It’s 60 years since the official launch of television in the Netherlands.

On Sunday 2 October 1951 Dutch television went on air to the general public for the first time with an opening address by deputy culture minister Jo Cals. The speech was followed by a play entitled De Toverspiegel (The Magic Mirror).

The minister stressed that programming on the new medium would be responsible. He said he hoped it would make an important contribution to education and cultural life in the country; the same one that almost 50 years later was to bring the world the Big Brother programme format.

The minister’s opening speech was seen only by a privileged few. At the time a television set cost the equivalent of around 3,000 euros and there were only 400 of them in the country.

The Dutch public television organisations are celebrating with a retrospective of past programmes. Youth-oriented broadcaster BNN is marking the anniversary with an attempt to beat the world record for TV watching, being held at the Institute for Sound and Vision in Hilversum. The participants will attempt to plough through a nostalgic selection of old and new  TV programmes for around 80 hours nonstop.

 
For a feeling of 1960s Dutch TV, watch an episode of the drama series Floris. In the lead role is a youthful Rutger Hauer, long before he achieved Hollywood stardom.