Employees who complain to editors about unacceptable behavior by a seasoned presenter or reporter almost always hear the same thing: “That’s exactly how it is.” “We have to adjust to the idiosyncrasies of some prominent people,” says one NOS employee. “Instead of holding such a person accountable.”
For example, the editor-in-chief does not intervene in an incident involving Jack van Gelder around the European Football Championship in 2012, which was confirmed by three sources. Due to the small number of staff, an experienced editor-in-chief is transferred from “abroad” to provide management in Poland and Ukraine. But during a preparatory meeting in Hilversum, Lieutenant Colonel Jacques van Gelder objected to the list of participants for the expedition. There is a woman who does not love him. She has been working at NOS Sport for years.
According to many sources, Van Gelder says, “If that bitch comes, I’m not going.”
The editor-in-chief, who comes from NOS Evenementen and is not used to the culture of sports editors, sends presenter Van Gelder an email asking him not to speak of colleagues in such terms.
But at the next meeting, Van Gelder again spoke of “that bitch”. The editor-in-chief warns him again, this time in a one-on-one conversation.
When Van Gelder calls the woman “that cunt” in an email to several colleagues, the editor-in-chief draws his conclusions. He told the editors that he would quit his job and not go to the European Championships. It later emerged that the woman in question would not be participating in the European Championships, while Van Gelder would only travel.
The woman in question declined to comment. The editor-in-chief confirms the opposite De Volkskrant that he withdrew at the time, but says he cannot speak further about the circumstances. Jacques van Gelder said in response that he really wanted the woman not to go to the European Championships. According to him, this was ‘because she was able to set the mood. Sometimes it’s very interesting, but sometimes less so. He doesn’t remember calling her a “bitch or anything like that”. “And if I call it that, it is an erroneous expression.” It is possible, according to Van Gelder, that something like this could happen “in sentiment”.
The fact that editors-in-chiefs have been partly in a state of luxury for nearly twenty years, and thus have many relations (friendships) in the editorial office, makes it difficult, according to the staff, to address each other about behaviour. Add to this the many family ties within NOS Sport. “You risk not only getting in trouble with that person, but also with their family,” says one employee. An example cited by several (former) employees is the family of Editor-in-Chief Martin Nutter. his wife, two children and even the family dog (dachshund Messi, who had to provide a more homely atmosphere in the studio during major football tournaments, Mr. Dr.They all worked for NOS Sport,” says one employee.
The fact that not many people complain out loud is because there is one important medium to power. “If you’re allowed to go to a major tournament, it looks like you’ve been selected,” says one NOS employee. Then you are called into the office and told: you can go to the games. But there are no objective criteria for this. It is a matter of giving. of having the right friends. Especially no enemies.
