Media Representations and Capabilities: An Intergroup Analysis of Muslim Arabs, Bedouin, Druze, and Christian Arabs

ABSTRACT

This study examines the media representations of the four Palestinian-Israeli subgroups (Muslim Arabs, Bedouins, Druze, and Christian Arabs) in the Israeli broadcast media. This breaks with the empirical tradition to research Palestinian-Israelis as a whole while ignoring intergroup differences. The study employs a quantitative content analysis of 1,722 interviews conducted with individuals from the four subgroups on Israeli news and current affairs programs. Results reveal that each of the four subgroups was portrayed differently in the media aligning with the subgroups’ unique circumstances and their relationship with the Jewish-Israeli majority. These results relay the importance of measuring subgroups separately as each subgroup is uniquely represented and each unique representation can enable or hinder the capabilities of its members differently. Thus, this study invites a fairer distribution of media resources in society, particularly to subgroups of marginalized communities, contributing to their freedoms, prosperity, and well-being.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Notes

¹ This figure originates from the IFAT media information company data base.

Additional information

Funding

Supported by a Minerva Fellowship of the Minerva Stiftung Gesellschaft fuer die Forschung mbH.

Notes on contributors

Baruch Shomron

Baruch Shomron is the Israel Professor in Communication Science at the Department of Communication at Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz, Germany. His research focuses on communication rights, media capabilities, media representations, the digital divide, and health communication, especially regarding marginalized populations.