Worldwide, funded out of the foreign affairs and development cooperation budget, will concentrate on its core business, including ensuring freedom of speech. Its other activities will be phased out. They include providing information for Dutch nationals living in other countries and projecting a realistic image of the Netherlands abroad.
The Ministry of Education, Culture and Science will provide funding for BVN (the public television station for Dutch and Flemish audiences abroad) and the Caribbean service of Radio Netherlands Worldwide.
Sourced from: http://www.minbuza.nl
