The NOS has added a news bulletin that broadcasts in an easier version of Dutch for people who have difficulty following the regular news programme, including those learning Dutch and those with learning difficulties.
NOS Journaal in Makkelijke Taal, or NOS news in easy language in English, is targeted at the 2,5 million adults in the Netherlands who have difficulties with the Dutch language. Based on research conducted with the Dutch Reading and Writing Foundation, the NOS found that the news can be difficult for these people to understand.
"And because the NOS is there for everyone, we have taken up the challenge and developed this news bulletin," said Marga van Beusekom, editor-in-chief of the NOS Journaal in Makkelijke Taal. The easy-to-follow news bulletin is broadcast daily at 5pm on NPO 1 and will cater to a diverse group, including the elderly, internationals who have moved to the Netherlands, and people with learning difficulties.
In the regular news bulletin, the Dutch broadcaster creates content assuming that viewers “have a reasonable command of the Dutch language and a certain basic knowledge”. However, newcomers to the country might not know about certain complicated subjects, such as politics or legislation, which can make news stories seem more complicated if they’re still learning the language.
This is why in the news programme in simplified Dutch, topics will be explained much more to include more background information and without the use of complex words. The easy language programme also has a different target audience than the news bulletin for children, Jeugdjournaal. “Children’s news is often delivered with lots of intensity and effects,” said Van Beusekom. “The tempo and the use of images in NOS Journaal in Makkelijke Taal is much more sedate so that the target audience can follow it.”
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