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PETER ALMA
Peter Alma is a visual artist. Alma was born in 1886 (Medan, Dutch East Indies). He studied at the Academy of Art in The Hague and the Académie Humbert in Paris, where he also met Piet Mondriaan. After this a good friendship developed, after which the two settled in Laren. In 1922 Alma married Brecht Willemse. The marriage was dissolved in 1938. Peter Alma died in Amsterdam at the age of 83.
THE STYLE
Through his friendship with Piet Mondriaan, Alma came into contact with the De Stijl art movement. The members of De Stijl strove for a radical reform in art. This reform is reflected in the primary use of color and the simplest possible design. Although the magazine De Stijl, on which the group name is based, never sold more than 300 copies, the group has had a clear influence on international art.
CAREER
Two major art formations developed during Alma's career. First of all, he was a graphic artist who was often involved in woodwork, such as the linocut. In addition, he has established and exerted his influence on progressive, international reform in the arts.
1st floor
LUCHTVAARTPIONIER J.S.W.VAN DER FEIJST (1904-1935)
Quote from Telegraaf about 3 crashed aircraft in 1935: 'The seven days from 14 to 20 July 1935 will be recorded in the annals of KLM as the black week. Fate has written a merciless triple verdict in “the Wagtail”, “Marabou” and “Jay” about idealism, boldness and zest for life. The searching person braves dangers to open up new possibilities off the beaten track. In the rush of his first successes, he imagines himself King of the skies and pulls a whole nation up with energy and courage to live (...)', according to the newspaper De Telegraaf on Sunday, July 21, 1935, in a large article on the front page under the headline “The KLM hit hard again; de Gaai crashed in Alpenpas”. In the same week, Dutch military aviation also suffered a disaster. In Den Helder, the pilot officer M. Holewijn crashed with his machine and died.
View the collection stories here:
Freedom of speech under attack.
NOS stickers and press freedom
Press freedom has been under pressure for a long time, including in the Netherlands. For example, NOS removed the logos on their satellite vehicles. The stickers are included in the collection of Beeld & Geluid Hilversum.
PRESS FREEDOM UNDER PRESSURE
Press freedom has been under pressure for a long time, including in the Netherlands. For example, NOS removed the logos on their satellite vehicles. The stickers are now included in the collection of Beeld & Geluid Hilversum. An independent press is one of the most important things to maintain a democratic constitutional state because citizens must be able to criticize and investigate the government. The NOS described how the work of their journalists is hindered: “[…] journalists and technicians who are on their way to report [are] confronted with raised middle fingers or swearing. Waste is also thrown at them and vehicles on the road are cut off or blocked.”
The question remains, where does this behavior towards journalists come from? Why do people feel so angry that they make the work of journalists more difficult? Undoubtedly the frustration caused by this pandemic has something to do with this. Journalism has acquired a different reputation because the provision of information about events related to corona constantly affects the reputation of various groups in Dutch society. We are all facing a virus that affects us all. This requires a lot of solidarity from all people living in the Netherlands and places different groups against those who 'do show solidarity' at that moment. In every message it is someone else who is facing the measures regarding the virus, from students to young people, and from religious people to politicians, no one escapes them. As a result, some people blame journalists for highlighting polarizing events, 'shooting the messenger'.
FACTS AND OBJECTIVITY
A journalist 'is' objective, even though there are certain rules and principles that form a manual, the journalist cannot escape human biases. How can journalists show their colours? We already address this problem in our permanent exhibition by discussing various concepts such as image formation and bias.
Ultimately, of course, it is about power: journalists should be objective, and the information is also based on [scientifically] proven facts and hearing both sides. Unfortunately, we cannot ignore the fact that power can be strengthened by facts. All facts are objective in themselves, what happens to facts; who believes it, in whose favor it is, remains a power game. Power relations are nothing new, they have always existed. The fact that journalists are made difficult to do their work is also something that occurs throughout history. Journalists are treated all over the world, and violence is unfortunately no exception.
The idea that news is objective is also refuted by the platforms and politicians who deliberately spread fake news. There are various ways in which misinformation, disinformation and malinformation consciously use aspects that occur in what we call 'objective' news. Important aspects are the style and writing techniques, but also the polarization of groups in society. A fake news report about two groups that are already opposed to each other is easier to believe because it plays on an existing relationship.
Do you want to learn more about fake news and how it can change power relations? Then take a look at Is dat echt zo! Sound & Vision works together with this platform to inform people about fake news and misinformation.
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Caption written by three students Huub, Douwe and Lex during the Museum Youth University at the end of 2021:
“NOS reporter. Robert Bas. He has been taken hostage by the Rotterdam court. October 22, 2019 1:30 PM. Held because he wanted to protect his source, he didn't want to reveal a source. He was released because journalists showed up on the sidewalk. Released October 24. He has now retired as a NOS reporter. He now lives abroad because he was completely done with journalism.”
- Fragment of NOS news, which revolves around the corner
- More experiences of Bas as a reporter
- Bas invoked the right of non-disclosure to protect the professional group of journalists. What does that right entail?
