“I hope that the defiant attitude and individuality of the past will manifest themselves again in this building. Because that rebellious spirit and freedom, and that commitment to independent investigation and reflection, are what make journalism so unique. Our editorial teams may be under the same roof, but they have complete autonomy. And that’s exactly as it should be. That’s the kind of independent mindset and pluralism our society is in dire need of right now.”

“We’ve invented ultra-smart technology that allows us to connect with each other. But for all our technical genius, our social wiring hasn’t changed much since the Middle Ages. This modern network we’ve built is an environment for sensationalism, herd behaviour, deception and gullibility, us-versus-them thinking and conspiracy theories. Sure, we’ve moved on from burning witches, but only just. Those human emotions are still there, and they’re being turbocharged by technology whose polarising power has the potential to disrupt our democracy.”

“I think journalists have an incredible opportunity in this new era. Because people feel alienated by the chaos of today’s information landscape, which is causing them to look for quality. We saw this very clearly during the pandemic. The public wanted information from people who actually knew what they were talking about – professionals who were doing real investigative reporting, and who were able to look at things from all sides. Never before had news websites received so much traffic. Never before had Dutch newspapers sold so many new subscriptions. (...) We can be a shining beacon in the swirling sea of information. But only if we’re willing to evolve, because the way people take in information is changing every day.”

“First and foremost, we have to be excellent journalists. We need to have our finger on the pulse and discover new stories. (...) Second, we need to bring nuance to today’s heated debates and encourage constructive dialogue on the arguments put forward by both sides. (...) Third, we need to better understand how the news affects people. A lot is going wrong in the world, and we journalists can sometimes employ a shrill tone and offer a one-sided perspective. That’s why we’re now learning to report on solutions as well. Finally, we need to find the most accessible form for our reporting. Our storytelling needs to be more attractive and visual. (...) These changes will only lead to better journalism that’s more persuasive, more thorough and better substantiated – the result of an ongoing conversation with our audiences. Our stories will be more compelling than before. (...) If we want journalism to have a future, we have to make it better than it has ever been.”