Sven Kockelmann wins Sonja Barend Award for Dick Schoof Interview
Sven Kockelmann won the 18th Sonja Barend Award for his interview with former Dick Schoof. A vakjury of fifty journalists chose the conversation from nine longlisted entries, according to reports. BNNVARA, the broadcaster that hands out the prize, praised Kockelmann for turning the interview with the then-departing prime minister into a personal discussion about a turbulent premiership rather than a political cross-examination.
Inside Café Kockelmann and the Winning Broadcast
The conversation aired on February 20 during a special broadcast of the WNL program Café Kockelmann. Kockelmann aimed to uncover the person behind the prime minister. “The intention was an honest look back, with open disclosure,” Kockelmann said. “I wanted to know what had gone through his mind and how he had experienced the events.” Panel member Maartje van Weegen called the discussion revealing. Lammert de Bruin described the interview as a human look into perhaps the most wondrous prime minister the country has had, while Daphne van Rossum highlighted moments where Kockelmann observed visible emotion on Schoof’s face.
Runners-Up and Past Precedents
Eva Jinek finished in second place with her interview with SGP leader Chris Stoffer concerning abortion, while Coen Verbraak took third place for his interview with journalist Frits Abrahams about his dementing wife in the HUMAN program To survive. Verbraak, who won the award the previous year, handed the trophy to Kockelmann during the live broadcast of Peacock & De Wit. The award is an initiative of the VARAgids to honor the best television interview of the season, marking its 18th presentation and the first since the death of its namesake, Sonja Barend, in April.
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