Turkish radio broadcasts in The Netherlands: Community Communication or Ethnic Market?

Abstract

With its multi-channel structure, including independent member-based and non-member-based organizations, the Dutch public broadcasting system is arguably a unique example in Europe for preserving diversity in its media landscape. In the Dutch framework there is a particular attention to minority groups in society, offering several models of participation on different scales. This article, part of a wider research project, examines Turkish radio broadcasts in The Netherlands assessing whether those radio stations and programmes are contributing to a participatory debate and to what extent they are reflecting the characteristics typical of community media. These issues are discussed around a number of axes, analysing the main contradictions occurred in community radio practice in recent years, threats of commercialization and ethnic marketing strategies, the Turkish immigrant’s capacity to exist as a community and the increasing decline of multiculturalism policy in The Netherlands in recent years.

Keywords

• multiculturalism in The Netherlands
• Turkish immigrant community
• Community Radio