Media, Misinformation and the Power of Responsible Journalism
6 augustus 2026
Our Head of Network, Kees Hulsman, recently published an opinion article in NieuwWij examining how an unverified report surrounding football-related disturbances in The Hague’s Schilderswijk developed into broader and potentially stigmatising narratives about the Moroccan Dutch community.
Drawing on conversations with residents, journalists, community representatives, and other stakeholders, Kees explores the importance of careful source verification, avoiding collective generalisations, and creating space for dialogue. The article also reflects on how media reporting, social media, and public discourse can either reinforce polarisation or contribute to greater understanding.
The article highlights the importance of factual and responsible reporting: presenting information that can be verified, while also including relevant facts and perspectives that may provide a different or more nuanced understanding of an issue. In this way, responsible journalism can help prevent incomplete or unbalanced narratives from contributing to further polarisation or stigmatisation.
Reporting should be factually true, not removing inconvenient information that sheds a different light on the issue or adding claims that are not backed up by verifyable facts.