Another local FM station close to my QTH is SRC FM. Although local? It is in fact regional and a good example of the new strategy on local radio that is currently being implemented in The Netherlands.
Local radio was legalized in the late 80’s in The Netherlands, and soon every town had their own local FM station, usually partly funded by the local municipality. In those days internet wasn’t common and it was seen as a good vehicle to distribute local news and information. As municipalities merged to promote efficiency (in 1990 The Netherlands had 672 municipalities, today there are only 342) local radio stations merged as well. An example is RTV Krimpenerwaard as you can read in my blog.
But today there is another thing at play. The Association of Dutch Municipalities, together with the Dutch Government and the Dutch Association of Local Radio Stations (NLPO) have agreed to implement a strategy where permits for local radio will be awarded to predefined regions only. From 2028 onward there should be no more than 80 regional FM stations, whereas there are some 200 local FM stations today. The aim is obviously a combination of cost efficiency and the desire to improve the editorial capabilities and quality of the stations. More info about this plan can be found on this web page of the NLPO.
Do I like it? Well, as many local radio stations are depending on tax payers money to make things work I can understand the rationale. And mind you, what started as local radio today is not only radio but TV, web, social media presence as well. At the same time the stations are at risk to lose their local identity which is why they came to be in the first place. The distance to their audience might increase, which by the way is also an often heard complaint about the distance of today’s bigger municipalities and their citizens.
Let’s look at how SRC FM became so big. And why wouldn’t I try to do this using an AI tool: Grok. After all, we live in 2025! Here we go!
The success of SRC: from local radio to regional broadcaster.
The growth of Stads Radio Culemborg (SRC) from a local radio station in Culemborg to a regional broadcaster covering West Betuwe, Buren, Tiel, Neder-Betuwe, and Vijfheerenlanden reflects a strategic expansion driven by collaboration, mergers, and a national push for professionalized streekomroepen (regional broadcasters). Below is a detailed account of SRC’s evolution based on available information:
1. Origins as Stads Radio Culemborg
- Foundation: SRC began as Stads Radio Culemborg, a local radio station focused on serving the municipality of Culemborg. Its early operations were centered on providing local news, music, and community-focused content, typical of small-scale municipal broadcasters in the Netherlands.
- Scope: Initially, SRC’s coverage was limited to Culemborg, with programming that included local news, events, and a music format emphasizing “Goodfeeling” and 50% Dutch-language music. It operated on FM frequencies (e.g., 105.8 MHz for Culemborg) and local television channels.
2. National Push for Streekomroepen (2016–2017)
- NLPO and Streekomroep Formation: The Stichting Nederlandse Lokale Publieke Omroepen (NLPO), in collaboration with the VNG (Association of Netherlands Municipalities) and the Ministry of Education, Culture and Science (OCW), developed a plan in 2016–2017 to consolidate approximately 230 local broadcasters into about 80 regional streekomroepen. This was aimed at achieving economies of scale, professionalization, and future-proofing local media. SRC’s region, designated as “streek 28,” included Vijfheerenlanden, Culemborg, West Betuwe, Buren, Tiel, and Neder-Betuwe.
- Catalyst for Growth: This national policy provided the framework for SRC to expand beyond Culemborg, encouraging collaboration with other local broadcasters in the Rivierenland region.
3. Collaboration and Mergers (2019–2021)
- Formation of SRC as a Regional Brand: SRC evolved into a regional broadcaster through a partnership between three entities:
- Stichting Publiek Omroep Buren, Culemborg, Vijfheerenlanden en West Betuwe (SPO-BCVW): This foundation covered Buren, Culemborg, Vijfheerenlanden, and West Betuwe.
- Stichting Publieke Omroep Tiel (SPO-Tiel): This represented Tiel’s local broadcasting interests, previously served by Stads TV Tiel.
- Nova Media Producties: A media production entity contributing to the joint programming.
- Merger with RTV Betuwe (2019): A significant milestone was the merger between SRC and RTV Betuwe, a broadcaster serving parts of the Betuwe region. This merger brought staff, expertise, and infrastructure from RTV Betuwe into SRC, strengthening its regional presence. For example, Carolien Krouwel, a TV presenter and editor, transitioned from Stads TV Tiel to RTV Betuwe and continued with SRC post-merger, highlighting continuity in personnel.
- Unified Branding: The collaboration adopted the SRC brand (likely derived from Stads Radio Culemborg) for all media output across radio, television, and online platforms. This included a shared news platform on src.fm, a dedicated SRC News App, and coordinated programming for the six municipalities.
4. Competition and Expansion into Buren, Tiel, and Neder-Betuwe (2021)
- Competition with RegioTV Tiel: SRC’s expansion was partly fueled by its successful bids for local broadcasting licenses, often at the expense of competitors like RegioTV Tiel.
- Buren (2021): SRC, under the SPO-BCVW banner, won the local broadcasting license for Buren, defeating RegioTV Tiel. The Buren municipal council favored SRC due to its perceived organizational stability and transparency, while RegioTV Tiel faced criticism for withholding financial details and lacking a cooperative approach.
