Press Coverage

The sense of shock over the terrorist attacks on the World Trade Center and the Pentagon was great in the Netherlands, and both printed and broadcast news expressed great sympathy for the victims, their families and friends. Reports also focussed on many explicit condemnations of the attacks, ranging from the Prime Minister's address to the nation to statements made by Islamic leaders in the Netherlands. Just as in other European Union nations, three minutes of silence were observed on Friday, 14 September. This was unprecedented, and not only were people silent, but all traffic stopped, all broadcasts were silenced, etc.

Thousands of people spontaneously came to the American embassy in The Hague and the consulate in Amsterdam to offer their condolances. Memorial services were held, and members of the Dutch government and the Royal Family joined in with the public. Many older people remembered with gratitude America's role in liberating the Netherlands in World War II. However, there were also reports of demonstrations of joy from small groups of Moroccan and Turkish children, causing some furious - almost racist - reactions. Although strongly condemming these activities, there was some understanding of the demonstrations of joy from Palestinian supporters because of the ongoing war there and the US's role as a supporter of Israel. Several attacks on Moslims in the Netherlands were reported, and were roundly condemned by officials and the public alike.

Extensive press coverage was given to the reactions from other countries - from the activities of neighboring countries such as Germany, France and the UK, to Arafat's donation of blood for the victims, to the reactions in countries such as Israel or Indonesia. The coverage emphasized the global impact of the events in the US, and stressed that international prayers and sympathy were being directed towards the victims and their loved ones.

During the first two days of coverage, two of the three public television stations devoted full coverage to the events, one with Dutch coverage and comments, the other with material from CNN and the BBC (British Broadcast Company) for those people who did not have cable television. Newspapers commented on the coverage, preferring the more "in-depth" analysis of the BBC to the "who-dunnit" approach of CNN. Both television and printed reports called upon university and research institute experts for interviews and opinions. In general, Dutch television offered a much broader international approach to the problems than the American networks. More recently, the Dutch press has been unified in its calls upon President Bush for reflection and moderation in response to the terrorists. The nature of the problem does not lend itself to traditional military solutions, and some called for a reconsideration of the US's military role in certain international affairs, particularly its support of dictatorships in the Middle East.

Many children were anxious over the fact that this kind of attack could happen anywhere, even potentially in the Netherlands. Thus, the public broadcasters carried special news coverage for young children. In addition, plans are afoot to construct a special web site for children, providing them with background and insights that relate to their own experience. (As of this writing, the site is not up).

Impressions: 11-15 September

• The attack on WTC and Pentagon was not just perceived as an attack on the symbols of the US, but also as an attack on the West's "open, democratic, multicultural and tolerant society."
• True, the WTC can be taken as a symbol for America, but the word 'world' in World Trade Center should also be taken literally: people with 32 different nationalities worked and died there, so it is indeed an attack on the world.
• The Dutch government fully supports the US, but Prime Minister Kok urged the Americans to react in accordance with the principles and values of western democracy. There is growing concern over America's 'war' declarations.
• Press commentators were not impressed with President Bush's first reactions, particularly his long delay in returning to Washington; however, they see him as "growing into his job."
• Commentators express a growing concern over the American responses and language - the new war - and the implications of Article 5 of NATO: one should first know who the enemy is, and how to respond against de-territorialized terrorists. There was also concern also over the_ _carte blanche__ given to the US military. Europe and the world may not yet realize the full implications of what is now happening in the US.
• The U.S. is building up a political coalition - necessary because of the large scale of retaliation - for the first war of the 21st century. Europe will have to consider its role in this situation very carefully particularly since President Bush won't accept a compromise. The perception is that Bush will measure Europe's sincerity and loyality by the way they stand behind him
• Commentators are concerned over the policy of the U.S. towards Pakistan - and the strong potential of destabilizing the already delicate position of the government by forcing it to be either friend or foe.
• In a public opnion poll released on 14 September, 75% of the Dutch supported Dutch involment in an American/NATO military response, even though 50% feared that this would come back to haunt the Netherlands.
• Finally, many commentators asked for honest self-reflection on the part of the US and the rest of the Western world about their role and attitude towards other parts of the world, especially the Middle East. We have to find out what drives people to take actions of this sort. Some defined the problems as a conflict between the first and the third world, between the haves and have-nots. Marja is a Visiting Scholar in Comparative Media Studies at MIT from the Department of History at the Erasmus University Rotterdam, Netherlands.

About the Netherlands

The Netherlands is a small prosperous Western European nation located along the North Sea and bordering both Germany and Belgium. Its capital is Amsterdam. The Netherlands is a member of the European Union and NATO. It is a traditional - and sometimes critical - ally of the US.

The country has approximately 16 million inhabitants. Its minorities come mainly from Surinam and the Netherlands Antilles/Aruba, Morocco, and Turkey, and its main religions are Christianity and (among many minorities) Islam.

About Dutch Media

Televison and radio broadcasting: The Dutch have a mixed public and commercial broadcasting environment. The strong tradition of public television and radio gives different political, religious, and social groups the right to produce and broadcast programming of their choice. News, however, is coordinated by the various public broadcasting companies. The country also has commercial broadcasting service, similar to the United States. Cable television carries stations from Britain, France, Germany, the US, Belgium, Italy, Turkey and so on. Many Turks and Moroccans also have satellite dishes and receive direct broadcasts from their home countries.

Newspapers: The Dutch newspapers are generally broad in their coverage and centerist in their political orientation, with socialist or conservative accents. The Netherlands does not have tabloid dailies. The most important newspapers are de Volkskrant, de Telegraaf, Algemeen Dagblad, the NRC, Trouw, and Het Parool. 90% of the circulation is by subscription.

Although small, the Netherlands has a long history of international investment and trade. As a result, international news coverage tends to be quite extensive, particularly regarding the US, Europe, and the Middle East. Most of the population can speak and read English in addition to other languages.

Related Links

• NRC-Handelsblad
• de Volkskrant
• het Parool
• Radio Netherlands (English language site)
• Statistical Background on the Netherlands (English language site)
• Dutch Embassy

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