TV bulletins have reported on the extra dangers ethnic minority health workers have faced during the pandemic, but are less interested in how the hostile environment affects BAME and migrant workers. Analysis by Marina Morani and Lizzy Willmington (Cardiff University) also finds that BAME people are almost entirely absent from human interest stories

Morani, Marina

Willmington, Lizzy

English

LSE Research Online

‘A	bit	more	human’?:	trends	in	TV	news	coverage	ofBAME	people	during	the	pandemicTV	bulletins	have	reported	on	the	extra	dangers	ethnic	minority	health	workers	have	faced	during	the	pandemic,	butare	less	interested	in	how	the	hostile	environment	affects	BAME	and	migrant	workers.	Analysis	by	Marina	Moraniand	Lizzy	Willmington	(Cardiff	University)	also	finds	that	BAME	people	are	almost	entirely	absent	from	humaninterest	stories.Ethnic	minority	communities	are	particularly	badly	affected	by	the	COVID-19	pandemic.	Even	when	the	country	isunited	in	the	face	of	a	global	health	crisis,	stigmatising	attitudes	towards	black	and	ethnic	minority	people	in	Britainstill	prevail.	From	the	stereotyping	of	certain	nationalities	falsely	identified	as	causing	the	spread	of	the	virus	toconspiracy	theories	targeting	faith	groups,	a	wide	variety	of	disinformation	has	targeted	ethnic	minorities,	religiousgroups	and	national	communities.Black	Lives	Matter	protest	in	London,	7	June	2020.	Photo:	Steve	Eason	via	a	CC	BY	NC	2.0licenceBalanced,	informative	and	inclusive	media	narratives	that	reflect	the	lives,	concerns	and	interests	of	diverseaudiences	are	crucial	for	news	reporting.	During	the	pandemic,	the	public	has	relied	on	broadcast	media	for	trustedinformation.	One	of	the	main	aims	of	public	service	broadcasting	is	to	address	and	represent	diverse	audiences,	buta	recent	Ofcom	report	on	diversity	found	that	viewers	from	ethnic	minority	backgrounds	did	not	see	their	viewpointsreflected	in	TV	bulletins.Our	study	of	UK	television	news	coverage	of	COVID-19	show	that	broadcasters	have	regularly	reported	onhealthcare	and	key	workers	from	ethnic	minority	and	migrant	backgrounds,	reporting	growing	concern	for	theirdisproportionate	mortality	rate	while	emphasising	their	crucial	contribution	as	essential	workers.	At	the	same	time,our	analysis	highlights	a	lack	of	scrutiny	of	domestic	immigration	policies.	It	also	points	out	that	human	intereststories	under-represent	the	interests,	concerns,	and	charitable	activities	of	the	different	resident	communities.Shifting	narratives?Our	content	analysis	of	over	600	items	between	14-25	April	2020	from	the	main	UK	evening	TV	news	bulletins(BBC	News	at	Ten,	ITV	News	at	Ten,	Sky	News	at	Ten,	Channel	5	at	5pm	and	Channel	4	News)	found	that	just	31stories	(5%)	focused	on	issues	concerning	ethnic	minorities	or	migration	in	the	context	of	the	health	crisis.LSE Covid 19 Blog: ‘A bit more human’?: trends in TV news coverage of BAME people during the pandemic Page 1 of 3		Date originally posted: 2020-06-26Permalink: https://blogs.lse.ac.uk/covid19/2020/06/26/a-bit-more-human-trends-in-tv-news-coverage-of-bame-people-during-the-pandemic/Blog homepage: https://blogs.lse.ac.uk/covid19/The	dominant	story	in	our	sample	was	the	increasing	concern	about	the	vulnerability	of	Black,	Asian	and	ethnicminority	(BAME)	frontline	workers.	Although	tributes	to	victims	of	the	virus	routinely	featured	in	all	broadcasts,	it	wasonly	after	the	British	Medical	Association	called	for	an	investigation	that	the	‘ethnic	minority’	background	of	victimsbecame	‘newsworthy’	and	part	of	a	much	bigger	story	investigating	the	disproportionate	impact	of	the	virus	onminorities.One	such	story	in	our	sample	pertained	to	the	British	doctor	of	Sikh	heritage	Manjeet	Singh	Riyat,	whose	death	wasprominently	featured	on	21	April	across	all	broadcasters.	As	well	as	highlighting	his	professional	commitment	anddedication	through	tributes	from	colleagues	and	family,		the	stories	emphasised	the	need	for	an	investigation	to	fullyunderstand	the	risk	factors	for	BAME	communities	in	the	UK.A	climate	of	rediscovered	appreciation	for	the	contribution	and	sacrifices	of	frontline	workers,	including	from	thePrime	Minister	himself,	raises	the	question	of	whether	attitudes	towards	ethnic	minority	and	migrant	workers	havebecome	less	hostile.	Channel	5	ran	a	story	with	a	Spanish	nurse	speaking	about	his	experiences	in	the	NHS,recalling	that	previously	his	work	was	not	highly	valued	and	public	attitudes	towards	foreign-born	health	staff	werenot	so	appreciative:“I	think	this	coronavirus	has	made	Britain	a	bit	more	human…	In	the	last	two	weeks	I	have	gone	frombeing	a	low	skilled	worker	to	being	a	key	worker.	