Reporting on refugees and asylum seekers (A31-EN)

This activity focuses on increasing the human rights perspective in the media. In particular, it aims to not use hate speech against refugees and asylum seekers in the Andalusian newspapers, radios, and TVs.

Hate speech, racism and xenophobia, media critical analysis, Andalusian Union of Journalists

Clear aims such as:

• To learn how to communicate about refugees and asylum seekers
• To become aware of the importance of responsible attitude to not contribute to hate speech
• To demonstrate journalists that another way of communication is possible in traditional media
• To explore different media tools

Journalists, coordinators in NGOs, trainers, unionists

During this activity, the last three news articles that different members of the group had published in the last month about migration and refugees are being analysed. Fill out the questionnaire to compare and contrasts these five main ideas:

• The use of stereotypes of migrants and refugees as problematic people or people who have difficulties without analysing the cause or the context in which the problems occur.
• Very rarely migrants and refugees are the informative sources. Despite these people being the protagonists, they are not usually considered reliable or credible sources.
• They are frequently presented as a threat (avalanche, invasion, etc.).

• Their positive actions are ignored, undervalued or narrated as an exception.
• The authorities and institutions appear in the media with paternalistic attitudes.
• Cases of xenophobia or racism are not presented as a specific characteristic of a social group, but as a "response" to the demands of minority groups.

After sharing this information in a short debate (10 minutes), the facilitator will ask the participants different questions regarding the articles. It is important that, at least, the following topics will be discussed:

Therefore, from the Andalusian Journalists' Union, we want to remind professionals (and citizens) of the ethical duty of:

• The use of solid and equanimous information sources, contrast institutional information, enhance those of ethnic minorities and take care of information from the countries of origin.
• Avoid generalizations, drama and simplification, fleeing the development of negative and sensational information.
• Consider the importance of the section or place of the ladder in which the information is placed.
• Journalists and communicators must adopt a position, although subject to moderate professional control, in favour of an enriching and beneficial multicultural perspective for working in society.
• Manually administer the lexicon, a person is never illegal, avoid using the terms avalanche or surge, and never use "suffer" or "endure."
• Give the information an exact or as close as a possible number of people affected.
• Do not avoid counting immigration and shelter in all its dramatic intensity and with scrupulous respect for the dignity of migrants and refugees, without trivialising their problems.
• Balance between respecting privacy and reporting something.
• It is essential to use data from reliable sources that support the context of the story, photographs that humanize the news or visualisations such as infographics that complete the message.
• Do not confuse refugees with migrants, although they are often the same. Use the term refugee only when the news really requires it, or use the terms of race, colour or religion of the person or groups of people who star in the information if they have no informative relevance.
• Do not mix Islamic terrorism and refugees.
• Avoid stereotypes and generalisation, which are usually based on prejudices based on discrimination. Sometimes the classification by nationalities, ethnic groups or culture of the person who has committed criminal acts is used, which may result in national or cultural stereotypes.

• Make proper use of graphic material, you have to be cautious in the selection and treatment of images, as they often fulfil an informative, analytical and editorial function. The rules on child protection and the right to honour, personal privacy and the image itself must be respected. In the case of minors, the legal tutors will be responsible for authorizing the use of their image.

Describe the activity in clear steps!

Questionnaires (it is important to know beforehand the total number of participants) and pen.

PowerPoint presentation with the main articles to go further during the debate.

Pre phase: All the participants should select three of their articles of the last month for the training. The facilitator will design a PowerPoint presentation with the main articles for the second phase.

First phase: Critical discourse analysis to support self-analysis, self-exploration and self-awareness.

Second phase: Discussion and conversation with feedback, self-analysis, self-exploration, self-awareness, etc…

SPA (2018). El SPA llama a la responsabilidad a la hora de informar sobre personas refugiadas. Retrieved from:

https://www.spandalucia.com/el-spa-llama-a-la-responsabilidad-a-la-hora-de-informar-sobre-personas-refugiadas/

UMA, Ruth de Frutos