US Presidential Elections in Europe

Obama and the Dutch media

The United States of America are every day in the newspaper and on television because of the presidential elections. Also in The Netherlands are these elections in. Yes, all different kind of radio programs have reporters in America. They are making a television program about Obama, five days, fifty minutes, primetime, nonstop Obama, Obama and Obama. Why? What has a little country near the North Sea to deal with a democratic convention in a big country far away? A look into Dutch media.


By GERBEN SOLLEVELD
from Wageningen, The NETHERLANDS


Obama '08 is the program called. Not only this program but for years the discussion in The Netherlands about media is heavy. The major of the society deals with the opinion that especially television is left-winged - 'red coloured' is another word for that. News reports, journals, discussion programs, they are representatives of the political left. Is that true? Programme makers and journalists say: "No, it isn't, we are independent and impartial." "Yes," say critics and researchers. Kind of guests in a talk show, the time to speak for right-winged people is less than others, logo's and design of a program, they deal with the red colour.

A gap to fill

Is Obama '08 an affirmation of what we already knew? 7.30 PM, a very American show starts at one of The Netherlands' public television stations. "This is Obama '08, welcome," Joost Karhof, Dutch television presenter starts the show. During the democratic convention every day an update through this program. It's all about Obama and his supporters. They don't broadcast McCain '08 during his convention. The reason for choosing Obama and not McCain? "We have to fill broadcasting time, otherwise there's a gap," the editor in chief Carel Kuyl convinced everybody. During McCain's convention there's no gap to fill.

Independency

After the kickoff second presenter Prem Radhakishun is talking about Obama: "He must win, he will win and he is the next president of the United States." Is that independent, is that impartial? This is all pro-Obama. This presenter is not a representative of what the Dutch media say they want to be - and they can't be either. Is it possible to say that media can be independent? For example in The Netherlands, the major of all journalists is left-winged. Most of them will vote for Obama and not for McCain. This is an affirmation of what critics said for years. The Dutch media seams to be left-winged. In this country it seems that media can't be independent.

Obama and the Dutch media

What is the real target of broadcasting a program like this? It is The Netherlands, an invisible country compared to the United States of America. The government supports to broadcast this program. - Because the government puts money available for this television station. - Makers of this program can't say that they want to teach the crowd the political system of the USA, because why do they only show the side of Obama? Reports about McCain during his convention this week are short and like other reports. Is it for the Americans who live in the country of the tulips and the red lights? They don't need a Dutch program for their opinion.

Obama and the Dutch media have more in common than McCain. The media have to think about their position in the political network. Many television stations, some newspapers - not all of them - are representatives of what they don't want to be: left-winged. Media have to be independent, to be pro-Obama and pro-McCain, because they are a medium not and a political supporter.

Luckily some of the media are thinking about their position, those who broadcast Obama '08 don't. As Dutch columnist Bart-Jan Spruyt said: "Obama '08 is disgusting and prejudiced." Watch the program? Click this link: http://player.omroep.nl/?aflID=7757121


(Published: 10.09.2008.)