It	has	given	me	a	bit	of	hope	that	the	government	haverealised	–	and	the	people	also	have	realised	–	how	important	migrants	are	to	help	society	function”.However,	long-standing	restrictive	measures	such	as	the	immigration	health	surcharge	remain	in	place,	particularlyfor	migrant	workers.	ITV	was	the	only	broadcaster	in	our	sample	to	report	the	NHS	surcharge	increase	fromOctober	for	non-EEA	nationals,	and	a	particular	story	on	23	April	of	an	NHS	nurse	facing	the	£624	surcharge	feesix	times	over	for	her	and	her	family.	In	the	interview,	she	calls	for	the	government	to	scrap	the	charge,	whichpenalises	international	staff	working	in	the	NHS.Overall,	domestic	immigration	policy	as	it	affects	the	lives	of	migrant	workers	remains	in	the	background	of	themajority	of	the	stories,	if	it	is	present	at	all.	Despite	three	stories	reporting	on	Britain’s	reliance	on	seasonal	migrantworkers	–	with	farmers	highlighting	the	experience	and	efficiency	of	returning	Eastern	European	workers	–	thepoints-based	UK	immigration	bill	which	passed	its	second	reading	just	a	few	weeks	later	proposing	furtherrestrictions	to	overseas	and	‘low	skilled’	workers	was	not	discussed,	scrutinised,	or	even	referenced	in	anycoverage.Limited	representations	of	diversityBeyond	the	worries	healthcare	workers	have	about	their	immigration	status	and	fear	of	catching	the	virus,	the	issueof	racism	was	hardly	covered	in	our	sample.	While	two	pieces	–	on	Channel	5	and	ITV	–	reported	that	they	were	thetarget	of	violence	and	abuse,	these	did	not	feature	members	of	ethnic	minorities	affected	or	discuss	raciallymotivated	abuse	despite	recent	cases	targeting	healthcare	and	key	workers.	However,	Channel	5	briefly	reportedon	a	viral	video	featuring	migrant,	black	and	minority	ethnic	key	workers	reciting	an	anti-racist	poem.#YouClapForMeNow	pic.twitter.com/1Dm2hZb6kc—	Tez	(@tezilyas)	April	14,	2020Other	stories	representing	the	different	resident	communities	in	Britain	were	limited	in	range.	The	Muslimcommunity	preparing	for	Ramadan	in	lockdown	received	some	in-depth	coverage,	while	ITV	reported	on	a	videoappeal	by	British	Asian	celebrities	aimed	at	promoting	safety	measures	within	that	community.	In	the	onlyinternational	report	concerned	with	ethnic	minorities	in	our	sample,	Sky	News	reported	on	the	African	Americancommunity	in	Louisiana,	filming	in	a	poor	neighbourhood	in	New	Orleans	severely	hit	by	the	crisis.Furthermore,	we	found	that	human	interest	stories	of	solidarity	about	individual	campaigners	or	charity	groups	tendto	be	overwhelmingly	‘white’	and	dominated	by	Captain	Tom	Moore’s	fundraising	efforts,	or	the	Clap	for	Our	Carersevent	routinely	reported	at	the	end	of	the	bulletins.	Only	one	story	out	of	49	human	interest	stories	in	our	totalsample	focused	on	a	person	from	a	BAME	background	–	a	feature	on	73-year-old	Rajinder	Singh	releasing	fitnessvideos	to	help	alleviate	loneliness	in	the	Sikh	community	and	raise	money	for	the	NHS.LSE Covid 19 Blog: ‘A bit more human’?: trends in TV news coverage of BAME people during the pandemic Page 2 of 3		Date originally posted: 2020-06-26Permalink: https://blogs.lse.ac.uk/covid19/2020/06/26/a-bit-more-human-trends-in-tv-news-coverage-of-bame-people-during-the-pandemic/Blog homepage: https://blogs.lse.ac.uk/covid19/Meet	the	73-year-old	who's	becoming	known	as	the	Skipping	Sikh.When	the	lockdown	began,	Rajinder	Singh	was	worried	that	the	closure	of	Sikh	temples	would	leavesome	in	the	community	feeling	isolated.Well,	using	his	initiative,	he's	now	an	unlikely	fitness	coach	to	many.	pic.twitter.com/49AAyjrgvS—	Channel	5	News	(@5_News)	April	21,	2020The	potential	for	a	renewed	narrative	on	migrationOur	analysis	shows	that	Black,	Asian	and	ethnic	minorities’	health	concerns	are	being	reported	along	with	theirsacrifices	and	commitments.	This	means	there	is	significant	potential	for	a	renewed	debate	on	migration	andcultural	diversity	about	inequalities	in	Britain.	At	the	same	time,	inclusive	and	informative	reporting	in	the	context	ofa	global	health	crisis	requires	in-depth	scrutiny	of	domestic	immigration	policy	and	the	long-standing	resistance	toending	the	hostile	environment	for	migrant	workers	and	minorities.	BAME	communities	also	need	to	featureprominently	in	feature	stories.This	post	represents	the	views	of	the	authors	and	not	those	of	the	COVID-19	blog,	nor	LSE.LSE Covid 19 Blog: ‘A bit more human’?: trends in TV news coverage of BAME people during the pandemic Page 3 of 3		Date originally posted: 2020-06-26Permalink: https://blogs.lse.ac.uk/covid19/2020/06/26/a-bit-more-human-trends-in-tv-news-coverage-of-bame-people-during-the-pandemic/Blog homepage: https://blogs.lse.ac.uk/covid19/

