The debut of the new public radio Ongehoord Nederland (ON) is over. ON started today at NPO 1 with the current affairs program Never heard of it† The program contained everything that the presenter had imagined when it was founded: criticism of the “mainstream media”, the European Union and the political elite who allegedly pushed all kinds of undemocratic Corona measures down our throats. There were also fleeting references to dark plots.
Since then Minister Ari Slopp (media) last July announce That ON deserves a place in the public order, and the first broadcast was eagerly looking forward to it. Where one saw ON as a provider of “alternative facts” that did not reach the “mainstream media” of slavery, others saw the broadcaster as an exponent of sinister conspiracy theories. Two years ago, for example, one of ON’s YouTube channels was: speak freely About the microchips found in corona vaccines.
The character of a regular current affairs program, but not too diverse
It wasn’t made shining in the first episode of Never heard of it† The program had the character of a regular current affairs program with a focus on recent political and social developments at home and abroad. The introduction was in the hands of broadcasters Ahmed Arad and Arlette Adriani. On either side sat FvD politician Pepijn van Houwelingen, ON founder and journalist Arnold Karskens and Risa BlumsteinA lawyer resists Corona measures.
There was not much diversity of opinion on the first broadcast of Never heard of it† On social media, the episode was described as an “FvD pub favourite”. The broadcaster, who says he’s there for Dutch people who feel unheard and invisible, has mainly consulted far-right politicians on the first item – tensions between Russia and Ukraine – in politics in The Hague.
The one-man faction Webern van Haga managed, without decisive question, to dismiss possible sanctions against Russia as “too stupid” and not in the interests of the “Dutch business community”. Democratic Front leader Terry Bowdy was allowed to say he thought Putin was doing “very well”.
“Pepijn,” the presenter asks at the talk show table, “Isn’t that exactly as Thierry says here?”# Never heard of news So far, it’s a lot like an FVD pub favourite.
– Rick Rutten (@rik_rutten) February 22 2022
in the studio Never heard of it There was sympathy for Putin and there was very little sympathy for US President Joe Biden, who takes the lead in opposing Russia. Karskens spoke vaguely of “certain forces” that would control Biden.
The other focus of the episode was disruptive protests In Canada against compulsory vaccination for truck drivers. Last week, an exciting cause in the far-right world, protests were dismantled by Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau with the help of emergency law. Among others, Van Houwelingen and Bloemstein and a journalist from the Australian Radical Right website Rebel news Speak to discuss the unfairness of the measure. Van Houelingen: ‘What Trudeau Shmuli is doing. He is behaving like a tyrant.
ON founder Arnold Karskens concluded the broadcast with a positive ruling. Never heard of it He managed to bring “the other side of the news,” he said.
“Unable to type with boxing gloves on. Freelance organizer. Avid analyst. Friendly troublemaker. Bacon junkie.”