'Global or Local?'

To make a case for cultural diversity of television – that the cultural dialogue is as important for mankind as bio-diversity for nature (UNESCO) – I examined how national public broadcasting relates to the provision of various different voices, beliefs and ideas in the context of global market integration. Not by examining the actual content of specific channels or broadcasters to determine how it is, but by a more philosophical examination on how it should be. Thus for understanding how national public broadcasting relates to cultural diversity or should relate to cultural diversity, the thesis looks at documents that reflect on cultural diversity or are connected to the topic (often in a rather ideological sense). With the presumption that cultural diversity is particularly concerning public and human interest, documents were drawn from public sources presenting positions on the issue and which are – to my understanding – influential regarding cultural diversity and public broadcasting. My analysis on how the Netherlands interprets and perceives cultural diversity and public television broadcasting is compared with the Canadian situation. I argued that both countries, due to historical events, contain various different viewpoints and beliefs – often cultural or ethical – which are in principle reflected by their democratic stance and the constitution of the freedom of expression and reception. The question how cultural diversity or the range of various voices should be provided consequently became subject to my enquiry. Even though I encountered a broad scope of various positions they are related to efforts of liberalization on one hand and protection on the other. Ironically and even though they are interpreted as opposite perspectives, liberalization and protectionism are in theory both able to provide, maintain or safeguard cultural diversity. The theoretical part deconstructs the dominant neo-liberal ideology, explains that protectionism suffers from a bad reputation and that this cannot be an argument to exclude protectionist measures upfront from the discussion on how to sustain cultural diversity on national public television. I explain that diversity within a country itself and protecting it is a legitimate argument not to commit to (trade) agreements as proposed by for instance WTO. From my perspective free trade does not provide freedom of expression and cultural diversity per se. Because cultural diversity within societies also connects to social cohesion and a shares sense of identity, I make a case that a sovereign country like the Netherlands should be able to determine its own prosperity, especially regarding audiovisual products that as cultural goods create value and meaning. Whether the audiovisual market and public television in particular, should be directed towards a global context to provide cultural diversity or not, thus explains the title ‘Global or Local?’ But since I never meant to provide the ultimate solution, this question was particularly raised for policy- and decision-makers to answer. The purpose of this thesis is to provide – in a globalizing world – ammunition and other than neo-liberal/hardcore economic arguments to advance social and cultural values of cultural diversity.