Ria Kraa
Editor-in-chief Friesch Dagblad

 
Ria Kraa - Editor-in-chief Friesch Dagblad

Friesch Dagblad is the link in Frisian society that gives meaning to the story behind current affairs through its social involvement and personal approach. Regional and self-willed with a Christian basis and for a wide target group.

www.frieschdagblad.nl

Founded
1903

Daily readership print
32.000

Daily readership online
8.897

Number of subscribers
(print + digital) 9.366

Podcasts
1000 dagen & De Friese velden

Journalists employed
33

Rooted in Friesland, with an eye on the outside world

Journalists write about cultural imagination in corona times, children from Amsterdam in hiding, and a treasure trove of Biblical texts. Readers join in with a sudoku puzzle.

The farm shop in Engwierum. Photo by Marchje Andringa

The fun of clothing hacks, how to deal with growing homesickness among refugees, modern slavedrivers (you and I), comments on peace missions, how you can sing a more beautiful St Matthew Passion with 10 people and why the mayor of Lopik rides a tandem. All of this, complemented with literature, poetry, film and language, formed the first edition of Het Goede Leven.

With this monthly magazine, Friesch Dagblad expanded its not inconsiderable stable of writers last year. The magazine and the accompanying website make a great stage for the stories in the newspaper that are of interest to those outside Friesland too.

For a long time, Friesch Dagblad has been more than an exclusively Reformed publication – instead it is a daily that attracts readers seeking depth in a compact, balanced newspaper without noise and frills. Calm but fresh, and not afraid of a long read from time to time. For readers who appreciate that there is so much to choose from in regional journalism in their province.

In 2020 we worked on some major subjects: What are the promising alternative forms of agriculture? How do artists, musicians and theatre-makers keep imagination alive in corona times? Can the loss of peat meadows be prevented?

We were delighted with the presents that readers surprised us with during lockdown – an expert created sudoku puzzles for the paper, another wrote a series of stories to be read aloud for toddlers, and a third began a language section.

And we realised a long-held dream: at the weekend, readers could really go back to the paper’s roots. The Bible, of course. Every Saturday, five experts on the Old and New Testaments elaborated on a series of texts. Definitions, context, authors, reliability, interpretation, centuries-old discussions and controversy: each week opened a new treasure trove. Does it have value or scriptural meaning today? That’s for the reader to decide.

With their journalistic variety, Leeuwarder Courant and Friesch Dagblad offer Fryslân a rich palette of news and stories. And where there is added value in it, the two work together. We previously did so in a joint search for the most beautiful building in the province, and in a podcast made with Omrop Fryslân about the longest ever period of sanctuary – 25 years ago.

Last year, we searched together for those still living who were sent as children from Amsterdam to hide in Friesland, and told their stories of sadness and homesickness, of damage and rescue. Now we are working – again with the regional broadcaster and with training institutions in the province – on a course for young journalistic talent: each year, three new reporters are immersed in Frisian language and culture, so that they are properly equipped to get to work.