Seite - 221 - in Media – Migration – Integration - European and North American Perspectives

Round Table Discussion | Worst Case and Best Practice 221 there are negative stereotypes, the minorities are portrayed in a negative way, they are only criminals, and so on. But this is the second step. It is not really the worst case; the worst case is that migrants are not mentioned in the media at all. Petra Herczeg There seem to be different problems on different levels. If we see the structural level, the media producers have to see the migrants as a very important audience, which has economic power. So they have to see that they have to produce for these people, to broadcast to these people. This is a relevant group in society, so they have to be recognized. On the content level, I think that in a democracy there is not only a question of quantitative variety, but also of qualitative variety. These two things thave to be combined to make sure that it would be good for the society to have more reportings about migrants. Leen d’Haenens I’d just like to add on this last point. The Dutch anthropologist Shadid had a good theoretical perspective. He said we should go beyond the “us/them”-perspective, we should try to adopt a so-called third perspective, that brings in also the diversity and the perspective of the other combined with your own. So that it can lead towards bridges between so-called ethnic media workers and the mainstream media workers. I think it’s very important to have a tool for journalists, a source where you can look for experts of other origins than the mainstream origins, with all kinds of expertises. Souley Hassane First point: the experience of France. The problem in our country is that the place of minorities in the media can be compared with their place in the economy. I think that the situation of the minorities in the mainstream media in France is the translation of their own social situation. Another problem is the representation of minorities in the mainstream media. In 2004, France adapted a law for the representation of all minorities in the mainstream media. The real problem of France, and probably of all these countries, is the implementation. To implement the law, to implement the good practice.