As shareholder foundations, we work together with DPG Media to protect the identity, pluralism and independence of journalism. Not to make a profit, but because we strongly believe this matters.

Who we are

We are the shareholder foundations of DPG Media in the Netherlands: Stichting de Volkskrant, Stichting Het Nieuwe Parool, Stichting NU.nl, Stichting RTL Nieuws, Stichting ter Bevordering van de Christelijke Pers in Nederland, and Stichting Democratie en Media.

As independent foundations, we are not commercial investors but mission-driven shareholders. We oversee how DPG Media B.V. protects and upholds journalistic independence. We also work together with the company to safeguard the identity and continuity of its national news organisations.

The news media de Volkskrant, Het Parool, NU.nl, RTL Nieuws and Trouw each have their own foundation that guards their respective title. Overarching all of these is Stichting Democratie en Media (SDM), which stands firmly for journalistic pluralism. Together with DPG Media B.V., we protect what is not for sale: journalistic independence.
 

What we do

The media foundations work together with DPG Media Netherlands to safeguard the journalistic independence of their national titles. The foundations each hold a priority share in their own title, granting specific rights. SDM holds a priority share in DPG Media B.V. In this way, the media foundations serve as an extra lock on the door.

Several foundations hold veto rights. The sale or closure of any national Dutch DPG Media title can be blocked by SDM. Significant changes to the identity of these titles can also be prevented by the media foundations.

SDM plays an additional role as  shareholder of DPG Media B.V. SDM's shares (14.27 percent) in DPG Media B.V. cannot be transferred without SDM's own consent. Nor can its stake in the company be reduced to below 10 percent. This means that a merger, demerger, dissolution or stock market listing of DPG Media B.V. cannot take place without SDM's approval.

Thanks to these special rights, the media foundations will always form a stable and independent voice within the company, regardless of who its owner may be.

Finally, the media foundations oversee compliance with the editorial statutes, which protect not only editorial identity but also editorial independence. These editorial charters describe the procedures of:

• appointing the editor-in-chief,
• deciding on the editorial budget,
• collaborating and sharing content with other news media
• and safeguarding journalistic integrity.

In this way, we work together with DPG Media and the editorial teams to prevent commercial or political interests from determining the content of the news.
 

Our background

Several media foundations have their roots in the Second World War. During the German occupation, courageous members of the resistance established Stichting Het Parool — as a legal structure to continue the resistance newspaper as a daily newspaper after liberation, but also because the founders understood better than anyone the importance of a free press as a pillar of modern democracy. Pluralistic, independent news organisations that each contribute to the public debate from their own identity: that is what it is all about.

In 1967, increasing competition from television — which was by then permitted to carry advertising — forced Dutch daily newspapers to join forces. Het Parool merged with de Volkskrant in the Perscombinatie, which Trouw also joined in 1974. The media foundations behind these titles have since then been safeguarding the continuity and identity of these newspapers. From 2009, these titles and their media foundations became part of DPG Media B.V.

A significant recent development is DPG's acquisition of RTL Netherlands in 2025. As in the 1960s, consolidation was the motivation — this time driven by international competition from large technology companies, which capture the vast majority of online advertising revenues. At this global level, the playing field is not level. Two new foundations, Stichting RTL Nieuws and Stichting NU.nl, now guard the independence and identity of RTL Nieuws and NU.nl.
 

Our role in DPG Media

Together with the media foundations, DPG Media B.V. bears the responsibility of keeping the journalistic titles independent now and in the future. With six mission-driven foundations as shareholders, the governance of the media company is exceptionally strong and future-oriented — a structure that is also remarkable by international standards.

As media foundations, we see ourselves as a 'critical friend' of DPG Media B.V. We aim to work constructively with the company, but our independence and mission remain paramount. As foundations, we discuss various topics with each other and with DPG — including journalistic independence, the identity and positioning of titles, policy on artificial intelligence, data, privacy and social safety. Topics such as diversity and sustainability also come up. We also identify developments in the media sector that affect journalistic practice and the future of the company. Where necessary, we place issues on the agenda at shareholder meetings.

Through the Journalistic Charter, all shareholders of DPG commit, among other things, to pursuing editorial independence and a pluralistic offering. The Charter has been signed by all current directors, supervisory board members and management team members. Their successors and all future shareholders are likewise bound by it.

DPG Media Group N.V., the parent company, oversees all activities in both the Netherlands and Belgium. DPG Media B.V. is the Dutch arm of the company. The board of DPG Media B.V. consists of Erik Roddenhof (CEO) and Piet Vroman (CFO).

The Supervisory Board (Raad van Commissarissen, RvC) oversees the results and risks of DPG Media B.V. The RvC also acts as an advisory body and sounding board for the board. Members are appointed by the parent company, the works council, and SDM.