The gap between news media and youngsters from a migration background
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News
Youngsters from a migration background don’t feel well represented in the news. That was the conclusion drawn from the dialogue research project rePresent (2016) by Mediawijs and StampMedia, in which 12 journalists and 208 youngsters entered into dialogue. How come, and what can be improved?
“Yes, we are muslim. We are religious. But we also have loads of other aspects. Also ask us our opinion about other subjects.”
Youngsters from a migration background want a voice in the news, and not just when it comes to terrorism or religion. They also have opinions on everyday subjects like education or healthcare. But in their experience, their identity is mostly shown in a negative context. They believe there are a few reasons for this:
- News media don’t know enough about other cultures and religions
- Journalists’ networks are too limited
- Youngsters don’t watch the news enough and are considered a less important target group by news media
What about the journalists?
Journalists also point the finger at their own networks. A journalist’s list of contacts largely determines who gets to convey the news, which also explains why you often see the same sources in the news:
“Many journalists still look like me: white and non-religious or christian. I am pretty open-minded, but I don’t know that many youngsters, to be honest. So my network will mostly consist of people who are typically Flemish, white, and highly educated.”
Recommendations for news makers
If the distance between youngsters and journalists increases any more, there is a danger that youngsters will become completely estranged from Flemish news media and will start to distrust those media. That’s why it’s important that they can recognise themselves in Flemish (news) media.
The journalists and youngsters in this study set out in search of solutions together, which led to 8 tangible tips that can help newsmakers to bridge the gap.
Download the research report
Learn more about the conversations between journalists and youngsters in this project.
