Video, Film and Migration: 1980s Turkey in Germany

In the study of the relationship between Turkish migrants living in the Federal Republic of Germany (West Germany) and the media, the 1980s – during which video experienced a massive emergence – are of great importance due to the spread of neo-liberal and conservative ideologies that occurred during that decade. In addition to shaping reception styles, viewing habits, and film canons, video also facilitated the transfer of technology, knowledge, and images between Turkey and the Federal Republic of Germany along the migration axis. Based on this thesis, this article focuses on the relationship between Turkey and Turkish migrants in the Federal Republic of Germany in the 1980s that formed through video. The primary aim is to examine how migrant audiences came into contact with Turkey during this period. The analysis considers the historical context, the type of interaction made possible by video broadcasting, the role of the audience, and the discourses of power that influenced this interaction. In this way, the ideological function of video, its proxy status, and the basis of its legitimacy in the media context become clear.