MEDIVA DIVERSITY INDICATORS
Assessing the Media Capacity to Reflect Diversity & Promote Migrant Integration
On the web: http://mediva.eui.eu
MEDIVA March 2012
Results of the Pilot Study on
Selected Polish Media
Authors: Michał Krzyżanowski , Małgorzata Fabiszak , Artur Lipiński & Sam Bennett
Methodology
Methodology for Sampling for the Pilot Study with regard to migrant representation in the news (Indicator 1)
Robert Schuman Centre for Advanced Studies
Period of sampling:
3 months, last week of each month, 7-day interval, starting on a Wednesday and
finishing on a Tuesday
Selected dates:
• 23-29 November 2011
[we skip December because of the Christmas festivities that ‘bias’ the news reporting
during this period]
• 25-31 January 2012
• 7-28 February 2012
[we select three weeks to make our sample larger and more recent]
Unit of analysis:
The assessment of the media content uses as its unit of analysis
• individual articles/reports/news items on FULL newspapers
• Main news items in prime time evening news bulletin for television (we analyse FULL evening news)
The full text or full audiovisual file for TV is analysed in either case (not just headlines for instance).
All other indicators were assessed on the basis of an interview asking the newspaper/TV channel/news web site director (or the news director more specifically)
to answer the specific questions contained in our indicators (see Triandafyllidou
et al, 2012, MEDIVA DIVERSITY INDICATORS, A Toolkit, available at: http://
mediva.eui.eu )
Polish Media Outlets participating in the Pilot Study: Rzeczpospolita, Gazeta
Wyborcza, Tok Fm , Wtk, Polsat
The Media For Diversity & Migrant
Integration - Consolidating
Knowledge & Assessing Media
Practices across the EU
The MEDIVA project seeks to
strengthen the capacity of the media
to reflect the increasing diversity of
European societies and thus foster a
better understanding of immigrant
integration processes at a time when
social cohesion and integration
policies are put to the test by an acute
economic crisis.
MEDIVA
http://www.eui.eu/Projects/MEDIVA/
RSCAS, EUI
Via delle Fontanelle 19
50014 Fiesole - Italy
Contacts:
[email protected]
[email protected]
[email protected]
[email protected]
Co-funded by the European Commission,
DG HOME, European Fund for the
Integration of Third Country Nationals
2
Score
Medium (3)
Low (1)
Indicators
2. Media news
making/
programme
production
3 - Media
recruitment
and
employment
practices
Most of the respondents pointed to the language barrier as the main obstacle to their employment. Generally, the
Polish media are interested in immigrants due to the original, local knowledge they have.
It is necessary to add that despite their low numbers in a population, it is the case that immigrants are employed in
the Polish media (Polsat, Rzeczpospolita, Gazeta Wyborcza).
Respondents usually argued that there was no need for such measures, policies or outreach schemes in a country
where w immigrants make up 1% of the total population. One of the interviewees claimed that the journalistic milleu is tolerant and that such measures are not necessary.
All the respondents admitted that there were no specific ethical reporting guidelines in place so far and claimed
that there was no need to introduce them.
and articles 256 and 257 punishing public insults based on national, ethnic, racial or religious affiliations.
The highest score was attributed to the sub-indicator 2.5.3: most of the media outlets provide an opportunity to
comment and remove all the offensive, discriminatory and racist remarks ad comments. Most of the interviewees
pointed to the legal code/law as a point of reference providing criteria on what should count as “racist”, and “discriminatory”. The law the journalists referred to are four provisions in the Polish Criminal Code: article 118 which
punishes murder and serious detriments to health commited on, inter alia, ethnic, racial or religious ground, article 119 which punishes violence and threats based on national, ethnic, racial or religious affiliations
Interviewees were unanimous in their declarations concerning sources of information. All declared that they use
all possible sources. Most of them however, in the first place, usually use official and institutional sources. The only
exception was the TOK FM journalist who emphasized the significance of immigrants themselves as sources of
information.
As Poland has less than 1% of non-nationals most of the sub-indicators are not applicable to Polish media outlets.
