This research is based upon a corpus of 5.379 files. Although largely a quantitative survey of dubbed television programmes, the author draws on empirical data to assess the extent to which the objectives set out by the Statute establishing the Basque television broadcaster have been met. The survey also indicates trends in the proportion of programmes devoted to various genres.
Throughout its short history, the Basque language channel ETB-1 has largely relied on foreign programming, especially on foreign entertainment material such as feature movies, popular series and documentaries. In fact, the bulk of ETB television transmissions (40 to 60 per cent) contain foreign programming with most of the foreign programming material being produced in the US, UK and Japan. Most of the programmes which were dubbed were translated from American English. In regard to the content of the programmes, there is little to distinguish it from that found on other channels in Spain.
From its very beginning ETB has had the promotion of Basque culture and identity at the core of its legislation. The Basque television broadcaster has also aimed at contributing to the linguistic normalization of the Basque language or euskera. The author thinks ETB’s Board of Directors has blown the chance of differentiating ETB from the global market. In an increasingly globalised world, ETB should have ensured programmes reflected Basque Country interests. However, the persons in charge of the programme planning seem to have elected to reduce viewers to the condition of mere consumers with programmes coming from the United States being the staple diet. As Michael D. Higgings put it in a paper delivered in New Zealand in 1991, we become victims of the ‘colonisation of the imagination.’
Finally, the author demonstrates that ETB was completely dependent on imported programmes and thus that dubbing for foreign-language programmes became absolutely necessary. He openly criticizes the huge proportion of programmes dubbed by ETB in light of the fact that there was no previous infrastructure in place to successfully tackle the lack of experience in the field of Basque language dubbing. In the final analysis, there was no need to produce such a huge number of dubbed programmes in such great haste. Mistakingly, in the eyes of the author, it seems as if the only way for a Basque television broadcaster to survive was to import foreign programmes, and thus cultural references, on a large scale.