Page - 113 - in Media – Migration – Integration - European and North American Perspectives

Leen d’Haenens | Whither Cultural Diversity on the Dutch TV Screen? 113 Finally the subject of a series can exert some influence in that diversity is not always self-evident. In “I am Willem” a white little boy is being followed; in “Children No Objection” a white mother and father with white kids are presented, and the series “The band” is about five white band members. Only in the first series the makers have tried to bring in some secondary characters of colour. In the other two nothing of the like has happened. In the other series, the subject lent itself better to ethnic diversity: “On the Way to Tomorrow” is about youngsters in a big city and “Van Speijk” evolves in and around a multicultural area in Amsterdam. In “Good Times Bad Times” multiculturalism is brought up in the context of (extended) family lines. Because life in Amsterdam is like that. That is why we have introduced Hicham, a Moroccan boy who is very popular and cute but also behaving very badly… (“On the Way to Tomorrow”) Amsterdam West, where the series evolves, is a Turkish bulwark, that is why we casted a Turk, but also in real life the police force has tried to hire a lot of allochtones in order to work well in these areas. (“Van Speijck”) Overall, the in-depth interviews made it clear that the program makers are at all times conscious about the impact multiculturalism and ethnic diversity may have when chosen as topics in TV content. In their daily work they tend to reflect a great deal about the social responsibility issue. They also pointed out that the societal climate plays a central role in their decision-making about visualizations of multiculturalism and ethnic diversity. But ideas are diverging: the producer of “Good Times Bad Times” thinks he is above all making a fiction program and therefore he believes it is up to the viewer to decide whether to go along with the story or not. The maker of “On the Way to Tomorrow” does find herself fulfilling a social responsibility. The danger of political correctness was brought up several times in the interviews, but it remained unclear what political correctness precisely is and consequently, what a realistic account of society is or should be. In fact, it is seen as the potential death of diversity. Visualizing ethnicity is considered clearly as a conflict variable in the production of fiction, given that it is socially loaded. 5. Conclusion Overall, the in-depth interviews made it clear that the program makers are at all times conscious about the impact multiculturalism and ethnic diversity may have when chosen as topics in TV content. In their daily work they tend to