AMSTERDAM -- Dutch TV viewers are being turned off by a wave of controversial programs provided by public and commercial broadcasters alike. Despite a long tradition of television that pushes the boundaries of the acceptable in the Netherlands, a plethora of contentious TV content has pushed many viewers too far.
Some weeks ago, Rotterdam-based columnist Hugo Borst was watching the daily news on family channel RTL with his 11-year-old son while having dinner. At 6:45 p.m. -- with no warning -- father and son were witness to excerpts from a home video showing the goalkeeper of a Dutch professional soccer team being introduced in embarrassingly intimate terms to a sex toy by a girlfriend.
Furious about the unexpected images, Borst called the program's editor for an explanation. The response was that the sex video was considered a news item because it was placed on the Internet that day by the goalie's vengeful ex-lover.
Borst's reaction was to write a column under the headline: "Have they lost their minds at RTL?"
Less explicit -- but nonetheless controversial -- is the latest programming effort by Talpa, the commercial station owned by entertainment mogul John de Mol. In a bid to boost ratings, Talpa has been airing a new reality format, The Golden Cage, in which participants spend a year in a luxurious villa hoping to win a fortune so big they'd never have to work again. The participation of at least two candidates -- who get to vote each other off in this dog-eat-dog format -- has led to a hurricane of condemnation.
Some weeks ago, Rotterdam-based columnist Hugo Borst was watching the daily news on family channel RTL with his 11-year-old son while having dinner. At 6:45 p.m. -- with no warning -- father and son were witness to excerpts from a home video showing the goalkeeper of a Dutch professional soccer team being introduced in embarrassingly intimate terms to a sex toy by a girlfriend.
Furious about the unexpected images, Borst called the program's editor for an explanation. The response was that the sex video was considered a news item because it was placed on the Internet that day by the goalie's vengeful ex-lover.
Borst's reaction was to write a column under the headline: "Have they lost their minds at RTL?"
Less explicit -- but nonetheless controversial -- is the latest programming effort by Talpa, the commercial station owned by entertainment mogul John de Mol. In a bid to boost ratings, Talpa has been airing a new reality format, The Golden Cage, in which participants spend a year in a luxurious villa hoping to win a fortune so big they'd never have to work again. The participation of at least two candidates -- who get to vote each other off in this dog-eat-dog format -- has led to a hurricane of condemnation.
- 12/5/2006
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
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