A bit more human?: trends in TV news coverage of BAME people during the pandemic

Online Research @ Cardiff

05/07/2020 'A bit more human'?: trends in TV news coverage of BAME people during the pandemic | LSE Covid-19https://blogs.lse.ac.uk/covid19/2020/06/26/a-bit-more-human-trends-in-tv-news-coverage-of-bame-people-during-the-pandemic/ 1/10Dr Marina Morani Lizzy Willmington June 26th, 2020‘A bit more human’?: trends in TV news coverageof BAME people during the pandemic0 comments | 2 sharesEstimated reading time: 10 minutesTV bulletins have reported on the extra dangers ethnic minority healthworkers have faced during the pandemic, but are less interested in howthe hostile environment affects BAME and migrant workers. Analysis byMarina Morani and Lizzy Willmington (Cardiff University) also  nds thatBAME people are almost entirely absent from human interest stories.Ethnic minority communities are particularly badly affected by theCOVID-19 pandemic. Even when the country is united in the face of aglobal health crisis, stigmatising attitudes towards black and ethnicminority people in Britain still prevail. From the stereotyping of certainnationalities falsely identi ed as causing the spread of the virus to05/07/2020 'A bit more human'?: trends in TV news coverage of BAME people during the pandemic | LSE Covid-19https://blogs.lse.ac.uk/covid19/2020/06/26/a-bit-more-human-trends-in-tv-news-coverage-of-bame-people-during-the-pandemic/ 2/10conspiracy theories targeting faith groups, a wide variety ofdisinformation has targeted ethnic minorities, religious groups andnational communities.Black Lives Matter protest in London, 7 June 2020. Photo: Steve Easonvia a CC BY NC 2.0 licenceBalanced, informative and inclusive media narratives that re ect thelives, concerns and interests of diverse audiences are crucial for newsreporting. During the pandemic, the public has relied on broadcastmedia for trusted information. One of the main aims of public servicebroadcasting is to address and represent diverse audiences, but arecent Ofcom report on diversity found that viewers from ethnicminority backgrounds did not see their viewpoints re ected in TVbulletins.Our study of UK television news coverage of COVID-19 show thatbroadcasters have regularly reported on healthcare and key workersfrom ethnic minority and migrant backgrounds, reporting growingconcern for their disproportionate mortality rate while emphasising theircrucial contribution as essential workers. At the same time, our analysishighlights a lack of scrutiny of domestic immigration policies. It alsopoints out that human interest stories under-represent the interests,05/07/2020 'A bit more human'?: trends in TV news coverage of BAME people during the pandemic | LSE Covid-19https://blogs.lse.ac.uk/covid19/2020/06/26/a-bit-more-human-trends-in-tv-news-coverage-of-bame-people-during-the-pandemic/ 3/10concerns, and charitable activities of the different residentcommunities.Shifting narratives?Our content analysis of over 600 items between 14-25 April 2020 fromthe main UK evening TV news bulletins (BBC News at Ten, ITV News atTen, Sky News at Ten, Channel 5 at 5pm and Channel 4 News) foundthat just 31 stories (5%) focused on issues concerning ethnic minoritiesor migration in the context of the health crisis.The dominant story in our sample was the increasing concern about thevulnerability of Black, Asian and ethnic minority (BAME) frontlineworkers. Although tributes to victims of the virus routinely featured in allbroadcasts, it was only after the British Medical Association called foran investigation that the ‘ethnic minority’ background of victims became‘newsworthy’ and part of a much bigger story investigating thedisproportionate impact of the virus on minorities.One such story in our sample pertained to the British doctor of Sikhheritage Manjeet Singh Riyat, whose death was prominently featured on21 April across all broadcasters. As well