Under the leadership of Coco Hermans, radio station 100% NL has implemented a major change to its music format: from now on, the station will only play Dutch-language music or music by Dutch artists. Hermans is exchanging her interim role for a permanent position and will continue as Station Director of 100% NL.
Tom Klerkx, CEO of Mediahuis Radio: “We are incredibly pleased that Coco is committing herself indefinitely to the most Dutch radio brand on national FM. She has only just arrived, but with her expertise she has already implemented a number of important changes, and this is only the beginning. With Coco, we have a highly capable captain on our orange ship.”
Coco Hermans: “Over the past period, I have worked closely with the team to look at the future of 100% NL. There is so much passion and dedication, and we have a fantastic brand with great potential. Now that we have implemented the first changes to the format, I also want to finish what I started. I am grateful for the confidence Mediahuis Radio has placed in me to do that in the years ahead.”
New music format and branding
While international artists could previously still be heard occasionally, 100% NL will now exclusively play music from Dutch artists or Dutch-language music. Hermans explains: “I started six months ago and have had many conversations with both the team and listeners. From those discussions, it became clear that there was a broader desire to firmly show our colours. And that colour is orange. Rob van Someren once asked me: ‘Why are we called 100% NL if we’re not 100% Dutch?’ That is, of course, a very good question. Especially now that Dutch music is more successful and popular than ever.”
This change means that 100% NL distinguishes itself even more clearly from other stations. Hermans: “We embrace the full breadth of Dutch music: from Chef’Special to Yves Berendse, from Anouk to Suzan & Freek, and from Marco Schuitmaker to Marco Borsato. You will also hear music from the dance DJs we are so proud of. That entire spectrum, but exclusively from Dutch soil, is what makes us unique in the radio landscape.”
After several months of shadow broadcasting, 100% NL has now fully switched over and has also refreshed its slogan and jingles. The new slogan is: ‘100% NL: the Hits of the Netherlands.’ The new jingles have been produced by Wise Buddah. The official launch coincides with the 100% NL Top 1000, which began on Monday and will run until Friday 18 September. This chart features the one thousand greatest hits from Dutch artists, as chosen by listeners.
Mediahuis Radio
100% NL is part of Mediahuis Radio, which also includes Radio Veronica, SLAM!, Sublime and their associated themed channels. Last year, Mediahuis Radio was the fastest-growing radio group in the Netherlands, driven largely by the strong growth of Radio Veronica. Market share increased by 24% to 11.9% in the 20-59 target audience and by 16% to 9.4% in the 13+ audience.
