Digitaal Debat Beeldvorming
www.beeldvorming.net
The bureau Migranten & Media originates from the
Nederlandse Vereniging van Journalisten (“Dutch Association of Journalists”) and
organizes debates/discussions and guest lectures, and prepares (research)
publications about imaging in the media about migrants. When formulating new
journalistic ethics one needs a lively debate within the professional group.
With a growing number of mature Surinam, Turkish and Moroccan Dutchmen the
notion of Dutch identity is going to change. In this the media fulfil a pivotal
role. Stimulating the debate about new journalistic ethics (norms and values) in
the Netherlands is of crucial importance. It appears that there is a great need
for such a debate among journalists. With the help of Digitale Pioniers a
discussion application has been built, rules have been drafted, and moderators
have been appointed.
Final Products
The organization is content with the present website(functionality, speed, offered content, and 180 daily
visitors on average). The guestbook invites discussion, not only for the roughly
10,000 members of NVJ, but for a broader audience as well. From August 2003
until July 2004 a forum was in use with a new proposition almost weekly. The
results are grouped by theme and are accessible via the website.
Impact
The first quote was by Sadik Harchaoui, director of Forum,
an institute for multi-cultural development: “Journalists don’t try hard enough
to find other migrant spokesmen than the usual five names on their list”. The
responses varied from putting things in perspective (“By the way, the dr. Clavan
[famous fake expert on foreign affairs in satirical television show] effect is a
general phenomenon among the media, and applies to almost all themes.”) to
confirmation (“Often these spokesmen are very satisfied with themselves (..) I
also ascertain that these spokesmen don’t represent at all the community in
whose name they speak.”). There was quite a lot of response by journalists and
spokesmen to the first four quotes. After the first month the response
decreased. The reactions that were mailed, were relevant, but their number was
disappointing. Moderator Olaf Stomp is a journalist and “columnist” for the
U-Magazine and Contrast, among others. He compares the decrease with the fear
for a blank sheet of paper: people don’t dare anymore. The next moderator, Hasan
Evrengun, editor of Premtime and the Historisch Nieuwsblad, wanted to direct the
debate a little bit by inviting for instance chief editors, like Hans Laroes, to
respond to the quotes.
Contactgegevens
NVJ-bureau Migranten en Media
Monique Doppert
www.beeldvorming.net
