Television in the Netherlands

Reception

In the Netherlands, television can be watched analog or digital (the latter with the option of HDTV or 3D). Over 2013, 78.3% of Dutch viewers received television digitally. Watching analogue television can only be done via most cable operators and some Fiber to the home providers, since the Dutch government ended reception via airwaves in 2006. Watching digital television is possible through a variety of ways, the most common being:

Which television channels can be received is heavily dependent on the operator and in most cases also the channel package that is paid for. However, there is a small selection of channels that every operator must carry. Since 2014, these are the following channels:

Public channels

The Netherlands has three nationwide channels for publicly funded television (NPO). These channels can only make a fixed maximum amount of money from commercials. These commercials never interrupt broadcasts, and are only shown in between shows. The broadcasting organisations that use these channels 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. Granting or refusal of entry is decided politically on the guidance of public opinion.

In 2005 there was a sharp political debate over government plans to cut funding to public broadcasters and to abolish statutory broadcaster NPS.

National

The three national television channels are:

Thematic

The five digital television channels that are provided by the Nederlandse Publieke Omroep organisation, are:

International

There is also an international public channel:

Regional

Most regions and provinces have their own television channel as well. These also receive government funding:

RTL Nederland (RTL Group)

SBS Broadcasting (Sanoma / Talpa Holding)

Viacom International Media Networks Northern Europe

Sony Pictures Television

Ziggo (Vodafone/Liberty Global)

AMC Networks International

NBCUniversal International Networks (NBCUniversal)

Fox Networks Group Benelux (21st Century Fox)

Discovery Networks Benelux (Discovery Communications)

Disney-ABC Television Group

BBC Worldwide Benelux

Turner Broadcasting System Europe (Time Warner)

Stingray Digital

TV Digitaal BV/Strengholt BV

Scripps Networks Interactive

RadioCorp BV

Other

The following (international) commercial channels broadcast localized versions of their programs:

Foreign domestic channels

While there are many localised versions of international channels meant for the Dutch market, many television providers also broadcast 'domestic television' networks for free; that is to say they are provided as part of the basic subscription package. Other 'domestic' channels may be received as part of extended packages. Many basic subscriptions include:

Belgium

United Kingdom

Germany

Italy

Other

High-definition

In the Netherlands customers can receive high-definition television channels by cable or satellite. There is no terrestrial HD service available nor planned. The first trials with high-definition television in the Netherlands began in 2006 with the broadcast of the 2006 World Cup in HD. After the trial the larger cable companies continued a HD service with a small number of channels as National Geographic Channel HD, Discovery HD Showcase, History HD, Film1 HD and Sport1 HD But because no Dutch network had made the move to HD, already broadcast in widescreen and the quality of the standard-definition PAL signal was good enough for most people, demand was low.

Since the 2006 trials none of the main Dutch networks made the move to HD. This changed in the summer of 2008 when from June 1, 2008, until August 24, 2008, the Netherlands Public Broadcasting (NPO) organisations made their primary channel, NPO 1 temporary available in HD. This made it possible to broadcast Euro 2008, the 2008 Tour de France, and the 2008 Summer Olympics in HD and additionally allowed them to test their systems before the scheduled launch of their permanent HD service in early 2009. The NPO planned to launch their permanent HD service with HD versions of their three channels NPO 1, NPO 2, and NPO 3. Most of the programming in the early stages will consists of upscaled material from their parent channels as in time more programs will become available in HD. Technicolor Netherlands, the company responsible for the technical realisation of the broadcasts of the NPOs television and radio channels, began the summer 2008 test broadcast of NPO 1 HD in 720p/50 as the European Broadcasting Union (EBU) recommends. During the test period an additional 1080i/25 version of the channel was made available to the cable companies because of quality complaints from viewers. No information has been made available what the format of the permanent HD service from the NPO will be.

The commercial broadcasting organization in the Netherlands the SBS Broadcasting Group (NET 5, SBS 6, Veronica) and the channels of RTL Nederland are currently available in HD via cable and satellite.

This is a non comprehensive list of HD channels available in the Netherlands.

Also available on many platforms:

Satellite viewers can receive a number of additional HD channels from the surrounding countries when broadcasting free-to-air. But these channels are not part of HD services offered in the Netherlands nor broadcast programming aimed at the Dutch market.

Defunct or rebranded channels