Challenged Media Participation of Diasporas: Iranian Productions on Public Access TV Channels in Germany

Abstract

This paper analyses Iranian television production on Public Access TV channels in Germany. It is based on a broader study with qualitative interviews, hermeneutic content analysis of 40 hours of aired TV programs and a ?dense description? of the production background. Iranian immigrants were amongst the most active mother-tongue TV producers on local Public Access Channels (so called ?Open Channels?) since these were first launched in 1984. These non-commercial channels aim to make alternative themes and voices heard in the local public. However, the 9/11 attacks led to increased difficulties of access for immigrants from the Middle East, such as limited airtime and the obligation to translate programs. These measures diminished dramatically the opportunities to present Iranian TV shows on Open Channels. From the perspective of Communication Studies, this paper aims to analyse the intentions and strategies of Iranian immigrant media participation, but also the difficulties of access to the public sphere in Germany.

Policies of media and cultural integration in Germany: From guestworker programmes to a more integrative framework

“…For example, the content of open channels, which constitute a platform for migrant media, has been controlled more strictly after 9/11. The producers have been asked to provide translations for the content broadcast, which has increased their production costs (Horz, 2011). Although the integration plans recognize the important role of minority media, in practice, they are still treated as a potential threat.…”

“…As a result, different immigrant cultural productions emerged, which were also reactions to hostility towards foreigners, as, for example, the Turkish hip-hop culture or Feridun Zaimoğlu’s novels (Stehle, 2012: 171–174). There were also television productions of different migrant groups in the open channels and new ethnic media targeting immigrants to open new markets (Horz, 2011: 360; Weber-Menges, 2006: 129–131). For example, Radyo Metropol FM was founded in 1999 in Berlin as a private German-Turkish radio station broadcasting in Turkish and started to broadcast in other regions with a high Turkish population such as Stuttgart, Koblenz and Mannheim.…”

“…Despite this celebration of diversity in the public and private media sector, there are still problems in the practice of cultural diversity in the media. One of these problems is related to the surveillance of the production of ethnic media, especially after the introduction of the anti-terror laws (Horz, 2011: 359ff). For example, the content of open channels, which constitute a platform for migrant media, has been controlled more strictly after 9/11.…”