Dutch public broadcaster apologises for fake news report

The Evangelical Broadcasting Corporation (EO), one of the Dutch public broadcasters, has offered its apologies for broadcasting a fake news item about a Venezuelan invasion of Curaçao in the Netherlands Antilles.

According to the report, which was broadcast on Monday night by Radio 1, four people were killed during the invasion. As a result of the broadcast, frightened people began calling their relatives in Curaçao. Only towards the end of the broadcast did it become clear that the report about the invasion was fictitious.

The fake news item was in response to a recent comment by Venezuelan President Hugo Chávez that his country’s northern border is 200 nautical miles off the coast.

Pedro Atacho, leader of the PAR faction in the Curaçao parliament, has accused the EO of gutter journalism.

Related RNW report:
Rumours of Venezuelan invasion of Netherlands Antilles

Source: Media Network, RNW news