Willem van Beusekom
Encyclopedia
Willem Jacobus Marius van Beusekom (4 May 1947 - 21 May 2006) was a Dutch broadcaster and television presenter. He was also active as a radio DJ and especially enjoyed fame as a Dutch television commentator for the Eurovision Song Contest
, which he did from 1987
to 2005
. His last position until his death was that of NPS
Director.
TV. There he sat in one of the first panel of television music programs, Disco Duel of Herman Stok. Beusekom then moved to the VARA but remained involved in music. He presented the LP and profound Top 20 pop radio documentaries entitled Popreconstructie.
In the VARA, Van Beusekom 1983 radio director. When the NPS
was created in 1995 he became director, he diplomatically tried the NPS a permanent place within the broadcasting system to provide. He also promoted cooperation with VARA and VPRO
to Nederland 3
, the home station broadcasting it.
In that year he became president of Conamus, a foundation that deals with the promotion of Dutch pop music.
and 1980
Van Beusekom provided the NOS Radio commentary for Dutch listners in the Eurovision Song Contest. He became better known for his television commentary from 1987
until 1990
and from 1992
until 1994
and from 1996
until 2005
. Van Beusekom also provided Dutch commentary on the 50th Anniversary Special
in October 2005. On November 7, 2005 Van Beusekom announced his retirement from the Eurovision Song Contest saying I had some fantastic years with great artists, composers and song writers and with different results. But sometimes it's good to step back.
. the next day on the May 21, 2006 Van Beuskom died from colon cancer.
Eurovision Song Contest
The Eurovision Song Contest is an annual competition held among active member countries of the European Broadcasting Union .Each member country submits a song to be performed on live television and then casts votes for the other countries' songs to determine the most popular song in the competition...
, which he did from 1987
Eurovision Song Contest 1987
The Eurovision Song Contest 1987 was the 32nd Eurovision Song Contest and was held on 9 May 1987 in Brussels, Belgium after Sandra Kim's win the previous year. The presenter was Viktor Lazlo. Johnny Logan was the winner for Ireland with the song "Hold Me Now"...
to 2005
Eurovision Song Contest 2005
The Eurovision Song Contest 2005 was the 50th Eurovision Song Contest, which was held at the Palace of Sports, Kiev, Ukraine. The winner was Greece's My Number One, written by Christos Dantis and Natalia Germanou and performed by Swedish-born Greek singer Elena Paparizou, who scored 230 points,...
. His last position until his death was that of NPS
NPS
- Organizations :* National Pension Service, the world's fourth-biggest pension fund, which manages $270 billion in assets in Korea* National Park Service, the U.S...
Director.
Career
He began his career in 1968 at the KROKRO
KRO, or Katholieke Radio Omroep , is a Dutch public broadcasting organization founded on 23 April 1925. Broadly Catholic in its spiritual outlook, KRO broadcasts the bulk of its television output on the Nederland 1 channel. KRO is also responsible for managing broadcasts made by the Catholic Church...
TV. There he sat in one of the first panel of television music programs, Disco Duel of Herman Stok. Beusekom then moved to the VARA but remained involved in music. He presented the LP and profound Top 20 pop radio documentaries entitled Popreconstructie.
In the VARA, Van Beusekom 1983 radio director. When the NPS
NPS
- Organizations :* National Pension Service, the world's fourth-biggest pension fund, which manages $270 billion in assets in Korea* National Park Service, the U.S...
was created in 1995 he became director, he diplomatically tried the NPS a permanent place within the broadcasting system to provide. He also promoted cooperation with VARA and VPRO
VPRO
The VPRO was established in the Netherlands in 1926 as a religious broadcasting organization. Falling under the Protestant pillar, it represented the Liberal Protestant current...
to Nederland 3
Nederland 3
Nederland 3 is the third and youngest of the terrestrial television channels operated by the Dutch public-broadcasting organization NPO in the Netherlands and carries programs provided by member-based non-profit broadcasting associations. It is oriented towards children, youth and innovative...
, the home station broadcasting it.
