Broadcaster ON! accuses Minister Letschert of abuse of power

The broadcaster Ongehoord Nederland (ON!) has accused Minister of Education, Culture and Science Rianne Letschert of abuse of power following her intention to revoke the broadcaster's public media recognition. ON! claims the decision is politically motivated by the content of its programming rather than regulatory violations.

The dispute centers on a broadcast of Let’s Twist Again, which included a fragment of a speech by Adolf Hitler. ON! alleges that both Minister Letschert and the Media Authority (CvdM) based their judgment on this specific content, which the broadcaster argues constitutes an infringement on freedom of speech. Laurens Menger, a member of the ON! Supervisory Board, described the move as totally politically motivated.

Minister Letschert has defended the decision by citing structural deficiencies in the organization's management, insufficient cooperation with the NPO, and previous sanctions from the CvdM. The Media Authority noted that the controversial broadcast was a turning point, but also pointed to long-standing organizational issues, including a fine for conflict of interest and failure to comply with editorial statutes.

If the decision proceeds, ON! could be removed from the public broadcasting system as early as November 11. The broadcaster has announced it will take the matter to court.