The VPRO wants to make stricter agreements with makers and producers of journalistic documentaries and series, and also with others involved in the creation. This should prevent journalistic independence from being compromised.
The reason for the intention is the recommendations in an independent investigation into the creation of the VPRO documentary Sigrid Kaag: from Beirut to Binnenhof, which aired on January 3 of this year. That was two and a half months before the elections to the House of Representatives.
In June it was announced that D66 and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs had tried to influence the final assembly. This was evident from documents requested by the GeenStijl weblog.
For example, the ministry made a comment about fragments in which Kaag was not wearing a seat belt. “That needs to be adjusted,” the ministry said. The maker didn’t. The documents show that the VPRO has investigated whether a seat belt could possibly be fitted.
The broadcaster came under criticism, including from Margo Smit, ombudsman of the NPO. She said that “at crucial moments in the making process” the makers allowed the impression that there was still room for adjustments by the ministry or the party for too long.
No standards exceeded
The researchers engaged by the VPRO have come to the conclusion that no journalistic-ethical standards have been exceeded and that “the basic journalistic rules” have not been violated. There is no doubt about the integrity of the maker and the producer.
The researchers do think that the maker and the producer should have indicated their boundaries better towards D66 and the ministry and that communication between the VPRO, the maker, the producer, the minister and D66 should have been better.
The agreements must not only be made stricter, they must also be better safeguarded and complied with, the researchers say. They drew up a draft code to strengthen the independent and journalistic operations of VPRO employees. The VPRO develops the recommendations with the program makers and the editorial board into definitive working agreements.