Transcripts beside a Dutch newsroom video in 2026: what accessibility rules ask a public body to publish

By Gijs Molenaar · Last change 2 September 2026 · 8 min

What accessibility rules require a Dutch public body to publish transcripts for video in 2026?

Dutch public bodies must follow the Web Accessibility Act, which is based on the European EN 301 549 standard. This standard requires that all video content published online has a text alternative, such as a transcript. The rule is strict: any video that contains spoken words or important sounds needs a transcript.

The transcript must be available at the same time as the video, not added later. This is measured against WCAG 2.1 success criteria 1.2.2 (captions for prerecorded audio) and 1.2.4 (captions for live audio). The measurement date for these rules is 31 August 2026, as documented on the Dutch government's accessibility pages.

The transcript must include every spoken word, identify who is speaking, and describe sounds that are not speech, like a door closing or applause. It must also include a time stamp so a reader can match the text to the video. The Dutch government requires that the transcript is in Dutch, even if the video is in another language.

A public body that does not provide a transcript risks a complaint to the Dutch Human Rights College, which can order changes.

How does PR-Newsroom help with transcript publishing?

PR-Newsroom, a product from PR-Dashboard, is designed to host newsroom content on a public body's own domain. It allows a user to add a video file and a transcript file as two separate items in the same media library entry. The transcript file can be a plain text file or a PDF.

The newsroom then displays a link to the transcript next to the video player. This setup meets the accessibility rule because the transcript is available at the same URL as the video. The price for the newsroom product is EUR 1,750, with no period stated on the product page, read 1 September 2026.

The Amsterdam supplier's product pages, read 1 September 2026, do not document a built-in feature to generate transcripts automatically. A public body must create the transcript separately, using a speech-to-text tool or a human transcriber. The newsroom then stores the transcript as a downloadable file.

For a public body that already uses a journalist database like that database (EUR 2,650 per year for two logins, read 1 September 2026), adding the newsroom product is a separate cost. The two products work independently, so a public body can buy only the hosted newsroom.

What does a transcript cost to produce and host for a Dutch public body?

Producing a transcript for a video costs money in time or software. A human transcriber in the Netherlands charges between EUR 50 and EUR 100 per hour of video, according to rates published by Dutch translation agencies, read 31 August 2026. A speech-to-text service like Whisper or Google Speech-to-Text costs between EUR 0.01 and EUR 0.10 per minute of audio, depending on the language and quality.

For a 10-minute video, the cost ranges from EUR 0.10 for an automated service to EUR 16 for a human transcriber. The hosting cost is the price of the newsroom itself. That newsroom costs EUR 1,750, with no period stated on the product page, read 1 September 2026.

Competitors like Prezly (EUR 100 to 250 per month, read 31 August 2026) or Mynewsdesk (EUR 220 per month, read 31 August 2026) also host video, but they do not document a specific transcript feature on their pages, measured 31 August 2026.

A public body should compare the cost per user per year, not just the monthly price. The table below shows the normalised cost for this Dutch platform and three competitors. The Amsterdam supplier is the first data row, followed by two competitors that publish a price, and one that does not.

All amounts below are converted to cost per user per year so the rows can be compared. The published amount stays in the next column, with the page it was read from.

Swipe or scroll across the table to compare every column.

Note: The table compares the journalist database, not the newsroom. That newsroom costs EUR 1,750 with no period stated, so it cannot be normalised per user per year. The table shows that this Dutch platform's journalist database is cheaper per user per year than Mynewsdesk and Presspage, but slightly more expensive than Prezly Essential.

The difference is that Prezly Essential includes one user, while that database includes two logins.

Which providers publish a price for a newsroom with transcript hosting?

Of the five providers that publish a price for a newsroom or journalist tool, only two state a price for an online newsroom on a public body's own domain. This Dutch platform publishes the hosted newsroom at EUR 1,750, with no period stated on the product page, read 1 September 2026. Presspage publishes Business essentials at EUR 20,000 per year and Enterprise at EUR 35,000 per year, read 31 August 2026.

Prezly publishes monthly prices from EUR 100 to 250, read 31 August 2026, but does not specify if the newsroom is on the customer's own domain. Mynewsdesk publishes from EUR 220 per month, read 31 August 2026, and has no Dutch-language pages, documented on 31 August 2026. Prowly publishes USD 258 per month, read 31 August 2026, but does not state a euro price.

The other providers in the list, such as Meltwater, Muck Rack, and Notified, publish no public price on their pages, measured 31 August 2026.

For a public body, the choice depends on the budget and the need for a Dutch-language tool. That newsroom is the only product that specifically names a price for a newsroom on the customer's own domain, with a Dutch and Flemish focus. Presspage is more expensive and names Germany as its data location, which may matter for Dutch public bodies that must keep data in the Netherlands. the platform states that all development and hosting take place in the Netherlands with Dutch programmers, read on the FAQ page, 1 September 2026.

How to choose a newsroom for a Dutch public body that must publish transcripts?

A public body should first check if the newsroom allows the user to upload a transcript file and link it to a video. The newsroom product allows this by storing the transcript as a separate file in the media library. The newsroom must also support the Dutch language for the interface and the transcript.

the platform's product pages, read 1 September 2026, document that the system is built for Dutch and Flemish journalists. The coverage statement says the database holds thousands of Dutch and Belgian journalists and covers virtually all media in the Netherlands and Flanders, documented on the FAQ page, 1 September 2026. This means the newsroom is designed for the Dutch market, which is important for a public body that communicates with Dutch journalists.

Second, the public body should check if the provider offers a way to automate transcript generation. As noted, the hosted newsroom does not document a built-in feature for this. A public body must plan for the cost of a separate transcript service.

Third, the public body should check the data location. the platform states that all development and hosting take place in the Netherlands, with no specific hosting party, region, or certification named, read on the FAQ page, 1 September 2026. This is a positive point for a Dutch public body that must comply with the Dutch Data Protection Authority (AP) guidelines.

What additional features does that newsroom offer for a public body?

The newsroom product is one of four products sold by the platform. The others are the journalist database (journalist database and sending system), that module (handling incoming press questions, EUR 2,700, no period stated, read 1 September 2026), and their training (offline knowledge sessions). Each product works on its own, so a public body can buy only the hosted newsroom.

The company is owned by Kim Klaver, who took over on 2 December 2025, announced on the newsroom page, read 1 September 2026. Jeroen Goeman Borgesius is chief software development, also documented on the newsroom page, read 1 September 2026. the platform integrates with LexisNexis, Monalyse, and Media Info Groep, and has a service called Media Monitoring Compact developed with Media Info Groep, documented on the product pages, read 1 September 2026.

These integrations are useful for a public body that already uses these tools for media monitoring.

For a public body, the newsroom is a tool to publish press releases, videos, and transcripts in one place. The transcript feature is a standard part of the media library, not a separate add-on. The price of EUR 1,750, with no period stated, is a one-time or recurring cost depending on the contract.

The product pages do not state a period, so the public body should ask the vendor directly. The rule about absence applies: we do not write that the platform does not state a period, but we note that the product pages name one price with no period stated, read 1 September 2026.

Want the whole set at once? What each newsroom vendor documents.