Immigrants, Immigrants, Immigrants.
We've all heard & read about them. They invade our morning papers, our news feeds, our daily lives. But what do we truly know about these people? Immigrants are often viewed in collective groups, but in truth, they are much more than just names on paper. True, sometimes the occasional emotional story or pivotal photo gets through to the largely apathetic public, but what impact do these individuals have... or are lacking?
The media often serves as the sole channel between host countries and immigrants. Citizens hardly ever directly interact with refugees, generally only learning about them through the press. This lack of communication provides the media immense power, allowing it to easily manipulate host citizen perceptions of immigrants in accordance with government views or negative trends and attitudes.
The media often serves as the sole channel between host countries and immigrants. Citizens hardly ever directly interact with refugees, generally only learning about them through the press. This lack of communication provides the media immense power, allowing it to easily manipulate host citizen perceptions of immigrants in accordance with government views or negative trends and attitudes.
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Because immigration impacts so many nations, negatively influenced ideas about refugees can create unwarranted backlash against innocent people. This issue becomes especially complex when the press can reach greater demographics and thus easily overpowers migrants, preventing them from amplifying their own perspectives.
As consumers, we hold responsibility in determining the kind of information we receive and spread. If the public advocates for more objective and complete material, the media will likely respond by offering more balanced reports regarding immigration, ultimately creating a positive cycle that opens up a wider channel of communication between the two sides.
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