Prethodno priopćenje
https://doi.org/10.22572/mi.31.1.3
Personal Stories of (Im)migrants: A Shift in Media Framing in Croatia?
Mirela Holy
orcid.org/0000-0003-1294-1978
; Institut za istraživanje migracija, Trg Stjepana Radića 3, Zagreb
Marija Geiger Zeman
orcid.org/0000-0002-1192-4722
; Institut društvenih znanosti Ivo Pilar, Trg Marka Marulića 19, Zagreb
Sažetak
This paper analyses the content of Jutarnji list and Večernji list in the context of shifting approaches to reporting on (im)migrants following Croatia’s accession to the Schengen Area and the Eurozone. Migrants are often portrayed in the media as anonymous protagonists of crime stories (Čepo et al., 2020; Popović et al., 2022a). However, during 2023 and 2024, the analysed newspapers published articles that depicted (im)migrants as individuals with personal life stories. The paper is theoretically grounded in media
framing theory. Previous research in Croatia has shown that negative, sensationalist, and alarmist frames prevail, often tied to the ideological orientation of actors. Reporting on migrants tends to be oversimplified, based on insufficiently verified information, with a lack of understanding of the issues and inadequate use of terminology. A key characteristic of such reporting is the conflict frame (Popović et al., 2022a). Popović et al. (2022b) proposed a series of recommendations aimed at more objective and unbiased media
portrayals of migrants in Croatian media, including the suggestion that migrants be reported on as real people. In line with this recommendation, this research was conducted using a combination of quantitative and qualitative media content analysis, as well as in-depth interviews with editorial representatives from the analysed newspapers. The analysis focuses on the frequency of publication, protagonists, frames, and sentiments of such stories, the motives behind their publication, and the potential institutional and/or fi
nancial frameworks within which they emerged. The study also examined whether the articles were part of a strategically planned project initiated by state or European institutions, or the result of spontaneous initiatives by journalists and editors. The findings indicate moderately positive shifts in media reporting on (im)migrants, and the research contributes to a better understanding of the role of media in the integration of (im)migrants, laying the groundwork for future analyses of media practices in Croatia and the broader European context.
Ključne riječi
(im)migrants; content analysis; integration; media framing; Croatian media
Hrčak ID:
332868
URI
Datum izdavanja:
30.6.2025.
Posjeta: 51 *