Hilversum: the media city of the Netherlands

Hilversum, a city that is the center of the Gooiland district in North Holland, can be regarded as a suburb of the city Amsterdam. However, it has a character, a history and a charm all of its own and this article will describe what makes Hilversum a Mecca for business, trade and tourism.

Once a village with the principal businesses of agriculture and weaving, the past hundred years has seen a population explosion in Hilversum. 82,308 people were reported to be living in the city in 1998 (Centraal Bureau voor de Statistiek) and many work in the media industry. It is now the center for Dutch radio and television - all the principal networks have their 'home' here. The city also trades in electrical machinery, telephones, carpets, metal products, furniture and pharmaceuticals but its main emphasis is on entertainment.

The original transmitter used by the world's first regular broadcaster, Steringa Idzerda of the PCGG station, is housed here and the 'Cabout Radio Shop' is a reproduction of a 1940s radio station. Tourists can also observe snippets of famous incidents from Dutch TV at the press of a button or they can try their hand at screen acting in front of a live camera. The museum also provides a detailed history of the development of music products including LPs, 45s, tapes, CDs and DVDs.

In the Netherlands there are three public TV networks that transmit their signals via terrestrial transmitters. Nederland 1,2 and 3 are similar in the content of the programs they produce and these three networks are shared by several non-profit organizations. Program scheduling is organized by the Dutch Government and so, the larger the organization the more transmitting hours they are allowed. The non-profit organizations include: AVRO, KRO, NCRV and religious broadcasters (operate via Nederland 1); EO, TROS and NOS, the latter being the sport and news channel, plus the educational Teleac/NOT (operate via Nederland 2); and VARA, VPRO, NPS (cultural programs) and RVV (operate via Nederland 3).

Commercials on these public networks are controlled by the STER organization and several other religious, political and humanitarian organizations vie with the competition for broadcasting hours on the public networks (including: HOS, IKON, NIK, NMO, OHM, RKK, ROF, Socutera, ZVK, PP etc.)

In addition to the public TV networks there are the commercial organizations that principally transmit via satellite. The commercial networks are currently more popular than the public ones in the Netherlands (especially among the younger generation) because they offer a better variety of programs. These commercial organizations have their own networks and include: RTL4, RTL5, SBS6, The Music Factory, TV 10 Gold, Veronica and Canal +.

In addition to the public and commercial networks (most of which are based in Hilversum) there are local TV networks. Hilversum is also the center for Dutch radio. Like TV there are public, non-profit and commercial networks. Five national public networks exist, some regional and many local non-profit organizations. Most of these use terrestrial transmitters. The popular commercial networks who transmit by satellite include: Classic FM, Kink FM, JFK Jazzradio FM, Radio 10 Gold, Radio 538, Radio Noordzee Nationaal, Sky Radio and Veronica FM. The latter also has branches in Amsterdam and Rotterdam.

The media capital of the Netherlands, Hilversum also attracts many tourists each year who come for the health spas, the wonderful hotels (including the Lapershoek Hotel and Grand Hotel Gooiland), the 'garden-city' atmosphere which the city with its many trees and surrounding farmland creates and to marvel at the many beautiful buildings the city has to offer.

Chief among the buildings is the Gemeentehuis or Town Hall. Built in 1928-31 it was designed by Willem Marinus Dudok in 1924. Dudok was born in 1884 in Amsterdam subsequently graduating in engineering from the Royal Military Academy at Breda. He worked for the Dutch Army for ten years constructing defense forts and barracks before being appointed Chief City Architect for the city of Hilversum in 1927.

Dudok was instrumental in organizing the town's growth, designing most of the major public buildings here. He principally followed the ideas of the American Prairie School and those of Frank Lloyd Wright, using brick and asymmetrical geometric forms. He also maintained a private practice. Dudok was awarded the RIBA Gold Medal in 1935 and the AIA Gold Medal in 1955 for his achievements. He died in Hilversum 1974 and many believe that his greatest legacy was the Town Hall, with its high clock tower, asymmetric structure and three symmetrical windows fronting the town's Council Chamber.

The wide-open spaces, high ceilings and strange light reflected off the brick and glass inside the building give it an eerie charm. Some see it as a huge dinosaur of a building while others acclaim it as a masterpiece of modern architecture. Thousands of tourists visit the building every year and the City Council hosts public 'open nights' here on a regular basis where new residents can learn more about their adopted city. Situated on relatively extensive land (which includes a lake and fountain), the Town Hall is an impressive modern building and well worth a visit.

Another notable building in the city is the Cathedral as is St. Vitus' Tower (the latter was designed by Petrus Cuypers). A busy shopping center, Hilversum is linked to all the major cities in the Netherlands by a very well maintained railway station. Churches are plentiful as are small parks. Bicycle paths are numerous and indeed many residents use the bicycle as their main mode of transport.

Hilversum has its own airport, mostly used these days for local travel, but the international airport at Schipol is only a twenty-minute train ride away. There are many grand villas here, including Villa Corvin (which was home to Amy Grothe-Twiss a famous person in Hilversum, 1885-1945), and the city is widely regarded as the Riviera of the Netherlands.

In conclusion, the village of Hilversum has come a long way since its agricultural days. Home to the TV and Radio stations it is the center for entertainment in Holland. Beautiful, modern and ancient, it is not difficult to understand why tourism has boomed here in recent years, nor to be surprised that businesses (and subsequent wealth) flourish here.