Representation of ethnic Representation of ethnic minorities in television newsminorities in television news

University Ghent, BelgiumUniversity Ghent, Belgium

Faculty of Communication SciencesFaculty of Communication Sciences

INTRODUCTIONINTRODUCTION

AimAim: to analyse in what way : to analyse in what way ethnic minorities are represented ethnic minorities are represented in the mediain the media

VTM (private broadcasting) and VTM (private broadcasting) and TV1 (public broadcasting)TV1 (public broadcasting)

Why television news?Why television news?

Social function: Social function:

construction of realityconstruction of reality

- No direct contact with ethnic minoritiesNo direct contact with ethnic minorities

- Key role of the mediaKey role of the media

- Great confidence in newsGreat confidence in news

Results from other studiesResults from other studies

Negative stereotypingNegative stereotyping

GeneralizationGeneralization

Lack of background Lack of background

Economic importance of migration? Economic importance of migration?

Hardly no time to speakHardly no time to speak

SourceSource: D’Haenens, L. & Saeys, F. (1996): D’Haenens, L. & Saeys, F. (1996)

RESEARCH QUESTIONS (4)RESEARCH QUESTIONS (4)

QuestionsQuestions

To what extend are non-natives To what extend are non-natives represented in the television news? represented in the television news?

Are immigrants sufficiently quoted in the Are immigrants sufficiently quoted in the newscasts?newscasts?

How are immigrants represented? How are immigrants represented?

Are there any differences between the Are there any differences between the public and private broadcaster?public and private broadcaster?

1.1. To what extend are non-To what extend are non-natives represented in TV-natives represented in TV-

news? news?

Average number of items per Average number of items per newscast? newscast?

Average length of items?Average length of items?

Subjects?Subjects?

2. Are immigrants sufficiently 2. Are immigrants sufficiently quoted in newscasts? quoted in newscasts?

Proportion Proportion

ethnic minorities – natives?ethnic minorities – natives?

Subjects?Subjects?

Talk ABOUT / with? Talk ABOUT / with?

3. How are ethnic minorities 3. How are ethnic minorities represented? represented?

Group versus individual?Group versus individual?

4. Are there differences between 4. Are there differences between the public and the private the public and the private

broadcaster?broadcaster?

Number of items related to ethnic Number of items related to ethnic minorities?minorities?

Subjects?Subjects?

Interviews?Interviews?

Generalizations? Generalizations?

METHODOLOGICAL METHODOLOGICAL FRAMEWORKFRAMEWORK

Systematic quantitive content Systematic quantitive content analysisanalysis

Observation instrumentObservation instrument

SampleSample

Training in encodingTraining in encoding

Data gatheringData gathering

Observation instrumentObservation instrument

Coding bookCoding book

SampleSample

7 o’clock newscasts of the Flemish 7 o’clock newscasts of the Flemish channels TV1 and VTMchannels TV1 and VTM

4 artificial weeks4 artificial weeks

DataData

= Main news TV1 & VTM= Main news TV1 & VTM

- 56 journals :56 journals : 28 TV128 TV128 VTM28 VTM

- 55 items : 55 items : 30 TV130 TV125 VTM25 VTM

44

NON-NATIVES:NON-NATIVES:

““People who are not originated from People who are not originated from West-European countries and/or West-European countries and/or children of these people who are children of these people who are

currently living in Belgium, currently living in Belgium, permanent or not, legal or illegal.”permanent or not, legal or illegal.”

IMPORTANT:IMPORTANT:

55 items are too few to generalize the 55 items are too few to generalize the resultsresults

Nevertheless, in relation to other Nevertheless, in relation to other studies, our results are a good studies, our results are a good

indicationindication

Coding trainingCoding training

How to use the research instrument?How to use the research instrument?

Test and clearify the coding bookTest and clearify the coding book

Data collection Data collection

Problem: SUBJECTIVITY: different Problem: SUBJECTIVITY: different

interpretations by monitors interpretations by monitors Example: racist origin of violence?Example: racist origin of violence?

