Hello. I am the former director of programmes at Radio Netherlands
(1991-2003), the Dutch International broadcasting service. Some may know it as
Radio Nederland. Originally a shortwave broadcast station, Radio Netherlands
was one of the first to start a transcription service to provide FM radio
stations overseas with a catalogue of feature programmes and high quality music
recordings from the Concertgebouw and Holland Festival and jazz from
concerts like the North Sea Jazz festival. In later years the recordings
were done together with the AVRO, a domestic public radio production house.

The station morphed into an NGO in 2012 and has downsized to a point where it
is a shadow of its former self.

I am writing a series of articles because the Netherlands is celebrating
100 years of radio this year. I see that the discs and tapes sent to
radio stations
in the US and elsewhere seem to command quite high-prices on Ebay, even
though they were never intended to be sold.

https://www.ebay.com/itm/Radio-Nederland-7LP-NON-COMMERCIAL-De-Nobel-Netherlands-Chamber-Choir-Folk-Songs/323663110189


I have the impression that the quality of the recordings (especially jazz and
classical music) were well ahead of their day. Radio Netherlands was one of
the first in the 1960's to issue stereo transcription discs and was
quick to embrace the Philips Compact Disc once there were sufficient
players in radio stations. But it would be useful get a reality check.

So my question to this group. I wonder whether any of the discs ended up in
libraries? Does anyone remember listening to these discs? If so, what memories
does it bring back? What value do you think it played in sharing Dutch
culture with the rest of the world? Was the technical quality of the pressings
anything special?

Happy to hear from anyone with anecdotes to share the stories with the rest of
the world.

Kind regards,

Jonathan Marks

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Jonathan Marks
Director
Critical Distance BV
Stam 69
1275CG Huizen
The Netherlands

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