Abstract
This thesis involves a multi-disciplinary study of the relationship between media, power and immigration in the UK. The initial goal is to establish the major themes and issues that should potentially play strong roles in the mass media reportage of asylum and immigration. This is achieved through an analysis of the UK’s refugee intake compared to other countries in the world, the demographic effect of immigration in the UK and the situations in the major refugee sending countries. A historical research into both the domestic immigration policies of UK politicians and the contemporary strategies of
globalisation is used to ascertain the very different themes and issues of asylum and immigration that reflect the agenda of the UK political elite. Using Herman and Chomsky’s US “Propaganda Model” as a theoretical template, the UK’s mass media is structurally analysed to ascertain its potential subservience to domestic elite interests.
Having discovered that fundamental institutional similarities exist between the US and the UK media, a content analysis is performed on three British newspapers to test the predictions of Herman and Chomsky’s media model. The results of this case study reveal strongly that asylum/immigration themes useful to the UK political elites are highly visible despite their lack of statistical relevance, whereas fundamental issues damaging to this group are minimised or ignored. This work therefore concludes that the UK mainstream media is flawed as a conduit of information concerning asylum and immigration issues due to its lack of structural independence from the agenda of the political elite. The thesis closes with an overview of organisations attempting to challenge these flaws.
Table of Contents
1 Problem, Hypothesis and Methods
1.1 Introduction
1.2 Development of Problem
1.3 Research Methods
2 Reality and Agendas: the UK, Immigration, and the Media
2.1 The Reality of Asylum/Immigration
2.1.1 Some Facts and Figures regarding the UK
2.1.2 The UK compared with the Rest of the World
2.1.3 Situation in Refugee Sending Countries
2.1.4 Summary
2.2 Agenda of U.K. Political Elites with regard to Asylum and Immigration
2.2.1 Historical Record in the UK
2.2.2 Racism, Nationalism and Scapegoating
2.2.3 Globalisation
2.2.4 Summary
2.3 Elite Political Power and the Media: The Propaganda Model
2.3.1 A Brief Overview of the Propaganda Model
2.3.2 Criticisms of the Propaganda Model
2.3.3 The Five Filters and the UK Media: A Structural Analysis.
2.3.4 Summary
3 The Performance of Mainstream Media: A Case Study
3.1 Summary of method
3.2 Quantitative Results
3.2.1 Themes
3.2.2 Opinion Groups
3.3 Analysis of data collected
3.3.1 Themes
3.3.2 Opinion Groups
3.4 Summary
4 Alternatives/Challenges to Mainstream Media
4.1 Medialens
4.2 The RAM Project
4.3 ZNet
4.4 Glasgow Media Group
4.5 Summary
5 Conclusion
6 References
6.1 Publications
6.2 Internet Websites / Sources
Research Objectives and Themes
This thesis examines the relationship between media, political power, and immigration in the UK, aiming to uncover how mainstream media discourse on asylum and immigration reflects a subservience to elite political interests and whether mechanisms exist to challenge this structural bias.
- The structural flaws in UK mass media outlets regarding asylum and immigration reporting.
- The influence of elite political agendas on the framing of migration issues.
- The application of Herman and Chomsky’s "Propaganda Model" to the UK press.
- The role of alternative media and watchdogs in challenging mainstream news narratives.
Excerpt from the Book
2.2.1 Historical Record in the UK
The first UK parliamentary debates concerning the control of immigration began to occur during the 1880’s and in 1903 a Royal Commission met to discuss the issue of ‘undesirable aliens’. The group of people causing the concern were Jewish, responsible for a migrating pattern that led 120,000 Jews to enter Britain between 1875 and 1914 (an average of approximately 3,000 per year), fleeing anti-Semitism in Russia and Eastern Europe. Despite discovering that the UK’s intake of immigrants was comparatively small and dismissing accusations of immigrants’ lack of hygiene, disease and overcrowding, the Commission recommended that controls be introduced and in 1905 the Parliamentary Aliens Act was passed as law. In the process of this Act, the UK Immigration service was created for the first time and has existed ever since.
