Migration and Integration Engaging with Media - European 迁移和整合与媒体-欧洲.docVIP

Migration and Integration: Engaging with Media By Bettina Peters, Director, Global Forum for Media Development When looking at how media in Europe report migration and integration, we see a pretty mixed picture. There are, unfortunately, still many examples of sensationalized coverage that reduce migration to a threat to indigenous societies but there are also many examples of balanced coverage. What there is not a lot of are initiatives engaging with migrant communities that are run or supported by media organisations themselves. Many media organisations see ‘promotion’ of diversity and particular attention to fair reporting on migration as ‘imposed agendas’. They feel that ‘regular’ reporting is enough. That view is particularly dominant in the written press. Public service broadcasters, on the other hand, often have dedicated diversity programmes (both in portrayal and recruitment) and dedicate more resources towards achieving a fair portrayal of migration and integration. A recent study ‘ Media4Diversity’ supported by the European Commission and carried out by Internews, Media for Diversity and the International Federation of Journalists found that there are more diversity initiatives in North-western Europe than in Southern or Eastern Europe. Many programmes working on media and migration are initiated and run by civil society organisations, not media. Most programmes also need outside financial assistance; they are funded by foundations etc, not by media or civil society organisations. The picture of reporting migration and integration also shows that the role of politicians play in this area is important. Where there is political commitment (legislation as well as government-supported programmes) towards improving integration and openness towards migration, media coverage tends to mirror this (although not throughout the media scene). Where politicians use migrants as scapegoats and agitate against migration, media coverage tends to reflect this as well (alth