The Image of Immigration in Spanish Prime-Time TV Fiction

  1. Juan Jose Igartua 1
  2. Isabel Barrios
  3. Félix Ortega 1
  4. María Marcos 1
  5. Valeriano Piñeiro 1
  6. Salvador Alvidrez
  1. 1 Universidad de Salamanca
    info

    Universidad de Salamanca

    Salamanca, España

    ROR https://ror.org/02f40zc51

Actas:
63rd Annual Conference of the International Communication Association “Challenging Communication Research”

Año de publicación: 2013

Tipo: Aportación congreso

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Resumen

The following paper shows the results of a content analysis research on the image of immigration in prime time television fiction in Spain, based on Cultivation Theory. The data, retrieved from prime time television of all of Spain’s national channels (TVE1, La 2, Antena 3, Cuatro, Tele 5, and La Sexta) during two weeks in 2011, lead us to conclude that there is a clear under-representation of immigrant characters, who also tend to be depicted in mainly negative stereotypes: lower level of studies, lower socio-economic status, occupations that do not require specific skills, performing criminal activities, enduring and inflicting more acts of violence, participating in conversations with more instrumental topics, and defined with negative personality traits. This lack of diversity conditions the visibility of immigrants in our society, hindering a vicarious or parasocial contact, and relating to the spreading of prejudice towards immigrants.