NEW: Define American Releases Groundbreaking Research on Immigrant Representation in Popular Television Shows

Third representation study shows the number of immigrant characters associated with crime on television is at an all-time high.

LOS ANGELES, Dec. 14, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Narrative change nonprofit Define American released groundbreaking new research last week with the USC Norman Lear Center's Media Impact Project analyzing how often and how well immigrant characters are represented in scripted television and streaming networks. The report, Change the Narrative, Change the World 2022: The Power of Immigrant Representation on Television, shows improvements, but some depictions of immigrant stories on television continue to be at odds with reality.

Combining a content analysis of all immigrant characters across two seasons of television with an audience survey, the research highlights the power of nuanced portrayals to shift audiences' attitudes, beliefs, and actions toward immigrant communities in real life. Shows analyzed include: Netflix's Never Have I Ever (winner of the 2022 People's Choice Award for Best Comedy), The CW's Roswell, New Mexico, FOX's The Cleaning Lady and CBS's Bob Hearts Abishola.

Key findings show that while representation of Black and Asian American immigrants has doubled since 2020, representation of Latine immigrant characters has plummeted, dropping from 50% in 2020 to 34% in 2022. Pacific Islander representation is also lacking.

"When you look at the outsized impact of television – where audiences are forming their first impressions about whole groups of people – it becomes absolutely imperative to show these viewers more than one hyper-criminalized, stereotypical story," said Jose Antonio Vargas, Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist and Founder of Define American.

The research highlights the power of nuanced immigrant characters to create meaningful connections with captive audiences.

"Define American's research is showing how characters like Nalini - who I play in Never Have I Ever - can actually help people to be more understanding toward immigrant experiences," said actor Poorna Jagannathan, who stars in Netflix's Never Have I Ever as Devi's mother, Nalini. "Audiences are creating relationships with these characters that are then informing how they're interacting with immigrants in real life. There is more empathy, understanding and nuance to these interactions, and that is such a powerful thing."

While there has been some positive improvement in representation, immigrant characters on television are also more likely to be associated with crime than at any point since this research began.

"More representation of immigrants is not necessarily better," said Erica Rosenthal, Director of Research at the Norman Lear Center. "If characters convey inaccurate stereotypes, for example, about immigrants and crime, this may contribute to real-life prejudice."

With its work at large, Define American is helping the entertainment industry develop authentic portrayals of immigrant characters on screen, with the goal of creating positive and long-lasting cultural change.

"Define American is partnering with the Lear Center to pioneer a model of research in Hollywood that is unprecedented," said Sarah E. Lowe, Director of Research and Evaluation at Define American.

Charlene Joy Jimenez, Director of Entertainment Partnerships & Advocacy at Define American, added that television has the power to change hearts and minds. "We hope our research encourages the entertainment industry to lean into more nuanced storytelling, and ultimately create a deeper understanding of immigrant experiences in the United States," she said.

Download the full report here.

About Define American: Define American is a nonprofit narrative change organization that uses the power of storytelling to humanize conversations about immigrants. Founded in 2011 by Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist, Emmy-nominated filmmaker, and Tony-nominated producer Jose Antonio Vargas, our advocacy within entertainment, news and digital media is creating an America where everyone belongs. To learn more, visit www.DefineAmerican.com.

About the Norman Lear Center: The Norman Lear Center is a nonpartisan research and public policy center based at the University of Southern California's Annenberg School for Communication and Journalism that studies and shapes the impact of media and entertainment on society. At the Lear Center's Media Impact Project, we study content, audiences, and impact of media narratives on a wide range of health and public interest issues. Our goal is to prove that media matters, and to improve the quality of media to serve the public good. To learn more, visit www.mediaimpactproject.org.

SOURCE Define American