RESULTS & CONCLUSIONSRESULTS & CONCLUSIONS

Results analysis: question 1Results analysis: question 1

Attention for ethnic minoritiesAttention for ethnic minorities

Average 1,3 items related to ethnic minorities per Average 1,3 items related to ethnic minorities per newsnews

Crime, Justitice and ControlCrime, Justitice and Control

Almost 60% of the topics are related to ethnic Almost 60% of the topics are related to ethnic minoritiesminorities

~ refugee problems/ asylum seekers~ refugee problems/ asylum seekers

40% main topics40% main topics

Results analysis: question 2Results analysis: question 2

Speaking time ethnic minoritiesSpeaking time ethnic minorities

32,4% of the interviewees are immigrants32,4% of the interviewees are immigrants~ population figures~ population figures

Lack of diversity in the subjectsLack of diversity in the subjectsMainly speaking time about Mainly speaking time about

subjects associated with ethnic minoritiessubjects associated with ethnic minorities

They talk ABOUT (instead of with) themThey talk ABOUT (instead of with) them

Results analysis: question 3Results analysis: question 3

Ethnic minorities portrayedEthnic minorities portrayed

> 50% present in immigrant related items> 50% present in immigrant related items

Represented as:Represented as:- Individual: Individual: 39.5%39.5%- Group: Group: 41.5%41.5%

~ Risk of creating “us” versus “the other”~ Risk of creating “us” versus “the other”

Results analysis: question 4Results analysis: question 4

Public versus private broadcastingPublic versus private broadcasting

Equal number of items related to ethnic Equal number of items related to ethnic minoritiesminorities

TV1: more equally divided between the TV1: more equally divided between the newscastsnewscasts

Subjects: “crime, law and regulation”Subjects: “crime, law and regulation”~ general tendency~ general tendency

TV1 interviews more ethnic minorities TV1 interviews more ethnic minorities TV1: 40,6% TV1: 40,6% VTM: 21,9%VTM: 21,9%

VTM (45,8%) approaches non-natives VTM (45,8%) approaches non-natives more often as individuals (TV1: 34,5%)more often as individuals (TV1: 34,5%)

~ VRT: 13,3% unclear ~ VRT: 13,3% unclear

equal representation? equal representation?

ILLUSTRATIONSILLUSTRATIONS

1.1. CrimeCrime(TV1 & VTM, 21/11/2003; VTM, 26/09/2003; VTM, 16/01/2004)(TV1 & VTM, 21/11/2003; VTM, 26/09/2003; VTM, 16/01/2004)

Ethnic minorities as criminalsEthnic minorities as criminals

Nationality is mentionedNationality is mentioned

Lack of backgroundLack of background

2. Illegals2. Illegals(TV1, 05/11/2003)(TV1, 05/11/2003)

Subjects associated with ethnic minoritiesSubjects associated with ethnic minorities

Share in speaking time ethnic minorities – nativesShare in speaking time ethnic minorities – natives~Language Problem~Language Problem

Superficial questionsSuperficial questions

Approached as a groupApproached as a group

No backgroundNo background

3. Migration3. Migration(TV1, 27/02/2004)(TV1, 27/02/2004)

Subject associated with ethnic minoritiesSubject associated with ethnic minorities

Stereotypical imageStereotypical image

GeneralizationGeneralization

Kind of questionsKind of questions

4. Sacrificial feast4. Sacrificial feast(VTM, 01/02/2004)(VTM, 01/02/2004)

POSITIVE: correct representationPOSITIVE: correct representation

RECOMMENDATIONSRECOMMENDATIONS

Do mention origin or nationality only Do mention origin or nationality only if relevantif relevant

Risk for stigma “us” and “them” Risk for stigma “us” and “them”

Integration of ethnic minorities in Integration of ethnic minorities in mainstream media coveragemainstream media coverage