- Neder-Betuwe: Similarly, SRC secured the broadcasting rights for Neder-Betuwe, outcompeting RegioTV Tiel and Nova Media. Initial support for RegioTV Tiel waned after new information raised doubts about its reliability, leading the council to choose SRC.
- Tiel: Tiel was already part of SRC’s coverage through SPO-Tiel, which had roots in Stads TV Tiel. The merger and collaboration formalized SRC’s role as Tiel’s primary broadcaster.
- West Betuwe: West Betuwe was included in SRC’s coverage through SPO-BCVW, aligning with the regional framework of streek 28.
5. Programming and Infrastructure Development
- Multi-Platform Presence: SRC established itself as a 24/7 broadcaster across radio, television, and online platforms. It operates on multiple FM frequencies (e.g., 95.6 MHz for Vijfheerenlanden, 105.5 MHz for Tiel, 106.4 MHz for Buren Oost and Neder-Betuwe) and television channels (e.g., Ziggo channel 43 for Buren, Neder-Betuwe, West Betuwe, and Tiel).
- Content Expansion: SRC’s programming grew to include regional news (broadcast hourly from 06:00 to 23:00), cultural events like the Fruitcorso, and specialized shows like the “Oranje Top 30” for Dutch music. It also introduced a SRC TV Magazine and covered local sports, politics, and community initiatives.
- Audience Engagement: A listener survey confirmed SRC as the number-one radio station in the region, boosting its credibility and reach. The station actively solicits community input for news tips and event coverage, fostering local engagement.
6. Professionalization and Future Ambitions (2022–2026)
- Professional Newsroom: SRC has been building a professional newsroom to deliver in-depth, objective, and locally rooted journalism. This aligns with the NLPO’s goal of making streekomroepen more robust and competitive in a changing media landscape.
- Planned Consolidation (2026): SPO-BCVW, SPO-Tiel, and Nova Media Producties aim to fully merge into a single streekomroep by mid-2026, streamlining operations under the SRC brand. This move is part of the national streekomroep reform, with the Second Chamber approving plans in October 2023 to reduce the number of local broadcasters to 80 by 2026.
- Digital Innovation: SRC has embraced digital platforms, including src.fm, social media, YouTube, and a dedicated News App, to reach broader audiences. This digital shift has been crucial for engaging younger viewers and adapting to modern media consumption trends.
7. Impact of RegioTV Tiel’s Challenges
- Weakened Competitor: The decline of RegioTV Tiel, particularly after losing broadcasting rights in Buren and Neder-Betuwe, indirectly aided SRC’s growth. RegioTV Tiel’s organizational issues, lack of transparency, and failure to collaborate with SRC (e.g., rejecting a proposed merger in Buren) allowed SRC to consolidate its dominance in the region.
- Market Consolidation: SRC capitalized on RegioTV Tiel’s setbacks to secure a wider audience and municipal support, positioning itself as the primary media outlet for Rivierenland.
8. Current Status (2025)
- Regional Reach: SRC now serves Buren, Culemborg, Neder-Betuwe, Tiel, Vijfheerenlanden, and West Betuwe, covering a diverse region with tailored news and programming. Its studio is based in Culemborg (Stationsplein 11A), but its coverage spans the entire Rivierenland area.
- Community Focus: SRC remains committed to hyper-local content, covering everything from municipal politics to cultural events like the restoration of a 400-year-old bell in Deil or the Fruitcorso. Its critical and objective reporting has earned it a strong reputation.
- Sustainability: By 2025, SRC is well-positioned as the leading streekomroep in its region, with plans for further integration and professionalization by 2026. Its success is attributed to strategic partnerships, a clear regional vision, and adaptability to both traditional and digital media.
Conclusion
SRC’s transformation from Stads Radio Culemborg to a regional broadcaster for West Betuwe, Buren, Tiel, and Neder-Betuwe was driven by:
- National Policy: The NLPO’s streekomroep initiative provided the framework for regional expansion.
- Mergers and Collaboration: The 2019 merger with RTV Betuwe and partnerships with SPO-BCVW, SPO-Tiel, and Nova Media Producties expanded SRC’s reach and resources.
- Competitive Wins: Securing broadcasting licenses in Buren and Neder-Betuwe over RegioTV Tiel solidified SRC’s regional dominance.
- Professionalization: Investments in a robust newsroom, multi-platform content, and digital innovation ensured SRC’s relevance and sustainability.
This growth reflects a blend of strategic opportunism, community engagement, and alignment with broader media reforms in the Netherlands.
Well that was easy! Thank you Grok!
To cover the region SRC FM is active on 6 frequencies. I sent a report for my reception of SRC FM on 105.1 MHz, as with 40 kms the transmitter in Tiel is a bit more “DX” than the transmitter in Vianen (only 17 kms). Mr. Kans was so kind to confirm my report with a brief reply on my email to info@src.fm .
