A study from USC Annenberg’s Media Impact Project found disproportionate rates of criminality among
immigrant characters
A new study assessing the portrayal of immigrants on
American television has found improvement in representation but a continued over-emphasis of criminality for immigrant characters as well as an over-proportionate focus on those who are undocumented.
The study from USC Annenberg Norman Lear Center’s Media Impact Project, titled Change the Narrative, Change the World: How immigrant representation on television moves audiences to action, examined depictions of 129 immigrant characters from 97 episodes of 59 scripted narrative TV shows that aired between August 2018 and July 2019 – a time in which several shows, including Orange is the New Black, Madam Secretary and The Conners responded to an increase in deportations and viewer awareness of
immigration and Customs Enforcement (Ice) with immigration-based storylines.