Holland on the slide:Celebrating the nation on television

Based upon field research, interviews with participants and audience surveys, this paper shows how the Dutch game show Te Land ter Zee en in de Lucht is intertwined with other, non-mediated forms of entertainment. For its participants, this programme is part of a wider festive repertoire which celebrates and expresses a group identity. For the audience, the ritualized media use surrounding the programme provides an opportunity to create and experience an imagined, national community.