Amsterdam – In the competitive world of Dutch television, originality is key. The creators of the popular satirical news show Even Tot Hier employ a dedicated staff member to monitor the work of fellow comedian adn television personality Arjen Lubach,ensuring the two programs don’t inadvertently cover the same ground. This behind-the-scenes coordination, revealed in a recent interview with de volkskrant, offers a glimpse into the strategic considerations required to maintain distinct voices in a rapidly evolving media landscape.
The comedy duo behind the popular Dutch show Even Tot Hier have a dedicated team member whose job it is to monitor the work of Arjen Lubach, a prominent Dutch television personality, to avoid any overlap in content.
When Lubach worked for the NPO broadcasting organization, scheduling ensured he never aired his show during the same weeks as Even Tot Hier. According to Jeroen Woe, one half of the Even Tot Hier duo, Lubach preferred to have control over his own air dates. “When he was still at NPO, the agreement was that we would alternate. That came from us,” Woe admitted in an interview with de Volkskrant.
“Lubach-Duty”
The reason for this arrangement? “Our writers work on segments until Thursday afternoon, it would be awful if he came out with something that evening that we’d already developed a whole piece about,” Woe explained. Now that Lubach has moved to RTL, he often airs concurrently with Even Tot Hier, prompting the team to assign someone to “Lubach-duty.”
Niels van der Laan, the other half of the duo, added, “Duplication is something we avoid at all costs. It’s just irritating when someone’s grazing in your pasture. But actually, it rarely happens that he scoops one of our topics.” This careful coordination highlights the competitive landscape of Dutch television and the importance of original content.
Friendly Competition
When asked about the level of competition with Lubach, Woe said, “It’s friendly competition. We even had him on as a guest to announce our new season.”
Van der Laan concurred, “But he is seen as a competitor.”
Both Even Tot Hier and Lubach are currently on a holiday break. “But it’s good to have a little downtime,” Woe added. “Though, once we start back up, things will get lively again.”
