The German media's handling of immigration issues in light of the flexible integration model: an analytical approach

Conference on Cultural Diversity, the Basis of National Integration, College of Arts/Wasit University 2022

Abstract

The study examines the subject of the German media's handling of immigration issues in light of the flexible integration model that Germany adopted in integrating immigrants after 2015. The researcher raises a set of questions that revolve around the most prominent trends of the German media in dealing with immigration issues and analyzing its dimensions, effects and developments within the framework of European values ​​and the model formed by the German media's handling of the issue of immigration. The media faced challenges represented in how media professionals dealt with the arguments of right-wing parties, the emergence of hate speech in the private media, and the contribution of the Staatliche Medien state media to the integration of immigrants. To answer these questions, the researcher used the descriptive analytical method. The research reached the following results:

1. There is a difference in the state media and the private media's handling of immigrant issues.
2. The media generally expressed concerns about immigration, and used several terms to describe immigrants.
3. The state media played a vital role in the integration of immigrants.
4. The representation of immigrants in the German media is poor, as only 1% of German media professionals are of immigrant origin.
5. Media studies on the issue of immigration have made many strides in German academic institutions, and studies in this field are still ongoing.