The right that a witness has, on the basis of his family relationship with the suspect or on the basis of his profession, to leave the judge's questions unanswered. A witness may also refrain from giving an answer if doing so would incriminate himself.
Article 13:
1. The secrecy of correspondence is inviolable, except in cases determined by law, by order of the judge.
2. Telephone and telegraph secrecy is inviolable, except in cases determined by law, by or with the authorization of those designated for this purpose by law.
More information follows.
2nd floor
Read the interview with Kees Funke Küpper, photographer, here.
“In the 1960s I worked at Spaarnestad. There was a transmitter and receiver that had contact with news agencies such as United Press. We received news photos from all over the world. I also have the photos here
of Kennedy's assassination.
You had to use every means possible to get your photo to the editor quickly. For example, I heard of a photographer who was in India with a reporter to cover an important cricket match, afterwards carrying the film on the back of a motorcyclist and quickly driving to the airport where a Dutch plane had landed. He handed the roll to the stewardess and at Schiphol someone from the newspaper was ready to receive the roll, who went straight to the newspaper, developed it and the photo was in the newspaper the next day!”
Kees Funke Küpper, photographer
Read the interview with Hans Cornet, Hasselblad.
“Photographers had to lug around this fairly heavy and large device. They were therefore not welcome guests in the hotels where they stayed during their reports. To send photos with the Dixel you needed a modem and a telephone line. So in the hotel rooms telephone wires were often pulled out to connect to it! Still, Hasselblad's video transmitter was a huge step forward in technology. It meant more speed and quality for photography. De Telegraaf was the first in the Netherlands to show interest, after they saw that the French news agency AFP was using the Dixel for reporting on the Tour de France. The ANP soon followed, also to be able to receive images on multiple lines at the same time.”
Hans Cornet, Hasselblad
There has been a development in journalism since the rise of mobile phones and social media. Where a reporter used to have to rush to a newsworthy event with a huge camera to take a picture or video, now every person can document events at the touch of a button. Let alone sending the images. Where this used to be done analogue or via a slow modem, sending photos and videos is now a piece of cake. This phenomenon, in which amateur journalists spread news images of events that people happen to encounter, is called 'citizen journalism' (Huub Evers, Media Ethiek, 2011).
This rise means fierce competition from the traditional journalistic profession. While media channels such as the newspaper or the news have to pay a lot of money to use images from a professional reporter, amateur images can often be shown for a pittance or even for free (Martine Braam, De Nieuwe Reporter, 2015; Reyer Boxem, VillaMedia, 2021) . However, opinions are divided about the rise of citizen journalism and in some cases citizen journalists are diametrically opposed to professional photographers.
ADVANTAGES
An important advantage of citizen journalism is its speed. While a professional photographer often has to leave an editorial office to shoot beautiful images of a newsworthy scene, there are almost always 'citizens' with a cell phone at the ready, coincidentally, on the spot. This allows 'ordinary people' in some cases to spread news faster than traditional reporters.
This speed of citizen journalists is visible, for example, after the crash of US Airways Flight 1549 in the Hudson River in 2009. This controversial photo was taken by a random passer-by and first reached the news via Twitter. A professional photographer could never have published a photo at this speed (Martine Braam, De Nieuwe Reporter, 2015).
We can also see examples of this closer to home. You probably remember the riots against corona measures in January 2021. Many amateur reporters took to the streets to capture images of the incredible events that took place that day and posted them on social media. This way it was possible to quickly get a complete overview of the situation and, as it were, almost be present among the rioters.
In addition to speed, diversity is also an important argument used to indicate the benefits of citizen journalism. According to Mark Deuze, professor of journalism and media at Leiden University, journalists are often highly educated white men. This homogeneity of news producers can usually give a one-sided picture. Through citizen journalism and photography, new, broader and diverse perspectives can emerge in the production of news (Marjolein van Heemstra, Trouw, 2007). A good example of this is the documentation that led to the Black Lives Matter protests in the US. The black man, Eric Garner, is killed by the police as a result of excessive police force.
The images with Eric Garner, made by an amateur, are spread all over the world and show a somewhat unknown image for many, namely the police as aggressor.
In addition, it is also argued that 'mainstream media' follow a certain (political) agenda and that citizen journalists have an objective view because they are not tied to an organization. However, journalists deny this phenomenon and recognize a number of dangers in the rise of citizen journalism.
CONS
Media sociologist from Amsterdam University of Applied Sciences Theo Ploeg also expresses his concerns. Ploeg states that images from a professional journalist always go through an editorial team. These editors assess captured images for ethical and news values, filtering out unethical and shocking images (Marjolein van Heemstra, Trouw, 2007). In citizen journalism, this intermediate step does not exist. Photos and videos that are the subject of debate include the following images taken during the terrorist attack on the Bataclan in Paris in 2015.
In this video you see people fleeing for their lives, screaming for help. Can these images, taken by a bystander, be shared anywhere? Experts say there is a danger of a culture in which bystanders prioritize making exclusive images instead of offering help to people in need (Huub Evers, Media Ethics, 2011). Accidents and situations involving people in need would mainly attract disaster tourists rather than people who want to offer help to victims.
