The Representation of Third-Country Nationals in European News Discourse: Journalistic Perceptions and Practices

Based on semi-structured interviews with journalists in six European countries, this article examines the extent to which the findings of recent literature about the representation of migrants in European media content are reflected in the perceptions of journalists themselves about the way in which migrants are represented in the media discourses produced by their outlets. It finds that the four key findings of the literature were by and large confirmed, namely inaccurate group labelling and designation, negative or victimised representation, under-representation of migrants in quotations, and the scarce reference to a wider European context. Finally, the article discusses media professionals' self-reported awareness about general professional ethics versus diversity-specific ethics, and about the way in which their outlets cover news involving “new” immigrants, i.e. nationals of non-European Union countries residing in the European Union, and examines the differences between media practices and perceptions in “old” and “new” immigration countries.