deBuren

In December 2006 the Walloon public broadcaster RTBF shocked viewers by announcing that Flanders had declared independence. It took half an hour before it became known that the statement was false. The programme, entitled Het einde van België, created a wave of reaction that extended far beyond our borders. Emotions were not only stirred up by the subject but also by the use of fictitious reporting. In June 2007 the World Service used the same technique by announcing live on radio that the Netherlands were withdrawing from the EU.

To what extent should the media be allowed to mix fiction and fact? Are the public media allowed to lie and make fools of people just to score points?

Together with the Dutch Embassy, deBuren will be holding a debate between Dutch and Belgian journalists and programme makers on the boundaries of propriety in reporting. The debate will be preceded by a rerun of part of the broadcast. Participants are Siegfried Bracke, Joop Daalmeijer, Christophe Deborsu, Yves Desmet, Alain Gerlache, Christian Laporte, Paul Sneijder and Peter Vandermeersch. The chairman is Felix Meurders.

In association with the Dutch Embassy
www.nederlandseambassade.be