This Act began a political tradition that has continued in the UK up until the present, involving the passionate criticism of anti-immigration legislation by opposition parties who, once in power, not only fail to repeal the policies, but actually increase their stringency. This occurred in 1914 during the First World War with the passing of the Aliens Restriction Act, which invested substantial discretionary powers in the hands of the Home Secretary including the right to prohibit and deport, without legal justification, any immigrants and refugees entering the country. The Act was argued on the basis of an emergency war-time measure, yet it not only continued to exist after the war was over, but was expanded by a new Act passed in 1919, introducing further powers and restrictions, including the empowerment of immigration officers to make discretionary entry refusals without recourse to appeal. In this way a second political tradition began with respect to immigration, i.e. emergency immigration legislation remaining in place after the alleged threats have subsided.
Summary of Chapters
Problem, Hypothesis and Methods: This chapter introduces the core research question regarding media bias in the UK and outlines the multi-disciplinary approach used to study the interplay of media, power, and immigration.
Reality and Agendas: the UK, Immigration, and the Media: This chapter establishes the statistical reality of migration versus political rhetoric and explores the historical and economic strategies employed by the UK political elite to maintain control.
The Performance of Mainstream Media: A Case Study: This chapter presents empirical content analysis of three national newspapers to test whether media coverage systematically conforms to elite interests as predicted by the Propaganda Model.
Alternatives/Challenges to Mainstream Media: This chapter evaluates contemporary organizations and platforms, such as Medialens and the Glasgow Media Group, that attempt to challenge and provide alternatives to mainstream news discourse.
Conclusion: This final chapter synthesizes the research findings, confirming that market forces and structural constraints lead the UK mainstream media to prioritize elite agendas over balanced reporting on immigration.
References: This section lists all academic publications, official reports, and internet resources cited throughout the thesis.
Keywords
Propaganda Model, UK Media, Asylum Seekers, Immigration Policy, Political Elite, Media Bias, Content Analysis, Globalisation, Nationalism, Scapegoating, Structural Filters, Herman and Chomsky, Refugee Crisis, News Discourse, Media Accountability.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the core focus of this thesis?
The thesis explores the relationship between mass media, political power, and immigration in the UK, specifically investigating how news discourse on asylum reflects elite interests.
What are the primary themes addressed in the work?
Key themes include the political agenda of exclusion, the historical record of UK immigration policies, the "Propaganda Model," and the role of corporate media in shaping public opinion.
What is the primary research question?
The research asks what themes are missing from mainstream UK media coverage of asylum and immigration and to what extent these omissions reflect a subservience to dominant elite interests.
Which methodology is used to conduct the research?
The study utilizes documentary research, literature review, and a comparative content analysis of three British newspapers, applying the theoretical framework of Herman and Chomsky’s Propaganda Model.
What does the main body of the work cover?
It covers the statistical reality of global migration, historical patterns of UK exclusionary laws, a detailed structural analysis of the five "Propaganda Model" filters, and a case study of newspaper performance in 2003.
Which keywords characterize this study?
The study is characterized by terms such as Propaganda Model, media bias, elite political power, asylum seekers, and structural filters in news production.
How does the work define "political elite"?
Following Van Dijk, it defines the political elite as a group with special power resources, including wealth, decision control, and ideological influence, encompassing both elected officials and powerful non-politicians.
What is the "Propaganda Model" in this context?
It is a framework developed by Herman and Chomsky describing five institutional filters—such as corporate ownership, advertising, and sourcing—that cause mainstream media to align with elite goals.
Does the media coverage differ between different newspapers?
The study concludes that despite varying political leanings, all three examined newspapers show a clear conformity in deciding which themes to discuss, consistently following elite-driven narratives.
What is the role of the organizations discussed in the final chapter?
Groups like Medialens, the RAM Project, and ZNet serve as counter-media, providing contextual depth and critical analysis to challenge the institutional bias found in mainstream outlets.
- Quote paper
- BA MA Matthew Randall (Author), 2003, Rubbing Salt in the Wounds - A study of media, power and immigration, Munich, GRIN Verlag, https://www.grin.com/document/124100
