The Danish Broadcasting Corporation signs pro-Christian deal

The “Christian cultural heritage” receives special mention in 4-year agreement

The centre-right government of Denmark recently signed a 4-year agreement with the Danish Broadcasting Corporation (DBC) that includes the commitment “to place special emphasis on mediating the Danish cultural heritage, including the Christian cultural heritage.” Compared to the 2007-2010 agreement the last five words are new. They have set the cat among the pigeons in the current political climate, where 2 parties form a socialist bloc and 2 form a conservative (government) bloc – and there is a general election due this year. The socialists are promising/threatening to overturn the agreement if they are returned to power.

 

Minister for Culture, Per Stig Moeller (Conservative) argues: “We have stressed that Christianity is part of our cultural heritage and that this should be reflected in the range of programmes.” A clarifying note to the agreement adds that this “includes coverage of morning services and Christian festivals.”

 

Knowledge of Christianity’s imprint is important

The agreement is strongly supported by Tove Videbaek, former Christian Democrat and now a prospective Conservative candidate, who told Herning Folkeblad: “Coverage of Christian festivals ought to be a matter of course in a country that has called itself ‘Christian’ for centuries and which has a rich Christian heritage that forms part of our Danish identity. It’s also important because many Danes, including DBC staff, are increasingly living without a historical awareness and with a prejudiced and limited knowledge of Christianity’s imprint on our culture and heritage.”

 

DBC’s Director of Culture, Morten Hesseldahl, spoke to the Christian Daily: “Tradition is wiser than the individual... The Christian tradition can form a greater part of the major cultural programmes than at present as well as have its own niches... In principle it’s possible to include it in all types of programmes, such as the annual TV Christmas Calendar for children, which explains what Christianity is about.”

 

Other heritage areas equally important

Opposition to the new agreement revolves around the five new words: “including the Christian cultural heritage.” Media spokesman for the Socialist People’s Party, Holger K. Nielsen, says the 5-word addition constitutes a reactionary view of culture that excludes other religions. Meanwhile Social Democrat media spokesman, Mogens Jensen, argues that other areas of the Danish cultural heritage, such as democracy, are of equal importance: “When we gain power, I expect us to sign a new media agreement in which ‘including the Christian cultural heritage’ is deleted.”

 

By: Edward Broadbridge

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