German TV neglects Turkish minority

28 June 2007

Hamburg (dpa) – Ethnic Turks comprise the largest minority in Germany but the nation’s powerful TV networks fail to cater to the needs of the 2.5 million Turks residents there.

A recent study carried out by a German research institute has found that more than half of Turkish people living in Germany watch Turkish television channels and television series, highlighting integration problems of German Turks.

“This is more than an integration problem. Over 90 per cent of Turks living in Germany have an access to Turkish television channels via dish antennas or satellites. Turkey is one of the most prolific purveyors of television, offering about 100 TV networks,” according to Faruk Sen, director of the Centre for Turkish Studies in Essen, Germany.

“Turks are following Turkish television broadcasts especially in the evenings because German television channels are neglecting the Turkish population,” Sen said.

Sen drew attention to similarities between the recent survey and his centre’s survey that was carried out last year. He said that Turks mostly prefer to watch television series aired on private Turkish television channels including Kanal D, ATV and Show TV.

“German television channels are neglecting foreigners living in the country and this, coupled with the erroneous policies pursued by the German government, is an issue that pushes Turks to embrace the broadcasts from their homeland,” Sen said.

According to Sen, eight Turkish daily newspapers are published in Germany. Their total circulation is approximately 300,000.

“This reveals that the diaspora is showing a growing interest in the events and developments taking place in their home countries,” Sen explained.

Sen also referred to the past broadcasts made for the Turkish population by German television channels and said that Turkish- language programming was scheduled for the early morning or for weekends.

“German television stations used to broadcast 30-minute long programmes for the Turkish community in the 1990s, starting at 8:15 a.m. on Saturdays,” he said. “But as many of the Turks are workers, just like Germans, they go to bed late on Fridays, and are thus unable to watch television early in the morning.”

Thousands of “Gastarbeiter,” (guest workers) immigrated to Germany from Turkey in the 1960s, which helped fuel Germany’s post-war economic miracle. About 1.8 million Turks with Turkish nationality live in Germany today, while another 700,000 Turks are first and second generation German citizens.

The German government led by conservative Angela Merkel is exploring ways of improving the integration of immigrants into the German society.

DPA

Subject: German news