Monitor Diversiteit 2005: Diversiteit als kwaliteitsaspect van de Nederlandse televisie / Diversity Monitor 2005: Diversity as a Quality Aspect of Television in the Netherlands

This article looks into the way in which public-service and commercial television stations in the Netherlands assume their social responsibility towards a pluralist society. They are expected to be 'mirrors of society' and should convey a well-balanced representation of all groups in society. By means of a quantitative analysis the Diversity Monitor charts this (re) presentation of different groups, with particular focus on gender, age and ethnicity. Apart from diversity, and as a subcomponent of the Quality Card. (McKinsey, 2003), the Monitor also reviews innovation as an indicator of programme quality The results reveal a wide diversity of TV programmes in the Netherlands, but diversity as such is no guarantee of a balanced (re)presentation of society at large. Due to selection mechanisms at the side of the broadcaster and the public, what the viewer eventually gets; is at the most a mirror of his or her own group.