Rotterdam – This morning I spoke with Rini Biemans, one of the founders of Antenne TV, who told me that the channel has officially returned — now broadcasting through Open Rotterdam. I watched their first episode: a lively compilation of 25 years of archive material, interwoven with new conversations in which Rini reconnects with key figures from Rotterdam’s alternative TV scene. He introduces Eveline Ketterings, Lukas Simonis, Hajo Doorn, and his longtime editor Oscar Langerak.
432 words – 2 minutes
History
Antenne TV began under the name Video 2000, inspired by the Philips/Grundig videocassette format that was popular in the Netherlands between 1979 and 1988, competing with Betamax and VHS. In Rotterdam, the format gained a second life thanks to Rini Biemans, who named his independent media platform after it and used the technology to build a new space for underground video culture.
Filmmakers
Long before YouTube, vlogging, or online streaming existed, Video 2000 / Antenne TV was already broadcasting experimental, local, and often daring content. One of the most notable filmmakers to emerge from this scene was Rick Messemaker, who became one of Rotterdam’s best‑known photo‑ and videomakers — famous for his steady tai‑chi hand, his reliability, and his ability to capture strong, intimate shots under difficult conditions. Also Stefan de Graaff and Rolf Versteegh I am missing. Editing is important and time‑consuming, but without strong footage — often shot in challenging environments with no lighting, outdoor noise, or unpredictable situations — there is nothing to edit. Therefore I think that Antenne TV should credit filmmakers better. They deserve far more recognition than what they received now.
Highlights
The editing style is loose — at times chaotic. The episode appears to end at the 20‑minute mark, complete with closing titles, only for Part II to begin immediately afterward. One of the standout moments of the whole 30 minutes episode is a Pauluskerk service, where the reverend tells his congregation:
“En laten we stilstaan bij het feit dat een pakje poeder heden ten dage niet per se feest betekent. Maar laten wij ook stilstaan bij het feit dat het misschien wel waar is dat een goede aftershave invloed heeft op de loop van een avond en dat een mooie vijver lelijke vis kan bevatten.”
Translated:
“And let us reflect on the fact that a little packet of powder these days does not necessarily mean celebration. And let us also reflect on the fact that it may well be true that a good aftershave can influence the course of an evening, and that a beautiful pond can contain ugly fish.”
Antenne TV is back — raw, chaotic, poetic, and unmistakably Rotterdam.