Representations of immigrants in the local press: between conflict and social integration

• Author: Carla Moretti
• Position: Polytechnic University of Marche, Italy
• Pages: 327-336

Bulletin of the Transilvania University of Braşo v

Series VII: Social Sciences • Law • Vol. 12(61) No. 2 – 2019

https://doi.org/10.31926/but.ssl.2019.12.61.2.15

REPRESENTATIONS OF IMMIGRANTS IN THE

LOCAL PRESS: BETWEEN CONFLICT

AND SOCIAL INTEGRATION

Carla MORETTI1

Abstract: The paper presents a study carried out in a municipality in the

Marche Region of Italy, aimed at investigating the representations of

immigrants in the local press. An analysis of local newspaper articles

concerning immigrants has been carried out, and in-depth interviews have

also been undertaken with journalists from the newspapers selected. The

results of the study have highlighted important elements that influence

migrant representations and allow the identification of new communication

paths between the subjects of the local community.

Key words: Local press, immigrants, representation, conflict, integration.

1. Introduction

European societies are becoming increasingly culturally and linguistically diverse as a

result of immigration, but this change is not always accurately reflected in the media,

neither in the portrayal and representation of immigrants in the media, nor in terms of

the composition of media professionals (Niessen and Huddleston, 2010).

Immigration and integration have gone from being of interest to just a few specialists

to one of the foremost issues in a number of different types of organisations. Decisions

taken at European level have an increasing influence on national and local policies in

many areas of integration processes. "The media impacts on the public perception of

immigrants. It also, however, reflects the views and attitudes that are prevalent in

society – some tolerant, some intolerant, others openly hostile and some indifferent.

Media organisations can be encouraged to provide an accurate and fair portrayal of

immigrants in the media" (Niessen and Huddleston, 2010, p. 14).

Organizations working in the media find themselves facing a situation of ever-

increasing competition; and to survive in a competitive market, they must ensure that

their products respond to the needs and wishes of consumers. In this sense, competition

can represent both an opportunity and a challenge for integration (Meli, 2014).

As far as the press is concerned, the tone and argumentation discovered in studies

carried out at national level (Sbalchiero, 2015) stress that the treatment by articles

1 Polytechnic University of Marche, Italy. c.moretti@univpm.it.