Introduction
The issues concerning migrants and refugees, as well as members of other countries seeking asylum, has been controversial since the beginning of the decade. The media involvements in such matters have brought about conflicting concerns due to their participation and the influence of political influence. Other than this, allegations of the issues concerning media coverage being used in the branding of different individuals moving from one country to the other as illegal immigrants. This has been documented adequately in the book Bad News for Refugees, which provides information regarding the various information written concerning the movement of people from one border to the other, especially in the European Union.
The paper will take an in-depth look and introduction of the various matters concerning the matters of refugees, migrants as well as those seeking asylum. It is important to note that the different involvements and the introduction of the written documents such as newspapers and stories aired in different media platforms introduces media influence in the matter. The various names and titles of the articles give the readers influence concerning the matter. In such a case, it is essential the materials reviewed be presented and adequately discussed. In the final part, the delivery of the example of the Snowden controversy will be highlighted and the role of the media in the case.
Refugees, Migrants, and Asylum
Refugees are described as displaced persons who have fled war, violence, and conflict, which may have led to their ultimate persecution and have made a move towards the crossing of international borders to find safety. In an article by the united nations high commissioner for refugees (UNHCR, 2019), the crossing of borders by the people in a bid to save their lives are protected by international laws such that the Refugee Convention(1951) which defines refugees as 'someone unable or unwilling to return to their country of origin owing to a well-founded fear of being persecuted for reasons of race, religion, nationality, membership of a particular social group, or political opinion.' In this case, it is essential that the different displaced individuals may also be in their own country, hence the name internally displaced countries. On the other hand, migrants are defined as particular individuals who move from one place, either their place of residence to another location, either permanently or temporarily. The movement can also be done within borders of a country or across borders. This category of people is not entirely protected by international law and have been faced with issues of legality in their movement.
Asylum seekers, on the other hand, are defined as the different individuals who come up with an unusual request for sanctuary in other countries. However, their appeal has also not yet been processed. The UNHCR also terms these asylum seekers as refugees as they seek protection from persecution (Refugees, 2020). These three cases form the basis of the paper as they're most attacked in the cases involving media influence and political matters at large.
In the book, Bad News for Refugees, a media analysis has been described as using various terms that may implicate the different individuals described above. The use of the words 'illegal immigrants' in the defining of people seeing asylum brings controversial concerns concerning the nature of travel on the individuals. From the description of the life of travel of the different people, it is important to find out that although people seeking asylum have their right to asylum and their migration to cross borders to other countries is not illegal. The use of the terms 'illegal immigrants' by the media is, therefore, inappropriate. Having noticed this, the influence drawn by the people reading the articles and others having different concerns may unknowingly adopt the narrative.
In recent years, an article by Berry et al., 2016 describes the recent increase in the migration of people into the European Union since the year 2014. In the words of the United Kingdom Chancellor, the movement of the individuals into the EU to seek asylum from their countries would soon become a significant issue. The discussion in the restrictions of the Mediterranean crossing to bar people forms accessing the countries ha been on the rise with the building of fences across borders to prohibit the case. The role of mass media in the growing concern, as well as public anxiety, has been keenly contributed. Political attitudes and the revolutionary provision of information tending to frame the immigrants wrongly as an economic burden. European migration politics, which is highly flamed by the media, need to be scrutinized adequately.
In the findings of the study, the political labeling of the individuals in the countries of the European Union plays a significant role in the media coverage on matters regarding migration. Other than this, it is important that the different individuals seeking asylum who may have been refugees be granted asylum with open arms rather than naming and branding. The various myths discussed, like the individuals seeing asylum, include the cost myth as well as the social cost myth, which is later backed up by the criminality myth. The cost myth implies that individuals seeking asylum may become a financial burden on the economic status of the European Union. This means that the country has more unemployment and more mouths to feed, which is stringent on its economy.
In other cases, the social cost myth which has been recorded in the United Kingdom implies that the refugees coming into the country may bring about cultural changes. The changes in culture may alter and harm the cultural norms of the ‘British way of life.’ The interactions of people and the intercultural deliveries into the different opportunities brought about by the immigrants, which may be positive has not been documented.
The different countries have adopted apparent differences and humanitarian themes towards the changing of media influence in recent years. Changes have been made in the Italian press, which seeks to find out the different involvements of the refugees and their journey across the Mediterranean. This brings to existence the possibility of their suffering and the rigorous travel which is faced with storms and hardship only to be branded and outcasts. Italy has proven her support for the European immigrants through the publishing of their stories and hence the changes in the narrative.
The Snowden Controversy
Edward Snowden, an American National Security Agency worker, working on government intelligence. In this case, the important information regarding the different whistleblowing in the United States and the various measures taken by Snowden in his attempt to seek asylum other countries such as Germany and Russia. Snowden, in his privacy, recorded different instances where the citizens of the United States. In such a case, the review of the matters at hand was that the possibility of having various individual analysts spying on the people within their jurisdiction was not right. Privacy defined by Snowden lies in the hope of having to undertake your tasks without having to worry about knowledge of their personal information being exposed.
With the government at hand with the situation having needed to arrest Snowden. The arrival and deduction of information from the government agency provide an avenue for Snowden to be charged for treason. Other than this, the carrying out of the data from the agency to be termed as evidence against the government by Snowden was tactical since high screening was carried out at the entrance and exit. This move by Snowden was also recorded as being influential in his fight for citizen privacy in the United States (CNN Library, 2020). Films have been involving in the delivery of progress of the Snowden case as well as media houses, which write tremendous stories about his journey in seeking asylum in the countries of Europe. The Guardian, as well as the Washington Post, which are bigger media houses, offer their reports, which signify the use of a program noted by Snowden as PRISM, which extracts different information from emails to photographs and other documents from the enormous materials.
Snowden, through the media, is turned and defines the felony as stealing of government property. In such a case, it is essential to note that although different institutions have come out to honor the changes made by Snowden, the critical involvement of Snowden in the activities of espionage may not be substantiated. His travel to Russia and his disappearance from the United States and the fateful journey towards asylum is well documented. In such a case, the communication of Snowden and his travel oversees must be protected by international law as he flees persecution. The delivery of the message by the media, which influences the fight of Snowden against privacy rights, has been adequately developed such that every individual case has been tainted and altered.
Conclusion
From the engagement provided, it is essential to note that although there may be different institutional changes in the level of media influence on matters of refugees and migrants, the enaction of laws to cover the extent to which media houses report is required. Other than this, the movement of individuals across borders should be met with concern and care for the factors making them flee and individual governments working to provide a more habitable place to curb the movement rather than building walls and fences across the European Union. In this case, it is essential to note that although the changes in the delivery of the process will take stringent measures, s highly necessary.
