In the past decades, Canada has accepted a large number of refugees over the past decade as a part of its strategy of being a "moral superpower". The coming of massive refugees has created huge pressure on the asylum system in Canada, many refugees have no place to stay. Confronted with such a crisis, many cities has announced their new construction project of Asylum and invested a large amount of money to arrange refugees. Mainstream media have produced numerous biased and negative coverages, leading to widespread misunderstanding and discrimination against refugees in Canadian society. Alternative media, however, has presented its unique role in the reporting process by assisting refugees in expressing their thoughts and claims. To discuss how the media report the crisis and how it impacts the public, this essay will first analyze our interviewees and two examples of news reports. Based on that, what are some problems that occurred when mainstream media reported the refugee crisis, and how might the alternative media help to fix this problem?
All four interviewees received news from social media on their electronic devices. Based on their illustration during the interview, we found that our interviewees do not have a chance to receive comprehensive coverage related to the current refugee crisis. Our interviewees had a clear and deep understanding of the crisis from the perspective of their own major, like public health and economy. However, they had a very blurred impression of the overall framework of the refugee crisis, like the relevant policies and the importance of receiving refugees.
The selection of negative content by the mainstream media when reporting on the refugee crisis is one of the major factors that causes people to misunderstand or lack a comprehensive understanding of the issue. The constant emphasis by the mainstream media can easily arouse local people's resentment towards refugees. Reports from mainstream media present the current issues and problems to the audience, however, they fail to break the stereotype.
A CNN report reflects how media selection influences people's attitudes toward refugees. CNN claimed that numerous refugees were crossing the border between the United States and Canada illegally (CNN, 2023). It failed to cover the legal context and immigration regulations related to this issue, including relevant agreements between the United States and Canada. In other words, this report reinforced the stereotype of refugees and portrayed them as criminals.
It’s not a rare thing for stereotyping to appear in media reporting, with many mainstream media coverage displaying some of discrimination, bias, and stereotypical portrayals. Within the discourse of the mainstream media in Canada, visible minorities are seen as ‘others’ and a threat to the social-cultural fabric of the country (Ojo, 2006, p.346). The stance held by mainstream media during reporting significantly affects the fairness of their coverage, often leading to the marginalization or 'othering' of minority groups in many instances. This might caused by the identities of the reporters and the underrepresentation of minority groups in mainstream media. This situation makes it challenging for the perspectives and interests of refugee communities to receive adequate attention and representation.
An example reported by CBC News, this report covered some problems that occurred during the relocating of refugees in the city of Niagara Falls. As one of the interview clips said: We are getting hit from all angles, and now we bring in thousands of more people (CBC, 2023). This report particularly mentions that the arrival of refugees could impact the hotel income during the tourist season. This report gives very little emphasize on why and how those refugees were relocated to Niagara Falls.
This example shows how the othering appeared in media coverage. This report gives audiences a feeling that these relocated refugees are the “outsiders” who brought troubles into the community. As a scholar declared, much research has found that many media messages can encourage prejudice and public apathy (Kenix, 2011, p.63). People who received this kind of report their attitudes toward refugees might be impacted, they may see refugees as people who will impact their income and those who need government welfare. The more people get exposed to this narrative spin or identifiable frame, the more the stereotypes become ‘real’ to them (Ojo, 2006, p.347). Thus, many people might no longer care about the situation of refugees actively, because, in their perception, refugees have been equated with "outsiders and problem creators."
Based on the above two examples, in such a situation, it will be difficult to avoid misunderstandings and prejudices for mainstream media to report the refugee crisis due to the underrepresentation and biased report. Thus, the diasporic and alternative media becomes indispensable in society when reporting the refugee crisis. Reporting by those who are inside the community gives viewers first-hand and uncensored information. Without a gatekeeper, people can have an unrestricted selection by themselves when consuming news. As a result, alternative media challenges the mainstream media's monopoly on news releases and comments.
As a tool for counter-hegemony, alternative media provided people with a different perspective of illustration. They can offer news and views ignored by the mainstream media, and might encourage democratic debate and, in some cases, active political involvement (Olga, p.418). Especially on social media platforms, users are allowed participate in the news reporting. It empowers minority groups to make them able to speak out for their rights and interests. However, there are also problems faced by the alternative media. Alternative media have heavily relied on platforms due to the restriction of its properties. Whether it’s a webpage, social media, or podcast, their influence will be largely impacted by the algorithms.
In conclusion, the media's framing of the refugee crisis significantly influences public perceptions. Mainstream media's biases and tendency toward negative portrayals contribute to misunderstanding and discrimination against refugees. However, the emergence of alternative media platforms provides a promising avenue for diverse and unfiltered narratives, fostering a more inclusive and informed public discourse.