EXPLANATION OF SCORING
Summary of Mediva Indicators on Selected Polish media outlets evaluated
MEDIVA - on the Polish Media 2012
Low (1)
Medium (2.1)
4 - Media
training
practices
1 – MEDIA
CONTENT
The calculation of the indicator 1 was based on the 8 items published/broadcasted by the analyzed media outlets
in the sample period. The news coverage of immigrants is extremely limited. Journalists themselves have admitted
frequently that it is not a very important issue in Poland. Generally, TCN as a legal, technical category is not used
by the journalists. The most typical categories used to represent this group are: immigrants, migrants, refugees and
foreigners. It is sometimes extremely difficult to single out the news items relevant for the pilot study: news items
are quite often focused on terrorism, racism, Islam, ethnic minorities and the reader is not informed about the
actual status of the people involved. Although they are represented (in most cases) in positive or at least neutral
way, they are frequently passivized: mostly as victims of the injustice, exploitation and indifference of the state
institutions or society. This happened in 5 out of 8 cases and In only two cases were their opinions and statements
directly quoted.
The lowest score given to indicator 4 confirms that no media professionals received any formal diversity training or
attending any similar course. Generally our respondents claimed that there are some training opportunities, but,
due to the low number of immigrants in Polish society, they are not focused on diversity issues. Interestingly, one
of the respondents (not being asked about that) even declared that if there had been some immigrants employed as
journalists in his medium, they would have participated in training sessions on equal rights.
MEDIVA Diversity Indicatiors
3
4
As Poland has less than 1% of non-nationals most of the sub-indicators are not applicable to Polish media outlets. What
the interviewee raised however, is the necessity to have very good command of Polish language in order to become a
journalist.
No such schemes in place.
There were no news items pertaining to the TCNs.
Low (1)
Low (1)
Low (1)
3 - Media
recruitment
and
employment
practices
4 - Media
training
practices
1 – Media
Content
NGOs, official sources, documents, specific institutions working on immigrants issues, international structures and their
branches and people from various social, political and cultural milieu. The highest score is given to 2.5.3: there is a
comment section and the comments are removed if they infringe the law. As to the specific rules, they do not exist.
There is however an internal stylebook covering general rules but this does not refer specifically to immigrants.
As Poland has less than 1% of non-nationals most of the sub-indicators are not applicable to Polish media
outlets. While writing about immigrants/immigration, journalists use the same sources as in other subjects and topics:
Medium (2)
2. Media news
making /
programme
production
EXPLANATION OF SCORING
Score
Indicators
Evaluation Sheet: RZECZPOSPOLITA
MEDIVA - on the Polish Media 2012
As Poland has less than 1% of non-nationals most of the sub-indicators are not applicable to Polish media
outlets. In response to the question about employment practices, the journalist admits that in his outlet – GW - there
Low (1)
Low (1)
Low (1)
3 - Media
recruitment
and
employment
practices
4 - Media
training
practices
1 – Media
Content
The value of the indicator 1 was assessed on the basis of one article that appeared in the sampled period. Although there
is a link to negative themes and attribution of negative characteristics, they are followed by explanation, contextualization and connection to structural causes and circumstances. Immigrant views are not represented and they are passive
object rather than active agents.
No such schemes in place.
are no specific programmes, but he co-operates with the newspaper Refugee.pl which is the newspaper that gives the
refugees’ voices and is run by Polska Akcja Humanitarna (Polish Humanitarian Action, an NGO). Specific measures
are not necessary, there are general anti-discrimination measures and journalists are a very liberal professional group
in Poland.
outlets. Although there is no section of the news in Gazeta Wyborcza dedicated to immigrants, there is occasionally
a series of feature articles that present various immigrants settled in Poland and focusing on integration (but not in
the sampled period). Due to the interviewee’s emphasis on his use of such sources as NGOs, immigrant communities,
national institutions responsible for migrants, the high score was given to the 2.5.1. The medium score was given to the
indicator 2.5.5 as there is only a general code of ethics instead of specific guidelines governing the media representation
of immigrants. One has to remember about the actual number of immigrants in Polish society while thinking about
such codes.
