Page - 46 - in Media – Migration – Integration - European and North American Perspectives

Heinz Bonfadelli | Media Use of Ethnic Minority Youth 46 Bonfadelli 2007), above all on the representation of immigrants and the presence of negative stereotypes in mass media, hypothesizing that there is a connection between how media deal with ethnic minorities and the degree of their integration into the host society. From the media production perspective, ethnic diversity in media organizations has been of interest (Riggins 1992; Husband 1994; Geissler 2003). Another topic of public debate and research focuses on strategies and programs of public broadcasters towards migrants and of ethnic minority media as programs produced by and addressed to ethnic minorities (Becker 1998; Busch 1999; Kosnick 2000; Christensen 2001; Camauër 2003; Weber-Menges 2006; Leurdijk 2006). Since mass media can exert an influence on the integration of ethnic minority groups only if they are used, an in-depth investigation into the aspects of the ethnic minorities’ media use is crucial. Although the relevance of media use for social integration had been recognized before, communication studies scholars began to carry out thorough research on this issue only in the last two decades. Because communication technologies such as the internet, cable and satellite television have changed the media system by creating new transnationalized communicational and cultural spaces, the number of studies dealing with issues of media use and migration has increased. Still, research findings in this subfield are, generally speaking, somewhat fragmentary (see Carøe Christiansen 2004; Müller 2005b; Piga 2007). 2. Theoretical Perspectives Figure 1: Media Use and Ethnic Minorities: Various Research Traditions Three theoretical perspectives (Bonfadelli/Bucher/Piga 2007; Bucher/ Bonfadelli 2007) guiding most of the research concerning media use of ethnic Social Background and Individual Characteris- tics of Media Users Use of Mass Media from Homeland or Host Country Social Identity and / or Social Integration Use of Mass Media from Homeland or Host Country Effects Paradigm: Social Integration? Cultural Studies: Identity Formation? Uses &Gratifications Paradigm: Media Ghetto?