Representation of ethnic minorities in television news University Ghent, Belgium Faculty of Communication Sciences

INTRODUCTION

Aim: to analyse in what way ethnic minorities are represented in the media Aim: to analyse in what way ethnic minorities are represented in the media VTM (private broadcasting) and TV1 (public broadcasting) VTM (private broadcasting) and TV1 (public broadcasting)

Why television news? Social function: construction of reality - No direct contact with ethnic minorities - Key role of the media - Great confidence in news

Results from other studies Negative stereotyping Negative stereotyping Generalization Generalization Lack of background Lack of background Economic importance of migration? Economic importance of migration? Hardly no time to speak Hardly no time to speak Source: DHaenens, L. & Saeys, F. (1996)

RESEARCH QUESTIONS (4)

Questions To what extend are non-natives represented in the television news? To what extend are non-natives represented in the television news? Are immigrants sufficiently quoted in the newscasts? Are immigrants sufficiently quoted in the newscasts? How are immigrants represented? How are immigrants represented? Are there any differences between the public and private broadcaster? Are there any differences between the public and private broadcaster?

1.To what extend are non- natives represented in TV- news? Average number of items per newscast? Average number of items per newscast? Average length of items? Average length of items? Subjects? Subjects?

2. Are immigrants sufficiently quoted in newscasts? Proportion Proportion ethnic minorities – natives? Subjects? Subjects? Talk ABOUT / with? Talk ABOUT / with?

3. How are ethnic minorities represented? Group versus individual? Group versus individual?

4. Are there differences between the public and the private broadcaster? Number of items related to ethnic minorities? Number of items related to ethnic minorities? Subjects? Subjects? Interviews? Interviews? Generalizations? Generalizations?

METHODOLOGICAL FRAMEWORK

Systematic quantitive content analysis Observation instrument Observation instrument Sample Sample Training in encoding Training in encoding Data gathering Data gathering

Observation instrument Coding book

Sample 7 oclock newscasts of the Flemish channels TV1 and VTM 7 oclock newscasts of the Flemish channels TV1 and VTM 4 artificial weeks 4 artificial weeks

Data = Main news TV1 & VTM - 56 journals :28 TV1 28 VTM - 55 items : 30 TV1 25 VTM

4 NON-NATIVES: People who are not originated from West-European countries and/or children of these people who are currently living in Belgium, permanent or not, legal or illegal.

IMPORTANT: 55 items are too few to generalize the results Nevertheless, in relation to other studies, our results are a good indication

Coding training How to use the research instrument? How to use the research instrument? Test and clearify the coding book Test and clearify the coding book

Data collection Problem: SUBJECTIVITY: different interpretations by monitors Example: racist origin of violence?

RESULTS & CONCLUSIONS

Results analysis: question 1 Attention for ethnic minorities Average 1,3 items related to ethnic minorities per news Average 1,3 items related to ethnic minorities per news Crime, Justitice and Control Crime, Justitice and Control Almost 60% of the topics are related to ethnic minorities Almost 60% of the topics are related to ethnic minorities ~ refugee problems/ asylum seekers 40% main topics 40% main topics

Results analysis: question 2 Speaking time ethnic minorities 32,4% of the interviewees are immigrants 32,4% of the interviewees are immigrants ~ population figures Lack of diversity in the subjects Lack of diversity in the subjects Mainly speaking time about subjects associated with ethnic minorities They talk ABOUT (instead of with) them They talk ABOUT (instead of with) them

Results analysis: question 3 Ethnic minorities portrayed > 50% present in immigrant related items > 50% present in immigrant related items Represented as: Represented as: -Individual: 39.5% -Group: 41.5% ~ Risk of creating us versus the other

Results analysis: question 4 Public versus private broadcasting Equal number of items related to ethnic minorities Equal number of items related to ethnic minorities TV1: more equally divided between the newscasts Subjects: crime, law and regulation Subjects: crime, law and regulation ~ 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 more often as individuals (TV1: 34,5%) VTM (45,8%) approaches non-natives more often as individuals (TV1: 34,5%) ~ VRT: 13,3% unclear equal representation?

ILLUSTRATIONS

1.Crime (TV1 & VTM, 21/11/2003; VTM, 26/09/2003; VTM, 16/01/2004) Ethnic minorities as criminals Ethnic minorities as criminals Nationality is mentioned Nationality is mentioned Lack of background Lack of background

2. Illegals (TV1, 05/11/2003) Subjects associated with ethnic minorities Subjects associated with ethnic minorities Share in speaking time ethnic minorities – natives Share in speaking time ethnic minorities – natives ~Language Problem Superficial questions Superficial questions Approached as a group Approached as a group No background No background

3. Migration (TV1, 27/02/2004) Subject associated with ethnic minorities Subject associated with ethnic minorities Stereotypical image Stereotypical image Generalization Generalization Kind of questions Kind of questions

4. Sacrificial feast (VTM, 01/02/2004) POSITIVE: correct representation

RECOMMENDATIONS

Do mention origin or nationality only if relevant Do mention origin or nationality only if relevant Risk for stigma us and them Risk for stigma us and them Integration of ethnic minorities in mainstream media coverage Integration of ethnic minorities in mainstream media coverage