Television in the Netherlands
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Television in the Netherlands was introduced in 1951. In the Netherlands, the television market is divided between a number of commercial networks and a system of public broadcasters sharing three channels. In the Netherlands, as in Belgium and several other European countries, foreign shows are generally shown in the original language, with subtitles.
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[edit] Public Channels
The Netherlands have three nationwide channels for publicly-funded television. These stations can only make a fixed maximum amount of money from commercials inserted by the independent Ster agency. These commercials never interrupt broadcasts, and are only shown in between shows. The broadcasting companies that use these stations are basically representative of the Dutch society. Every broadcasting company has members and the number of members gives them a status that is connected to the number of hours of broadcasting. If you are planning to 'go public' on Dutch television you need to have 50.000 members and something new to add to the existing broadcasting conglomerate. If you get in or not is a political decision usually guided by public opinion.
In 2005 there has been a sharp political debate over government plans to cut funding to public broadcasters, as well as abolishing statutory broadcaster NPS.
Then there are several speciality channels:
- Nederland 4, a promotional name for the set of digital speciality channels that are provided by the Netherlands Public Broadcasting organisation:
- /Geschiedenis
- /Geloven
- 101 TV
- 3voor12 Central
- 3voor12 On Stage
- Consumenten TV
- Cultura
- Dier en Natuur TV
- Hilversum Best
- Holland Doc
- Humor TV
- Journaal 24
- Nederland-e
- Omega TV
- Opvoeden doe je zo!
- Politiek 24
- Sterren.nl
- BVN-TV, shared with Belgium's publicly-funded Flemish television channel VRT. It shows the best of Dutch and Flemish public television, specifically for Dutch and Flemish viewers abroad.
[edit] Regional channels
Most regions and provinces have their own television channel as well. These also receive government funding:
- Omrop Fryslân (Friesland)
- TV Noord (Groningen)
- RTV Drenthe (Drenthe)
- RTV Oost (Overijssel)
- TV Flevoland (Flevoland)
- TV Gelderland (Gelderland)
- Regio TV Utrecht (Utrecht)
- TV Noord-Holland (North Holland)
- TV Rijnmond (Rotterdam)
- TV West (South Holland)
- L1 Televisie (Limburg)
- Omroep Brabant TV (North Brabant)
- Omroep Zeeland (Zeeland)
[edit] Commercial Channels
Commercial television started with RTL (Radio Television Luxemburg) broadcasting from Luxembourg as a pirate station. There are now two major nationwide commercial television companies, each with three or more channels:
- TMF, music channel (started in NL but now also international)
The following international commercial channels broadcast localized versions of their programs:
- Animal Planet, Dutch version, but mostly subtitled
- Cartoon Network Nederland
- Comedy Central, Dutch version, mostly subtitled
- Discovery Channel, Dutch version, but mostly subtitled
- Eurosport, International channel with Dutch commentary
- Hallmark Channel Nederland
- Jetix, Dutch version, mixture of original Dutch content and subtitled or postsynchronized international programs.
- MTV Netherlands, original Dutch programs and subtitled English content
- National Geographic Channel, Dutch version, but mostly subtitled
- Nickelodeon, Dutch version, mixture of original Dutch content and subtitled or dubbed international programs
- Nick Junior Nederland
[edit] Cable or Satellite
- 247 Sex TV
- Body In Balance
- Clear Television Network
- Club
- ESA TV
- ETV.nl
- Extreme Sports Channel
- Extreme Sports South Africa
- Family 7 / ETV
- Free-Xtv
- Free-Xtv 2
- Full-X 4 Free
- Full-X Chic
- Full-X Choc
- Full-X Choc +3
- Garuda TV Nederland
- L1 TV
- Maharishi Channel
- North American Sports Network
- Private Spice
- RaceWorld TV
- Sex View
- Sex View Extra
- Sexview Plus
- Spice Platinum - adult channel
- TelSell
- TeVeSur (Nederland)
- Visit-X.tv
- WorldMadeChannel
- X-Dream TV
- Zazaro TV
[edit] High-definition
The first trials with High-definition television in the Netherlands began in 2006 with the broadcast of the 2006 World Cup in HD. This was meant to be the beginning of HD broadcasts in the Netherlands. Since then no Dutch television network has made the move to HD. In the first quarter of 2009 the Dutch public broadcaster NPO will start simulcasting Nederland 1, Nederland 2, and Nederland 3 in HD (720p). Most of the programming in the early stages will consists of upscaled versions of their parent channels as in time more programs will become available in HD. Nederland 1 HD will become temporarily available from June 1 until August, 2008 to bring Euro 2008 and the 2008 Summer Olympics in HD, the rest of the time will be an upscaled version of its parent channel.[1]
Currently there are a limited number of HD channels, aimed on the Dutch market, available by cable or satellite:
[edit] Defunct or rebranded Channels
- Sport 7 (ceased to exist)
- KinderNet (now Nickelodeon)
- FOX8 (now Veronica)
- FOX (now Veronica)
- Fox Kids (now Jetix)
- RTL Véronique (now RTL 4)
- TV10 (never launched due to license problems, 1989)
- TV10 Gold (now Veronica)
- V8 (now Veronica)
- Yorin (Now RTL 7)
- Tien earlier called Talpa TV (Now RTL 8)
- The Box, replaced by Dutch version of Comedy Central
[edit] References
[edit] See also
- Digital television in the Netherlands
- Lists of television channels
- List of cable companies in the Netherlands
[edit] External links
- http://gids.omroep.nl (in Dutch) shows programming of Dutch and other stations of surrounding countries.
- http://www.uitzendinggemist.nl (in Dutch) Web site archive of internet-streaming TV programs from Holland
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