> I don't understand. Do the Dutch hate their own programmes? Why would they bother making shows they don't want to watch?

Same reason any culture creates art, by choice. Not all art has to be accepted (or forced) and many times the value to its creator and/or a small subset of patrons is enough to justify it.

>> if your culture is so great France and Germany you wouldn't need these subsidies. Netflix is not a public broadcaster.

> I'm not sure they need them, just that it helps promote it

I added more context to the original quote. I assume the original poster didn't mean "subsidies" as financial assistance, but instead misused the word to mean restrictions on foreign content. I think most agree grants for the arts have value due to some forms of art being unsustainable on their own.