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Media: Frequency and relevance of hate speech incidents in public life (and media) and media representations against migrants and minorities?

Code:
RED121
Key Area:
Public Life, Culture, Sport & Media
Strand(s):
Racism
18/01/2012 - 12:43
Short Answer

Yes.

Qualitative Info

In Italy the media fuelled the xenophobic rhetoric based on the criminalization of migrants. A study conducted by Sapienza University of Rome during the first half of 2008 found that only 26 out of 5,684 television news stories about immigrants did not relate to crime or security issues. Television is the main source of news for 80 percent of the Italian population. The study, which analyzed seven evening television news programs and seven newspapers, concluded that the media presents a virtually one-dimensional image of immigrants in Italy: a male (almost 80 percent of the time) criminal whose personality “is reduced to a detail about nationality or ‘ethnic’ origin, often mentioned in the headline of the news item.” Roma and Romanians are the ethnic group and nationality most often mentioned in television news headlines All the media present a static and negative image of migrants, pointing out the darkest and most violent aspects. They use incorrect language and terminology and the voice of migrants is absent in newspapers and on TV. In addition, journalists reporting on migrants tend to break their code of ethics more often than reporting on Italians. About 40% of TV news which reported on violent crimes included images or description which could lead to the identification of the person, if migrants were involved.


Source:

ENAR SHADOW REPORT 2009/2010 - Racism and Discrimination in Italy by Laura Di Pasquale - http://cms.horus.be/files/99935/MediaArchive/Italy.pdf.

Human Right Watch, Everiday Intolerance. Racist and Xenophobic Violence in ITaly, 2011 - http://www.hrw.org/sites/default/files/reports/italy0311WebRevised.pdf

 

Groups affected/interested Migrants, Roma & Travelers, Muslims, Ethnic minorities
Type (R/D) Anti-migrant/xenophobia, Islamophobia, Afrophobia, Arabophobia, Anti-roma/zinghanophobia, Anti-roma/ romaphobia, Xenophobia
Key socio-economic / Institutional Areas Media
External Url
Situation(s)
Library
ENAR SHADOW REPORT 2009/2010 - Racism and Discrimination in Italy