Medium (4,5) As Poland has less than 1% of non-nationals most of the sub-indicators are not applicable to Polish media
2. Media news
making/
programme
production
EXPLANATION OF SCORING
Score
Indicators
Evaluation Sheet: GAZETA WYBORCZA
MEDIVA Diversity Indicatiors
5
6
Low (1)
Low (1)
Medium (3) The value of the indicator one was assessed on the basis of four interviews. One out of four news items links immigrants
3 - Media
recruitment
and
employment
practices
4 - Media
training
practices
1 – Media
Content
to negative themes – Islamic fundamentalism (1), two are positive (5) and one neutral (3). In one out of four items immigrants are active and positive. One article uses both linguistic devices: references to passive image of immigrants being
punished for their fundamentalism (3) and image of active people plotting attack on Western society (1). One out of four
articles is perfectly neutral referring to the numbers and official statistics (3). In all items immigrants are not given voice
(1).
No such schemes in place.
As Poland has less than 1% of non-nationals most of the sub-indicators are not applicable to Polish media outlets. There
are only general measures, specific measures are not necessary.
As Poland has less than 1% of non-nationals most of the sub-indicators are not applicable to Polish media outlets. The
interviewee emphasizes the big interest of the TOKFM in subjects connected to diversity. The aim of the news is “to intervene”, what means: helping the immigrants in their problems in Polish society and with Polish state administration. The
high value was attributed to the sub-indicators 2.5.1 (immigrants are not only the sources helping to verify information,
they also provide the information) and 2.5.2 (authors themselves decide what is to be published on immigration). There
are general informal, ethical rules (3) and the discriminatory and offensive entries on online forums are removed (5).
High (4,5)
2. Media news
making/
programme
production
EXPLANATION OF SCORING
Score
Indicators
Evaluation Sheet: TOK FM
MEDIVA - on the Polish Media 2012
As Poland has less than 1% of non-nationals most of the sub-indicators are not applicable to Polish media outlets. There are
only general measures, specific measures are not necessary.
No such schemes in place.
3 - Media
Low (1)
recruitment
and
employment
practices
Low (1)
Low (1)
4 - Media
training
practices
4 – Media
Content
There were no news items pertaining to the TCNs.
As Poland has less than 1% of non-nationals most of the sub-indicators are not applicable to Polish media outlets. The
interviewee claims that several sources are usually asked: official sources, agencies, NGOs, civil society groups, including
immigrants themselves (3). The editor in chief serves as “the last instance” deciding on what news to broadcast (1). There is
no opportunity to comment the news items (1).
Low (2)
2. Media news
making/
programme
production
EXPLANATION OF SCORING
Score
Indicators
Evaluation Sheet: WTK
MEDIVA Diversity Indicatiors
7
8
Score
Low (2)
Low (1)
Low (1)
Medium (3)
Indicators
2. Media news
making/
programme
production
3 - Media
recruitment and
employment
practices
4 - Media training
practices
1 – Media Content
Evaluation Sheet: POLSAT
The value of the indicator 1 was assessed on the basis of three interviews. All the news items were positive in their
approach although two of them linked immigration to negative themes – smuggling the people in a refrigerator
track and racism (5). One out of three passivised immigrants (3). What distinguished POLSAT from other media
outlets is the voice given to the immigrants themselves: two items represented immigrants views and opinions (5)
No such schemes in place.
As Poland has less than 1% of non-nationals most of the sub-indicators are not applicable to Polish media outlets.
There are only general measures, specific measures are not necessary.
As Poland has less than 1% of non-nationals most of the sub-indicators are not applicable to Polish media outlets.
The interviewee claims that several sources are usually asked: official sources, agencies, NGOs, civil society groups,
including immigrants themselves (3). The editor in chief serves as “the last instance” deciding what news to broadcast (1). Racist entries are removed when someone flags them up (3).
EXPLANATION OF SCORING
MEDIVA - on the Polish Media 2012