TIDE
By Becky Tan

TIDE is a local television station which features hometown events and music and interviews with residents, including some discussions in languages other than German, e.g., Turkish, English and Spanish. Also, TIDE is a popular radio station – just dial 96.0.

The radio journalist  André Itjes and film expert Jan-Barra Hentschel covered the film festival under the title “urbanissimo! Projektor” in the festival tent on five afternoons. They recommended films (e.g., Wild Tales, Titli, Mommy,  Life in a Fish Bowl, Whiplash, and Miss Julie). They talked with directors such as Veit Helmer, (director of the wonderful children’s film Quatsch und die Nasenbärbande) and actors, e.g., Bruno Führmann, who also played in this children’s film. They talked with director Lars Becker of the TV film Nachtsicht: Wir sind alle keine Engel. They interviewed our journalist colleague Michael Spangenberg, the creator and film critic of www.nochnfilm.de.

Between each segment of commentary they switched over to popular music, often music related to film in some way. I was so impressed with the ease that they spouted information, put a DVD into the music player, and changed to the next topic, non-stop over two hours at a time.

TIDE celebrated its 10th anniversary this year. Besides regular TV and radio programs, It is open to helping people learn about the business. They welcome young people as apprentices, show them the ropes and let them produce their own programs. They have workshops during school holidays.

Three years ago, a colleague, Jörg Sievers, arranged for Shelly Schoeneshoefer, Marinell Haegelin, and me to spend an afternoon at the TIDE TV/radio station at Finkenau 35 in Hamburg. Nils Krause patiently shows us all the equipment and we watched some programs in action and preparation for others. We were encouraged to work out an English-language program; they would support it and we would have an opportunity to show off our talents as radio journalists. So far we three haven’t developed such a concept, but the offer is there, in case any of you readers think there should be some kind of American program in English offered to Hamburgers. It’s an amazing opportunity. For more information, especially if you think your kids would like to participate in a workshop, go to www.tidenet.de.