as highlighting his professionalcommitment and dedication through tributes from colleagues andfamily,  the stories emphasised the need for an investigation to fullyunderstand the risk factors for BAME communities in the UK.A climate of rediscovered appreciation for the contribution andsacri ces of frontline workers, including from the Prime Ministerhimself, raises the question of whether attitudes towards ethnicminority and migrant workers have become less hostile. Channel 5 ran astory with a Spanish nurse speaking about his experiences in the NHS,recalling that previously his work was not highly valued and publicattitudes towards foreign-born health staff were not so appreciative:05/07/2020 'A bit more human'?: trends in TV news coverage of BAME people during the pandemic | LSE Covid-19https://blogs.lse.ac.uk/covid19/2020/06/26/a-bit-more-human-trends-in-tv-news-coverage-of-bame-people-during-the-pandemic/ 4/10“I think this coronavirus has made Britain abit more human… In the last two weeks Ihave gone from being a low skilled workerto being a key worker. It has given me a bitof hope that the government have realised –and the people also have realised – howimportant migrants are to help societyfunction”.However, long-standing restrictive measures such as the immigrationhealth surcharge remain in place, particularly for migrant workers. ITVwas the only broadcaster in our sample to report the NHS surchargeincrease from October for non-EEA nationals, and a particular story on23 April of an NHS nurse facing the £624 surcharge fee six times overfor her and her family. In the interview, she calls for the government toscrap the charge, which penalises international staff working in theNHS.Overall, domestic immigration policy as it affects the lives of migrantworkers remains in the background of the majority of the stories, if it ispresent at all. Despite three stories reporting on Britain’s reliance onseasonal migrant workers – with farmers highlighting the experienceand e ciency of returning Eastern European workers – the points-05/07/2020 'A bit more human'?: trends in TV news coverage of BAME people during the pandemic | LSE Covid-19https://blogs.lse.ac.uk/covid19/2020/06/26/a-bit-more-human-trends-in-tv-news-coverage-of-bame-people-during-the-pandemic/ 8/10Posted In: Media, culture and societyLeave a ReplyYour email address will not be published. Required  elds are marked *Post CommentName Email SiteComment Notify me of follow-up comments by email. Notify me of new posts by email.Read NextThe ‘hospectacle’ of reporting from ICUs: what does the publicwant to see?May 29th, 2020Lizzy Willmington is a Research Assistant and Cardiff UniversitySchool of Journalism, Media and Culture, and PhD researcher atCardiff Law School.Lizzy Willmington05/07/2020 'A bit more human'?: trends in TV news coverage of BAME people during the pandemic | LSE Covid-19https://blogs.lse.ac.uk/covid19/2020/06/26/a-bit-more-human-trends-in-tv-news-coverage-of-bame-people-during-the-pandemic/ 5/10based UK immigration bill which passed its second reading just a fewweeks later proposing further restrictions to overseas and ‘low skilled’workers was not discussed, scrutinised, or even referenced in anycoverage.Limited representations ofdiversityBeyond the worries healthcare workers have about their immigrationstatus and fear of catching the virus, the issue of racism was hardlycovered in our sample. While two pieces – on Channel 5 and ITV –reported that they were the target of violence and abuse, these did notfeature members of ethnic minorities affected or discuss raciallymotivated abuse despite recent cases targeting healthcare and keyworkers. However, Channel 5 brie y reported on a viral video featuringmigrant, black and minority ethnic key workers reciting an anti-racistpoem.Tez@tezilyas#YouClapForMeNow2:11 9.1M views8:32 PM · Apr 14, 2020117.1K 55.7K people are Tweeting about this05/07/2020 'A bit more human'?: