‘Dirting turk’ and the N word: VTM will not omit episodes ‘Lili and Marleen’ when re-broadcasts. “That they do dare to scrap what VRT is scraping now is the only correct decision”

VTM will not omit the controversial episodes of ‘Lili and Marleen’ when they are re-broadcast. The broadcaster states that they will not follow the example of VRT, which has decided to remove certain scenes from the series due to racist content.

“That they do dare to scrap what VRT is scraping now is the only correct decision,” says DPG Media CEO Kris Van Dijck in an interview with De Tijd. He believes that removing scenes is a form of rewriting history. “You should show things as they were, even if they are painful.”

The episodes in question contain problematic language and stereotypes, including the use of the derogatory term “dirting Turk” and the N-word. VRT recently announced that it would edit these scenes out of the re-broadcasts on Canvas, sparking a debate about censorship and past accuracy.

Van Dijck argues that viewers are capable of understanding the historical context and that removing the offensive content would be a disservice to the audience.He emphasizes the importance of acknowledging the past, even the uncomfortable parts, in order to learn from it.

VTMS decision to retain the original episodes is highly likely to further fuel the ongoing discussion about how to deal with problematic content in older television programs. The broadcaster believes that open dialog and critical reflection are more valuable than simply erasing the past.