Dutch media

Newspapers
Radio
Television

Newspapers

A list of popular Dutch newspapers can be found at NewsLink.org. If you would like to practice reading in Dutch, it may be a good idea to pick-up one or more of the daily free newspapers (Metro, Spits or De Pers). They are available from train stations and buses as well as many supermarkets. These free newspapers contain national and international headlines and short artices. If you'd like daily news about the Netherlands in English, Expatica is a great source, updated daily.

A wide selection of international newspapers is available from most news stands. They can usually be read free of charge from your local library.

Radio

In Holland there are public and commercial radio and TV stations. Listen online via Nederland.fm for some samples of Dutch radio. A few popular radio stations are introduced below (websites mostly in Dutch only):

• 3FM:
  One of the public radio stations. It was created to rival Radio Veronica, which was at the time an illegal station. For more about this station including its scheduled programing and DJs, read this Wikipedia article in English.
• Kx Radio :
  This is actually an internet radio station, started in 2005 by a well-known Dutch DJ. The station plays an eclectic mix and is proud of its unpredictability. 
• Radio 538:
  Station for popular music, listed as Holland's most popular station. Some English information is available on Wikipedia.
• Radio Veronica:
  Famous in Holland for having been a pirate station, broadcasting illegally offshore. It is now an oldies station. 
• Radio Zamaneh: 
  Persian language website with its studios in Amsterdam. It is private and non-profit, producing journalistic programs. 
• SLAM! FM :
  Plays "Top 40" music chart listings. Read some more on Wikipedia.
• Radio Netherlands:
  Is a state run station which produces Dutch radio progamming abroad. 
• Chinese Radio & TV:  
  Chinese language radio & TV, broadcasting a limited number of hours per day.

Television

Television offers both public and commercial channels. You do not need a licence to have TV access, the fees are deducted from taxes. Most households will have cable TV with around 25 common cable channels, including MTV, CNN International and BBC 1/2/World. Digital or satellite tv is also widely available, providing access to channels from all across the globe. 

The Netherlands prefers screening original language version shows to dubbing. There are many English spoken American and British TV shows on Dutch television, so if you speak English you are in luck. These shows will be subtitled, giving you a chance to study Dutch at the same time.

The only shows (and films at the cinema) that are dubbed into Dutch are children's programmes. For information on tv programming, visit EuroTV.com.

You can purchase cable TV access via your internet provider or a seperate cable provider. When using a satellite you need to have permission from the landlord before installing one, if you are in rented accommodation. Also, check with your local town hall to see if there are rules about where and how to install it.

When watching Dutch TV, programmes will be broken up occassionally for a commercial break. If this is common in your country, you may notice that most programming is seldomly interrupted compared to some places, namely the USA. Instead of frequent, shorter breaks for commercials, you will get longer breaks that occur just a few times during the broadcast. Some shows may not be interrupted at all, saving advertisements for before and after.

Sources: Wikipedia, Nuffic