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"World Cup is good for national cohesion"
Wednesday 19 May 2010
"The football World Cup increases
the social cohesion in the Netherlands and in these
politically turbulent times it is very important for
the 'we-feeling'," says Jan de Jong, boss of Dutch
TV broadcaster NOS.
"Left wing, right wing, man,
woman, black and white, employed or unemployed: everyone
will be watching," De Jong thinks. He said it in
a reaction to the governments austerity measures that
will mean serious cuts for public TV in the Netherlands.
De Jong doesn't agree that these cuts are necessary:
"With us at NOS the viewers really get their money's
worth. Thousands of hours of television for just 18
euro per year per household."
The broadcasting chief feels the
World Cup is more a cultural event than a commercial
event and wants the NOS to be able to televise the event
in the future. "Everyone has a right to that and
it's what the viewers of NOS expect. But we need a budget
for that. I'm not moaning. It's essential."
NOS have broadcast the World Cup
for the last 50 years.
De Jong thinks it's impossible
that the NOS cuts it's budget and keep on broadcasting
big sporting events at the same time. "A smaller
NOS with a smaller budget means a blow to the ambitions
of the Netherlands to stage a World Cup or the Olympics
in 2028. No can take over the role of NOS as a facilitator.
Sport will be a victim of that," says De Jong.
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