It's also a way for society to assure itself of a reliable source of information. The committee concluded that a system with separate broadcasting associations is still the best solution for the Netherlands. Everyone contributes National public broadcasting projects a budget of 1,327 million guilders for 1998. By 2001 this will have increased to 1,362 million. This expenditure is financed from a broadcasting budget allocated by the minister and from the contributions of the broadcasters.
Every citizen owning a radio or a television is obliged to pay an annual contribution.
Culture, information, education and entertainment From the beginning public broadcasting has provided a full range of programming which is guaranteed in law. The programming must contain cultural, informative, educational and entertainment elements. Each broadcasting association's television programming must contain twenty percent of cultural programmes per year. Half of these can be classified as arts programmes. Thirty percent of television programming must consist of informative or educational programmes.