Other Work
Van Beusekom was the founder of the Grand Prix of the Netherlands , a competition for young rock bands, which he led until 1993.In that year he became president of Conamus, a foundation that deals with the promotion of Dutch pop music.
Eurovision Song Contest
In 1976Eurovision Song Contest 1976
The Eurovision Song Contest 1976, the 21st in the series, was held in The Hague, Netherlands, on 3 April 1976. With Corry Brokken as the presenter – the first time a previous winner of the contest had played hostess – the contest was won by Brotherhood of Man, representing the United...
and 1980
Eurovision Song Contest 1980
The Eurovision Song Contest 1980 was the 25th Eurovision Song Contest and was held on 19 April 1980 in The Hague. The presenter was Marlous Fluitsma, although each song was introduced by a presenter from the nation represented...
Van Beusekom provided the NOS Radio commentary for Dutch listners in the Eurovision Song Contest. He became better known for his television commentary from 1987
Eurovision Song Contest 1987
The Eurovision Song Contest 1987 was the 32nd Eurovision Song Contest and was held on 9 May 1987 in Brussels, Belgium after Sandra Kim's win the previous year. The presenter was Viktor Lazlo. Johnny Logan was the winner for Ireland with the song "Hold Me Now"...
until 1990
Eurovision Song Contest 1990
The Eurovision Song Contest 1990, the 35th in the series, was held in Zagreb, Yugoslavia on 5 May 1990. The presenters were Helga Vlahović Brnobić and Oliver Mlakar. Toto Cutugno was the winner of this contest with the song "Insieme: 1992"...
and from 1992
Eurovision Song Contest 1992
The Eurovision Song Contest 1992 was the 37th Eurovision Song Contest and was held on 9 May 1992 in Malmö, Sweden. The presenters were Lydia Cappolicchio and Harald Treutiger. Linda Martin, representing Ireland, was the winner of this Eurovision with the song Why Me?. The song was written by Johnny...
until 1994
Eurovision Song Contest 1994
The Eurovision Song Contest 1994 was the 39th Eurovision Song Contest and was held on 30 April 1994 in the Point Theatre in Dublin, Ireland. The presenters were Cynthia Ní Mhurchú and Gerry Ryan. The pair hosted the evening in French, English and Irish...
and from 1996
Eurovision Song Contest 1996
The Eurovision Song Contest 1996 was the 41st Eurovision Song Contest and was held on 18 May 1996 in Oslo Spektrum in Oslo, Norway. The presenters were Ingvild Bryn and Morten Harket. Harket, lead singer of a-ha, opened the show with a performance of his single "Heaven's Not For Saints". Eimear...
until 2005
Eurovision Song Contest 2005
The Eurovision Song Contest 2005 was the 50th Eurovision Song Contest, which was held at the Palace of Sports, Kiev, Ukraine. The winner was Greece's My Number One, written by Christos Dantis and Natalia Germanou and performed by Swedish-born Greek singer Elena Paparizou, who scored 230 points,...
. Van Beusekom also provided Dutch commentary on the 50th Anniversary Special
Congratulations (Eurovision)
Congratulations: 50 Years of the Eurovision Song Contest was a television programme organised by the European Broadcasting Union to commemorate the Eurovision Song Contest's fiftieth anniversary and to determine the Contest's most popular entrant of its fifty years. It took place at Forum,...
in October 2005. On November 7, 2005 Van Beusekom announced his retirement from the Eurovision Song Contest saying I had some fantastic years with great artists, composers and song writers and with different results. But sometimes it's good to step back.
Death
Van Beuskom failed to commentate the 2006 Eurovision Song Contest as he was in a hospital in AmsterdamAmsterdam
Amsterdam is the largest city and the capital of the Netherlands. The current position of Amsterdam as capital city of the Kingdom of the Netherlands is governed by the constitution of August 24, 1815 and its successors. Amsterdam has a population of 783,364 within city limits, an urban population...
. the next day on the May 21, 2006 Van Beuskom died from colon cancer.