NPO 3

NPO 3
Country	Netherlands
Broadcast area	National. Also available in Belgium and Germany
Headquarters	Hilversum
Programming
Picture format	1080i HDTV; (downscaled to 16:9 576i for the SDTV feed)
Ownership
Owner	NPO
Sister channels	NPO 1; NPO 2; NPO 1 Extra; NPO 2 Extra; NPO Politiek en Nieuws
History
Launched	4 April 1988; 37 years ago
Former names	Nederland 3 (1988–2014)
Links
Website	NPO 3 website
Availability
Terrestrial
Digitenne (FTA)	Channel 3 (HD)
Streaming media
Ziggo GO	Watch live (Europe only)
KPN iTV Online	Watch live (Europe only)
NPO Start	Watch Live

NPO 3 (known as Nederland 3 [ˌneːdərlɑn ˈdri] until 2014) is the third and youngest of the terrestrial television channels operated by the Dutch public-broadcasting organization NPO in the Netherlands. It carries programmes provided by member-based non-profit broadcasting associations and is oriented towards children, youth, and innovative television. The channel is also available on cable companies in its overseas dependencies in the Caribbean, either live or time-shifted.^[1]^[2]^[3]

History

In January 1984, musician Reinbert de Leeuw suggested the creation of a third television channel, setting up a foundation (Stichting Derde Net - Third Network Foundation) for the purpose. The initial plan was to broadcast fifteen hours a week (for three evenings a week). The network would only be approved by means of an amendment to the Broadcasting Act.^[4]

Initially, the third Dutch public television channel would be a joint venture with the Flemish public broadcaster VRT (then called BRTN), which would specialize in cooperative Netherlands/Flanders programming. With the pretended cooperation, BRT (now VRT) would either continue or terminate its second channel by operating it more lucratively. This plan failed but later resulted in a new television channel targeting Dutch and Flemish people living abroad. Two Dutch broadcasters, NPO and RNW, launched BVN as Zomer TV in 1996, and all of its programs originally came from the Netherlands (the abbreviation BVN at first standing for het Beste Van Nederland, "the best of the Netherlands"), this, however, changed, once the VRT began contributing both financially and delivering programmes, changing the channel from specializing in programming from the Netherlands to specializing in Dutch programming from the Netherlands and Flanders.

NPO 3 was established as 'Nederland 3' on 4 April 1988, however, the channel was used for experimental purposes for the Winter Olympic Games in Calgary earlier on in the year. Nederland 3 became the home channel of the broadcasters VPRO, VARA, RVU, and NPS, all of which share a progressive outlook. The initial emphasis was news, culture, and sports.

One of the initial ideas mooted by IKON president Wim Koole was that of a news programme similar to Newsnight and Tagesthemen, which would air at the end of the nightly schedule and that would be shared by all of the member broadcasters that had airtime on the channel.^[5] The channel changed its format in 1991, which would pave way for VARA, VPRO and NOS becoming the dominant broadcasters. In 1992, NOS's NOS-laat and VARA's Achter het Nieuws merged to create NOVA.^[6]

July 1995 saw the arrival of NPS, VARA and VPRO, but did not share any announcements to the public until the start of the new television season in September (a VARA spokesman suggested it under the grounds of "choosing the right time").^[6]

In September 2000, AVRO, BNN, EO, KRO and TROS later joined this channel in producing more content for its programming output. The channel focused on news, debate, culture, and innovative television. Before the evening the channel's programming, under the label of Z@ppelin, was aimed at children.

As of 2002, VARA produced 25% of NOVA, the remaining 75% in production costs were paid by NPS. Similar arrangements were made for the documentary programme Zembla (VARA-NPS) and Buitenhof (VARA-NPS-VPRO). Plans were underway to change the arrangements in order for NPS to produce NOVA alone, while VARA would become entirely responsible for Zembla, as VARA was facing political constraints due to the Labour Party losing half of its seats in The Hague and had plans to move to Nederland 2. NPS and VPRO were anticipating the possible move.^[5]

In September 2006, the programming of NPO's television channels changed slightly. Nederland 3 still focuses on children during the daytime. In the evenings it aims to reach an open-minded audience with innovative, educational television and occasionally sports. All Dutch public broadcasting organizations have air-time on Nederland 1, Nederland 2 and Nederland 3; youth-oriented broadcaster BNN broadcast only on Nederland 3.

On 15 September 2007, the NPO channels Nederland 1, Nederland 2, and Nederland 3 switched completely to anamorphic widescreen, before that time some of the programming was already broadcast in widescreen.

On 4 July 2009, all three channels began simulcasting in 1080i high-definition.^[7] Before the launch of the permanent HD service, a test version of the Nederland 1 HD channel was made available from 2 June 2008 until 24 August 2008 to broadcast Euro 2008, the 2008 Tour de France, and the 2008 Summer Olympics in HD.

On 12 March 2013, the NPO announced that Nederland 1, 2, and 3 would be renamed as NPO 1, 2, and 3. The reason for this change is to make the channels and their programmes more recognizable.^[8] The rebranding completed on 19 August 2014.^[9]

Programming

Between 06:00 and 19:30, NPO Zapp and NPO Zappelin broadcast television aimed at children. This includes educational television like SchoolTV from broadcaster NTR.

After 19:30, the programming for youth and young adults starts. Between 2005 and 2013, De Wereld Draait Door was broadcast at this time, but moved to NPO 1. The programming is filled with films, drama and comedy (both made by public broadcasters and imported from foreign broadcasters), as well as successful programmes such as Top of the Pops, College Tour, De Lama's, Spuiten en Slikken and Raymann is Laat. It also broadcasts European football competitions live such as the UEFA Champions League until the 2015–16 season when it was moved to SBS6.