trends in TV news coverage of BAME people during the pandemic | LSE Covid-19https://blogs.lse.ac.uk/covid19/2020/06/26/a-bit-more-human-trends-in-tv-news-coverage-of-bame-people-during-the-pandemic/ 9/10Related PostsMedia, culture and societyGovernment and media misinformation about COVID-19 isconfusing the public MAY 7TH, 2020 1#LSEThinksI’m pro-young, not anti-old: policy responses to Covid-19 areat odds with the ‘fair innings’ principle APRIL 29TH, 2020 2Media, culture and societyDifferent lockdown rules in the four nations are confusingthe public 05/07/2020 'A bit more human'?: trends in TV news coverage of BAME people during the pandemic | LSE Covid-19https://blogs.lse.ac.uk/covid19/2020/06/26/a-bit-more-human-trends-in-tv-news-coverage-of-bame-people-during-the-pandemic/ 6/10Other stories representing the different resident communities in Britainwere limited in range. The Muslim community preparing for Ramadan inlockdown received some in-depth coverage, while ITV reported on avideo appeal by British Asian celebrities aimed at promoting safetymeasures within that community. In the only international reportconcerned with ethnic minorities in our sample, Sky News reported onthe African American community in Louisiana,  lming in a poorneighbourhood in New Orleans severely hit by the crisis.Furthermore, we found that human interest stories of solidarity aboutindividual campaigners or charity groups tend to be overwhelmingly‘white’ and dominated by Captain Tom Moore’s fundraising efforts, orthe Clap for Our Carers event routinely reported at the end of thebulletins. Only one story out of 49 human interest stories in our totalsample focused on a person from a BAME background – a feature on73-year-old Rajinder Singh releasing  tness videos to help alleviateloneliness in the Sikh community and raise money for the NHS.Channel 5 News@5_NewsMeet the 73-year-old who's becoming known as the Skipping Sikh.  When the lockdown began, Rajinder Singh was worried that the closure of Sikh temples would leave some in the community feeling isolated.   Well, using his initiative, he's now an unlikely fitness coach to many.05/07/2020 'A bit more human'?: trends in TV news coverage of BAME people during the pandemic | LSE Covid-19https://blogs.lse.ac.uk/covid19/2020/06/26/a-bit-more-human-trends-in-tv-news-coverage-of-bame-people-during-the-pandemic/ 7/10The potential for a renewednarrative on migrationOur analysis shows that Black, Asian and ethnic minorities’ healthconcerns are being reported along with their sacri ces andcommitments. This means there is signi cant potential for a reneweddebate on migration and cultural diversity about inequalities in Britain.At the same time, inclusive and informative reporting in the context of aglobal health crisis requires in-depth scrutiny of domestic immigrationpolicy and the long-standing resistance to ending the hostileenvironment for migrant workers and minorities. BAME communitiesalso need to feature prominently in feature stories.This post represents the views of the authors and not those of theCOVID-19 blog, nor LSE.About the author6:26 PM · Apr 21, 2020115 See the latest COVID-19 information on TwitterDr Marina Morani is a Research Associate at Cardiff UniversitySchool of Journalism, Media and Culture.Dr Marina Morani05/07/2020 'A bit more human'?: trends in TV news coverage of BAME people during the pandemic | LSE Covid-19https://blogs.lse.ac.uk/covid19/2020/06/26/a-bit-more-human-trends-in-tv-news-coverage-of-bame-people-during-the-pandemic/ 10/10© LSE 2020pMAY 22ND, 2020 1#LSEThinksCOVID-19 crisis management blurs the boundary betweenpolitics and technocracy MAY 1ST, 2020

'A bit more human?'?: trends in TV news coverage of BAME people during the pandemic

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A bit more human?: trends in TV news coverage of BAME people during the pandemic

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