Talk Show Void This summer Allowed Polarizing Voices to Dominate, NRC Argues
Amsterdam, September 2, 2025 – The absence of nuanced political discussion on dutch public broadcasting channels this summer created a vacuum filled by commercial talk shows offering a largely one-sided outlook, according to an opinion piece published today in NRC Handelsblad. The article criticizes the reliance on opinion makers from De Telegraaf newspaper, particularly columnist Wierd Duk, who regularly expresses radical-right views, on programs like News of the Day (SBS6) and Today Inside.
The author points to the summer break of talk shows on public channels, replaced in part by Good evening Netherlands, a program partly founded by WNL – a collaboration with De Telegraaf – as a key issue. This timing is particularly concerning given upcoming elections and the importance of presenting a diversity of viewpoints.
The piece alleges that guests on commercial channels, including Jack van Gelder and Bram Moszkowicz alongside Duk, were able to present “often facts-free and polarizing ideas as if they were facts,” normalizing radical-right perspectives and mischaracterizing left-leaning parties like GL-PvdA as “extreme left.” It further claims talk show hosts prioritized viewership over critical journalism, allowing for inflammatory rhetoric. Two presenters reportedly left News of the day after six months, citing concerns over the normalization of these views.
The author contends that public broadcasters failed to fulfill their responsibility to provide nuance following a period of increased societal division and fear after the recent government collapse. the dominance of programs like The Oranjezomer, News of the Day, and Today Inside is attributed to a intentional filling of a perceived gap on the right, ultimately displacing moderate voices. The article concludes that a “summer break on polyphony” is detrimental in a country heavily reliant on talk shows for political discourse.
