RNW Dutch service: over and out

“With pride and some regret our ways part here. Just one last thing – thank you.” This is how an emotional Peter Veenendaal, head of the Dutch department, bid farewell to 65 years of Dutch-language broadcasts by Radio Netherlands Worldwide.
The occasion was marked with a 24-hour radio marathon, with many current and former staff witnessing the service’s last few hours of broadcasting. The last two hours coincided with a lively staff party at the organization's premises in Hilversum, the Netherlands. (See slideshow below.)
The end of Dutch programming is the first phase of RNW’s complete overhaul, due to a 70 percent cut in its annual budget.
As of 2013, RNW will focus exclusively on free speech in regions where it is lacking or under threat, particularly in Africa, the Middle East and East Asia. The RNW Africa and Afrique departments look forward to continued reporting in this spirit.