Cornald Maas left out of Dutch Eurovision plans as broadcasters dispute participation

Cornald Maas will not commentate on the Eurovision Song Contest or join the Netherlands’ selection committee for the coming edition, after the NOS and public broadcaster NPO chose not to involve him. His exclusion comes amid a dispute over Dutch participation, following broadcaster AVROTROS’s decision to withdraw because Israel is taking part during the continuing war in Gaza. [1]

Maas, who confirmed the decisions to the ANP after NU.nl reported them, said he had spoken with the NOS. The broadcaster did not want him to commentate this time. The NPO has not approached him for the expert committee it says it will assemble.

“I would have liked to do it one more time,” Maas told NU.nl, adding that he could then have ended a long run on a high note. He has commentated since 2004 and was a member of the selection committee for years. Maas said he understood the NOS’s reasoning, describing himself as a prominent AVROTROS presenter and saying the NOS might not want him in its coverage after AVROTROS’s principled withdrawal.

AVROTROS has said it will not organise the Netherlands’ participation because of Israel’s involvement and the war in Gaza. The NPO decided that the Netherlands would take part regardless. The College of Broadcasters, which represents the member broadcasters, has said its staff will not join the NPO’s proposed expert team. More than 500 NPO employees have also signed an open letter urging the organisation to abandon its plan, arguing that participation in a song contest should not outweigh the deaths and suffering in Gaza.

The NPO has declined to answer questions about Eurovision for several weeks, saying it remains in talks with all parties. The Dutch Media Authority said last week it could not determine whether organising Eurovision falls within the NPO’s public-media duties. Responsibility for those duties lies with media minister Rianne Letschert; her spokesperson said the matter rests with the NPO and the broadcasters.