More than fourteen months later, the Van Doorne law firm published the outside investigation into the alleged abuses in The Voice of Holland. The agency has established, among other things, that from April 30, 2015 to January 12, 2022, inappropriate behavior by different people in various forms occurred on The Voice of Holland.
Those violations could have been reported, but where exactly remains unclear. “There has been an escalation, but what name or names were mentioned at what level and what instructions were given and to whom cannot be determined with certainty.”
It appears that some individuals have been informally held responsible for their behavior, the study said, but no formal action appears to have been taken. For example, after a complaint was made, someone was given a verbal warning and that person was not allowed to be alone in the same room as a candidate.
disappointing
Attorney Dykstra, who represents many of the notified persons, finds the published search results to be “nothing short of disappointing”. “It is particularly remarkable that the truth about who knew what at any time is shoved into a thick fog. Of course it is clear whose interests this serves.”
ITV, which produces The Voice, says it is “shocked by allegations of abusive behavior in the Netherlands”. ITV concluded that Van Doorne found “no evidence that infringing behavior was reported to ITV UK management at any time before January 2022”. It also remains unclear if the complaints reached director John de Mol.
Talpa, who was in charge of The Voice before 2015, doesn’t yet want to respond substantively. “For the victims in particular, it is good that the summary of the Van Dorn report, which was commissioned by ITV, is now published,” Talpa wrote in response.
RTL, which broadcasts The Voice, also doesn’t want to say too much. “We have just received the public document containing the findings of Van Dorn’s investigation of The Voice. We want to read this document carefully first and get back to you as soon as possible. Only then will we give an objective response to the press..”
‘The victims were not safe’
Oslo State Secretary for Media responds substantively: “This research confirms the previous image that existed. There was a culture in which aggressive behavior could occur. Victims did not feel safe, and they did not feel safe.”
According to Aslow, this research underscores the importance of culture change across the sector. “A number of things have already started, including from the sector. Government Commissioner Hammer is working hard on this on behalf of the Cabinet.”
