Eight Dutch public broadcasters are planning an online television channel aimed at helping refugees, immigrants and expats find out more about the Dutch language, culture and history.

The channel will be called Net in Nederland, a pun on the word net, which means just as well as being a short form of internet.

Programmes such as current affairs show Zembla and the Keuringdienst van Waarde, as well as drama series such as Spangas, will be subtitled in Dutch, English and Arabic, the Volkskrant said. Religious and other sensibilities will not be taken into account, VPRO director Lennart van der Meulen, who came up with the idea, told the paper.

‘The aim is to realise a sustainable platform where newcomers can find out about the story of the Netherlands,’ the broadcasters said in a press release. ‘A selection of public broadcaster offerings will give insight into our Dutch history, use of language, written and unwritten rules and idiosyncrasies.’

The platform, which will cost an estimated €500,000 a year to run, will be financed by the broadcasters themselves.

The culture ministry must first give its approval for the project to go ahead.