DJ Offers Hope, Dozens Of Broadcasters Join

Michael Hedges March 23, 2020 Follow on Twitter

Media sector response to the COVID-19 (coronavirus) pandemic has been varied widely. Most all media organizations have become abundantly conscious of the well-being of their employees, moving many workers from offices to homes whenever possible. Obvious to anybody paying attention, news organizations have centered reporting on this subject, often to the detriment of everything else. TV broadcasters and their streaming rivals are accommodating viewers new habits. Some publishers have even dropped paywalls.

Radio broadcasting remains unique as the solo-collective medium. Listeners are generally alone with their receiving device, to hear what is available to all. Locked-down Italians last week gathered to hear their national anthem and three other iconic Italian tunes broadcast simultaneously by nearly all Italian radio channels.

Netherlands Prime Minister Mark Rutte addressed the Dutch people last week (March 16) with a message about the coronavirus pandemic; “not an easy one to hear.” It was blunt and stark. He called out special appreciation for medical workers, caregivers and others now on the frontlines of the crisis. In closing, he reminded citizens to “take care of each other.”

Inspired by PM Rutte’s address, public radio channel NPO 3FM morning DJ Sander Hoogendoorn had a thought. His idea was for all Dutch radio morning shows to broadcast the same song at the same time. "We want to send power and support in this way to those who work hard in hospitals, everyone who is ill and everyone who is confined to their homes,” he said, quoted by Glasgow Live. This was during a week when more than a few radio broadcasters began laying-off DJs due to social distancing concerns, on one hand, and sagging ad revenues, on the other.

"You'll Never Walk Alone would be the first choice, because it could appeal to those who are doing an incredible job in health care at the moment, who are sick or who can't leave their homes for a while,” he added, quoted by Süddeutche Zeitung (March 20).

All NPO channels participated, along with Dutch private channels Radio Veronica, Radio 538, Radio 10, QMusic, 100%NL and many local stations. They were joined by German regional public radio channels WDR2, WDR4, 1Live and others, including national public channel Deutschlandfunk Kultur. All Austrian public radio ORF channels, various public channels in Lithuania, Finland, Bulgaria, Romania, Slovakia, Portugal, Switzerland, Ireland and Denmark, as well as BBC Radio 1, Radio 2 and 6Music participated. Several public and private radio channels in Spain, Belgium, Georgia and Cyprus, including Estonian public channel Raadio 2, Polish state radio channel Czworka, Turkey’s state radio channel TRT Radyo and Slovenian public channel VAL 202 took part. The total came to 183 radio channels across Europe and beyond.

“You’ll Never Walk Alone” was written for the 1945 Broadway musical Carousel by Richard Rogers and Oscar Hammerstein as an anthem to loss, hope and resilience. It has been widely performed and recorded since. British pop band Gerry and the Pacemakers had an international hit with it in 1963. They were from Liverpool and fans of that city’s football club adopted the tune for spontaneous singing. Other football clubs around the world have also find comfort in the tune.

"Don't cry now, Hoogie,” he said introducing the Gerry and the Pacemakers version of tune just before 9 o’clock in the morning local time, reported Dutch daily De Telegraaf (March 20). “This is for all professional fillers, all cleaners, all meal deliverers, agents, not to forget our heroes in healthcare and education. You are not alone.”

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• Hot Topics - Media in the Netherlands

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