Migrapolis

Migrapolis (1997- ) is a Norwegian award winning TV programme about the everyday lives of immigrants to Norway since 1997.

The programme's theme is multi-cultural Norway and it contains interviews with people of a different background than Norwegian. Migrapolis focuses on problems and cultural differences faced by immigrants to Norway. Its goal is to spotlight the positive and negative sides of the internationalisation of Norway. Earlier, the programme featured a multi-lingual news section with news in Vietnamese, Somali, Urdu and other languages. This has since been dropped.

In 2007 Migrapolis won Gullruten (the equivalent of the American Emmy award), for best show in the category of lifestyle programs.

In 2009 Migrapolis received an award for building bridges between people in Norway. The organisation " Norske Kirkeakademier" rewarded the television show for challenging prejudices in the Norwegian society and for showing how divers the minorities in the country are.

Migrapolis is on air every Wednesday on prime time. The show rates in average over 300 000 pr episode. This represents one third of the viewing audience when the program is aired.

The editorial staff represents a variety of different cultural and religious backgrounds.

Today Migrapolis is also a weekly radio show hosted by Dang Trinh.

Comments in Norwegian media

The programme has made itself obsolete because it does not understand that the average Norwegian is a multicultural person. In the same way that 'new Norwegians' no longer need to isolate themselves it is no reason why they should do this on TV. Many people feel that the programme has fallen down because no one dares question quality as long as an immigrant is involved. Norwegians are too afraid of confrontation to do this. After all, the programme contains a strong general enlightening intention. On the other hand it contains a confusing mix of professional and unprofessional hosts, its production is cheap, and it is visually boring. More or less untouched Migrapolis has been allowed to continue regardless of budget cuts, criticism, low ratings and the fact that it has been moved around on the NRK schedule so often that hardly anyone knows when it is on. As a conclusion this gives an insight to NRK's unserious treatment of the programme. It is a treatment that sends strong signals of indifference and a fear of being politically incorrect by shutting the whole thing down. (Source:Aftenposten 25 September 2003, translated from the Norwegian language)