English Abstracts M&K 3/2010

Andreas Hepp, Cigdem Bozdag & Laura Suna: Cultural Identity and Communicative Networking in the Diaspora: A Typology of Origin-, Ethno- and World-oriented Migrants (Herkunfts-, Ethno- und Weltorientierte: Aneignungstypen der kulturellen Identität und kommunikativen Vernetzung in der Diaspora)

The article discusses the results of a research project focusing on the interrelationship between communicative networking activities and cultural identity formations of Moroccan, Russian and Turkish migrants in Germany. Drawing on ethnographic research using methods such as qualitative interviews and network analyses, we distinguish between three types of migrants. ‘Origin-oriented migrants’ largely focus on their home country with regards to their sense of belonging and communicative networking activities. ‘Ethno-oriented migrants’ focus on other people living in their new surroundings, in addition to their home country and own ethnic group. Finally, ‘world-oriented migrants’ demonstrate a sense of belonging that transgresses traditional understandings of ethnic identity, which is often accompanied by wide communicative networking activities via traditional as well as digital media. This kind of analysis implies that we need to look far beyond ‘problems of national integration’ in order to understand the relationship between media use and migration. Indeed, the possibilities of communicative networking activities in the diaspora are much more complex than often assumed.

Keywords: migration, diaspora, media, identity, integration, networking, media culture, network analysis, grounded theory

Annett Heft / Torsten Maurer / Hans-Jürgen Weiß: Media Consumption and Media Literacy of Young Russian Immigrants in the German state of North Rhine-Westphalia (Mediennutzung und Medienkompetenz junger russischer Aussiedler in Nordrhein-Westfalen)

At the heart of a wide-ranging socio-political and academic debate about immigrants’ media consumption habits and media literacy skills, particularly digital media are often singled out for their potential educational, communicative and participatory effects on young immigrants. Aside from articulating such positive expectations, however, the debate is characterized by concerns relating to the idea that young immigrants might not be capable of fully making use of these potential benefits. Still, no representative data exists so far that might be used to shed light on media use and media competence of young immigrants in Germany. Stepping into this gap, this paper discusses the findings of a representative telephone survey exploring media consumption practices and media literacy skills of young Russian immigrants between 12 and 19 years, who live in the German state of North Rhine-Westphalia. The results are juxtaposed general data about this age group in Germany. Among the key findings, the comparison highlights similarities between young people of different ethnic backgrounds with regards to their use of both old and new media. Essentially, the socio-demographic categories of age, gender, and, particularly, education emerge as considerably more important to Russian immigrants’ media consumption practices and media literacy skills than their migration status.

Keywords: media consumption, media literacy, digital divide, migration

Sünje Paasch-Colberg / Joachim Trebbe: Media Consumption Patterns of Turkish Adolescents in North Rhine-Westphalia (Mediennutzungsmuster türkischstämmiger Jugendlicher und junger Erwachsener in Nordrhein-Westfalen)

In 2006, about 2.5 million people with a native Turkish background were registered in Germany. Many of them, in particular younger people, did not migrate themselves. This group is particularly interesting to the study of social integration processes. This article represents a discussion of the results from a standardized telephone survey of 12 to 29 year-old people with a Turkish migration background in the German state of North Rhine-Westphalia. The aim of this analysis was to shed new light on recent findings on the relationship between mass media consumption and the social integration of migrants; and examine the role of new communication devices such as mobile phones, personal computers and the Internet in addition to more traditional mass media outlets. The results indicate that the use of both traditional and new media depends on the social position of the respondents (in particular on their educational qualifications), rather than the status of social integration. Our multivariate causal analysis did not confirm claims about the integrative effects of exclusively German language-based media outlets. Instead, the study’s results suggest that a balanced bilingual (Turkish/German) media menu is beneficial to processes of social integration.

Keywords: media consumption, integration, new media, new communication devices, Turkish migration background

Erk Simon / Gerhard Kloppenburg: Kanal D, Pro Sieben or Das Erste? Young Turkish Immigrants’ TV Viewing Choices (Kanal D, Pro Sieben oder Das Erste? Determinanten der Fernsehprogrammnutzung junger Zuschauer mit türkischem Zuwanderungshintergrund)

This paper analyses the television viewing habits of young native Turkish immigrants in Germany with regards to their selection criteria, and offers explanations for the choices made by viewers. Re-examining data from the study ‘Between Cultures’ (2006), we investigate the significance of socio-demographic variables, functional aspects of TV consumption, genre interests and attitudes towards Turkish and German TV to viewers’ consumption of the TV channels Kanal D, Das Erste and Pro Sieben. The results indicate that similarly diverse TV viewing patterns can be observed among both Turkish German viewers: Those audience members primarily seeking information-centred content tend to watch Das Erste, while viewers mainly seeking enjoyment and excitement tend to prefer Pro Sieben. The Turkish channel Kanal D is most often consumed by viewers who feel a strong sense of belonging to Turkey and the Turkish language, and who show a keen interest in the specific genre of Turkish TV.

Keywords: media consumption, television consumption, Turkish migration background

Heinz Bonfadelli / Priska Bucher / Andrea Piga / Sara Signer: Broadcasting, Migration and Integration: Results from a Swiss Survey on the Significance of Public Service and Commercial Broadcasting to Notions of Integration (Rundfunk, Migration und Integration. Schweizerische Befunde zur Integrationsleistung des öffentlichen und privaten Rundfunks)

Due to increasing migration to most European countries and controversial discussions about the challenges of integration, the complex relationships between the media and processes of migration has evolved as an important issue to media and communication research. This paper discusses empirical results from a study carried out on behalf of the Swiss Federal Office of Communication (Bakom). Drawing on content analyses as well as interviews, the significance of Swiss public service and commercial radio and television to notions of integration has been examined. The results indicate that broadcasts on notions of migration are characterised by misrepresentation, stereotypes, and negativity. Conversely, migrants in Switzerland show ambiguous and negative value judgements about the performance of the media with regards to this issue. Moreover, the so called ‘media ghetto’ thesis could not be confirmed by the study’s results

Keywords: migration, broadcasting, Switzerland, news, content analysis, ‘media ghetto’ thesis