http://www.denieuweomroep.nl

[image:189,right] After four years of struggle with the Dutch ministry of culture De Nieuwe Omroep – The New Broadcasting Network – has finally succeeded. The network has been granted to make 100 hours of television and 450 hours of radio in 2005 on one of the national channels. In the last few years it has been publishing refreshing video reports, articles and weblogs about human rights, environmental issues and global proportions. Focussed on solutions instead of problems, De Nieuwe Omroep strives for practical idealism. “There are so many great initiatives out there”.

In the manifesto that can be found on the website, De Nieuwe Omroep (DNO) gives an idea of what their aims and ideals are. Their basic principles are the fact that the exchange of ideas is at the basis of any development, and that the Dutch public broadcasting networks are not facilitating this exchange. Interactive media like internet, radio and television are the perfect way to map the enormous richness and pluriformity of ideas in the world. DNO gives attention to underexposed issues, signalling items, even if they are not able to elaborate the topics themselves. Simple and straight questions are being asked about complex situations in global politics. Questions that keep the viewers from dozing off.

[image:190,left]The network has the youngest broadcasting director of the Netherlands. Twenty eight year old filmmaker Anna Visser is the new decision maker of DNO. She has a lot in stall: “News and backgrounds that don’t make the papers or the public network and a critical watch of developments that could make this world a lot more liveable. Solution based, participating and critical journalism. It’s not going to be drama television that keeps repeating how terrible the circumstances elsewhere in the world are. It’s sometimes horrifying what happens out there, but there are so many great initiatives worldwide to put a stop to that. De Nieuwe Omroep will prove to be a constructive link in that process.”

So the analysis and criticizing of other – mainstream – media is one of the pillars of DNO’s website along with the rendering of new ideas and solutions to global problems. For background information on issues like globalisation, environment, war journalism and AIDS you can find files concerning these subjects on the site, with uncensored and engaged information. Because of the web-based basis of the network, they will continue to ask the visitors for suggestions on items to produce video reports or articles. DNO represents a new current of people with ‘new idealism’, who think differently and don’t like to be classified into any category. For people who have different demands when as to the information, the message and the entertainment value.

This kind of practical, positive and constructive way of making media unfortunately is a bit frightening for the acclaimed media and thus also for the government. By nailing a manifest to the doors of the Nieuwe Kerk in Amsterdam, the fight for airtime started. This was four years ago. By then, DNO had 86.000 members who supported the initiative. From that moment on, a constant staggering started with the state department of culture. Even when there was a positive advise from the Dutch advise organ for culture, the secretary of state of that time turned down the petition because he thought that DNO wouldn’t contribute anything new to the existing media offer. Finally this year the new secretary of state approved the application and gave De Nieuwe Omroep the status of aspiring broadcasting network. It’s a start.

And by achieving their idealistic goals after a long struggle, this success story fits the DNO profile rather well: it’s a good example of one of the positive, constructivist and solution-based topics of which you can find so many on their website!

By Elda Dorren / Engage! Tactical Media