ICAR Report

Executive summary

The Refugees, Asylum-Seekers and the Media (RAM) Project regional media events aimed to bring together representatives of the refugee and asylum seeker support sector, the media, refugees and asylum seekers and other interested parties to explore the difficulties of reporting refugee and asylum issues at a local level and to recommend how these could be overcome for the benefit of all. They particularly considered how to raise the profile of refugee and asylum seeker voices in media coverage.

The Information Centre about Asylum and Refugees in the UK (ICAR) at King's College London was invited by the RAM Project to write an independent report of the events.

The following key points emerged from the events:

Concern about media coverage of refugee and asylum issues. There is widespread concern about the predominately unbalanced, poorly researched and hostile coverage of refugee and asylum issues in the UK. In particular there is concern about the effect of this coverage on the lives of refugees and asylum seekers themselves and on community relations in the areas in which they live.
Ineffective working relations between the media and refugee and asylum seeker support sectors. With some notable exceptions the events revealed how little each sector understood the others' work culture, needs and expectations. Members of the refugee and asylum seeker support sector tended to be suspicious of the media and failed to differentiate sufficiently between the well-intentioned and the hostile, while most journalists showed little understanding of the pressures under which refugee agencies operate and the difficulties involved in producing media friendly material to tight deadlines.
Conflicting roles and responsibilities of local media. Local media are closely linked with the communities they serve and are thus in a strong position to influence public opinion whilst to an extent reflecting and representing it. Their coverage of refugee and asylum issues depends on how they interpret their role in relation to this community, their responsibilities to report accurately, fairly and ethically and their need to balance commercial and other interests.
Weaknesses of media regulatory mechanisms. Codes of Practice, for example of the Press Complaints Commission (PCC), the National Union of Journalists (NUJ) and other journalist associations, do not deal specifically with refugee and asylum issues and this reduces their ability to contest unprofessional coverage.
Inadequate information on refugee and asylum issues. The media is struggling to access the information they need to produce comprehensive and accurate reporting of refugee and asylum issues. They find it difficult to get rapid access to official information from both national and local government, as well as to human-interest stories from refugees and asylum seekers themselves or organisations operating on their behalf.
Raising the profile of refugee and asylum seeker voices in media coverage. While some refugees and asylum seekers are happy to talk to the media and others very reluctant, all needed support from people who understood their situation and were experienced in how the media works. More refugee and asylum seekers would be prepared to talk to journalists if they showed greater understanding of refugee and asylum issues.
Examples of good communication do exist. The events recognized the value of dedicated immigration and asylum correspondents; use of communications strategies and appointment of media officers by dispersal consortia and refugee and asylum seeker support organisations; and partnership work between local media and local refugee and asylum seeker support agencies.

ICAR's recommendations
To overcome existing obstacles to accurate and balanced reporting of refugee and asylum issues for the benefit of useful public debate, ICAR recommends that:

The Press Complaints Commission publish guidelines on terminology and use of language in reporting refugee and asylum issues, along the lines of their guidelines on mental health issues, and collate existing applicable sections of their Code of Practice, including the provisions for complaints about inaccurate coverage and recent adjudications made on reporting of refugee and asylum matters.
The media be more informed and aware of refugee and asylum issues and the potentially damaging and dangerous effects of negative coverage; be more proactive in investigating and sourcing stories; develop more specialist refugee and asylum reporting; and employ more refugee journalists.
The refugee and asylum seeker support sector be more aware of media needs; resist suspicious attitudes and media stereotypes; employ media officers; compile information needed by the media and be more active in approaching the media and contesting or praising reporting where appropriate. Support agencies need to prepare individuals for media interviews and to trust the media to treat refugee and asylum seeker interviewees fairly.
PressWise develop further their exiled journalist network and secure jobs in the mainstream media for its members.
Media and refugee and asylum seeker support agencies establish and maintain communication locally; improve and sustain understanding and information sharing, for example through regular meetings and email groups; and develop human interest and feature articles on refugee and asylum issues.
The National Union of Journalists provide regional contact lists of refugee and asylum seeker support organisations and distribute accurate factual information which challenges myths to all members.
The Home Office make useful and relevant information more freely available and equip their Press Office to deal with refugee and asylum issues in order to help both the refugee and asylum seeker support and media sectors to improve the content of coverage.