There was also discussion about this in this video.
A citizen journalist films a family getting out of the car in the Beekse mountains, which is expressly prohibited. Here the family is confronted with a dangerous situation. Afterwards, the person who posted the video receives a lot of criticism, why is he filming the family instead of helping them?
Professional photojournalists in particular view developments within citizen journalism with suspicion. Since citizen journalism is faster and cheaper, the question arises: will the photojournalist job still exist in the future? For this reason, many photojournalists from the newsroom look elsewhere. News mediums seem to attach less value to high-quality photos and more often opt for cheap citizen journalist images (Reyer Boxem, Villamedia, 2021). Perhaps the citizen journalist will completely take over the role of professionals in the future, what do you think?
Read the transcript of the letter here.
June 16, 1939
Dear Moes. How are you? I'm fine. Did you know that Hans was engaged to Jan Menssink? Tomorrow they will buy the rings. Jan (shh, that he doesn't hear me calling him Jan) is Wijholt's friend and he studied in Rotterdam. Auntie doesn't give a reception because of the past, she said. He has been Hans' friend for a long time. Uncle is already climbing from one bed to the other. And, oh, Moesje didn't take a children's train ticket for me! Aunt Tietje discovered this when the conductor came and he said that we had to clean up in The Hague to get the money back. When we went to the exit in The Hague to check, they referred us to the Telegraaf bureau. We left the suitcases there for safekeeping for a while. At the Telegraaf bureau it was sorted out and Aunt got 72 ½ cents back! You will get that from Aunt Tietje. There was a terrible old lady on the train (oh, yes, we had the 10.8 one after all!). When after a while her husband came in, she started arguing with him terribly! and it came down to this: when she went to get her shuffle, he (according to her) ran away just to tease her and then got into the tram and went to the train just to annoy her! They bickered like that for quite a while so that Jean and I were still tame. when they were silent for a while, Aunt said to me: “Armistice!” I'll be back on Wednesday at what time I don't know yet. that will be briefed. Greetings from Aunt Bets and lots of kisses from me for everyone (mostly for you, don't let Arend hear it, he's so jealous!) Bye! Kisses from Hannie! Arend will know him! please write back soon!
Would you like to read more about the VOC and postal traffic?
P.C. Korteweg: The V.O.C. stamps, published in “De Philatelist” of 1929, p. 289-336
With a friend who guided God. Dutch-Asian postal transport during the time of the Dutch East India Company (Walburg Pers, Zutphen 1998).
On Saturday, June 19, 2021, a new acquisition was unveiled in the Beeld & Geluid museum in The Hague; the statue of YouTuber and StukTV presenter Thomas van der Vlugt. The statue was central to StukTV's YouTube video, which has been viewed almost 1 million times. After the official moment, Thomas answered some questions from the children present. About the statue: “I think it is special that the statue can now be seen in a museum that is about media and I hope that many people can enjoy it.”
Tom De Smet, ex-director of Image & Sound in The Hague: 'Thomas is one of the best examples of the youngest generation of media makers. With StukTV he independently created a platform with an unprecedented reach. His playful style fits in very well with one of our spearheads; namely, how far can you go with humor and expressing your opinion in the context of press freedom? A current and urgent theme in our society. We hope that the image stimulates the conversation about the power of media.'
Petra Flach of Bodycasting Netherlands is an artist of the image that has been developed at lightning speed. While such an image normally takes months to create, her team has now completed it in 5 days. Petra: 'The statue was only on Museumplein for an hour for the StukTV program and was then removed by the police.' The statue deserves more attention than that. Petra: 'From there the idea arose to give the statue a beautiful location. Sound & Vision in The Hague fits perfectly. The limits of the joke, the link with new media and inspiring young people. It's fantastic that the statue can be given a place here.'
Thomas: 'It was a special experience. This image also has a nice story because it was the conclusion of the 400 dream assignments we worked on for 5 years. We wanted to immortalize it and leave a legacy. Then the idea of the image arose and Bodycasting was approached. Great that the joke of the image has now been unpacked in the museum where new media returns. A museum that makes young people more aware of how media works. I hope that many people can see it here.'
During the opening, one of the young people asked how Thomas started with YouTube. Thomas replied: 'I first wanted to be a comedian and was always the joker in the class. After that I started training to become a cameraman and was able to make a lot of videos. You learn a lot by working with the camera, you can entertain people, make them laugh and you can give people a message. Then I started doing that for myself and started putting videos on YouTube. It has gotten bigger and better and I have learned a lot from watching other videos. Then I met Giel and Stefan and the three of us started making videos. Then things started to escalate!'
The statue will be on display in the museum for at least a year.
VIDEO STUKTV WITH THE STATUE
Watch the video here in which StukTV is immortalized through the statue.
3rd floor
Listen to a few soundbites.
Advertising poster for beneficial family conversations with Aruba, Curaçao, Suriname and Dutch New Guinea. Commissioned by the PTT, Frits Stapel. ca. 1960. Collection | Collection: Image & Sound