Migrants in the Media
The Hungarian Helsinki Committee’s study examines the negative stereotypes in the Hungarian media related to the topics of migration and refugees. The research was based on 300 articles collected and evaluated in 2011.
Budapest, 2 November 2011. Only 2% of the Hungarian population are foreigners, which is much less than in most European countries. Since the majority of the Hungarians has no direct and personal contact with migrants, public opinion is mostly influenced by the media.
International comparison shows that Hungarians are highly intolerant towards foreigners in general, which – according to the HHC’s present study – may follow from the negative image of migrants drawn by the media in Hungary. Migrants, asylum seekers and refugees are often reported as criminals or threat for national security while personal stories hardly appear.
The report entitled “Migrants in the Media“ is only available in Hungarian.
The project was funded by the European Integration Fund.