roma and travellers issues

RESOURCE MATERIAL / Media Diversity: ROMA AND TRAVELLERS

A selection of articles and resources examining the theory of the media's role in reporting on Roma and travellers

Weekly radio programme produced by, and for, British Gypsies
BBC Three Counties Radio is launching a weekly programme produced by, and for, British Gypsies Rokker Radio (which means Talk Radio in Romany language) will be presented by Jake Bowers every Sunday evening from 9 April. Bowers is one of Britain 's only Romany journalists and is a regular contributor to The Guardian and BBC Radio 4.
(The Press Gazette, Thursday, March 30, 2006)

•	Media Relations Guide for the Roma (PDF / 90KB) (in English, Romani, and Croatian) by Lesley Abdela and Tim Symonds, for our partner organisation, The European Centre for War Peace and the News Media, 2001. Romani edition: Media Pustekelin, 2001. (PDF / 97KB) Croatian edition: Odnosi sa Javnoscu: Prirucnik za Rome, 2001. (PDF / 9.5MB)
•	Anti-Gypsyism barometer by Roma information group The UK-based 'Economist' and Italy's 'Corriere della Sera' daily newspaper are amongst publications singled out for attention in this statement issued by the Brussels-based European Roma Information Office (ERIO). (ERIO statement, 23 February 2005)
•	The British mass media and the Roma Was there ever a 'tide' or a 'deluge'/'flood' of gypsies attempting an 'invasion' of Britain, as UK newspapers The Guardian, Daily Mail, and Daily Telegraph (respectively) have claimed in the past? Here, Valeriu Nicolae, deputy director of the Brussels-based European Roma Information Office, shares his lecture notes on what he calls the dehumanization of anti-gypsyism, in which he compares the headlines, the facts, the falsehoods -- and the consequences.(EIRO)
•	Gypsies, Travellers and the media: press regulation and racism in the UK In this paper, Rachel Morris, coordinator of the Traveller Law Research Unit at the Cardiff Law School argues that the print media commonly represents Travellers in a stereotypical and prejudicial fashion. The press argues that its negative images of Travellers simply reflect public opinion. While this may be correct, Morris concludes that it is the role of the media to counter such racial assumptions and simplifications rather than condone them. (by Rachel Morris - 2000) (PDF / 40KB)
•	Anti-migrant roar ends in whimper Earlier this year, the UK's 'Daily Express' newspaper dedicated numerous front pages to the threat of '1.6 million Gipsies' who were 'ready to flood in' to Britain on 1 May, when the European Union was expanded. On 8 July, an article on page eight of the paper admitted that only 10,000 had come. (Independent Race and Refugee News Network, 8 July 2004)
•	Britain's fears: 'The Coming Hordes' Two Slovak journalists accuse British reporters of deliberately misinforming the public about Romani migrants. (TOL, 20 February 2004 )
•	Roma group condemns UK media coverage of Roma immigration issues British tabloid newspapers' coverage of Roma immigration issues in the lead up to the EU enlargement has been condemned as racist by the Brussels-based European Roma Information Office (ERIO). The ERIO condemns what it calls 'a campaign which is playing on still widespread and deeply rooted prejudices against the Roma'. (A statement issued by the ERIO, 2 February 2004)
•	A Problem Brewing: Media Coverage of Roma in Romania On the train to the airport, just before I left Romania, the person sitting next to me told me “Gypsies do nothing but steal and rob us – the Romanians.” It wasn’t a member of the Iron Guard or a skinhead sitting next to me, but an elderly lady travelling with her five-year-old grandson. I asked her if she had ever had a personal incident with a Roma, and she replied: “no, but didn’t you see on TV how savage they are?” The 5 year old boy nodded his agreement, and looked scared when I told them that I was Roma...... (by Valeriu Nicolae - 2003)
•	National Minorities: The Role of the Media in Integration of the Roma Community The Roma have recently received the status of a national minority in Yugoslavia - and thereby the right to the support of the state and the media to the formation of the Roma editorial offices in different regions. However, there are only four or five Roma journalists in Yugoslavia, while the region of South Serbia is covered by some 400 local media, of which not more than 10 broadcast just a few programmes in the minority languages...... (by Rasid Kurtic - RTS TVNS / ©Media Online 2002)
•	Radio C - Rain in the Desert "Jukel ("hello," in Roma), brothers, your show is OK, let God bless all Gypsies," this is what a delighted listener wrote to Radio C, the only Roma radio station in Hungary. Another letter, signed by Mari, Szilvi and Csilla, said the station's employees were kings, and the girls insisted they wanted to meet them personally...... (by Silvester Varga - BETA - MDI, 2002)
•	Mass Media for a Minority As it tries to find its own voice, Budapest’s Romani radio station is caught between the mission of serving its audience and the necessity of attracting more advertisers...... (by Doug Merlino - TOL Online, 18 October 2002)

Follow this link to see examples of media coverage of Roma and travellers issues in practice