Stichting Het Nieuwe Parool

Walsoho we are

What is Stichting Het Nieuwe Parool?

Stichting Het Nieuwe Parool is the foundation of Dutch news organisation Het Parool. This foundation safeguards the identity of Het Parool. The foundation considers it to be its responsibility to ensure that Het Parool will continue to be an independent and impartial news organisation in the future.

The goals of the foundation as stated in the articles of association are to safeguard the identity of Het Parool and to own shares in the capital of the company Het Parool B.V. The identity of Het Parool originated during the German occupation when it was an illegal publication.

Het Parool is an independent newspaper based in Amsterdam. It does not have any ties to any political parties. Because of its origins during the Second World War it is strongly committed to the principles of the Dutch democratic constitution and the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.

The news coverage focuses on current affairs and on developments in and around the city of Amsterdam. The newspaper aims to be an essential source of information for everyone who lives and works in and near the city. Within this framework, the newspaper needs to be leading, independent-thinking and bold in its news reporting about politics, culture, economics and sports. The editors also see it as their duty to inform readers as completely as possible about national and international news.

Drukkerij Jesse NZ Voorburgwal (© Archief Het Parool)

In choosing topics and in the use of language Het Parool needs to be accessible and understandable for everyone who has a command of the Dutch language. When choosing topics, the widely varied population of Amsterdam is taken into account.

What we do

What does Stichting Het Nieuwe Parool do?

Stichting Het Nieuwe Parool safeguards the identity and continuity of Het Parool, is involved in appointing the editor-in-chief, is a responsible shareholder and manages the licence rights.

Safeguarding the identity and continuity of Het Parool

The board of the foundation meets at least four times a year. The meetings are held in the editorial offices of Het Parool and in the presence of the editors-in-chief.

The meetings usually have a fixed agenda. First of all, the directors of DPG Media – invited by the foundation – give an explanation of the financial results and any developments regarding the print run of and the number of readers reached by Het Parool.

After that, the editors in chief and the board of the foundation discuss the direction and plans of Het Parool. If necessary, other subjects are also discussed such as staffing and budget.

Appointing the editor-in-chief

The foundation is actively involved in appointing the editor-in-chief. One of the board members is on the selection and interview committee. Secondly, an editor-in-chief can only be appointed after the foundation has approved this. The intended appointment is first discussed during a board meeting of the foundation.

Being a responsible shareholder

Stichting Het Nieuwe Parool has a share in DPG Media. This gives us a formal position in the publishing company.

Board members represent the foundation during meetings of DPG Media. The main focus is on the interest of Het Parool and the importance of a free press. The foundation follows and monitors the direction and decisions of DPG Media and critically considers the implications this may have for the independent position of Het Parool.

Apart from owning shares in DPG Media, the foundation also has a priority share in Het Parool B.V.

Het Parool needs to seek approval for the following actions from the foundation with the priority share:
-    Appointing the editor-in-chief
-    Changing the identity
-    Ending the publication of Het Parool

The foundation monitors that these rights are exercised.

Managing licence rights

Editors of Het Parool (photo: Daphne Severeijns)

'Stichting Het Nieuwe Parool is of great importance to the editors and Het Parool. Both as an advocate of a free press, as an advisor, a companion and a guardian of our news organisation and our identity as former resistance newspaper. It is extremely important for Het Parool that we can always count on the foundation and we cherish its engagement.'

Michiel Couzy, editor-in-chief of Het Parool

Background

When was Stichting Het Nieuwe Parool founded?

Stichting Het Nieuwe Parool was founded on 15 January 2003. The reason behind this was the view of the directors of PCM – which owned Het Parool at that time – who believed there was no future for this newspaper. The editors took the initiative to continue as an independent news organisation and started looking for investors. With the support of Milly van Stiphout, chair of Stichting Het Parool, and board members Ger Schutte and Ed van Thijn. Stichting Het Parool was a shareholder of PCM at that time. Three board members switched to Stichting Het Nieuwe Parool. Stichting Het Parool continued under a new name: Stichting Democratie en Media.

The aim of Stichting Het Nieuwe Parool is to safeguard the identity and continuity of Het Parool now and in the future.

Editor-in-chief Erik van Gruijthuijsen announces to the editors that the newspaper is leaving PCM and will continue independently (photo: Peter Elenbaas)

The board

Who is on the board of the foundation?

The board of the foundation consists of an odd number of board members (the number is decided by the board of the foundation) of a minimum of five and a maximum of nine members. The members are appointed with an absolute majority for a minimum of three years and can be re-appointed for a maximum of two periods.

The board consists of the following members:

Jeroen Swart

Functie:

Treasurer and acting chair

Over:

Jeroen Swart has held various financial management positions in media companies in the last 25 years, particularly in the publishing industry. He worked as CFO for Het Parool and also for Metro, Sanoma and Dutch news agency ANP. He is currently Director of Finance at Mediafederatie.

Anne-Gien Haan

Over:

Anne-Gien Haan has worked as the CEO of NINE&Co for the last eight years. Before this she worked as CMO at HEMA and she held various management positions at Unilever. With this experience in her pocket she is currently looking to buy a business that she can run and grow with her business partner. She also works as an interim director and a consultant for scale-ups and companies that are in transition.

Parwana Rezai

Over:

Parwana Rezai works in the field of technology, law and ethics in the Privacy & Digital Regulations team of Deloitte, after successfully completing a double Master’s degree in Technology Law and Cybersecurity Governance. She is also an ambassador for VluchtelingenWerk Nederland (volunteer organisation to help refugees) and for Expertise centre for Diversity policy ECHO. In these various positions she works towards a safer and more inclusive (digital) society.

Documents

Articles of association (in Dutch only)

Statuten Stichting Het Nieuwe Parool

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Annual reports (in Dutch only)

Stichting Het Nieuwe Parool jaarverslag 2023

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Stichting Het Nieuwe Parool jaarverslag 2022

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Contact the foundation
for more information

www.sdm.nl

020-5300300

The affiliated foundations

Stichting De Volkskrant

Stichting NU.nl

Stichting RTL Nieuws

Stichting ter Bevordering van de Christelijke Pers in Nederland

Stichting Democratie en Media